By: Windi A. Imam, Country Director, Indonesia
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute was honoured to co-chair the 4th ASEAN–EU Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Forum, convened on 13–14 October 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, alongside FORUM-ASIA, Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), ASEAN Youth Forum (AYF), Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), and the European Youth Forum (YFJ).
The Forum brought together 52 civil society organisations from across Southeast Asia and Europe to reflect on the state of human rights, democracy, and environmental governance, and to strengthen cross-regional solidarity and cooperation.
Held in conjunction with the 6th ASEAN–EU Policy Dialogue on Human Rights, this year’s Forum came at a critical time — as civic space continues to shrink, environmental and human rights defenders face growing risks, and democratic backsliding and digital repression deepen across both regions.
Despite these challenges, participants recognised new opportunities — from the ASEAN Vision 2045 and the forthcoming ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Rights, to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the UN Resolution on Civil Society Space — that can embed rights and sustainability in ASEAN–EU cooperation.
The Forum produced a joint CSOs recommendations, presented to the EU Delegation, led by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Kajsa Ollongren, and the AICHR Representatives for Indonesia Anita Wahid and Thailand Bhanubhrata (Kaan) Jittiang, calling for, among others:
- Recognition of CSOs as strategic partners and knowledge leaders, not just implementers.
- Institutionalisation of the ASEAN–EU CSO Forum as a standing mechanism for regular, structured dialogue and monitoring.
- Embedding measurable human rights indicators within ASEAN–EU cooperation priorities and funding frameworks.
- Equitable access to resources and removal of legal and bureaucratic barriers for grassroots organisations.
This year’s discussions focused on three cross-cutting themes:
- Shrinking civic space, civil and political rights, and democracy
- Climate change, human rights, and environmental rights
- Access to justice and effective remedies
RWI’s participation was led by Windi A. Imam, Morten Koch Andersen, Charlie Albajili and Edwina Magnus who co-facilitated the Forum alongside fellow co-chairs, helping bridge civil society perspectives from ASEAN and the EU and shaping the joint recommendations presented to the EU delegation and AICHR Representatives of Indonesia and Thailand.
As the recommendations underline, these are shared struggles requiring shared solutions. Civil society stands at the frontline — defending rights, protecting the environment, and amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable. To continue doing so, CSOs need recognition, protection, and access to decision-making spaces and resources.
RWI remains committed to fostering inclusive, rights-based regional cooperation between ASEAN and the EU — ensuring that civil society voices are heard, protected, and meaningfully included in shaping resilient democracies and sustainable futures.
Read the full recommendations here
Read more about the Regional Asia Programme (RAPP2) here
For more information or inquiries, please contact Windi A. Imam: windi.arini@rwi.lu.se