A/HRC/28/71
among all civil society networks. It will also contribute, in accordance with its mandate, to
enhancing the capacity of the organizations working on the issue.
7.
Communication, advocacy and outreach initiatives
58.
Sustained communication, advocacy and outreach initiatives are required to
maintain the visibility of the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea. They can help keep up the momentum of ongoing efforts, further engage all
stakeholders and raise awareness among the wider public about the plight and sufferings of
the victims. The field-based structure of the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, as mandated by the Human Rights Council in its
resolution 25/25, will be instrumental in piloting such initiatives.
59.
In particular, the Special Rapporteur sees new communication capacity as a key tool
for raising and maintaining the visibility of the issue of international abductions, enforced
disappearances and related matters at the international, regional and local levels. It will be
very important to reach out to, and mobilize, the general public in the countries affected by
the issue and beyond. Furthermore, affected families, if they choose to, can utilize online
platforms to share information, organize joint advocacy efforts from different locations and
engage with human rights mechanisms on the issue in a more strategic and effective
manner in order to maximize the impact of their efforts. To that end, communication,
advocacy and outreach initiatives should be undertaken in relevant languages, in particular
in Korean and Japanese.
60.
The use of social media and new communication technologies will give further
prominence to the issue and will help reach out to young people who may not be aware of
or feel concerned by it, and mobilize netizens worldwide. Should the issue not be resolved
in the near future, new generations will at least be informed and mobilized to continue the
struggle. In addressing the issue, it is therefore crucial to target in particular youth networks
in all affected countries.
61.
Importantly, this new communication capacity will allow victims in the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea and their relatives to continue to hold out hope that the
sustained concern of the international community will eventually lead to relief of their
suffering.
8.
Active role of regional mechanisms
62.
The Asian and Pacific region does not unfortunately have a regional human rights
arrangement that covers the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
although the country previously participated in some regional human rights dialogues
organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
There are, however, a number of important platforms for dialogue on regional issues in
which the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea regularly participates, or in which issues
relating to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and security on the Korean
peninsula are discussed.
63.
These platforms include the Regional Forum of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN), which has met annually since 1994 and has the goal of fostering
constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest
and concern, and of contributing to efforts towards confidence-building and preventive
diplomacy in the Asian and Pacific region. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is
currently a participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum, along with Australia, Bangladesh,
Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia,
Japan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New
Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, the Russian
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