A comprehensive database containing the profiles of thousands of human rights defenders (HRDs) throughout South East Asia is expected to be completed next year as part of a regional effort to protect individuals who carry out human rights activities against reprisals from governments.

United Nation (UN) country teams in the region, under the purview of the newly formed Human Rights Council, are expected to compile the list of HRDs that include activists and workers from national, regional and international groups.

The effort is expected to be the first cross-boundary collaboration that would encompass non-government organisations or groups that would normally have little in common in exception to the promotion of human rights.

An emergency fund is also expected to be set up to shelter or transfer HRDs whose lives might be in danger from nation governments. This include funding local 'safehouses' to transport individuals abroad.

The fund is part of dozens of proposals adopted under the 'Bangkok commitment' at the 2nd Asian Regional Human Rights Defenders' Forum (Asian HRDF) in Bangkok on Wednesday. The proposals are expected to be finalised by the weekend.

Long-term goal

"Any commitment to the defense rights at the national, regional or international level... must be tested at the basis of the degree of security that human rights defenders have in carrying out their work," said Hina Jilani, the UN Secretary General's special representative on HRDs.

"Special attention must be paid to the safety of human rights defenders from marginalised segments of society, as they are more vulnerable to risk," she added.

The long term goal is to compile a list that covers the various sub-regions of Asia South Asia and Northeast Asia.

The forum, organised by Forum-Asia and held at the UN Conference Centre, saw over 120 HRDs attending. Several participants were not formally registered to prevent reprisals from respective governments for attending the forum.

The list, however, will not resolve many of the human rights violations experienced in the region, said Vitit Muntarbhorn, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in South Korea.

"The problem will still with the UN Security Council. If you didn't notice, it consists of the victors of World War Two," he said to participants, adding that the veto powers of permanent members have impeded human rights work at many levels.

HRDs is part of a thematic programme under Forum Asia, which has a consultative relationship with UN. It has 31 member organisations in 13 countries South Asia, South East Asian and North East Asia.

It's member organisation in Malaysia comprise of Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Era Consumer.