The Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS Philippines) is an independent non-profit, policy research and advocacy institution that is also involved in training activities in cooperation with other training institutions at home and abroad. It was founded by a group of academics from the University of the Philippines Diliman in April 1991. It was established in response to the need for an ongoing evaluation and interpretation of the changes in national and international affairs by serious international, regional, and national analysts. It was also aimed at responding to the need to provide academics a venuefor research to enrich teaching and to provide inputs to policy-making.

Upcoming Events:

 

   

 

Meetings on Security Sector Reform (SSR)

22-25 January 2007

EDSA Shangri-La Hotel

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

The Philippines

 

The Global Facilitation Network on Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR) and the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS) are running a week of SSR-relevant alongside GFN-SSR's biannual Advisory Group Meeting.

GFN-SSR's Advisory Group consists of independent experts from a wide variety of backgrounds, both professionally and geographically. It meets twice annually to provide GFN-SSR with valued advice, approve workplans, and to discuss SSR issues of interest and how best to respond to them. The next meeting is in January 2008 and will be hosted by ISDS. 

In order to make the most of the visit to the Philippines, ISDS and GFN-SSR have scheduled a week of SSR-relevant activities. Some of these meetings will be held jointly with the Asia Consultative Group on SSR, chaired by Dr. Carolina Hernandez of ISDS. Advisory Group Members, GFN-SSR Staff and some external participants will attend the meetings. 

Schedule of Activities: 

22 January 2007 - GFN-SSR Advisory Group Meeting

23 January 2007 - Workshop on the State of SSR and Governance: Themes and Perspectives from South and Southeast Asia

24 January 2007 - Stakeholders' Seminar in Security Reform: Toward Democratic Governance and Sustainable Peace

 

25 January 2007 - Briefings on Security Sector Reform and Governance in the Philippines  

 

 

Recent Events:

 

The Sixth ASEAN People's Assembly, “ASEAN at Forty: Realizing the People's Expectations”, ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN ISIS), Foundation Open Society Institute, Canadian International Development Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 24-25 October 2007. < Learn More >

 

The Fourteenth ASEAN ISIS Colloquium on Human Rights, “A Regional Human Rights Mechanism as an Imperative for Building an ASEAN Security Community”, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 4-5 May 2007. 

 

                                                                        

 

 

 The Fourteenth ASEAN-ISIS Colloquium on Human Rights (AICOHR) was held in Manila on 4-5 May 2007, and was hosted by the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS) for the ASEAN ISIS. 

    The two-day meeting had for its theme “A Regional Human Rights Mechanism as an Imperative for Building an ASEAN Security Community.”  Some 50 local and international participants from Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe representing human rights commissions, civil society groups and think tanks exchanged ideas and insights on various issues and concerns related to the promotion of the establishment of a regional human rights body in Southeast Asia.

    The keynote address for the 14^th AICOHR was given by Undersecretary Erlinda F. Basilio, Undersecretary for Policy at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines. The speech was read in her behalf by Assistant Secretary Romeo Manalo, of the Office of Asian-Pacific Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs. <<Read More>>

 

Workshop on “The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and Transnational Security Challenges”, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, and the London School of Economics and Political Science Economic and social Research Council, Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 3 May 2007.

Roundtable Discussion on “Contemporary Challenges to Humanitarian Action in East Asia”, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro manila, The Philippines, 2 May 2007.

Dissemination Forum, “ Developing a Security Sector Reform Index (SSRI) in the Philippines: Towards Conflict Prevention and Peace Building”, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, United Nations Development Programme, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Discovery Suites, Pasig City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 19 March 2007.

International Conference on “Strengthening the Role of ASEAN Parliaments in Security Policy Review”, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Edsa Shangril-la Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 10-11 February 2007.

Experts' Workshop on “Security Sector Reform (SSR): Lessons to be Learned from Northeast and Southeast Asia”, Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 8-9 February 2007.

Fifth ASEAN People’s Assembly, “The Role of the People in Building an ASEAN Community of Caring and Sharing Societies,” ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN ISIS), Foundation Open Society Institute, Canadian International Development Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, The Asia Foundation, and The ASEAN Secretariat, Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, The Philippines, 8-9 December 2006. <<Learn More>>