APEKSI attended the 2nd Regional Forum on Human Rights Cities in ASEAN: Localising Human Rights for Inclusive Development Towards Localising the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, held on November 3–4, 2026, in Makati City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. This international forum brought together local leaders, networks of city governments, and civil society organizations from across Southeast Asia. The strategic meeting aimed to integrate human rights principles into local development policies to realize an inclusive and sustainable ASEAN Community vision.
During the discussion sessions, APEKSI Executive Director Alwis Rustam elevated the discourse to a broader, macro-level perspective by linking the issue of urban inclusivity to the universal impacts of the environmental crisis. This prompted an interactive dialogue among delegates regarding how transboundary environmental disasters—and the management of their ecological consequences—affect the resilience of cities throughout Southeast Asia. Through this exchange, the forum reached a consensus that the right to a healthy environment is a fundamental component of the human rights of urban populations.
At the forum, a specific issue was brought to a higher level of urgency, transcending the typical scope of discussions on urban inclusion. The concept of “climate apartheid” was introduced and subsequently linked—by a moderator from Timor-Leste—to the issue of forest and land fires that have impacted several ASEAN nations. Ultimately, the dialogue surrounding “climate justice” was successfully integrated into the core agenda of the meeting in Makati.