The Result of Manushya's Courageous Advocacy & Lobbying at CESCR: A Victory for All Lao Human Rights Defenders! 🇱🇦

Manushya Foundation
14 hours ago
1 min read

For years, defenders and communities in Laos 🇱🇦 have faced intensifying repression, including transnational repression, for speaking truth to power. Now? They are officially recognised!

In August 2025, Manushya Foundation and Power by Keyboard submitted a bold report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, exposing systemic repression and rights violations in Laos. 🇺🇳

We didn’t just send a document. We went to Geneva ourselves. ✈️

Our Founder & Executive Director, Emilie Palamy Pradichit, and Lao woman HRD Nanthida Phoumichit stood before the Committee and courageously shared their testimonies, lobbying for strong legally binding recommendations that advance the rights of all people in Laos.

And it worked! On 26 September 2025, for the first time ever, the CESCR issued Concluding Observations on Laos.

What the State has denied for years is now on UN record. 📜🌍 Beyond repression, more of the issues we raised were reflected in the COBs. Read the full Concluding Observations on Laos here.

But recognition alone is not justice. ❗ Now, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙤 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧, especially amid upcoming elections and the alarming disappearance of Mr. Khaen. ❗

We will not stop. Not until defenders can carry on their work without fear: at home and across borders.