The 26th APF Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held virtually on the 15th and 16th of September 2021, bringing together all 25 member institutions, as well as observer representatives from other National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in the Asia Pacific.

Day One of the meeting addressed business items including the presentation of the APF’s annual performance and gender equality reports and elections for a range of representative positions. The proceedings also included up update on the situation in Afghanistan by Ms. Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

APF members elected Mr Doo-hwan Song, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, and Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India, as representatives to the APF Governance Committee. Members also elected Mr Othman Hashim, Chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, as Deputy Chairperson, and as an ‘alternate’ representative to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institution’s (GANHRI’s) Sub-Committee on Accreditation.

Dr Ali Bin Samikh Al Marri, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar was elected as the APF nomination for the position of GANHRI Chairperson.

Day Two of the AGM included an interactive dialogue between APF member institutions and the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls.

Date: 24 September 2021