Overview

Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are on the rise across Asia, increasingly used by corporate actors to silence journalists, human rights defenders, and communities who speak out in the public interest. These abusive legal tactics threaten civic space, hinder access to justice, and undermine corporate accountability.

This two-day in-person workshop – organized by UNDP in partnership with Leigh Day and with support from the Government of Sweden and the US  Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) – will bring together senior legal professionals from South and Southeast Asia to explore how lawyers and judges can identify, resist, and respond to business-related SLAPPs, advancing protections for public participation and supporting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Workshop Objectives

– Equip participants with tools and legal strategies to detect and challenge SLAPPs early
– Promote peer learning through regional case studies and courtroom simulations
– Co-develop legal and procedural recommendations to strengthen judicial responses
– Explore intersections between SLAPPs, civic space, and business-related human rights harms

Workshop Highlights

– Interactive plenary sessions on regional trends and anti-SLAPP measures
– Legal strategy labs and moot court exercises
– Dialogue with judges on procedural safeguards
– Case analysis and co-creation of practical tools

Download the Concept note