Shape-SEA

Envisioning and working towards a culture of and in through research, education, and academic activism.

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15/06/2026

[HAPPENING TODAY]

📢 Commissioned Research: Peace and Conflict Transformation Info Session | June 15 3:00-4:00 PM

📍 Register and join via Zoom: bit.ly/3S4GeqO

Interested in applying for the SHAPE-SEA Commissioned Thematic Research Grant?
Join our online information session to learn more about the current call for proposals, funding coverage, thematic priorities, eligibility requirements, and application process. This is your opportunity to engage directly with the SHAPE-SEA Secretariat and get your questions answered.

🔍 We particularly encourage empirical case studies at the local, national, or regional levels on:

• Peace Education
• Conflict Transformation and Peace-building (with a focus on Myanmar, Southern Thailand, and Mindanao, Philippines)
• Inter-national and Cross-border Conflict

👥 Open to scholar-practitioners, researchers, and academics across Southeast Asia.

📍 Register and join via Zoom: bit.ly/3S4GeqO

Bring your questions and explore how your research can contribute to advancing peace, human rights, and social transformation in the region

11/06/2026

📢 Commissioned Research: Peace and Conflict Transformation Info Session | June 15 3:00-4:00 PM

📍 Register and join via Zoom: bit.ly/3S4GeqO

Interested in applying for the SHAPE-SEA Commissioned Thematic Research Grant?

Join our online information session to learn more about the current call for proposals, funding coverage, thematic priorities, eligibility requirements, and application process. This is your opportunity to engage directly with the SHAPE-SEA Secretariat and get your questions answered.

🔍 We particularly encourage empirical case studies at the local, national, or regional levels on:

• Peace Education
• Conflict Transformation and Peace-building (with a focus on Myanmar, Southern Thailand, and Mindanao, Philippines)
• Inter-national and Cross-border Conflict

👥 Open to scholar-practitioners, researchers, and academics across Southeast Asia.

📍 Register and join via Zoom: bit.ly/3S4GeqO

Bring your questions and explore how your research can contribute to advancing peace, human rights, and social transformation in the region.

09/06/2026

🎉 7,000 Strong and Growing Followers! 🎉

We are grateful to celebrate a milestone of 7,000 followers in our growing community of scholars, researchers, practitioners, and advocates committed to advancing human rights, peace, and sustainable development across Southeast Asia and beyond.

This year is even more meaningful as we mark the 11th year of the SHAPE-SEA Program, celebrating more than a decade of promoting research, knowledge production, capacity building, and regional collaboration on human rights and peace studies in Southeast Asia.

Thank you for being part of our story. We continue to strengthen research, amplify voices, and co-create change.

KnowledgeProduction SoutheastAsia

08/06/2026

📢 New Policy Brief from Research Grants Programme 2024!

📌 SEA for Songkhla–Pattani: A Pathway Towards Sustainable Development and Peace

The Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies (IHRP), Mahidol University, shares new research on environmental conflicts, public participation, and development planning in Southern Thailand — supported by SHAPE-SEA through the Research Grant Program 2024.

At a time when large-scale development initiatives in the region are generating public debate, this brief underscores the importance of evidence-based planning, meaningful participation, and public trust in shaping sustainable and peaceful futures.

🔍 Research Team

🌿 Principal Investigator: Lect. Dr. Chomkate Ngamkaiwan

🌿 Co-Investigator: Lect. Dr. Mst Umme Habiba Fahmina Karim

🌿 Project Advisor: Asst. Prof. Padtheera Narkurairattana

📄 Download the policy brief via the link in bio (Available in Thai and English): https://bit.ly/3Qdz56S

For more information, visit www.shapesea.com

08/06/2026

📢 IHRP Policy Brief | SEA Songkhla–Pattani: A Pathway Towards Sustainable Development and Peace
The Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies (IHRP), Mahidol University, is pleased to share a new policy brief entitled “SEA Songkhla–Pattani: A Pathway Towards Sustainable Development and Peace.”
The brief synthesizes key lessons from the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process and research on environmental conflicts, public participation, and development pathways in Songkhla and Pattani provinces.
It highlights the importance of SEA as a tool for integrating environmental, economic, social, and health considerations into policy-making and development planning, while emphasizing the need for meaningful participation, transparency, and public trust in decision-making processes.
Key recommendations include postponing urban planning revisions until the SEA process is fully completed, ensuring meaningful stakeholder participation, and strengthening the role of universities and civil society in monitoring, accountability, and sustainable peacebuilding efforts.
At a time when the proposed Land Bridge project and other large-scale development initiatives in Southern Thailand are generating public debate, lessons from the SEA Songkhla–Pattani process underscore the importance of evidence-based planning, meaningful participation, and public trust in shaping sustainable development pathways.
👥 Research Team
• Principal Investigator: Lect. Dr. Chomkate Ngamkaiwan
• Co-Investigator: Lect. Dr. Mst Umme Habiba Fahmina Karim
• Project Advisor: Asst. Prof. Padtheera Narkurairattana
📄 Download the Policy Brief: https://canva.link/as9mi5hauki4bg3
The research team would like to express its sincere gratitude to SHAPE-SEA for supporting this study through the Research Grant Program (RGP) 2024. We also thank Chana Rak Thin Network, the “Sarong Warriors” group, community members from Songkhla and Pattani provinces, scholars from Prince of Songkla University, civil society representatives, and all research participants who generously shared their experiences, insights, and recommendations throughout the study...

05/06/2026

📣 CALL FOR COMMISSIONED THEMATIC RESEARCH 2026

📌 Theme: Peace and Conflict Transformation in Southeast Asia: Searching for Peace in an Era of (continued) Uncertainties

The call is finally open. Are you a Southeast Asian researcher working on peace, conflict, and transformation? SHAPE-SEA's Commissioned Thematic Research 2026 is looking for you.

The Commissioned Thematic Research is tailored to serve a critical role contributing to the vision and aims of SHAPE-SEA through its component that is specifically targeted towards evidence-based knowledge production on critical human rights and peace issues. For each call for proposals, the programme provides research grants which cover research expenses including researcher writing fee to enable scholar-practitioners, researchers and academics in the region to conduct empirical research on specific human rights and peace themes.

🔍 For this round of the call for proposals, we encourage specific case studies focusing at the local, national or regional levels. Submissions may address sub-themes on Peace education; Conflict Transformation and Peace-building with a focus on Myanmar, Southern Thailand, Mindanao, Philippines; or inter-national/cross-border conflict.

Submit your proposal and help shape the conversation on peacebuilding in the region with a support up tp THB 80,000 for research grant and writing fee!

🌿 Read the submission details: bit.ly/4ft8ME6
🌿 Submission Deadline: 25 June 2026 (11:59PM BKK Time)
🌿 For more information, visit or e-mail us at:
🌐 www.shapesea.com | 📧 shapesea.com

02/06/2026

In a time marked by persistent conflicts, democratic backsliding, and growing uncertainties, how can we reimagine pathways toward sustainable peace in Southeast Asia?

🔔 SHAPE-SEA will soon launch a thematic research grant opportunity on Peace and Conflict Transformation in Southeast Asia.

If you are a researcher, advocate, or practitioner working on peace, conflict, and democratic resilience in the region — this is for you.

Stay tuned for application details, eligibility criteria, and submission guidelines.

For more information, visit or e-mail us at:
🌐 www.shapesea.com | 📧 [email protected]

29/05/2026

Joint Press Release – 3rd Interface Meeting between the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN University Network-Human Rights Education (AUN-HRE)

The 3rd Interface Meeting of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN University Network–Human Rights Education (AUN–HRE) was convened on 21 May 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.

The Meeting was chaired by the Acting AICHR Chair and Alternate Representative of the Philippines to AICHR, Bolivar L. Bao, with the AUN–HRE delegation led by Dr. Vachararutai Boontinand, Convener of the AUN-HRE. It was attended by AICHR Representatives and Alternate Representatives, members of AUN–HRE, and officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.

The Meeting took note of the development of the Framework for Human Rights-Based Universities in ASEAN (HRBU Framework), which was first presented to AICHR at their 2nd Interface Meeting in 2025. It was further noted that the HRBU Framework could be relevant to build further collaboration between AICHR and the AUN–HRE on human rights education, as well as other initiatives to support the implementation of the Five-Year Work Plan of AICHR (2026-2030). Both sides noted the need for closer cooperation in areas of common interest, such as support for greater awareness of and engagement with the youth on human rights promotion and protection in the region and of the work of AICHR, and advancing the integration of human rights in higher education in ASEAN.

Photos from: ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

Read more here: https://aichr.org/news/joint-press-release-3rd-interface-meeting-between-the-asean-intergovernmental-commission-on-human-rights-aichr-and-the-asean-university-network-human-rights-education-aun-hre/

28/05/2026

Our Learning Space is now live! 🎉 Access all previous Critical Horizons Webinar Series recordings on YouTube and on the SHAPE-SEA website.

Dive into critical discussions on human rights frameworks and peace research featuring homegrown scholar-practitioners, academics, and civil society actors from across Southeast Asia.

Watch now at 🔗 https://shapesea.com/resources/critical-horizons-webinar-series/

25/05/2026

📣 NEW SCHEDULE: JUNE 29, 2026
📣 CRITICAL HORIZONS WEBINAR SERIES

This Labour Month, we present the session:

From Inequality to Inclusion: Gendered Perspectives on Labour, Informal Work, and Social Protection in Southeast Asia

🌿 To register, visit: bit.ly/4u9yLFh

Across Southeast Asia, millions of workers, particularly women and marginalized communities, remain concentrated in informal and precarious forms of labour, with limited access to social protection and economic security. According to regional labour estimates, informal employment remains significantly high across Asia and the Pacific. In 2016, informal employment accounted for 75.2% of employment in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, compared to 50.7% in East Asia. Workers in sectors such as domestic work, care work, agriculture, and the gig economy continue to face unstable wages, limited healthcare access, and weak labour protections.

From domestic and care work to gig and migrant labour, gender continues to shape who bears the burden of inequality and exclusion. Join us this June for an online discussion exploring gendered perspectives on labour, informal work, and social protection in Southeast Asia.

📅 29 June 2026
🕐 1:00–4:00 PM (Bangkok Time)
💻 Via Zoom

🌿 To register, visit: bit.ly/4u9yLFh

To explore previous webinar discussions, visit:
SHAPE-SEA Critical Horizons Webinar Series
https://shapesea.com/resources/critical-horizons-webinar-series/