About us／關於我們

▌ACFA

ACFA was established as a social organization (NGO) in Taiwan in 2022. The mission of the Asia Citizen Future Association (ACFA) is to connect Taiwan and Southeast Asia to defend civic space in the region through research and advocacy, education and training, youth empowerment, and platform building. ACFA believes that the right to freedom of association is one of the key element in the growth of civil society and the promotion of human rights. The existence and operation of organizations enable and safeguard individuals' rights to collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend justice.

Through its advocacy to amend Taiwan's Civil Association Act, ACFA plays a crucial role in diversifying Taiwan's civil society landscape and promoting the rights of foreigners to freedom of association in Taiwan. This advocacy serves as an important alternative, especially in the absence of a Refugee Law in Taiwan, furthering efforts to position Taiwan as a haven for human rights defenders.

▌What we do?

Research & Advocacy

ACFA places a special emphasis on the right to freedom of association in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. This right, one of the most underexplored fundamental human rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), plays a critical role in the growth of civil society and the pursuit of social justice. By focusing on this often-overlooked right, ACFA aims to highlight its importance as a foundational element for empowering communities and advancing human rights in the region.

In 2022 and 2023, ACFA conducted the research project "Scrutinizing the Accessibility of Taiwan for CSOs From Southeast Asia" and published its first report, "Exploring Taiwan's Role Amid the Crisis of Closing Civic Space in Southeast Asia."
In 2024, ACFA is advocating for the protection of civic space and the right to freedom of association by establishing and serving as the convenor of the "Freedom of Association in Taiwan and Southeast Asia" (FATASEA) research working group. The FATASEA Research Working Group aims to explore current challenges and best practices related to the right to freedom of association in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. The group currently comprises 10 organizational partners from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan. These partners include YLBHI, KontraS, IDEALS, YAPPIKA, ASEAN SOGIE CAUCUS, iLaw, the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), The Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR), and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

Asia Citizen Future Week (ACFW) Platform

ACFA has established the annual forum "Asia Citizen Future Week" (ACFW), which serves as a platform for civil society organizations (CSOs) and stakeholders to discuss, collaborate, and initiate joint actions aimed at defending civic space in Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

In August 2023, the Taiwan and Southeast Asia Civil Society Week brought together over 70 participants from 40 organizations and entities to exchange perspectives and experiences with civil society and stakeholders in the region and Taiwan.
In December 2023, ACFA presents the report "Exploring Taiwan's Role Amid the Crisis of Closing Civic Space in Southeast Asia" in Jakarta, Indonesia, in collaboration with YLBHI and other Indonesian civil society groups. The event aims to explore potential collaborations and strategies to defend civic space in Indonesia.
In October 2024, ACFA rebrands this initiative as "Asia Citizen Future Week" (ACFW). ACFW will feature: (1) A 1-day forum, including a main stage for panels and the launch of the FATASEA research report, two tracks of side events, NGO booths at the human rights marketplace, and an exhibition showcasing documentary films and woodcut art. (2) A visit to the Legislative Yuan. (3) An educational speech event. (4) A press conference.

The "Civic Space in Taiwan and Southeast Asia Forum" will take place on October 31 in Taipei.

Training & Education

Starting in 2023, ACFA launched its International Travel Risk Management Capacity Building Project for NGOs, providing tailored training to at least eight Taiwan-based NGOs. This training aims to: (1) Enhance NGOs' risk evaluation skills, (2) Assist in formulating organizational security protocols and improve their capacity to support staff and members in strengthening security during international travel, (3) Increase awareness and understanding of human rights issues such as shrinking civic space and transnational repression in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
ACFA also organizes regular talk series and educational events to engage the broader public in learning about Myanmar's situation and other human rights issues related to civic space in Southeast Asia. In July 2024, ACFA hosted a talk series titled "Stretching Exercise: The Exercise to Defend Southeast Asian Civic Space," featuring 10 speakers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan. More than 100 participants attended the event.

Myanmar in Focus

ACFA supports Taiwan's Myanmar community in legally registering and forming social organizations. Additionally, ACFA actively engages Taiwan's younger generation in supporting the ongoing advocacy for the legal rights of Myanmar asylum seekers in Taiwan, encouraging them to participate in efforts that promote justice and human rights for displaced individuals.

關於亞洲公民未來協會

▌亞洲公民未來協會

亞洲公民未來協會（ACFA）於2022年在台灣註冊為社會組織（非政府組織）。ACFA的使命是連結台灣與東南亞，共同捍衛該地區的公民空間。我們的工作方式包含研究和出版、倡導、公民教育與培訓、青年賦權以及平台建設。

ACFA相信，結社自由是促進公民社會與人權成長的關鍵要素之一。社會組織的存在與運作使個人有權集體表達、推動和追求正義與推動人權。通過倡議《人民團體法》去管制化思維，與納入針對國際與外國組織的保障，ACFA在推動台灣公民社會環境多元化，及促進外國人在台灣的結社自由權方面，扮演了重要角色。這項倡議是對台灣難民法缺失的一種支持性替代方案，幫助台灣逐步成為真正保障區域人權捍衛者的關鍵角色。

▌我們的工作

研究與倡議

ACFA 關注台灣和東南亞的結社自由權。結社自由權是《公民與政治權利國際公約》（ICCPR）所保障的最未被充分理解與討論的基本人權之一，對於公民社會的發展及追求任何社會正義扮演著關鍵角色。

自2022 年至 2023 年，ACFA 開展了「台灣對東南亞公民社會可近性研究」計畫，並發表了第一份報告《探索台灣在東南亞公民空間緊縮下的角色》。

2024 年，ACFA 成立並擔任「台灣與東南亞結社自由研究工作小組」（FATASEA）的召集人，倡導保護公民空間並針對結社自由權加以研究。FATASEA 研究工作小組旨在探討東南亞及台灣在結社自由權方面的當前挑戰與實踐經驗。目前，FATASEA 研究工作小組擁有來自馬來西亞、印尼、泰國、菲律賓和台灣的 10 個合作夥伴組織，包括印尼法律援助基金會（YLBHI）、印尼受壓迫者援助委員會（KontraS）、菲律賓法律與民主倡議組織（IDEALS）、印尼公益與社會發展基金會（YAPPIKA）、東協性別平等與包容小組（ASEAN SOGIE CAUCUS）、泰國法律監督組織（iLaw）、印尼人權工作小組（HRWG）、馬來西亞憲政主義與人權中心（MCCHR），以及台灣人權促進會（TAHR）。

台灣與東南亞公民社會週（ACFW）區域平台

2023年開始，ACFA每年舉辦區域論壇「台灣與東南亞公民社會週」（ACFW），作為公民社會組織和各層級利益相關方討論、合作並創建聯合行動的平台，以共同捍衛台灣和東南亞的公民空間。

ACFA在 2023 年 8 月舉辦的第一屆「台灣與東南亞公民社會週」，共有來自 40 個組織和機構的 70 多位參與者，與區域內及台灣的公民社會和相關利益相關者進行觀點與經驗交流，旨在制定策略並創建合作機制，共同捍衛區域內的公民空間。

2023 年 12 月，ACFA 將《探索台灣在東南亞公民空間緊縮中的角色》報告帶到印尼雅加達，與印尼法律援助基金會（YLBHI）及其他印尼公民社會團體進行討論和學習，探索潛在的合作機會及策略。

2024 年 10 月，ACFA 將該平台重新命名為Asia Citizen Future Week （ACFW）。ACFW 由以下幾個活動組成：（1）為期一天的「台灣與東南亞公民空間論壇」，主舞台將舉行三場焦點討論及對談，並發表 FATASEA 針對區域結社權的年度研究報告。此外，會有三場邊會活動、人權市集將設置 NGO 攤位，以及播映紀錄片、展示木刻版畫社運藝術與各地的社會運動與抗爭物件；（2）立法院參訪行程；（3）公民教育演講；（4）記者會。「台灣與東南亞公民空間論壇」將於 10 月 31 日在台北舉行。

培訓計畫與公民教育

從2023年開始，ACFA啟動了「非政府組織國際旅行風險管理能力建設專案」，並已為至少8家位於台灣的非政府組織提供量身定制的培訓。該培訓（1）增強非政府組織的風險評估技能；（2）協助非政府組織制定組織安全協議，提升他們在國際旅行中支持員工和成員強化安全的能力；（3）加強對人權問題的理解，例如東南亞和台灣的公民空間收縮和跨國鎮壓問題。

ACFA定期舉辦系列講座和教育活動，讓更廣泛的社會了解緬甸問題以及與東南亞公民空間相關的其他人權問題。在2024年7月，ACFA邀請了來自馬來西亞、印尼、泰國、菲律賓及台灣的10位講者，參加系列講座「伸展運動：捍衛東南亞公民空間的運動」。超過100名參與者參加了該系列講座。

緬甸焦點議題

ACFA支持台灣的緬甸社群註冊並成立為社會組織。ACFA還致力於讓台灣年輕一代參與並支持對緬甸尋求庇護者在台灣獲得法律權利的相關人權倡議。