UNDP Bangladesh supported the Archive & Resist Conclave 2026, a two-day event that brought together human rights practitioners, archivists, journalists, researchers, and youth activists from Bangladesh and abroad to exchange knowledge, build solidarity, and share strategies for justice and societal healing. The Conclave, held on 26–27 January 2026 at BRAC University, focused on how documentation, archiving, and community-led investigations can contribute to truth, accountability, and democratic futures. Participants engaged in interactive sessions and workshops to explore evidence preservation, protection of collective memory, and coordinated responses to human rights challenges, with regional experts sharing experiences from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, and India.
An earlier edition of the Conclave, held on 24 January 2026 in Cox’s Bazar, emphasized engaging grassroots groups outside Dhaka and enhancing community understanding of human rights documentation in transitional justice, particularly in contexts linked to the Rohingya community. These discussions highlighted proactive preservation, ethical advocacy, and the connections between local experiences and broader democratic movements.
Under the theme “Collaborative Future for Community-led Human Rights Documentation and Transitional Justice,” the Conclave addressed ethical documentation, evidence-ready archiving, community-led investigations including OSINT (open-source intelligence), and the protection and well-being of journalists. Emphasis was placed on cross-border collaboration and resource-sharing to sustain engagement beyond the event.
The Conclave featured diverse speakers, including representatives from UNDP Bangladesh, BRAC University, Naripokkho, the Embassy of Switzerland, OHCHR, UNICEF, UNWOMEN, and UNFPA. Contributions also came from journalists and researchers, such as Ammarah Nilafdeen of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, Tasneem Khalil of Netra News, and international human rights activists Yvonne Ng and Arul Prakkash, reflecting expertise across human rights, media, and research sectors.
Co-convened by Activate Rights, the Bangladesh Protest Archive, and WITNESS, with support from UNDP Bangladesh, the Archive & Resist Fund, and Netra News, the event was organized in collaboration with Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM), HURIDOCS, SURGE Bangladesh, and BRAC University. UNDP’s support for the Conclave aligns with its broader commitment to rule of law, access to justice, human rights, youth engagement, and democratic governance, emphasizing the importance of strengthening civil society, media, and youth-led initiatives to responsibly document and preserve evidence, promote transparency, and foster trust in public institutions.
