Be part of the growing network of scholars, civil society organizations, and advocates working to advance human rights and peace research and education in Southeast Asia.

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Our Co-creators

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is a government agency working under the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden. Sida supports international development efforts aimed at reducing poverty and building sustainable societies. Through partnerships with organizations, institutions, and governments around the world, Sida funds and promotes initiatives that advance democracy, human rights, gender equality, education, health, environmental protection, and economic development.

Learn more about SIDA

Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies

Since 2015, the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies (IHRP) at Mahidol University has proudly hosted SHAPE-SEA, strengthening its commitment to advancing human rights and peace in Southeast Asia. Founded in 1998, IHRP has long served as a leading academic institution dedicated to fostering both rigorous academic enquiry and practical wisdom in the fields of human rights and peacebuilding. For over a decade, IHRP has built a strong track record in offering postgraduate education and specialized training programs for students, human rights defenders, civil society actors, and government officials across the region.

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ASEAN University Network

AUN-HRE aims to unite universities more significantly in promoting human rights and peace through research and education. Mahidol University serves as the center connection, with its Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies coordinating activities within the network. This is not limited to only universities within the network but extensively to governmental bodies as well as collaborators. AUN-HRE seeks to elevate the importance of human rights and peace in educational and research agendas, believing that effective responses to challenges against these values require a skilled network of experts and evidence-based knowledge. 

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South East Asian Human Rights Studies Network

SEAHRN is a consortium of human rights and peace academics and scholars from 22 university-based Southeast Asian institutions that conduct study programs, research and outreach activities on human rights, peace and conflict studies.  To date, we have brought together 1,200 academics, researchers, students, representatives from diplomatic missions, members of civil society organizations and members of government and inter-government agencies working on human rights and peace in the region.

Learn more about SEAHRN

Our Milestones

The SHAPE-SEA programme is proudly co-created and generously supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), whose commitment since Phase I (2015–2019) has been instrumental in advancing human rights and peacebuilding through education and research across Southeast Asia. With Sida’s vital support, SHAPE-SEA has transformed the landscape of human rights and peace promotion in the region, establishing itself as a leading platform for scholars, educators, and advocates.

In its first phase, SHAPE-SEA awarded grants to 58 cutting-edge research projects, including MA and Ph.D. theses as well as regional studies. Over 200 scholars from 10 countries received capacity-building training on human rights and peace research methodologies, while 109 lecturers from 70 universities and two government institutions were equipped to teach human rights effectively. The programme reached over 1,000 participants through national seminars and dialogues, with more than 6,000 additional attendees via livestream. These engagements fostered regional conversations on pressing human rights challenges.

SHAPE-SEA has also produced and disseminated a rich body of open-access materials, including 12 published books, 17 policy briefs, and the widely read Human Rights Outlook in Southeast Asia series—offering, for the first time, regional scholarly assessments of key human rights and peace issues across all eleven Southeast Asian countries. Its publications have been downloaded over 10,000 times, while the SEAHRN publication series, hosted by SHAPE-SEA, has reached 14,000+ downloads.

Through two major international conferences, seven lecture tours, and high-level outreach at the ASEAN level, SHAPE-SEA has fostered strategic dialogue, academic collaboration, and policy engagement. Notably, it has supported the development of new human rights curricula, including the course Human Rights in ASEAN, now regularly taught in the Master of Law programme at Pannasastra University in Cambodia.

As SHAPE-SEA continues into Phase II, Sida’s continued support ensures the sustainability and deepening impact of this collaborative effort—one that empowers scholars, shapes policy, and promotes a culture of human rights and peace across Southeast Asia.

Featured Publications

Book Publication

Human Rights Outlook in Southeast Asia 2019-2023

The Human Rights Outlook in Southeast Asia 2019–2023 highlights key trends, challenges, and developments shaping the region’s human rights landscape over five critical years.

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Teaching Manual

Teaching Manual on Human Rights

The Teaching Manual on Human Rights provides practical guidance and tools to educate and empower learners on fundamental human rights principles and issues.

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Teaching Manual

An Introduction to Human Rights in Southeast Asia

An Introduction to Human Rights in Southeast Asia offers a foundational overview of human rights concepts, issues, and frameworks within the regional context.

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