An Initiative of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Une initiative de la Fondation Asie Pacifique du Canada

Helping Canadians
Imagine Their Place in the
Asian Century

Human Rights and Development

APF Canada’s 2011 National Opinion Poll on Canadian Views on Asia found that two thirds of Canadians believe promoting human rights in Asia should be a government priority. Currently, the Canadian government focuses its development funds for Asia on Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam and a wide variety of Canadian-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operate in Asia. Pressing human rights and development issues exist in different parts of Asia including extreme poverty, restricted political freedoms, women’s rights, child health, education and food security. How and why is Canada promoting human rights and development in Asia, and how can we do it better?

Additional Resources

These resources are by no means exhaustive, and we welcome your suggestions on articles, videos, opinion pieces or reports to include here. To suggest a publication for this list, please email us at info@asiapacific.ca

NCA Conversations

Is There a “Best Way” to Promote Human Rights in Asia?

Asbestos Regulations: Who is Responsible?

Research Reports

Democratic Governance Challenges and Opportunities for Strengthening Asia-Canada Partnerships, Rights and Democracy (June 2005)

October 2007: Racism Remains a Problem, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (October 2007)

Canada and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights: A Chance to Re-Engage, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (July 2010)

A Woman’s Place: Perspectives on Afghanistan’s Evolving Legal Framework, Rights & Democracy (2010)

Civil Society and Security Sector Reform in Indonesia, Rights & Democracy (2008)

No Way Out: Worker Activism in China’s State-Owned Enterprise, Rights & Democracy and China Labour Bulletin (2008)

Many Jobs, Few Opportunities: Can Uneven Growth Help India’s Poor?, International Development Research Centre

Op-Eds

Getting China Right, Toronto Star (September 2011)

Who monitors our new religious freedom monitor? The Globe and Mail (June 2011)

Asian University for Women: a Triumph of Hope Over Despair, The Globe and Mail (March 2011)

China’s Lessons from the Mid-East, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (March 2011)

Myanmar on the Cusp of Change, Asia Pacific Foundatino of Canada (November 2010)

Reaction to Chinese Migrants Exposes Globalization’s Double-Standard, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (September 1999)

Thailand’s Post-Election Results, Asia Pacific Memo (July 2011)

How Canada Can Force China’s Hands on Human Rights, National Post (May 2011)

Baird Bows to Beijing on Human Rights, Toronto Star (July 2011)

Canadian Mining and Human Rights in Asia: Building an Advantage or Dismantling Competitiveness? Asia Pacific Memo (September 2010)

Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia and the Sidelining of Corruption and Human Rights Issues, Asia Pacific Memo (October 2010)

Canadian Oil Ethical on the Surface, Edmonton Journal (October 2011)

News Articles

Go East, Canadian Firms Told, Winnipeg Free Press (October 2011)

Flawed UN Reflects Our Imperfect World, Calgary Herald (October 2011)

Ottawa Weighs Creating Ambassador for Religious Freedom, The Globe and Mail (October 2011)

Sri Lankan Envoy Criticizes Canada Over Inquiry Calls, CTV News (October 2011)

New ‘Religious Freedom’ Office Raises Questions, CBC (October 2011)

Kenney Seeks Human Smuggling Help from Asia, CBC News (October 2010)

Baird Aims to Balance Trade, Human Rights on China Trip, The Globe and Mail (July 2010)

Giving the Lai: Harper Government Changes its Tune, The Economist (July 2011)

Confucius Institutes Break Human Rights Rules, Macleans (August 2011)

Policy Papers

Canada’s Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue with China: Considerations for a Policy Review, Rights and Democracy (June 2005)

Trade and Human Rights Practices in China: Prospects for Canadian Influence, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (October 2003)

Human Rights and a Canada-China Free Trade Agreement, Institute for Research on Public Policy (February 2010)

Assessment of the Canada-China Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue, Charles Burton and Associates (August 2005)

A Reassessment of Canada’s Interest in China and Options for Renewal of China’s Canada Policy, Canadian International Council (February 2009)

Videos

Indonesia Street Vendors Imagine Democracy, Asia Pacific Memo (October 2011)

Why China is Nervous: Will China go the way of Middle Eastern Dictatorships? TVO (August 2011)

Press Conference to Call for a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, Liu Institute for Global Issues (October 2010)

Child Rights, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada 25@25 Contest Entry (January 2010)

Human Rights and Canadian Companies, Business News Network (July 2011)

Indian Democracy: Chinese Autocracy, TVO (June 2011)

Political Change in China? The Political Fallout of Recession, TVO (July 2010)

Who’s Afraid of Ai Wei Wei?, PBS (March 2011)