[1] FORUM-ASIA is committed to building a peaceful, just, equitable and ecologically sustainable community of peoples and societies in Asia, where all human rights of all individuals, groups and peoples – in particular, the poor, marginalised and discriminated against – are fully respected and realised in accordance with internationally accepted human rights norms and standards.

[2] In December 1991, a regional consultation, 'On Collaboration between Human Rights Organisations in South and South-East Asia', was held in Manila, the Philippines.

During the first years the activities and campaigns of Forum-Asia largely centred on capacity building with the vision of strengthening the member organisations in the region.

On October 14–17, 1994, the first General Assembly (GA) of Forum-Asia was held at the Wangree Resort in Nakorn Nayok, Thailand.

During the 1994 GA it was decided that such a full-fledged Secretariat should be established, yet remain an unregistered association that would not seek judicial status.

The group met with different stakeholders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and based on these engagements assessed how Forum-Asia could assist the HRDs of the country to improve the human rights situation in Burma.

Forum-Asia would be part of identifying a key concern or issue related to human rights, it would (co-)organise a meeting on the topic, during which a new network or collective would be established.

Known challenges that civil society organisations (CSOs) face across the globe, are multi-layered by additional complications when working through a regional network.

'[8] However, at the same time it was also said that 'We are still faced with the challenge of linking human rights activism from local, national, regional and global level.

An external consultant, Deep Rai, was tasked to address the challenges and needs identified by staff and the executive committee.

The position of executive director of Forum-Asia would later be held by Yap Swee Seng, Giyoun Kim (Acting), and Evelyn Balais-Serrano.

The office is hosted by the Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan (KontraS or Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence), a prominent member organisation of FORUM-ASIA in Indonesia.

An external evaluation from 2007 concluded that '... the principal added value [of FORUM-ASIA] is a) protection ... b) facilitating regional and international human rights advocacy, and c) providing a platform for learning and collective action ...

'[11] This observation indicated another shift in FORUM-ASIA's efforts away from the focus on capacity building from the initial years of FORUM- ASIA.

RISAHRM's aim is to establish a South Asian human rights mechanism that brings together national processes and regional aspirations.

In 2013 a new management team was appointed, led by Evelyn Balais-Serrano as executive director, to guide FORUM-ASIA into a new period.

With the 25 year anniversary in 2016 coming up the network and organisation once again needed to reflect and re-evaluate the role, the added value and the priorities of the movement.

The aim of the GALA Academy is to strengthen the international advocacy capacity of mid- and high-level staff in civil society organisations (CSOs).

Realising the need to enhance FORUM-ASIA's advocacy efforts in South Asia, the Kathmandu office, in Nepal was established in 2015.

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