Location: Malaysia
Strengthening community response to mitigate impacts of Covid-19 on vulnerable communities in Malaysia
Empowering community paralegals to address statelessness
Realising the right to health in the sustainable development goals
Issue
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has been recognised by world leaders at the UN General Assembly in 2016 as ‘one of the biggest threats to global health.’ Commitments were made by countries to develop national action plans on AMR, based on the ‘Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance’.
Project
Third World Network (TWN) is advancing the formulation and implementation of national AMR policies and plans by engaging with policy makers, parliamentarians, civil servants and generic drug manufacturers to discuss challenges and propose solutions that promote access to affordable medicines at national level. The project is also raising awareness among the general public of the impact of Intellectual Property (IP) regimes on access to affordable medicines and AMR, and carrying out research in relation to the IP provisions and their impact on access to medicines in India and Malaysia.
By the end of the project greater awareness on the links between IP regimes and access to affordable medicines in India and Malaysia would have been generated. It is hoped that research produced and constructive engagement with decision makers carried out during the project will influence government decisions in relations to legislation, policies and trade agreements, resulting in greater access to affordable medicines in target countries.
Third World Network
Third World Network (TWN) is an international network of organisations involved in issues relating to development. It aims to strengthen cooperation among development and environment groups in the South. TWN provides a platform representing broadly Third World interests and perspectives at international fora such as United Nations agencies and the WTO, conducts research on economic, social and environmental issues pertaining to the South and builds the capacity of Southern CSOs to engage in policy and law making processes.
Monitoring the improvement of human rights
Issue
The UPR aims to improve the human rights situation in all UN Member States by assessing their human rights records. This process provides an opportunity for governments to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situation in their country.
Project
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER) are working with the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (COMANGO) to monitor the improvement of the human rights situation in Malaysia in accordance with recommendations made by the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This project will enable non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to continuously and systematically monitor the implementation of UPR recommendations, and provide evidence-based input into the different stages of the UPR process.
It is expected that by the end of the project, NGOs in the coalition would have acquired the necessary skills and tools to both contribute to UPR recommendations and constructively engage in regular discussions on human rights issues with government officials.
EMPOWER
EMPOWER is a non-governmental organisation that promotes and supports actions that advance justice and democracy. The organisation works with women and youth to realise their potential in the areas of political participation, economic empowerment, and civil liberties. It also promotes civil society participation in national and regional human rights mechanisms.
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Strengthening indigenous stewardship of natural resources
Issue
The Eastern Malaysian state of Sabah is abundant with mineral and ecological natural resources, but stewardship of these is no simple task.
Project
The Partners of Community Organisations in Sabah (PACOS Trust) is seeking to improve the vital role that indigenous peoples of Sabah play in monitoring and stewarding these resources. State recognition of their roles in protecting indigenous peoples and community conserved areas (ICCAs) has not been consistent and this grant will help to remedy that.
The focus of the work will be to increase the resilience of the traditional practices, protocols and customary laws that indigenous peoples already use to conserve and protect the resources. The people will be supported in documenting their customary institutions, to aid with the development of plans and priorities for increasing their recognition, for greater dialogue between community organisations and government institutions and for the increased participation of local indigenous peoples’ group leaders in regional and international networks. The PACOS Trust also wants to support local groups with participating in international policy development on indigenous peoples’ issues, such as the bi-annual sessions of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The project will also be supported by Natural Justice, a South African organization that has a strong track record of providing legal and legislative support to civil society organisations working on indigenous peoples’ issues.
The PACOS Trust recognises the expertise of indigenous peoples in natural resource stewardship and the importance of their involvement in a sustainable solution to addressing challenges. By building a strong role for indigenous peoples in the policies of the conservation and restoration of the local ecosystems, habitats and species, the PACOS Trust will forge constructive engagement between the people who know these resources the best and the groups and powers that can help preserve their future.
