Advancing Human Rights Research in Southeast Asia: SHAPE-SEA Opens 2026 Research Grants Scheme

As Southeast Asia continues to navigate complex social, political, and development challenges, the need for rigorous, locally grounded research on human rights and peace has never been more critical. In response, the SHAPE-SEA Programme (Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in Southeast Asia) has launched its Research Grants Scheme 2026, calling on emerging scholars across the region to help shape a more inclusive and just future. 

More than a funding opportunity, the initiative represents a regional effort to elevate diverse perspectives, strengthen academic inquiry, and connect research with real-world impact. By supporting studies that examine pressing issues—such as digital rights, environmental justice, democracy and civic space, migration, peace and human security, and gender and inclusion—the programme seeks to amplify voices that are often underrepresented in mainstream discourse. 

Open to postgraduate students, early-career researchers, and academics in Southeast Asia, the scheme offers not only financial support but also access to a growing regional network of scholars and practitioners. Selected grantees will have the opportunity to contribute to knowledge that informs policy dialogue, institutional practices, and regional cooperation. 

At a time when evidence-based solutions are essential to addressing shared challenges, SHAPE-SEA’s Research Grants Scheme serves as a platform for the next generation of researchers to engage, contribute, and lead. It underscores the role of higher education and research communities in advancing human rights, peace, and sustainable development across the region.