As part of a sub-regional advocacy on Economic Social Cultural Rights in South East Asia, Dignity International collaborated with Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE)-Asia, and co-organized a thematic workshop on housing, land and property rights (HLPR) at the 2011 ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN Peoples’ Forum. The theme of the workshop was “Securing Housing and Human Rights and Economic Justice for Southeast Asia: A Major Challenge to the ASEAN”. Other civil society partners which jointly co-organized this workshop are Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC-Cambodia), Legal Aid Foundation of Indonesia, Oppressed Network, and Bank Information Center (BIC). In addition to speakers from the aforementioned organizations, guest speakers from the Oppressed Peoples Movement of Malaysia and the Human Rights Education Institution of Burma (HREIB) were invited to contribute to the workshop too. Jerald Joseph, from Dignity International gave the synthesis and summed up the recommendations from the workshop.

• To gain a better understanding of the housing, land and property rights (HLPR) issues in their various context and dimensions, and as a common human rights challenge in the region;
• To draw out insights and lessons from the varied and common experiences in addressing HLPR issues;
• To formulate a set of recommendations and call-to-action addressed to the ASEAN , the governments and other duty-bearers;
• To generate solidarity and common action among the peoples of ASEAN towards securing housing and human rights for everyone in the region.

As ASEAN and its mechanisms are undergoing progressive transformation, especially in terms of actuating its Human Rights mechanism, it is crucial for Dignity International to mainstream housing and land rights faced by many citizens of ASEAN nations. There are millions of people in ASEAN who still live in slums and squatters and face various housing rights violations. With the current ongoing global financial crisis and inflation, the circumstances do not seem to be siding with the poor and marginalized communities. Most speakers agreed that land grabbing has increased at an alarming rate and squatters become the main victim of evictions.

Moreover, the state and corporations do not have any intention or respect for the dignity and rights of marginalized communities as profit generation is still prioritized. This is usually done in partnership with the authorities, especially with prominent politicians who are in power. This close and intimate relationship between the corporate land grabber and government is very alarming as it implies to more serious human rights violations. The roles played in land grabbing by global financial and developmental agencies were also highlighted as the WTO, WB and IMF continue to develop re-adjustment policies and provide financing for development projects that are unsustainable and violate housing rights of the peoples. Besides that, the displacement of peoples from their homes due to armed conflict i.e. Burma, were also highlighted. Hence, regional engagement with ASEAN is vital as it takes to task our leaders at the international stage and ensure they follow the principles of the ASEAN charter in regards to human rights.

Among the top 5 recommendations to ASEAN by the panelist and participants at the workshop are:

1. ASEAN must adopt a rights-based approach to development and economic policies and uphold housing and human rights of peoples in the region.
2. ASEAN should urge and encourage Burma to impose a moratorium on mega-projects and extractive industries harmful to the Burmese people's housing and land rights.
3. ASEAN must urge member states to ensure that their land and housing policies are consistent with internationally accepted housing and human rights standards.
4. AICHR must recognize and declare that forced evictions are gross violations of human rights and mass displacements of civilians constitutes a crime against humanity.
5. AICHR should document and investigate all housing rights violations of member-states, particularly those committed against vulnerable groups (i.e., women, children, elderly, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities).

In addition to the forum, the organizing partners also decided that there is a need to map out all organizations, campaigns, and networks in the ASEAN region related to or working on housing and land issues. The mapping system will locate current legal cases on land grabbing and evictions, at the same time identify the various advocacies and work projected towards synergizing all actions. Eventually, this will lead to more effective lobbying and avoid duplication of actions. Dignity International would like to thank Mr Sammy Gamboa of COHRE for facilitating this joint program and the networking.

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