👇 Read through the blog to better understand the challenges posed by TAFTA, and how trade and investment rules (Free Trade Agreements) protect corporate interests while exposing communities to mining expansion and long-term harm. ____ Following the termination of the TAFTA arbitration on 27 November, Kingsgate (Australian mining company) and Thai authorities celebrated ‘a new era of renewed cooperation to deliver long term value for Kingsgate’s shareholders and stakeholders’

Today, we commemorate Sombath Somphone, a renowned Lao activist and community leader. On 15 December 2012, he was abducted in broad daylight in Vientiane. His fate remains unknown. Thirteen years later, no perpetrators have been identified. The Lao government has conveniently failed to conduct a credible investigation and ignored repeated calls for accountability. Even though many high-ranking officials from the time of his disappearance still hold powerful roles today. ⚠️ Th

Early this week, #Thailand took a key step as part of its accession process to the #OECD, by submitting a self-assessment report and analysing compliance of Thai laws with OECD standards. 🔗 Access our Briefer to learn more about Thailand’s accession process: bit.ly/KeyToOECD While Thailand portrays itself as a champion on responsible business conduct, we know too well the reality: exploited migrant workers, Indigenous Peoples evicted from their lands, rural communities suffe

On 11 December 2025, the Chiang Rai Provincial Court read out the Supreme Court’s judgment in the case of 32-year-old pro-democracy activist Mongkol "Bas" Thirakhot, sentencing him to 46 years in prison without suspension under Section 112 and the CCA. This marks one of the highest penalties in the history of cases under the Lèse-Majesté law. This ruling follows years of escalating punishment against Bas. Decades for Dissent: The Case Against Activist Bas Two cases (later mer

Australia just became the first country to ban anyone under 16 from social media and call it “protection” 🚨 What it really is?  A global green light for surveillance disguised as child safety. The passage of the bill marks a dark, repressive shift in digital rights across the world. Southeast Asia, WATCH OUT: the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore are next (and we’re monitoring closely). ‼️ Manushya Foundation’s stance on banning young people from digital spaces is

We are witnessing the genocide in Palestine . The Rohingya people are enduring decades of statelessness and ethnic cleansing. Sudan  is facing massacres in silence. Congo  continues to suffer under extractive violence rooted in enduring colonial legacies. But let’s remember that rights continue to live, not through states, but through Human Rights Defenders (HRDs)  who risk everything to speak truth to power ✊🏽 This #HumanRightsDay, we expose the rising authoritarianism and

In the last five years alone, Laos has lost nearly USD 100 million to corruption , a recent investigation by the State Inspection Authority (SIA) reveals. To our frustration and rage, this comes as no surprise. Corruption is deeply embedded in the fabric of the nation; We’ve seen its deadly consequences before. ⚠ Case in point: The Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower disaster. On 23 July 2018, a dam collapse caused by negligence and greed killed 71 people, displaced 7,000, and left

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide and of the Prevention of This Crime. 📌 According to Genocide Watch, at least 19 countries currently show signs of genocide in progress. Thousands are dying every day, and silence only guarantees more death. These are not “conflicts” as they are often labeled; They are organized, systematic attempts to destroy entire populations: 🇵🇸 Palestinians are massacred, s

What’s happening in India? India ordered all smartphone manufacturers to preinstall Sanchar Saathi, a permanent state-run surveillance app that would appear on every new device. While they revoked the plan the week after, it does not erase intent. Sanchar Saathi was marketed as public service, but in reality, it was an attempt to normalise surveillance by embedding it directly into the device itself. What is Sanchar Saathi? Sanchar Saathi is a government app presented as a to

We’re so proud that our founder, Emilie Palamy Pradichit, will be speaking at Humanitarian Week for the session, “Facilitating Rohingya Refugee & Citizenship Rights”. Here she will highlight Manushya’s work in defending Rohingya human rights and access to citizenship. The Rohingya crisis is far from over. Despite being one of the world’s most pressing refugee crises, international attention to the plight of the Rohingya is dwindling. The session aims to recast the spotlight o

For over 20 years, Phichit and Phetchabun villagers have lived with illness, contaminated water, and the daily fear of what the mine has done to their land and bodies. Since the mine reopened in 2023, the company has moved full speed ahead: boosting production, securing tax breaks, and turning record profits. At the same time, they launched glossy CSR projects and PR campaigns to paint themselves as “responsible”, while past harms faced by communities have remained unsolved.

On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we honor the leadership of persons with disabilities, especially women, queer folks, migrants, Indigenous peoples, and racialised communities whose struggles are too often erased. 📣 As Patricia Berne of Sins Invalid reminds us, “We cannot comprehend ableism without grasping its interrelations with heteropatriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism and capitalism.” Feminist movements fail unless we confront ableism and the s

On 14 October 2025, Manushya Foundation’s Digital Rights Advisor, Jean Linis-Dinco, represented the organization at the WSIS+20 Stakeholder Consultations, a key UN platform reviewing global digital governance. With only three minutes to speak, Jean delivered a sharp and uncompromising message: the digital world is far from equitable, and global frameworks must confront real power imbalances rather than gloss over them for the benefit of the 1%. What is WSIS+20?  The World Sum