<p>Governments must dramatically overhaul policies and invest in public health, economic stimulus, and social safety nets, to help countries recover faster from the COVID-19 pandemic, says a new report from the UN Development Programme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As&nbsp;the impact of the coronavirus crisis creates a new normal, it is crucial that parliaments resume their work as soon as possible to ensure meaningful oversight of governments, protect human rights, and contribute to major policy decisions, regional lawmakers from ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On&nbsp;Workers&rsquo; Memorial Day, and World Day for Safety and Health at Work, MPs are calling for Southeast Asian governments and companies in the region to increase efforts to protect workers&rsquo; rights to healthy and safe conditions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An anti-mining, LGBT and community-based human rights defender has been summoned by the police after joining the Network of People Who Own Mineral Resources in demanding a lock down of mining operations, and to prevent the situation from being exploited to give mining concessions.</p>

<p>At least 10 homeless people in Chiang Mai have been arrested for breaking curfew by being outside after 22.00, says <a href="https://www.tlhr2014.com/?p=17223&amp;fbclid=IwAR1rsec56my0QLs6mvkIH5s3qXSs7ad3rQLcNrrELdUPCjgfvrfGv_fAVM0">Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).</a></p>

<p>As Governments face the formidable challenge of protecting people from COVID-19, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has called on them to ensure human rights are not violated under the guise of exceptional or emergency measures.</p>

<p>The Thai authorities are prosecuting social media users who criticize the government and monarchy in a systematic campaign to crush dissent which is being exacerbated by new COVID-19 restrictions, Amnesty International said in a new report released today.</p>

<p>The Cambodian Government&rsquo;s new state of emergency law in response to the COVID-19 pandemic risks violating the right to privacy, silencing free speech and criminalising peaceful assembly, a UN expert said today.</p>