Business & Human Rights Resource Centre appoints Mayling Chan as its East Asia Researcher & Representative

November 2010

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is pleased to announce the appointment of Mayling Chan as its East Asia Researcher & Representative. She is based in Hong Kong.

Mayling will begin working with the Resource Centre in December, covering China (including Hong Kong), Taiwan and Singapore. She will draw attention to the human rights impacts (positive & negative) of companies in the region; highlight under-reported cases and concerns raised by civil society; seek company responses to alleged abuses; undertake research missions; and build contacts with NGOs, companies, investors, journalists and government representatives.

A large number of candidates applied for the position and five were interviewed; the applicants were of a very high calibre.

About Mayling Chan

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mayling worked at Hong Kong from 1991 to 2005, serving from 2000-2005 as Programme Director of the organization, focussing on Asia and Africa.

Her research and work over the years at Oxfam Hong Kong and as an independent consultant have covered development, environmental and human rights issues, including rights of access to natural resources, indigenous rights, women’s rights, and labour rights. Mayling co-led a campaign on fair employment conditions and the supply chain in relation to the garment industry in Hong Kong. In she examined how logging and rubber companies were impacting local communities.

Mayling’s research projects and consultant work have taken her to a range of countries including mainland China, Ecuador, Cambodia, North Korea, , Papua New Guinea, Cuba, Ethiopia and Zambia.

From 2005-2010 Mayling, while studying for her PhD at University of (Cuba), did independent consulting work for: • Southeast Asia Development Program, USA (evaluating rights of access to forest, land and fisheries in Cambodia); • Oxfam International (research/publication on Cuban food and agriculture); • Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (exchange between Cuba and North Korea); • Operation USA (evaluation of rural development in Nigaragua and disaster relief in Peru); • Eco Foundation (evaluation of impact of reproductive health projects in lessening pressure on natural resources in Papua New Guinea).

Previously Mayling worked with environmental and development NGOs in Ecuador, including Fundación Humanidad and Ecológica Mazán.

Mayling received degrees from University of Warwick (BA, Philosophy & Literature) and University of London (MSc, Agricultural Development & Environmental Management). Currently she is based in Hong Kong completing her PhD (University of Havana, Rural & Agricultural Development).

Mayling speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Spanish.

About our regional researchers

Mayling joins our four other regional researchers: • Aliou Diouf, Francophone Africa Researcher, based in Senegal • Harpreet Kaur, South Asia Researcher, based in India • Abiola Okpechi, Anglophone Africa Researcher, based in South Africa • Ella Skybenko, Eastern Europe/Central Asia Researcher, based in Ukraine

We are seeking funds to establish regional researchers in Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Our international network of part-time researchers makes the conduct of companies more transparent, promotes accountability and positive change, and aims to reduce abuses of human rights.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

London office: 1-3 Charlotte Street, 3rd floor, London W1T 1RD +44 (20) 7636-7774 Registered Charity 1096664 in England & Wales

New York office: 333 Seventh Avenue, 14th floor, NY, NY 10001 +1 (212) 564 9160 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in USA

Researchers also based in Hong Kong, India, Senegal, South Africa, Ukraine

Website: www.business-humanrights.org

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Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is a non-profit organization. In England & Wales we are a Registered Charity, number 1096664. In the we are a tax-exempt non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.