Women and youth have become targets as Southeast Asian governments exploit COVID-19 induced state of emergency and temporary laws to prosecute them for their political activities. 

This emerging phenomenon is examined in Asia Centre’s second baseline study “COVID-19 and Democracy in Southeast Asia: Building Resilience, Fighting Authoritarianism”, released to mark the United Nations International Human Rights Day, Dec. 10. 

The 54-page report, compiled from July to November 2020, examines the state of democracy and human rights in the region between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30. It encompasses a review of over 200 reports, articles and case studies, examined by the key words and data presented. 

COVID-19 has not only accelerated democracy’s regression in the region, but the pandemic has also made women and young activists victims of human rights violations. This is on account of the increasing participation of women and youth in anti-government demonstrations which have been underway in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia. 

Protests against governments, civil disobedience of COVID-19 laws and policies, in Southeast Asia continue to intensify despite the criminal repercussions placed on peaceful protests. Often, women are at the forefront of these demonstrations which are marking a generational change. 

In Indonesia, despite requests from labor unions to halt the passing of the largely contested labor bill, the government relaxed multiple labor and environmental laws to pass the controversial omnibus job creation law. Protests, underway since February 2020, have led to the arrests of nearly 6,000 individuals, thousands of which are university students from 26 universities. Videlya Esmerella, one of many, was arrested in October for tweeting “false information” about the omnibus bill, but was later released for lack of substantial evidence. 

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