As politics and the security situation in many South Asian nations remain unsettled, the consequence is a heavy toll on the protection of human rights. In Afghanistan, as NATO withdraws its forces, it is crucial that comprehensive systems are put in place to protect vulnerable communities. In Pakistan, with thousands killed in terror attacks, the state response has been to engage in enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture and killings, with no end in sight. India, while it has numerous domestic problems that it must address, also has an important role to play in South Asia.
To this end, Gateway House hosted a private meeting with Brad Adams on September 22 to discuss “Uncertain Neighbourhood: Human Rights in South Asia.” A former legal aid lawyer in California, Adams is currently the executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division and oversees the organization’s work on human rights issues in twenty countries, from Afghanistan to the Pacific.