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Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Another particularly at-risk group is defenders of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. Discrimination and attacks against them are increasing at an alarming rate, partly as a result of the rise of religious fundamentalism around the world. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur welcomes the appointment of an Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity and hopes to be able to collaborate with him to better protect persons working to defend the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also planned follow-up visits to countries that had been visited by his two predecessors in order to discuss, with the Governments of those countries and with other stakeholders, the actions taken in follow-up to the recommendations contained in the mission reports. The Special Rapporteur is also mandated to provide assistance with practical initiatives aimed at improving the protection of human rights defenders. In that capacity, he has proposed to the authorities of Serbia and Kosovo that visits should be conducted over the next three years.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has engaged in discussions with representatives of numerous countries during sessions of the Human Rights Council in Geneva and of the General Assembly in New York, as well as in the field when on academic assignment or upon invitation by regional defender networks. Thus, between 2014 and 2017, he met with representatives of Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Honduras, Ireland, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Serbia, Sweden and the United States. Even though such meetings take place outside the framework of official country visits, the Special Rapporteur believes that they are no less essential in facilitating information-sharing and in strengthening the dialogue with his office. He extends thanks to the States that made their representatives available for such meetings and encourages the Governments of countries that receive similar requests to respond positively to them.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- If the Special Rapporteur has the opportunity to continue his work under a second mandate, he will further such discussions and will explore additional options with the States involved, for instance, establishing a network of countries that have taken measures towards protecting human rights defenders. In that connection, he believes that it is important to facilitate opportunities for dialogue between States to foster the sharing of good practices and to improve follow-up on recommendations. He would also like to explore ideas such as the designation of focal points, in ministries and embassies, who would be tasked with monitoring the situation of human rights defenders, and the inclusion of a section on defenders in all reports submitted under the universal periodic review.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Through his discussions with relevant stakeholders, the Special Rapporteur has been made aware of countless initiatives that offer practical solutions to defenders' problems, ranging from relocation programmes and national protection mechanisms to the establishment of national and regional networks. If given the opportunity to continue his work under a second mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to further strengthen some of these initiatives, such as the cities of refuge network and regional and subregional defender networks. A number of these networks require additional support; the Special Rapporteur intends to provide capacity-building assistance to some of these networks, which have become essential in ending the isolation that defenders sometimes experience in the field and to take action when people are at risk.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur remains deeply concerned at the lack of visibility and of recognition of defenders' work. He notes that there is often a disconnect between public opinion and the active community of human rights defenders. The lack of understanding around the role of defenders is a formidable means used by some States to pit entire sectors of the population against one another and to undermine the situation of people who are working to protect human rights and freedoms. If people do not understand the role of human rights defenders, it is largely because we have not been successful in explaining it to them and because too often we remain bound by institutional or legal jargon. This helps to perpetuate the misconception that the struggle for human rights is the privilege of an erudite minority oblivious to everyday reality. The Special Rapporteur would like to do some case studies and focus more on individual testimonies in his messages to emphasize that ordinary heroes are first and foremost mere individuals motivated by their hope for a better world. It is also crucial to take advantage of the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in 2018, to bring together all the various stakeholders and to launch ambitious initiatives aimed not only at familiarizing more people with the Declaration, but also to demonstrate the essential role of defenders in safeguarding democracy and basic rights. The Special Rapporteur intends to make films, web documentaries or short videos to present, in a fun and accessible manner, the Declaration and major resolutions on the protection of defenders. He also plans to develop partnerships and thus work more closely with schools, universities and vocational training institutions in order to meet young people and show them the relevance of the struggle for human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- It is not only the general public who is unfamiliar with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. During the Special Rapporteur's numerous discussions with defenders, many admitted that they themselves were unaware of or not sufficiently familiar with the Declaration. Too often, the Declaration is seen as abstract or is not understood by the people it was designed to protect. However, the Declaration is meaningful only if it is applied on a daily basis. The Special Rapporteur has therefore developed tools to clarify the contents of the Declaration and make it more accessible, using infographics and posters available online and in hard copy. The Declaration will soon be translated into several new languages and dialects, making it accessible to even more people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- Increasing visibility will also require support from regional and national partners, such as United Nations country offices. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the firm declarations of support by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the fact that some regional offices have paid tribute to the work of defenders and have condemned legislative developments aimed at criminalizing their work. Other initiatives, such as the designing of new tools and means of communication, should also be explored. It would be particularly useful, for defenders, to produce summaries of the recommendations contained in the Special Rapporteur's reports and their application to national and regional contexts.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, the Special Rapporteur, recognizing his responsibility to raise awareness about the situation of defenders, was eager to rapidly develop tools that facilitate greater access to information about the various issues that his mandate seeks to address. He therefore decided to strengthen his mandate's visibility on digital media, including through a multilingual website that presents, in an accessible manner, his mandate's mission and working methods and highlights his activities as Special Rapporteur. In just a few months, over 10,000 people have visited the website, the visibility of which he now hopes to increase further so as to reach as many people as possible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- A simpler version of the Special Rapporteur's reports, targeted at the general public, has been developed and distributed during his numerous trips. He also recently designed a brochure, now available in three languages, to explain the role of the Declaration, the importance of defenders' work, and his mandate. He has strengthened his presence on social media. The ever-increasing number of accounts created is proof of the interest and concern of the general public with regard to human rights and the situation of those who promote them.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 4
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also believes that efforts and resources must be directed at ensuring that States respect the commitments that they have made. In recent decades, many standards of human rights protection have been adopted at the international level. The Special Rapporteur has observed that these standards, for the most part, are not implemented on the ground and that, when they are, they are too often applied haphazardly. In time, if these standards remain ineffective, we risk seeing entire populations lose hope and turn away from the struggle for human rights. As a matter of urgency, these standards must therefore become a reality on the ground.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Because they have primary responsibility for protecting human rights defenders and for ensuring respect for human rights, States have been treated as privileged partners and the Special Rapporteur has sought to strengthen his relationships with them. During his mandate, he conducted four official visits (Burundi in 2014 and Australia, Azerbaijan and Hungary in 2016). He has repeatedly raised the difficulties encountered in setting up country visits, including the lack of responsiveness by States, as a result of which he conducted no official visits in 2015. The Special Rapporteur is already in discussion with the Government of Peru with a view to conducting an official visit during the second half of 2017. He has also sent visit requests to the authorities of Afghanistan, Israel, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Serbia and the State of Palestine, as well as to Kosovo.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur set up consultations with women defenders during each of his country visits. In total, over 15 meetings and consultations were held between June 2014 and January 2017 with the active support of women's rights organizations such as JASS (Just Associates) and the Association for Women's Rights in Development. While some may have found it difficult to appreciate the relevance of these exchanges, the feedback that the Special Rapporteur has received from participants has convinced him of the need to maintain this practice so that women defenders can express themselves independently of the representations made, often unconsciously, by some of their male counterparts. The Special Rapporteur therefore wishes to continue that process and make it part of all future field trips. According to JASS (Just Associates): In a context in which women defenders see their political participation threatened by a resurgence of violence and discrimination, the work of the Special Rapporteur Michel Forst has been essential in protecting and recognizing the critical contribution made by such women to the struggle for justice, equality and peace. The consultations held in different regions of the world and the communications issued by the mandate holder have helped to give a voice to hundreds of women defenders and women's rights organizations that are at risk. These consultations have also made it possible to identify the specific risks faced by women defenders and have promoted the establishment of protection mechanisms that incorporate a gender perspective.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- Like his predecessors, the Special Rapporteur has sought to develop innovative working methods in order to be more effective and to better respond to defenders' need for protection. This commitment to action is meaningful only if it is accompanied by objective assessments. That is why, in his view, it was essential to spend time reflecting on what has been implemented in order to analyse and assess the impact of all the work that he and his team have carried out over nearly three years. To that end, this report takes stock of the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead. It also identifies those areas in which, in view of the possible renewal of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to become more involved so that his work remains relevant and responds as effectively as possible to defenders' expectations. This report should be seen not as an exhaustive exercise, but as a mirror held up to the action plan established in October 2014 (A/69/259).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- According to Global Witness campaigner Ben Leather: The mandate holder has rightly identified environmental defenders as one of the groups that are most at risk. For us, whose work is to support these defenders, the mandate holder has addressed a number of critical issues in his innovative report that has proved useful in many ways. First and foremost, the report strongly and unequivocally stresses the importance of human rights defenders in fighting for our planet and our rights in the face of powerful private interests. Secondly, the report identifies the various actors who are seeking to hinder, threaten and attack defenders and highlights the changes that must take place, particularly in relation to private businesses and investment banks. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this report is far more than a mere document. It contains a straightforward analysis of the risk factors and clearly indicates how the numerous attacks against defenders can be stopped. It is by drawing inspiration from the strength of conviction, innovation and tenacity of defenders that the mandate can best support and protect them.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- All of these initiatives will be inadequate if they are not appropriately disseminated through various communication channels. Increased media coverage will therefore be necessary. The Rapporteur has published opinion pieces in various international dailies, including on the consequences of counter-terrorism laws for defenders and on the spread of attacks on environmental defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- Rather than constituting a static programme of action, the proposals contained in this report should be understood as key areas of focus. The Special Rapporteur wishes to retain some flexibility in responding to requests that might arise during his second mandate. It is important to pay particular attention to new trends and alerts from civil society and the various actors involved in protecting defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- It was during these exchanges, and through the many reports and documents submitted by civil society and partners involved in protecting defenders, that the Special Rapporteur became aware of the groundswell of coordinated attacks that seek to undermine and cause lasting damage to civil society. He is dismayed to note the increasing number of attacks intended to undermine the role of defenders, irrespective of the country or the area of human rights involved. In the face of these attacks, civil society is required to constantly reinvent itself and to adopt new strategies in order to continue to promote and protect human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Although precise figures are difficult to obtain, the number of defenders killed around the world is continuously rising. This rise is in part the result of deliberate and concerted actions by persons capitalizing on major institutional weaknesses and the lack of political will to halt attacks and threats. The profound political shake-ups taking place on every continent and the growing numbers of actors who adopt ever more sophisticated strategies and tools to undermine human rights work oblige us, as never before, to refine our analysis of the situation of defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur wishes to study these new paradigms in order to better understand the drivers and enablers involved. Mapping and analysis must be carried out to understand the environment or context in which defenders work and to adopt a far-sighted, preventive approach to risk in conjunction with measures to respond to emergency situations. In addition, in line with the work initiated in this area, the Special Rapporteur wishes to devote one of his future reports to the role played by businesses in threats and attacks against defenders. Similarly, he considers it essential to continue his predecessors' reflections on the impact that counter-terrorism policies and national security have on the criminalization of defenders' work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- Enhanced cooperation with resident coordinators and United Nations agencies and programmes is needed. The Special Rapporteur's interactions with other actors have revealed a lack of visibility and understanding of his mandate and, more generally, a lack of knowledge even within the United Nations about the situation of defenders. He has therefore sought to foster better coordination with institutions such as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It would also be useful to develop training and outreach workshops for staff of those institutions and to raise their awareness about the recommendations contained in the Special Rapporteur's reports and the links between them and the issues at the core of those institutions' missions. A noteworthy example would be the recommendations on women defenders or defenders working on development projects or on the protection of ethnic and cultural minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- The three accounts below attest to the significant cooperation enjoyed with regional mechanisms. According to Nils Muižnieks, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe: Close cooperation with the universal human rights system and regional mandate holders plays a significant role in my efforts to protect and support human rights defenders in Europe. I collaborate regularly with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on countries where the situation of human rights defenders is very challenging. I am convinced that by working together we will effectively combat impunity for attacks on defenders and prevent the worsening of their working environment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- According to José de Jesús Orozco, Rapporteur on human rights defenders of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: The mandate of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights regarding the situation of defenders highlights the crucial need for cooperation with the United Nations mandate holder on the issue of defenders. In addition to strengthening the roles of the two systems, such cooperation has underlined the need to redouble our efforts to promote and protect human rights in the Americas and to address, specifically, the plight of the defenders in the region. The result has been numerous joint initiatives, including public statements, meetings, thematic reports, activities in the field, regular information-sharing and the participation of the Special Rapporteur, Michel Forst, as an expert before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Since the start of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has sought to acquire an in-depth understanding of the specific challenges faced by certain groups of defenders. Far from seeking to create categories of persons whose rights would be differentiated, he believed it was essential to analyse the causes and manifestations of the risks faced by some groups of defenders. This approach is essential to the task of proposing appropriate protection methods and providing better support to defenders working to promote fundamental rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- The decline in cases of reprisals is deceptive. It does not account for many of the tragedies experienced by defenders on the ground or for the perverse effect of such acts on the whole of civil society in its struggle to protect human rights. The Special Rapporteur has observed that reprisals take the form of threats, surveillance, prohibition from leaving a country, arrests on spurious grounds and physical attacks against defenders and their families. They may be intended mainly to affect individuals and their families, but they also hamper any form of long-term cooperation, thus isolating a country's civil society from the rest of the international community.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Since he first established contact with human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur has received information on the situations of defenders working on all aspects of environmental rights. He has also been struck by the alarming reports, issued by many organizations, of the risks faced by persons committed to preserving natural resources and protecting the right to land. This led him to submit a report (A/71/281) to the General Assembly in 2016 on the situation of environmental rights defenders. His review of that situation enabled him to understand the complexity of systems that combine sophisticated enforcement techniques, unclear lines of accountability and national contexts in which corruption and impunity are rife. The Special Rapporteur intends to continue exploring certain aspects of this research by focusing his next report to the General Assembly on the roles and responsibilities of corporations in attacks on defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Implement resolutions on the protection of defenders and monitor their continued implementation;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 87b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that national human rights institutions:] Take effective measures to protect human rights defenders when they are in danger;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- With regard to peacekeeping missions, the Special Rapporteur also met several times with representatives of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, in New York, with whom he discussed the possibility of conducting joint initiatives with missions. This is one of the issues he would like to take action on, as a matter of priority, during his second mandate, for instance, by engaging with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur plans to strengthen support for national mechanisms for the protection of defenders by holding consultations with them to determine trends and developments, enhance the sharing of good practices between such mechanisms and identify areas for improvement. Aware of the difficulties that currently hinder the implementation of these mechanisms, he wishes to use his technical expertise to help make these arrangements fully operational and effective.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- In keeping with the actions undertaken by his predecessors, the Special Rapporteur has sought to develop closer ties with individuals and institutions engaged in protecting human rights defenders. As was announced in his road map, the Special Rapporteur has carried out a number of activities with States, the United Nations, regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and regional courts.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur would like to organize joint workshops over the next few years in order to strengthen the implementation of resolutions and recommendations on the situation of defenders and to increase the sharing of good practices. It is equally important to improve the sharing of information, in particular information being conveyed from the field to the Special Rapporteur, so as to be more responsive when draft legislation jeopardizes the situation of defenders in a given country.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Today, recognizing the tragic and seemingly hopeless situations facing so many defenders is no longer the issue. Indeed, time and again, their plight has been reported, condemned and communicated by many. This dire situation does not allow us the luxury of sitting back and waiting. Let there be no doubt. It is our moral responsibility to embody the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it is urgent to take action. At the core of the Special Rapporteur's mandate is the duty to ensure that every effort is made so that people no longer have to die anywhere in the world for having defended human dignity and human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 88d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages civil society to:] Help to develop national and regional defender networks and to strengthen existing networks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- In an effort to revitalize his mandate's working methods, the Special Rapporteur has sought to develop cooperation with regional courts, for instance, by serving as an expert before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He intends to continue such efforts through amicus curiae and third-party interventions and by serving as an expert on individual cases before other regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also considers it important to increase contact with less visible actors such as donors, banks and development agencies, as well as trade unions, whose role in protecting defenders is sometimes critical. With that in mind, he held an initial meeting with the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and a few regional development and investment banks on the issue of retaliation against whistle-blowers. That meeting should be followed by further consultations and collaboration in 2017.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- The issue of reprisals has remained a matter of concern throughout the Special Rapporteur's mandate. Between 1 December 2014 and 31 July 2016, the Special Rapporteur sent 55 communications relating to reprisals against groups of defenders or individuals who had worked with the United Nations or other international organizations for the protection of human rights (32 communications were sent in 2014; 11 were sent in 2015; and 12 were sent in the first half of 2016).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 86d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages the United Nations to:] Disseminate the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the Special Rapporteur's reports through the various institutions and the regional and country offices, and develop training and information initiatives for State officials in order to raise their awareness of the role of defenders in the promotion and protection of human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- In June 2016, the Special Rapporteur began to hold meetings with companies and business federations, including with extractive industries during his most recent trips, as announced at the outset of his mandate. He is pleased to note that many businesses are increasingly aware of the impact of their activities on human rights. Businesses, especially those working in the extractive and wood industries or with hydroelectric megaprojects, are often mentioned in cases of violence perpetrated against defenders. It therefore seems crucial to engage them in a frank and constructive dialogue with a view to helping them establish mechanisms to prevent the development of tragic situations in the field. Various options are being explored to improve defenders' participation in development projects and in the setting up of mechanisms for redress and remedies in case of violations. The Special Rapporteur plans to continue working on this topic; his next report on businesses will include practical recommendations to businesses and other stakeholders, such as States and national and international development institutions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also intends to engage directly with businesses in cases where defenders are at risk or come under attack because of actions taken that relate to those businesses' corporate responsibility. It is essential to inform businesses, particularly parent companies, when such cases are referred to the Special Rapporteur, and to give them the opportunity to provide information on the steps that they themselves, as well as their affiliates and local contractors, have taken to remedy the situation. This is consistent with the search for systemic and long-term solutions for reducing risks for defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Since the beginning of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has sought to highlight good practices relating to the protection of defenders. Many initiatives exist, but they often suffer from lack of visibility or of connections to other initiatives. The Special Rapporteur therefore devoted a report (A/HRC/31/55), based on his visits and interactions with various actors, to identifying good practices with a view to their dissemination and intensification. Providing examples of successful initiatives, in which tangible solutions are applied to the problems faced by defenders, is often the best way to convince others of the suitability and effectiveness of such initiatives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has also sought to enhance cooperation with the United Nations. He attended meetings and events organized by regional and country offices during his trips and was pleased to find partners in the field who appreciated his concerns and were willing to develop joint initiatives. The Special Rapporteur welcomes projects such as the Commentary to the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which was compiled by regional and country offices of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Central and South America and to which he contributed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has also initiated a series of regional consultations on the impunity enjoyed by those who attack defenders. All too often, the perpetrators of such attacks are not convicted. The distress of victims and families who seek justice and reparation meets with indifference and even hostility on the part of law enforcement and judicial officers. It is therefore important to have a sharper understanding of the situation and to better identify the factors behind impunity so that specific recommendations can be made to States and other actors involved.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- For the reasons given above, and in view of a possible second mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to carry out an analysis of communications and to propose ways of dealing with them. He also intends to examine the role that national actors, such as national human rights institutions or ombudsmen, can play in follow-up to communications. In addition, he plans to more systematically follow up on the communications sent to States and to send repeated reminders to countries that do not reply, or give unsatisfactory replies, to communications received.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Lastly, over the course of his discussions with persons on the ground, the Special Rapporteur came to realize that his reports on communications were largely passing unnoticed and were seldom used by defenders and the various stakeholders involved in protecting them. The Special Rapporteur therefore plans to take steps to ensure that these reports, whose contents are highly instructive, are made more accessible to key stakeholders. To that end, he intends to give thought to the question of how to improve the centralization of information by country and to facilitate the use of the information contained in the reports. The Peruvian defender César Estrada stated that: Between 2011 and 2015, my family and I lived through a very difficult period. Despite the protective measures made available by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which were not applied, we were constantly targeted by threats, murder attempts and repression. It was then that I made contact with Michel Forst and my situation became known well beyond my own country. His work as Special Rapporteur is extremely important for all defenders around the world.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 42
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- With regard to follow-up to country visits, the Special Rapporteur has noted that the recommendations contained in reports conveyed at the end of official visits are often not implemented. He therefore intends to hold a series of workshops to bring together State and non-State national actors with a view to identifying not only the progress made in protecting defenders, but also any possible areas for improvement. At the end of these workshops, a report will be submitted to the Human Rights Council as an addendum that will include an assessment of the implementation of recommendations and, where appropriate, additional recommendations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- The consultations conducted over the past three years have also led to greater understanding of the way in which defenders view and assess the work of protection mechanisms, whether these take the form of the guidelines drawn up by national Governments and regional organizations, including the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or the legislation and national protection mechanisms developed in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire and Mexico. The role and position of the Special Rapporteur, as both a universal mechanism and an independent expert, have allowed him to take a comprehensive look at these issues and to shed light on the statements, which are sometimes critical, made by defenders about those in charge of such mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has decided that the present report should focus on the activities carried out between June 2014 and March 2017 (the period corresponding to his first mandate) to ensure that they are brought to the attention of the States and actors with which he has regularly engaged. This report is also an opportunity for the Special Rapporteur to give an account of his work to the many human rights defenders who, in complete confidence, have collaborated with him and his team over the past three years and, in some cases, exposed themselves to reprisals simply for having confided their tragic situations to him. The Special Rapporteur still recalls the words, expressions and smiles of the hundreds of defenders he met during those three years and feels responsible for the way in which the international community responds to their hopes and expectations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur appreciates the valuable cooperation of the European Union, with which he has carried out numerous activities. He met several times with the Working Party on Human Rights of the Council of the European Union and with the European Parliament. He also met with the delegations of the European Union during his visits to the field; it was during those meetings that he discussed the implementation of the European Union guidelines on human rights defenders. He thanks those delegations, which have provided assistance in a number of situations by facilitating interaction with civil society and with the most isolated defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- During his mandate, the Special Rapporteur has intensified his interaction with parliaments. Parliaments are, in his view, key players in the implementation of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders at the national level. He has appeared before the parliaments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom in order to present his mandate and to explore avenues for joint action; he has, moreover, already raised the possibility of future activities with other parliaments, such as the Italian Parliament. Examples of such future opportunities include the designation of focal points within parliaments, in order to monitor the situation of defenders; and cooperation with parliaments of countries that are debating bills that present potential risks for defenders, in which case direct cooperation between parliamentarians would be beneficial.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- In carrying out the initiatives announced at the outset of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur received valuable support from a small team within the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. That team helped him, on a daily basis, to reply to numerous invitations to events and requests to assist defenders at risk. They also assisted in analysing the legal and administrative frameworks that hinder and sometimes even criminalize the work of human rights defenders and helped to arrange many meetings with States and defenders who travelled to Geneva during the sessions of the Human Rights Council.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Given that restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association are often the earliest signs of attacks intended to criminalize social protest and silence those working in human rights, the Special Rapporteur has sought to work more closely with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this regard, they have carried out an increasing number of joint actions, particularly in relation to communications and public statements on persons who have received threats or are imprisoned and on draft legislation that poses a threat to civil society or defenders. Between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2016, the Special Rapporteur sent 442 communications in conjunction with other mandate holders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- Despite his colleagues' clear desire for cooperation and the richness of the discussions held at the annual meetings of special procedures mandate holders and in relation to specific cases, the Special Rapporteur sometimes finds that it is difficult to overcome a silo mentality in day-to-day work, given that each mandate holder has a heavy workload and different priorities for action. Nevertheless, he believes that a mandate such as the protection of defenders should be viewed from as cross-cutting a perspective as possible in order to develop a holistic approach to human rights issues.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 1
- Paragraph text
- After spending the past three years travelling around the world and documenting the situation of human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur is more appalled than ever to see attacks against them multiplying everywhere, assailing bloggers, indigenous peoples, journalists, community leaders, whistle-blowers and community volunteers. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur has become convinced that the incidents in question are not isolated acts but concerted attacks against those who try to embody the ideal of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in a world free from fear and want.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 2
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is concerned by the lack of response to observations that have been made repeatedly since the establishment of the mandate. Even the reports of his predecessors Hina Jilani and Margaret Sekaggya made mention of certain difficulties and of the lack of strong and ambitious political action aimed at bringing a lasting end to attacks against defenders. How many human tragedies, how many imprisoned, tortured and murdered defenders must there be before the world realizes that such people are the lifeblood that our democracies need in order to flourish and survive over time?
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has sought to make himself more available to defenders who live in remote areas or who otherwise find it challenging to interact with his office. He has organized online discussions and webinars, bringing together defenders and civil society organizations from various parts of the world. Three online discussions held between August and December 2016 attracted the participation of 70 defenders, the majority of whom had never been in contact with the Special Rapporteur's office. The participants' feedback confirmed that such activities were essential for forging closer ties with the field and thus bringing some defenders out of isolation, without having to deal with budgetary or geographical constraints. Further discussions are already in preparation; they will focus on ways that the Special Rapporteur's recommendations and resolutions on human rights defenders can be conveyed to the field and put into practice there.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- According to Salvatore Saguès, programme specialist at the International Organization of la Francophonie: During the period 2014 2017, the International Organization of la Francophonie further developed its collaboration with the Special Rapporteur through inter-mechanism meetings of defenders and other activities, which provided the Special Rapporteur with an opportunity to present his mission and working methods. We were then able to provide improved protection for defenders in the French-speaking world by helping them to better understand their rights and the risks that they face.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was established in 2000 by the Human Rights Commission to support the implementation of the 1998 Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Declaration on Human Rights Defenders). Its main goals are to document and analyse the situation of defenders around the world, to make specific recommendations to better protect them and to enforce the provisions of the Declaration. To achieve these goals, the Special Rapporteur has a number of options at his disposal, ranging from country visits to communications on individual cases and participation in many public activities of either an academic or an institutional nature.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- According to Marcos Orellana, Director of the Human Rights and Environment Program at the Center for International Environmental Law: The Center for International Environmental Law has prepared a report on the situation of environmental rights defenders in Latin America in collaboration with Article 19 and Vermont Law School. The contribution of the Special Rapporteur Michel Forst was very important in that it magnified the impact of this report, in particular through his support for the inclusion of specific provisions on defenders and the environment in the draft regional agreement on environmental democracy and access to information, public participation and access to justice in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 16/5 (A/HRC/RES/16/5), in which the Council requested the Special Rapporteur to study trends, developments and challenges in relation to the exercise of human rights, the Special Rapporteur started his mandate by organizing a series of regional consultations to enable defenders to share their experiences, to help him to better understand the types of threats that they face and to identify emerging needs for protection. In 2014 and 2015, he therefore conducted seven regional consultations, which drew more than 500 participants from 110 countries. The main findings of these consultations are compiled in a report (A/70/217) submitted to the General Assembly in October 2015. These consultations provided an understanding of the overall situation of defenders and the functioning of the various protection systems established in recent decades.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 87c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that national human rights institutions:] Participate in following up on the Special Rapporteur's recommendations;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 87a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that national human rights institutions:] Designate focal points within the institutions to monitor the situation of defenders in their country and hold regular meetings with those focal points;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 87d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that national human rights institutions:] Include coverage of the situation of defenders in the information submitted within the framework of the universal periodic review.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 86b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages the United Nations to:] Continue to document and alert the international community to the numerous reprisals against defenders who cooperate with the United Nations;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- These 693 communications concerned the cases of 1,293 persons, including 278 women human rights defenders. Women were the subject of roughly 22 per cent of communications in 2014 and 21 per cent of communications in 2015. The figure for 2016 has not yet been established.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- While these figures allow some trends to be discerned, it is important to bear in mind that they do not reflect cases not covered by the mandate. Many defenders and their families are unaware that they can contact the Special Rapporteur and, given the urgency of the situations concerned, they sometimes prefer to turn to mechanisms or organizations that provide very short-term solutions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Cooperation with regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights defenders was enhanced by increasing the frequency and quality of interaction with the mechanisms, including by holding inter-mechanism meetings. Between June 2014 and November 2016, four inter-mechanism meetings were held between Paris, Geneva, Strasbourg and Brussels. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur is pleased with the many initiatives carried out jointly with the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and with the Rapporteur on human rights defenders of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, including joint public communications and events held in the field. In addition, he attended meetings held by the International Organization of la Francophonie, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European External Action Service. If the Special Rapporteur's mandate is renewed, he will seek to strengthen collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and to develop initiatives during the sessions of the African Commission, which he plans to attend in 2017.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- In addition, and against the backdrop of the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 31/32 on defenders of economic, social and cultural rights (A/HRC/RES/31/32), adopted in March 2016, the Special Rapporteur intends to approach special procedures mandate holders in order to propose joint initiatives to provide defenders with better protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2016, the Special Rapporteur and his team sent 693 communications (231 in 2014, 208 in 2015 and 254 in 2016) to States. These included 368 urgent appeals and 319 letters of allegations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- The Rapporteur wishes to continue these efforts and to develop attractive, easy-access tools to explain some of the recommendations contained in his reports and to showcase the progress achieved and success stories in the protection of human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur was shocked by the way in which many individuals whom he met in Geneva or during his trips abroad had suffered attacks, including sometimes at the United Nations itself. It is absolutely crucial that all stakeholders take action against such attacks, which threaten the very functioning of the United Nations, itself founded on dialogue and international cooperation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- While there is no denying the current plight of defenders, the Special Rapporteur is conscious of the many initiatives carried out by committed individuals and institutions determined to improve the situation of defenders. He is convinced, now more than ever, of the need to develop synergies between the complementary roles of all stakeholders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- He also had the opportunity to draft a number of joint communications with other mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- If he is given the opportunity to continue his work under a second mandate, the Special Rapporteur intends to pursue and develop some joint activities, including the establishment of a database of national legislation on freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and the protection of defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- Since March 2015, thanks to the support of the international community, the Special Rapporteur has also been assisted by a Paris-based colleague to enhance the accessibility and visibility of the mandate, in accordance with the commitment made by the Special Rapporteur when that mandate began. More information on the various initiatives and tools developed in this regard is provided below.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- In view of the possible extension of his mandate, the Special Rapporteur would like to review the situation of persons acting to defend the rights of migrants. In the light of the situation in Europe and other parts of the world, such as Africa, Oceania and Central America, this subject seems particularly relevant.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur would also grant particular importance to following up on his and his predecessors' recommendations regarding those groups of defenders that are most at risk. In that regard, it is essential that protective measures should take into account the specific risks faced by such groups. This entails giving them an active role in developing measures and mechanisms intended to protect them.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
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Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85g
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Remove the obstacles that some domestic laws place on the legitimate activities of defenders engaged in promoting and protecting human rights, including by ensuring respect for the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 86a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages the United Nations to:] Further promote the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders by ensuring that it is accessible to the greatest number of people;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 88a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages civil society to:] Develop innovative measures to familiarize the general public with the work of defenders, including as part of the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 88b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages civil society to:] Participate actively in promoting gender equality and combating all forms of discrimination against women human rights defenders, including in their own organizations;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 88c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages civil society to:] Continue to send information to the Special Rapporteur on a regular basis, including on any draft legislation that may jeopardize the safety and the work of defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Through this report, the Special Rapporteur has also sought to give a voice to those who, whether individually or through their organizations, worked with him within the framework of his mandate and made it possible to implement his road map.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
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Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- In addition, the Special Rapporteur recently participated in drafting and promoting a model law on the protection of human rights defenders, an initiative fostered by the International Service for Human Rights which aims to help States to establish legislation that recognizes and protects such persons.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 86c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages the United Nations to:] Develop a database to monitor the implementation of resolutions and laws that have an impact on the situation of defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
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Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- It is important to seek support from intermediaries other than the United Nations. In that connection, the Rapporteur intends to establish closer ties with embassies, national human rights institutions, philanthropic organizations, universities and international networks, including networks of lawyers and trade unions, and thus leverage the dissemination of information and reach new audiences.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- According to a regional breakdown of the statistics for communications sent between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2016, the largest number of communications concerned the Asia-Pacific region (222 communications, or around 32 per cent of all those sent under the mandate). In addition, 131 communications (around 19 per cent of all communications) concerned the Americas and 128 communications (around 19 per cent) concerned the Middle East and North Africa. Communications concerning the regions of Europe and Central Asia and those concerning African countries accounted for 14 and 15 per cent of communications respectively (99 cases involved Europe and Central Asia and 109 involved Africa).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- As the Special Rapporteur has mentioned in his previous reports, he is very concerned about the recurrent and systemic weaknesses of the current communications mechanism. This mechanism, which many defenders consider to be their last resort, is severely hampered by the lack of cooperation of States that fail to reply to letters or send incomplete replies. These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that there are insufficient human resources to manage the ever-growing number of requests and to establish appropriate follow-up. At the present time, and despite enhanced cooperation between the teams supporting the Special Rapporteurs, it is possible to address only a limited number of requests to act on behalf of threatened defenders. Difficult choices must be made every day as there is insufficient capacity to respond to some urgent appeals. This is not acceptable.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, many people who submit files are informed that their claim is being considered only by an automatic e-mail acknowledging that it has been received. These individuals are then given no further information about how their claim will be processed and may remain in a state of uncertainty for weeks. Without breaking with the principle that communications between the mandate holder and the States concerned should remain confidential, it seems essential that both qualitative and quantitative improvements should be made to the system. Aware that such a change would go well beyond his mandate, the Special Rapporteur would like to consider it together with other mandate holders and with the support of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in order to respond to the expectations and needs of thousands of people on the ground.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 6
- Paragraph text
- As defenders face unprecedented attacks intended to undermine the legitimacy, credibility and sincerity of their commitment, it seems essential to quickly establish links between the specific actions undertaken by the Special Rapporteur and the pledges made at the United Nations when he was appointed in 2014. As populist, nationalist and fundamentalist movements of all kinds multiply, the Special Rapporteur remains convinced that more can be done under his mandate and that his office must continue to serve as a watchdog, a warning mechanism and a crucial resource for thousands of people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur welcomes the fact that the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, together with the Head of the New York Office of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has been appointed by the Secretary-General to lead the efforts of the United Nations to put a stop to reprisals against those who cooperate with the Organization on human rights issues. He hopes that this new initiative will enhance responsiveness and result in measures that have a direct impact on specific cases, and not limit themselves simply to recording the facts. According to Mukunda Kattel, Director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-Asia): The mandate holder has helped to connect defenders in the field with international defender protection mechanisms. This link has proven essential for giving courage and energy to those who promote and protect human rights, sometimes in difficult or even adverse conditions. It has also put some pressure on States to respect their human rights obligations. Together, these various measures have made it possible to respond in part to the problem of reprisals and impunity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- In just 20 years, the world that witnessed the signing of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders has undergone significant changes. Nevertheless, the hopes raised by that Declaration remain alive. The same is true of the legitimate aspirations of millions of people: to live in a society that is freer, more just, more egalitarian, and where every person is able to enjoy their human rights. Those who are fighting for this to become a reality should be recognized as the heroes of our time. All too often, defenders have sacrificed their lives and their families' safety so that we may have access to decent housing, good-quality education, or simply be able to vote or to express ourselves without fear. These brave women and men continue to be vilified, threatened and attacked throughout the world. Every day, every week, there are insidious attempts to destroy years of hard work aimed at better protecting defenders. When human rights defenders are attacked, it is ultimately democracy that comes under threat.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- When the Special Rapporteur took up his functions in 2014, he knew that the expectations regarding his mandate were at least as great as the threats to the individuals who defend human rights and freedoms. He sought to open new doors and to push the limits of the mandate. Having benefited from a vast number of meetings and activities conducted over the past three years, he would like to continue and intensify these initiatives and give them time to bear fruit. The activities covered in this report therefore represent a work in progress. The Special Rapporteur is particularly keen to strengthen initiatives to improve the implementation of recommendations and resolutions on the protection of defenders. To that end, he would like to develop tools to measure their implementation and to focus on strengthening the capacities of national actors to act on recommendations and resolutions and make them a reality on the ground.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Implement the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- We must be bolder and more creative in order to face up to threats that weigh heavily on civil society as a whole and on every individual fighting for fundamental rights and freedoms. The Special Rapporteur has also noted that intolerance thrives in part because people know little about their rights or the role of those who protect them. In that regard, it is more vital than ever to make the language of human rights accessible to all in order to ensure that civil society continues to enforce accountability.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur furthermore plans to update the 2006 report on the situation of defenders in 118 countries (E/CN.4/2006/95/Add.5). This long-term project will make it possible to identify progress and setbacks and to pinpoint the efforts that need to be made, particularly in respect of the implementation of recommendations made in previous reports produced during the mandate. The Special Rapporteur intends to submit the updated report to the Human Rights Council in 2018.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Publicly recognize and support the work of defenders through publicity campaigns and specific communication and information initiatives;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Develop holistic measures for protecting defenders based on the seven principles set out in his report to the Human Rights Council in March 2016 (A/HRC/31/55);
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85e
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Invite him to conduct official country visits, without limiting the duration or scope of such visits, inter alia, for the purpose of meeting with defenders who live in remote areas and cannot travel;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 85f
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Respond to requests for information sent by his office, particularly in respect of cases of defenders at risk, by providing any information necessary for an optimal evaluation of situations of concern;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- In addition, the Special Rapporteur intends to offer his technical expertise to States in training police officers on issues facing defenders and on the need to provide better support to those persons when they wish to file complaints and receive police protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- Lastly, as part of efforts to better protect defenders who promote corporate responsibility, the Special Rapporteur would like to offer his assistance to countries that seek to include a section on defenders in their national action plans.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Work in progress, challenges and the way forward 2017, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing that academia is a place where knowledge thrives and that it presents a unique opportunity for meeting students, the Special Rapporteur has sought to strengthen cooperation with academic institutions. Having spoken before a large number of university audiences, which proved extremely useful, he then proposed that academic institutions in Paris, Berlin, York (United Kingdom) and Sydney (Australia) should join forces with his mandate to provide practical assistance in developing necessary concepts and tools. According to Martin Jones, the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York: The Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York attaches great importance to its work with the Special Rapporteur and welcomes in particular his collaborative approach, which combines research and the practical experiences of defenders at risk. A recent example of our collaboration is the support we provided with a global survey on good protection practices, the results of which informed the report submitted by the Special Rapporteur to the Human Rights Council. The report is innovative in that it presents a number of solutions to the problems faced by defenders and also a very useful set of criteria for evaluating protection practices (or, more accurately, a set of principles that should guide our activities).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- The assassination of environmental human rights defenders is only part of the overall violence they face. The submissions received by the Special Rapporteur show that environmental human rights defenders confront numerous threats and violations, including violent attacks and threats to their families, enforced disappearances, illegal surveillance, travel bans, blackmail, sexual harassment, judicial harassment and use of force to dispel peaceful protests. Such violations are committed by State and non-State actors, and take place in the context of the overall stigmatization, demonization and delegitimization of environmental human rights defenders. In some countries, violations are intertwined with the overall climate of criminalization of their work, especially in the context of large-scale development projects (see A/68/262).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- Reports also indicate that most individuals and groups facing threats are those who oppose land grabbing, extractive industries, the industrial timber trade and large-scale development projects. Indigenous communities and ethnic and racial minorities are particularly vulnerable (see A/HRC/24/41 and A/71/291). They are the most affected because the resources exploited are usually located in their lands; they lack legal protection while exerting strong and vocal opposition; many indigenous communities do not hold formal title over the land they inhabit; and their access to justice is limited.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- Communications sent by the Special Rapporteur reflect the grim picture of the situation of environmental human rights defenders. In the period from December 2006 to July 2016, the mandate sent 2,730 communications on human rights defenders, 243 of which (9 per cent) concerned environmental defenders. There has been a slight increase in the number of cases involving environmental human rights defenders, from a total of 106 (7 per cent) out of 1,498 communications in the first five-year period (December 2006-May 2011) to 137 communications (11 per cent) in the second period (June 2011-July 2016).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Latin American and Asia have been the most hostile regions for environmental human rights defenders. In the last five years, of the 137 communications, 48 per cent concerned the Americas, the most dangerous area. Those promoting rights in relation to the extractive and mining industries, palm oil cultivation and deforestation proved to be most at risk (27 communications). The largest number of communications concerned Honduras (11), Mexico (10), Brazil (9) and Peru (8). In the vast majority of the fatal cases, the victims had previously reported threats and intimidation, but they received no adequate protection despite a prominent decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights affirming the State duty to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of defenders, as well as to conduct serious and effective investigations of any violations against them, thus preventing impunity.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The range of actors that stand to gain from hindering their work exacerbates the risks facing environmental human rights defenders. The human rights obligations of business actors have not been articulated as clearly as those of States, and the weak regime concerning the duty of companies to respect the rights of defenders is one factor underlying their vulnerability. Reports have shown that businesses have been involved in human rights abuses that range from restricting the legitimate activities of defenders to curtailing the exercise of their rights, to attacks carried out by private security firms on behalf of companies. National action plans, when established, often fail to advise how States should sanction corporations involved in such abuses. Some corporations have developed social responsibility strategies or mechanisms, which either lack teeth to prevent violations or have been used as publicity tools to whitewash the company's public image.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Businesses should provide clear guidance to employees, contractors and partners on the rights of environmental human rights defenders and communities to express their views, conduct peaceful protest and criticize practices without intimidation or retaliation. They should have clear procedures for receiving complaints of misconduct and to respond to them in a timely manner. Human rights due diligence should involve tracking responses and explaining how the impacts are addressed. Businesses need to set up transparent processes that provide remedies for negative human rights impacts.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- In some cases, banks and financial institutions have provided funds, services and technical support for companies to rectify and prevent human rights violations, such as the improper acquisition of land. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the growing commitment of financial institutions to principles such as responsible financing, lending and investment. The use of environmental, social and governance criteria for risk assessment and the evaluation of the performance of investments can strengthen the accountability of corporations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- Environmental education is, laudably, becoming widespread, as expressed both in formal curricula in educational institutions and in public education campaigns. Such education initiatives should recognize the crucial role played by environmental human rights defenders in environmental protection. Building public support for defenders through education serves important preventive and protective functions. Human rights education must also be available for government officials, journalists and others working on environmental and development issues. The Special Rapporteur encourages initiatives such as the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and supports the call by UNESCO for inclusive, empowering education about the environment, engaging civil society and local communities as active participants.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- Similarly, it is important for different branches of Government beyond traditional units responsible for law enforcement to recognize the role of environmental human rights defenders in environmental protection. State entities responsible for other activities, including for the environment, resource development and indigenous peoples, must also be involved in the protection of the environment and environmental human rights defenders. States are encouraged to integrate a human rights-based approach into the work of environmental protection agencies and other relevant institutions. It is important that such institutions be given the resources and support required for effective environmental governance.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- Awards and prizes for environmental human rights defenders are an important means of drawing attention to their work and the risks they face. Awards are based on their environmental achievements generally or on specific risks. An example of the latter is the Goldman Environmental Prize, awarded annually to environmental human rights defenders from around the world. Awards also help build the profile and legitimacy of defenders, give voice to their security concerns and celebrate their successes. However, awards are not a panacea, and should be supported by robust protection measures for defenders at risk. Wherever advisable, they should recognize groups of defenders and communities rather than singling out individuals.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- The intensified competition for natural resources in recent decades has led to multiple social and environmental conflicts all over the world. The recent crisis has exposed the vulnerability of the countries of the global South, which have prioritized resource-based development models to raise their national income. Much of the demand for the resources in those countries comes from countries in the global North. In a globalized world, the quest for economic growth has resulted in a neo-colonial environment that exacerbates conflicts between communities and business actors. What underlie these conflicts are profoundly different approaches to development.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 84
- Paragraph text
- Regional and international forums provide important mechanisms for monitoring and responding to the situation of environmental human rights defenders. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights established the Office of the Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, which monitors the situation of defenders, including environmental human rights defenders. The Commission and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights have provided important relief to environmental human rights defenders through court decisions and "precautionary measures", requesting States to take action where defenders are at acute risk. The Special Rapporteur is concerned about the budgetary reduction facing the Commission and its impact on the continuing ability of the Commission to monitor, support and protect defenders in the region.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Recent reports have pointed to a growing opposition between what could be considered a commodity-based approach, prioritizing economic growth and midterm profits, and rights-based approaches, favouring populations' interests and sustainability. Communities protesting against projects that threaten their very livelihood and existence have often faced stigmatization and attacks from States and corporations, which label them "anti-development". Yet, these defenders often seek to preserve natural resources and to ensure a holistic and long-term approach to development where land, water, air and forests are not reduced to mere marketable goods. The commodification and financialization of nature often lead to simplifying the real "value" of the environment, ignoring the social or cultural dimensions and the complex interactions of elements within and between ecosystems.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- Corruption and impunity also underlie the growing number of conflicts around natural exploitation and large-scale development projects, owing partly to the fact that the majority of such projects require vast financial investments, which can fall prey to corruption. This situation is particularly patent in States with poor and non transparent governance processes, which lead to collusion at the expense of the public good. In many land-grabbing situations, businesses, authorities, local suppliers and sometimes organized crime benefit from loopholes in the laws regulating these practices.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- Corruption is often a consequence of the lack of transparency in such projects. This is exemplified by environmental impact assessments that were not performed with the participation of the affected communities, were unavailable to them or were inaccessible owing to the complexity of the documentation or its language. Yet, Governments use transparency as a pretext to harass organizations opposing large-scale projects. Moreover, the complexity of the structures and processes of many large-scale development projects also makes it difficult to clearly identify the multiplicity of stakeholders (banks, anonymous companies, international investors, local suppliers, funding institutions, etc.) and the chain of responsibility for ensuring accountability for certain violations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is extremely concerned about the lack of independent and prompt investigations into attacks perpetrated against environmental human rights defenders, which is often linked to a lack of resources, corruption and collusion between perpetrators. States have nearly always failed to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and sanctioned. This has been the case in countries such as Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras and the Philippines, and this situation can perpetuate the climate of impunity, sending the message that environmental human rights defenders cannot trust the justice system to seek remedy for violations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- As noted above, defenders are protected at a number of levels. Regional and international forums provide opportunities to discuss, coordinate and develop policies for the protection of defenders. Besides defenders themselves, actors at the international and regional level include international and regional organizations, States, civil society networks, international civil society organizations and philanthropic funders. At these levels, international actors play an important role in supporting the development of strong policies and guidelines, monitoring and responding to the situation of defenders and providing flexible funding for their protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 102
- Paragraph text
- Regional and international forums are also an important mechanism for monitoring the situation of defenders and responses to situations of risk. The Office of the Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights monitors the situation of defenders and issues "precautionary measures", requesting States to take action when defenders are at acute risk. Such urgent action procedures in regional organizations allow for a rapid and context-sensitive response to situations of risk. The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe has raised cases of defenders at risk through his dialogue with authorities and intervened before the European Court of Human Rights in defenders-related cases.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 103
- Paragraph text
- United Nations human rights mechanisms have supported the protection of defenders in a number of ways. The Special Rapporteur receives and acts on a large number of communications from defenders at risk. When possible, these communications prompt a discussion with State authorities, which results in their more effective protection. The treaty bodies, mandated to monitor the implementation of State parties' obligations under the treaties, can consider individual communications and conduct inquiries and investigations through country visits. The universal periodic review has also provided a forum for considering the situation of defenders. Resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council on the protection of defenders have provided normative language, reflecting the needs and circumstances of defenders around the world.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- As noted above, greater public visibility of threats to defenders can serve a protective function. Indeed, public awareness of human rights and the situation of defenders may even prevent human rights violations against defenders. This awareness and support can be fostered by providing the general public with accurate information on the activities and situation of defenders by means of traditional and social media. Members of the media themselves can be defenders, and can thus face many of the same risks as other defenders (see A/HRC/19/55, paras. 118-122).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- The media can also, however, reproduce and reinforce patterns of inequality and marginalization; for example, women defenders and LGBTI activists are sometimes targeted in social media smear campaigns and vilified by mainstream media outlets. Some good practices within the media to combat this phenomenon include proactive training about defenders at higher risk and emerging rights, as well as stronger support within media outlets for defenders and those working on these issues. Women defenders have noted a strong correlation between media outlets hiring and supporting women journalists and improved coverage of women's rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- LGBTQI+
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Human rights education is a long-standing tactic of the human rights movement and should be directed at various audiences, including State officials, professional groups, students and the general public. Rights education can lead not only to a better understanding of a State's human rights obligations, but can also serve as a vehicle for understanding "the relationships that undergird the discourses and actions of human rights violators, human rights protectors, and human rights victims." It can also provide other concrete dividends; for example, training medical staff in human rights could facilitate the collection and presentation of forensic evidence in the prosecution of perpetrators of violence against defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- Some defenders work on issues that are political, culturally and socially sensitive - issues that other defenders within the same sociopolitical milieu might not support instinctively. Women defenders and defenders who work on sexual orientation and gender identity rights, for example, often struggle to have their rights recognized in certain contexts. It is important for defenders within the same context to understand and support one another, even if they focus on different rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- For those who are unable to return home, asylum offers more permanent protection for defenders. In some programmes of relocation, this is explicitly recognized by ensuring that defenders most at risk receive asylum from the outset. It is important that asylum processes and decisions be timely and well informed about the situation of defenders, and that international protection complies with international human rights and refugee law, in particular the observation of the principle of non-refoulement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- International instruments protecting the rights of specific populations also guarantee their right to participation. The obligation to consult, with the objective of obtaining the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples concerning legislative or administrative measures that may affect them directly, is established in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (arts. 18 and 27) and in the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Furthermore, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities provides for the right of minorities to participation (arts. 2 and 4).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- The international community and institutions must also act to end threats, intimidation and violence, used to curtail the interaction between environmental human rights defenders and the international and regional human rights mechanisms. The Human Rights Council, in its resolutions 22/6 and 24/24, reaffirmed the right of everyone to unhindered access to and communication with international bodies. The Guidelines against Intimidation or Reprisals (the "San José Guidelines") (HRI/MC/2015/6) endorsed by the chairs of the United Nations human rights treaty bodies aim to enhance the protection provided by treaty bodies to those who face reprisals for engaging with the international human rights regime. The Special Rapporteur encourages other relevant international and regional organizations to follow suit and put in place policies and measures to prevent and address reprisals against environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- The present report benefited greatly from the frequent exchanges that the Special Rapporteur had with human rights defenders, including during the seven regional consultations, as well as from discussions during experts meetings on the growing threats and risks that defenders face. Furthermore, it drew from the literature and research material on the protection of defenders, and was based on submissions received by the Special Rapporteur from various stakeholders. It was also informed by reports of the previous mandate holder on the security of human rights defenders (see for example A/HRC/13/22), as well as by communications that the mandate has issued on violations committed against defenders in the recent past.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- In emergencies, some environmental human rights defenders can benefit from ad hoc and structured relocation initiatives. A number of actors provide emergency grants to defenders in immediate danger. Emergency grants that have easy and fast application processes and quick response times and that allow defenders discretion in using funds in a manner appropriate to their personal situation have helped many defenders cope with threats and attacks. With respect to both relocation and emergency grants, however, the particular characteristics of environmental human rights defenders may make the traditional delivery of such support inappropriate: the community-based nature of environmental and land activism may make relocation a less-desirable option and traditional ideas about who should apply for emergency grants may make this option unsuitable. It is vital to consult the defenders themselves on the suitability of interventions in their personal circumstances lest they inadvertently increase the risks that defenders face. Further work should be done by all actors to ensure that defenders are aware of the support that is available to them in emergency situations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- It is also vital to examine and address what has become an inequitable distribution and availability of protection resources globally. The extent to which defenders are connected, recognized, respected and knowledgeable affects their access to and enjoyment of protection initiatives. Defenders who are more remote and isolated, whose work is delegitimized or stigmatized, or who have less knowledge about strategies, tactics and resources are less likely to benefit from protection initiatives and will be more vulnerable to insecurity as a result.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 68
- Paragraph text
- State and non-State actors should obtain the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous communities affected by activities on lands that they own, occupy or use (ibid.). The Special Rapporteur recognizes that there is an ongoing debate about what constitutes such consent and whether it has been fulfilled in particular cases. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides guidance on the application of this principle to indigenous peoples. However, further discussion and the setting of international standards on the nature and application of this principle to indigenous peoples and other communities is necessary, coupled with a renewed emphasis on its implementation through monitoring and support to environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- Human rights should be an important component of primary and secondary curricula, and be part of "citizenship" training. Human rights "clubs" have been established in some secondary schools to provide a forum for young people to learn about human rights. Human rights education should also be part of the training of State officials, especially if their work contains human rights dimensions. Post-secondary institutions, including universities, play an important role in human rights education, including in the training of teachers, research and the dissemination of innovative approaches to defending human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 83
- Paragraph text
- In all educational sectors, successful human rights education bridges the gap between the knowing and the doing. Innovative pedagogies, such as role-based simulations, mock report writing and field placements, help to fill this gap and to equip future defenders with the knowledge and skills that their future practice will require. Successful education and training are often rooted in cooperation between educational institutions on the one hand and defenders on the other. Bringing defenders "into the classroom" can be a rewarding experience for both.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- Defenders also wish to receive more support in gaining knowledge on monitoring and documenting violations, gaining access to international and regional human rights mechanisms, engaging with the international community to make their concerns heard, and advocating for and strengthening local and national mechanisms for human rights protection. Defenders unaccustomed to interventions in regional and international forums have found the support and technical advice of international non-governmental organizations familiar with these processes to be helpful.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Digital security is increasingly important for defenders, especially for those who rely on information and communications technology for their work. Many defenders do not realize the extent to which they may be exposed to breaches in their privacy and to digital surveillance. Digital security trainers have helped defenders to understand and use a number of tools, tactics and strategies to protect themselves from digital threats, surveillance and online violence. Defenders value opportunities to discuss their specific needs and problems one-on-one with digital security specialists.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- As independent State entities, national human rights institutions have an important role to play in the protection of defenders (see A/HRC/22/47). They support the creation of an enabling environment through human rights awareness, human rights education and human rights monitoring, including of the situation of defenders. They connect advocacy at the national level with regional and international mechanisms, and participate in the work of the Human Rights Council, including the universal periodic review process. National human rights institutions receive and investigate complaints of violations, raise systemic and constitutional concerns with the judiciary and assist in training defenders about their rights and security. They may also observe public demonstrations to safeguard the freedom of assembly by documenting police abuse.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- The judiciary also can protect defenders at risk, both by ordering preventative steps from government officials and by remedying past violations. Judicial administrators have developed timely methods to bring urgent cases before the court with a view to taking preventative action rather than dealing with damages after the fact. Procedural reforms can escalate the issuance of warrants for the arrest of defenders or the search of human rights organizations to more senior levels of the court, which decreases the likelihood of undue process. Since the judiciary may itself be responsible for violating defenders' rights (for example, by unjustified criminalization of defenders), judges should receive training on international standards, including on the right to defend human rights, in order to minimize their complicity in such violations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- National parliamentarians can support the creation and monitoring of laws and policies that support a safe and enabling environment. Caucuses within these bodies focused on human rights issues can organize debates on policy and commission research. For example, the All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group, in the United Kingdom, and the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, in the German Parliament, regularly meet with defenders at risk, advocate to other Governments for the protection of defenders, and organize debates and discussions on the situation of defenders and State policies concerning their protection. International networks of parliamentarians provide forums to share good practices and set new standards, such as in the case of the resolution on "Democracy in the digital era and the threat to privacy and individual freedoms" adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at its 133rd IPU Assembly.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights has collaborated with civil society networks to develop recommendations that address the underlying conditions for a safe and enabling environment. Such forms of collaboration both allow for the mobilization of resources for research and ensure that the analysis reflects the situation on the ground.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 101
- Paragraph text
- Defenders have themselves organized regional and international networks to support and coordinate their activities. International civil society organizations with particular expertise in the protection of defenders have provided valuable support to these networks and the development of good practices and guidelines.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102f
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Guarantee the effective implementation of any precautionary or urgent measures granted to environmental human rights defenders by regional human rights mechanisms;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- In order for networks to remain inclusive, all networks should regularly assess the extent to which they connect to and support the work of marginalized, stigmatized and geographically isolated defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 97
- Paragraph text
- The duty to protect human rights defenders lies first and foremost with the State. The international community, however, plays an important role in supporting States in fulfilling their responsibilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 116b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that financial donors:] Ensure that funding for civil society and defenders is sensitive to their protection needs, including by ensuring that funding promotes long-term sustainability and is sufficiently flexible for operational needs, can be adapted in response to changes in the environment, is disbursed in a timely manner and not burdensome to administer.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, the Guiding Principles require that companies identify and assess any actual or potential adverse human rights impacts through meaningful consultation with potentially affected groups, as an integral part of their responsibility to respect human rights. Such impact assessments should be carried out not only at the start of a new project, but also throughout the life cycle of the project, prior to any significant changes in the operating context (see A/68/262, para. 44).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- One approach taken in building local support for defenders is to expand membership of the support community, beyond defenders and other "usual" allies. The leadership of local communities constitutes not only government officials but also informal community leaders, indigenous chiefs, religious figures, businesspersons and other figures of local authority. Working in partnership with local leaders can insulate defenders from threats and attacks and assist in holding the State to account for failures in protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- Defenders often seek support from local religious leaders to gain legitimacy for their activities and to underscore the compatibility of human rights with religious beliefs. The support of religious leaders can often facilitate access for defenders to communities, including marginalized groups within those communities. Religious groups can also shield defenders at risk by providing sanctuary and making otherwise marginalized individuals more visible and accepted by the community.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 110
- Paragraph text
- The protection of human rights defenders should be seen in the context of three obligations that international human rights law imposes on States: to respect human rights by refraining from violating them; to protect such rights by intervening through protective action on behalf of defenders against threats by others; and to fulfil them by ensuring a safe and enabling environment for defenders to enjoy their rights and to carry out their activities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 113a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Enact legislative and policy frameworks with a view to establishing national protection programmes for defenders, in consultation with defenders and civil society. In States with a federal structure, federal legislation should be the basis for the programme, and federal authorities should have oversight over the programmes that are administered by local governments;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 115a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society and human rights defenders:] Develop strategies to raise general awareness about the right to defend rights and to be protected for exercising that right, including through promoting the self-identification of human rights defenders, building social support for human rights and the work of defenders, and disseminating the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes seven principles that, in his view, should underpin good practices by States in the protection of human rights defenders:] Principle 1: They should adopt a rights-based approach to protection, empowering defenders to know and claim their rights and increasing the ability and accountability of those responsible for respecting, protecting and fulfilling rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes seven principles that, in his view, should underpin good practices by States in the protection of human rights defenders:] Principle 2: They should recognize that defenders are diverse; they come from different backgrounds, cultures and belief systems. From the outset, they may not self-identify or be identified by others as defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes seven principles that, in his view, should underpin good practices by States in the protection of human rights defenders:] Principle 5: They should acknowledge that defenders are interconnected. They should not focus on the rights and security of individual defenders alone, but also include the groups, organizations, communities and family members who share their risks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur shares civil society observations that other common characteristics of the killings include the overall impunity with which the perpetrators of these crimes can act and the woefully lacking or ineffective protection measures available for environmental human rights defenders at risk. In almost every affected Latin American country, government and corporate actors are involved in the murders of environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- In order to build an environment conducive to the defence of rights, States need to review regularly the adequacy of laws, policies, regulations and enforcement measures to ensure that businesses respect human rights and that environmental human rights defenders are protected. In relation to the latter, civil society has developed a model law for the protection of defenders which provides useful guidance on the features of a comprehensive national protection regime.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Networks of defenders and their allies facilitate the provision of support, heighten recognition and strengthen solidarity for defenders. The stronger and deeper the relationships among network members, the more swiftly they are able to react and to coordinate their actions to protect defenders. This also conveys a strong message to potential violators, warning them of the consequences of targeting defenders in future.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is convinced that effective protection of defenders ultimately starts with their identification, and self-identification, as "human rights defenders". Without being perceived by others or perceiving themselves as such, they may not be aware of their rights as defenders, not seek support from peer or support networks and may not receive protection from the State, civil society and the international community.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- Several organizations use protective accompaniment - combining the physical presence of volunteers with advocacy and other activities - to safeguard defenders at risk and to expand their operational space. Accompaniment by local or international actors has helped to deter attacks and to provide psychological support to defenders, given that it demonstrates solidarity between and among defenders locally and transnationally.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Transparency and access to information are directly linked to the right to seek, obtain and impart information, which is stated in article 19 of the International Covenant, as well as article 6 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Article 14 of the Declaration provides that States have the responsibility to take legislative, judicial and administrative measures to promote the understanding by all persons under their jurisdiction of their human rights, including through the publication and widespread availability of laws and regulations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- In their reports, previous Special Rapporteurs have stated that the key elements of guaranteeing a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defender, are adoption of a conducive legal and institutional framework; the fight against impunity and access to justice; establishment of a strong national human rights institution; effective protection policies and mechanisms; respect and support by non-State actors of the work of defenders; a robust community of defenders; and others (see, for example, A/HRC/25/55).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- In his 2013 report, the Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment (A/25/53) outlined human rights obligations relating to the environment drawn from international agreements and the bodies charged with interpreting them. The threefold duties include: (a) procedural obligations of States to assess environmental impacts on human rights and to make environmental information public; to facilitate participation in environmental decision-making; and to provide access to remedies for environmental harm; (b) substantive obligations of States to adopt legal and institutional frameworks that protect against environmental harm, including harm caused by private actors; and (c) non-discrimination and other obligations of States relating to the protection of groups in vulnerable situations, including women, children and indigenous peoples.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Many of these communities, particularly indigenous ones, hold the right to free, prior and informed consent, and all of them have the right to participate fully in consultations around proposed projects that may affect their lands and livelihoods. Despite their recognition in various international, regional and domestic laws, those rights are often not meaningfully implemented, or are simply ignored by companies, with the complicity of Governments. Some Governments strategically choose to deny the rights to peoples that have not been "officially" identified as indigenous. The consultation processes also regularly fail to address power inequalities within communities, leaving isolated such groups as women or ethnic groups owing to one-size-fits-all approaches.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Environment
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Preventive approaches, including ensuring the meaningful participation of environmental human rights defenders in the decision-making at all stages, are crucial to overcoming these challenges. Laws, contracts and human rights impact assessments by States and corporations should be developed with the active participation of defenders and communities. They should also contain provisions and procedures on the procedural rights of these communities and defenders. Such provisions should be included in national action plans on business and human rights, environmental impact assessments and decision-making on business concessions and land tenure.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- Indigenous communities also face multiple forms of aggression and violence. In specific situations, oppression against them is encouraged by institutionalized racism and stigmatization that deny the rights of these communities. Private actors such as agribusinesses and extractive industries as well as law enforcement agencies have been regularly observed to commit violations against environmental human rights defenders from indigenous communities. National development strategies often fail to include specific approaches and processes for indigenous communities that would ensure the conservation of their ancestral lands and recognize their rights to their livelihoods and environment. Linguistic barriers, countless obstacles to accessing basic social services and the imposition of unfavourable models of consultation aggravate the vulnerability of indigenous environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- The effective protection of defenders starts with the recognition that everyone has the right to defend human rights. This is particularly important in the case of environmental human rights defenders, who may not self-identify as human rights defenders or whose identity may be more clearly tied to their community or to the environmental causes they pursue. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the importance of these other identities and advocates for a non-exclusive approach to the identification of environmental human rights defenders. Indeed, defenders can and should draw strength from their multiple, overlapping identities. It is also important to recognize that because such identities might create risks for particular environmental human rights defenders, the resources and capacities of the defenders must recognize and seek to address the differences between and among them.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Litigation against perpetrators is an important way of ensuring accountability and obtaining redress. Coordinated transnational litigation against perpetrators of violence against environmental human rights defenders has helped reveal the complicity of various international businesses and decreased impunity. However, the use of legal processes often requires technical expertise and familiarity with judicial systems that are foreign to defenders' communities, especially when the legal action in question takes place far away from their place of residence, for example, in the home State of a transnational corporation. In such cases, defenders require legal advice, as well as sustained material and psychological support, to pursue claims. The Special Rapporteur welcomes initiatives that support environmental human rights defenders by connecting local communities with international law firms and overseas lawyers, and he intends to actively support legal action initiatives in this area.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 87
- Paragraph text
- It is not only environmental harm that has a transboundary dimension. Some of the perpetrators of abuses against environmental human rights defenders are similarly international in nature. For example, transnational companies in one State may direct and control the harm that is inflicted upon defenders in another State. While national mechanisms must be strengthened to ensure an end to impunity domestically, the international community must also address the transboundary dimension of such violations by setting standards and increasing coordination and mutual legal assistance. It should consider the application of existing international criminal law frameworks, including those related to transnational criminal activity, to the perpetrators of violations committed against environmental human rights defenders and affected communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- International financial institutions play a significant role in providing financial and technical support to State and non-State actors for economic and social development around the world. They are important actors in ensuring that environmental human rights defenders can voice concerns without fear of reprisals. At a minimum, international financial institutions have a duty to ensure that their activities do not contribute to, or exacerbate, human rights violations, including those committed by borrowers. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur joins the call made in March 2016 by over 150 civil society organizations for international financial institutions to ensure meaningful and effective participation and accountability within their investments and guarantee a systematic analysis of the enabling environment for fundamental freedoms at the country and project levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- International financial institutions such as the World Bank Group can play an active role in influencing actors in the public and private sectors to respect the rights of environmental human rights defenders, to act with transparency and accountability for their actions and to seek the meaningful participation and consultation of affected communities in their activities. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the reflection on the practice of the World Bank by its Inspection Panel and looks forward to upcoming publications on the lessons emerging in a number of domains of the Bank's activities, including environmental assessment and indigenous peoples and the requirements for consultation, participation and disclosure of information. He advocates the adoption of concrete policies and measures to prevent and address acts of reprisals against environmental human rights defenders for their cooperation with international financial institutions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- Upholding human rights for environmental human rights defenders is essential to the protection of the environment and environmental rights, and is grounded in international human rights standards. Environmental human rights defenders cannot properly defend environment-related rights without exercising their own rights to access to information, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, guarantees of non-discrimination and participation in decision-making. States have the duty to protect those rights as well as the rights to defend human rights and to life, liberty and security. Despite the clarity of international human rights law in this regard, increased violence, including killing, against environmental human rights defenders around the world points to a situation of global crisis.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 94
- Paragraph text
- The international community and States should urgently assume their responsibility to empower and protect environmental human rights defenders. The newly adopted international agreements, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change, have engendered high expectations among environmental human rights defenders around the world. That vision is doomed to fail if those individuals and groups on the frontline of defending sustainable development are not protected at the national, regional and international levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 96
- Paragraph text
- In order to reverse the tide of the worsening situation of environmental human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur wishes to put forward a set of recommendations to the attention of various stakeholders. He calls on all stakeholders to urgently and publicly adopt a zero-tolerance approach to the killings of and violent acts against environmental human rights defenders, and to immediately launch policies and mechanisms to empower and protect them. He further appeals to all actors to document more systematically information on the situation of environmental human rights defenders at risk, especially in countries of concern, with a view to advocating more actionable and effective measures for their protection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- As underlined by the Special Rapporteur in his report, the situation of human rights defenders around the world raises serious concerns. The threats faced by defenders come in many guises (physical, psychological, economic and social) and may be conditioned by the interaction of multiple factors, including poor governance, absence of the rule of law, an upsurge in religious and political intolerance and fundamentalism, or tensions over development issues. Numerous actors (political, economic, religious, State or non-State) may be involved, by act or omission, in committing violations against defenders. The situation is made more volatile owing to an increase in repressive laws and regulations designed to delegitimize and criminalize human rights activities of defenders, including by restricting their funding or obstructing their activities with burdensome bureaucratic requirements tape. A number of counter-terrorism and security policies introduced by States have posed new challenges to defenders, including new restrictions on their individual freedoms and increasing the risks that they face (ibid., paras. 35-39).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- A good practice in this regard is the development of "human rights cities", places where a human rights framework guides the development of community life. The vision of a human rights city has been articulated in a number of joint declarations of local governments, beginning with the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City (2000) and culminating more recently with the Gwangju Human Rights Charter (2012). In this vision, the city and its government are a key conduit for the expression, association and assembly of defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- Local governments committed to human rights have established such protection mechanisms as ombudsmen, commissions and multi-stakeholder councils to safeguard defenders. They help to monitor and respond to the local situation and to connect local awareness with local social and political action. These mechanisms also encompass tools to survey and report upon the human rights situation within the city; for example, the Gwangju community has developed a human rights indicator that consolidates the measurement of more than 100 different commitments, efforts and outcomes within the city. National, regional and international networks of human rights cities serve as a good practice to build the capacity of local government and local defenders in smaller towns.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- A number of States have recently introduced legislation that provides a framework for the protection and promotion of the work of human rights defenders. National legislation can lead to a stable and coherent protection framework. Some States (Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Guatemala, Honduras, Mali, Mexico, the Philippines and Sierra Leone) have recently introduced or are considering legislation or decrees to protect defenders. In some cases, this legislation has come about through collaboration between civil society and the Government. An international network of defenders and civil society organizations are also developing a "model law" for the protection of defenders. Legislation at the central, provincial and city levels may also be useful where these levels of government have responsibility for defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Besides national legislation, some States have developed national policies concerning defenders, usually concentrating on the role of their diplomatic representatives abroad in supporting the work of defenders. These policies serve to refocus diplomatic attention on the most vulnerable groups in a society and the defenders who promote their rights. Other States have chosen to integrate their policies on defenders into their more general periodic national plans of action on human rights. While general statements recognizing the importance of defenders are useful, plans of action should contain concrete commitments to achieve specific targets (for example, to train police officers about the rights of defenders). In other States, the challenges of implementing these laws and policies are addressed by strengthening accountability by establishing a regular review process or appointing a minister responsible for human rights or an ombudsman to monitor its implementation and to receive complaints.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- Several States (such as Brazil, Colombia and Mexico) have established protective mechanisms to respond to the specific situation of defenders. These mechanisms are often developed at the instigation of and in consultation with defenders, to overcome the challenge of lack of clarity with regard to the government institution responsible for their protection. Such mechanisms offer a centralized institution to monitor and report on the situation of defenders and coordinate the response of the State to threats. In addition, they can make recommendations to reform laws and policies that conflict with the rights of defenders or place them at risk. In some cases, the laws creating the mechanisms also require broader action by other State entities in order to mitigate risks (for example, public statements by senior officials in support of defenders).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 105e
- Paragraph text
- [Business enterprises should:] Establish the grievance mechanisms necessary to avoid, mitigate and remedy any direct and indirect impact of human rights violations;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- In this context, the Special Rapporteur advocates an intersectional approach, embracing the heterogeneity and diversity of environmental human rights defenders and understanding the various root causes and situations exposing them to risks and threats.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 98
- Paragraph text
- [The international community should:] The General Assembly and the Human Rights Council should monitor violations against environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 7
- Paragraph text
- For the purposes of the present report, the term "environmental human rights defenders" refers to individuals and groups who, in their personal or professional capacity and in a peaceful manner, strive to protect and promote human rights relating to the environment, including water, air, land, flora and fauna. Land and environmental rights are interlinked and are often inseparable. As a result, the two broad categories of defenders advocating for the environment and for land rights are often characterized as "land and environmental rights defenders", "environmental rights defenders", or just "environmental activists". The report defines those defenders through the inclusive term "environmental human rights defenders", whose rights to exercise such fundamental freedoms as the rights to expression, privacy, association and peaceful assembly have been enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. With regard to exercising the right to protect environmental and land rights, article 1 of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms - the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders - further holds that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels".
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur supports Human Rights Council resolution 26/9 on the elaboration of an international legally binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, and believes that such an instrument would be timely. He urges the open-ended intergovernmental working group established pursuant to the resolution to fully consider the heightened risk posed by business activities to environmental human rights defenders in negotiations.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur appreciates the rights-based approach of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention), which requires States parties not only to guarantee those rights, but to ensure that persons exercising them are not penalized, persecuted or harassed in any way. He encourages more States to accede to the Convention, thus putting in place the dual protections for the environment and human rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- As the global demand for natural resources grows, the environment is becoming a new frontline for human rights and our common future. In many countries around the world, activists and communities are raising their voices to prevent harming our environment and promote alternatives to the planet's devastation through a more sustainable development. They seek a meaningful and urgent societal dialogue and a world where people can live in prosperity and dignity, and where nature is protected.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- Moreover, in many cases, not only do State authorities and companies fail to consult with and obtain the consent of the affected communities, but they also stigmatize dissent and retaliate against critics, instilling mistrust and engendering more conflict in the mid- to long term. The Special Rapporteur heard testimonies that highlight the lack of support by corporations and State authorities for community-based environmental impact assessments and consultations, which could de-escalate potential conflicts.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Strong civil society organizations help defenders to mitigate the risks they face and to achieve their collective goals. Some Governments undermine the work of defenders by exploiting weaknesses in governance, administrative structures and regulations. Support for defenders in strategic planning, developing governance mechanisms, risk assessment and threat analysis, fund-raising, human resources and financial management contributes to the sustainability of their work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Formal and informal networks that connect defenders and supporters to each other are a key factor in protection, in a number of ways. It is through such networks that information is shared, responses are coordinated, solidarity is expressed, resources are pooled and psychosocial support is given to defenders. Strong relationships allow rapid mobilization in times of crisis. Robust networks can mitigate the risks of surveillance, threats and attacks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- The mandate has consistently held that the protection accorded to defenders by the Declaration is not dependant on whether the focus of their work is on civil and political or economic, social and cultural rights (see, for example, A/HRC/4/37, paras. 27-30, and A/HRC/19/55, paras. 61-63). As recently as March 2016, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 31/32 on protecting defenders addressing economic, social and cultural rights, reaffirming the urgent need to respect, protect, promote and facilitate the work of those defending economic, social and cultural rights as a vital factor contributing towards the realization of those rights, including as they relate to environmental and land issues and development.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- The State's primary responsibility to protect the rights to life, liberty and security of person is enshrined in article 3 of the Universal Declaration and in articles 6 (1) and 9 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This obligation is further emphasized in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular in its articles 2, 9 and 12. Both negative and positive aspects are included: on the one hand, States must refrain from violating the rights of human rights defenders; on the other hand, they should act with due diligence to prevent and investigate human rights violations and bring the perpetrators to justice.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- The State's obligation to provide an effective remedy for violations is affirmed in article 2 (3) (a) of the International Covenant. Article 9 of the Declaration further holds that defenders have the right to benefit from an effective remedy and to be protected in the event of violations. Prompt and impartial investigations into alleged violations, prosecution of the perpetrators regardless of their status, provision of redress, including appropriate compensation to victims, and enforcement of the decisions or judgments are fundamental in order to ensure the right to an effective remedy. Failure to take these actions leads to further attacks against defenders, resulting in a climate of impunity (see A/58/380, para. 73, and A/65/223, para. 44).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur underlines the importance of the right of environmental human rights defenders to participation in the conduct of public affairs and decision-making, enshrined in article 25 (a) of the International Covenant and article 8 of the Declaration. That right is said to include the right to submit to the relevant governmental agencies criticism and proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work that hinders or impedes the realization of human rights. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, as well as other prominent commitments, reaffirmed the importance of public participation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- One of the systemic causes of conflicts around environmental rights is the imbalance of power between States, companies and environmental human rights defenders. The increasing conflicts over the environment stem from resource exploitation that fails to address legitimate concerns and demands of local communities. Those communities are extremely vulnerable to exploitation and abuse because they are already marginalized and excluded from decision-making. Power inequality permeates all decision-making processes, from the upstream phases such as the determination of the advisability of a project to the design of the project, and onward to its implementation. In many cases, power inequality is aimed at shrinking space for civic participation in order to muzzle opposition to development projects. It also relates to a poor understanding of communities' specificities and their exclusion. The affected rights holders often live in rural, isolated areas, with little access to government services and the judiciary.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- While States are bound by international human rights law, non-State actors are required to respect human rights, including the right to defend environmental and land rights. Transnational corporations and other business enterprises must respect human rights, as set out in the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Guiding Principles aim to implement the United Nations "Protect, Respect and Remedy" Framework, which rests on three pillars: the State duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including businesses; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and the need for access to an effective remedy for victims of business-related human rights abuses (see A/HRC/17/31, para. 6).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Environmental human rights defenders are identified above all by what they do. They are characterized as such through their actions to protect environmental and land rights. Although they may work as journalists, activists or lawyers who expose and oppose environmental destruction or land grabbing, they are often ordinary people living in remote villages, forests or mountains, who may not even be aware that they are acting as environmental human rights defenders. In many other cases, they are indigenous leaders or community members who defend their traditional lands against the harms of large-scale projects such as mining and dams.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- Many violations against environmental human rights defenders can be directly linked to patriarchy, sexism, racism, xenophobia and chauvinism. This is important in the case of women defenders, who may oppose large-scale development projects but also challenge the systemic power inequality and discrimination deeply rooted in societies. They usually question patriarchy or misogyny, sometimes within their own communities. As activists, they face the same threats as other defenders but they are more likely to face gender-specific violence. Reports have shown that sexual violence is used to silence women human rights defenders in particular. In Latin America, for example, women defenders are among the most threatened environmental human rights defenders owing to the nature of their human rights work and to their gender.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, women environmental human rights defenders face a number of challenges, including those related to exclusion from participation in the negotiation and decision-making processes; criminalization used as a political strategy to deter resistance and delegitimize their work; smear campaigns against them in the media; and discrimination and violence against them in their families, communities and human rights movements. Women rights defenders from indigenous communities, with ethnic or racial minority origins or with disabilities can also suffer multiple discrimination. Gender, indigenous status, rural location and other factors can intersect to isolate individuals, groups and communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- On the basis of the communications sent in the last five years, one can observe a clear link between violations committed against environmental human rights defenders and the area of their activities. The extractive industry was the sector with the most violations (54 communications), while 37 communications referred to land rights, such as territorial disputes and the right to ancestral lands; 27 communications referred to construction projects such as hydroelectric dams, oil and gas pipelines and aqueducts. Other areas in which environmental human rights defenders faced threats included development policy, fisheries, forced evictions, nuclear power and environmental pollution.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- With regard to the types of violations, communications indicate that environmental human rights defenders faced a high risk of threat to their physical integrity (more than 151 killings were documented during the same period), while a further 57 individuals and 5 communities were physically attacked. They have also been intimidated (54 individuals, 17 organizations and 1 community) and harassed (more than 31 individuals, 8 families, 5 communities and 3 groups). More than 91 environmental human rights defenders have been imprisoned and arbitrarily detained, while more than 82 have been arrested for their rights work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- It is evident that the situation of environmental human rights defenders is alarming. The scope and intensity of violence against them demand immediate action. The Special Rapporteur therefore calls on the international community, regional communities, States, international financial institutions, business enterprises and other actors to urgently and publicly adopt a zero-tolerance approach to the killing of and violent acts against environmental human rights defenders, and immediately launch policies and mechanisms to empower and protect them. He notes that the threats and risks facing environmental human rights defenders could be effectively prevented only if the causes and contexts underlying the hostile environment where they operate are fully understood and addressed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- Networks - local, regional and international - can effectively support individual environmental human rights defenders and communities at risk. They allow good practices to be shared, demonstrate solidarity and muster resources, and facilitate access to safe havens for defenders under threat. Networks can take a variety of forms, ranging from informal ad hoc associations to international confederations of organizations, to global networks of defenders working on similar issues. Given the nature of the work of environmental human rights defenders, there is a pressing need to develop networks that bring together the overlapping constituencies involved in environmental justice, including environmentalists, conservationists, indigenous communities and the human rights movement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- The Human Rights Council has equally expressed its concern at the above-mentioned developments. In its resolution 27/31, urged States to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment in which civil society could operate free from hindrance and insecurity. It also mandated OHCHR to prepare a compilation of practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance of such an environment, and to present it to the Council at its thirty-second session. Some non-governmental organizations have also made their own suggestions on ways to ensure a stronger civil society space.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- A number of protection initiatives have been particularly helpful in protecting defenders in their work, such as protective accompaniment, regular contact and visits with defenders, trial monitoring, urgent appeals, public statements, emergency grants, and relocation initiatives. In order for these interventions to be effective, they need to be timely, accessible and appropriately tailored to the circumstances of defenders. It is vital to consult defenders themselves on the suitability of such interventions for their personal circumstances lest they inadvertently increase the risks that defenders face.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- Independent and objective trial monitoring is a way of showing concern for the fairness and effectiveness of judicial systems. By observing court proceedings, gathering information on the trial of defenders and analysing legal practices, trial monitors demonstrate support for defenders and contribute more broadly to the strengthening of judicial systems. The rising number of cases of malicious prosecution of defenders has made legal support critical. New initiatives have created networks of lawyers in Western countries who provide legal aid to threatened defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 70
- Paragraph text
- In some countries, civil society organizations have established monitoring programmes that document and verify information on attacks against defenders, identifying patterns of violations and abuses. They maintain databases on defenders, monitoring the risks that they face. They make visible the situation of defenders at risk in particular contexts, pressuring States to be accountable for their protection. Gender analysis should be integrated into human rights monitoring programmes, in particular, from the perspective of intersectionality. This would ensure that the specific experiences of women and transgender persons are, along with those of men, understood and incorporated into the design of protection measures.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- LGBTQI+
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- The security of each individual defender often depends on the behaviour of others. This is particularly true when defenders work together in groups, organizations or communities. Defenders should therefore devote time and resources to plan how they will manage their security collectively by, for example, integrating a security perspective into strategic and operational plans, institutionalizing security practices in organizational policies and protocols, or embedding security measures in the implementation of programmes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- It is important that States create and support temporary international relocation initiatives for defenders at risk. A number of States offer protection by issuing special visas or residence permits to defenders on political or humanitarian grounds, and by providing funding and support to local governments and civil society organizations providing shelter and services. For example, in Brazil and Spain, programmes provide support and temporary protection for defenders at risk; in the Netherlands, "shelter cities" are available for defenders; in Germany, the State issues visas on political or humanitarian grounds and provides financial support to defenders; and in Ireland, a humanitarian visa scheme provides support for defenders at risk. Civil society organizations that manage relocation initiatives have found that strong relations with relevant government officials have helped them to overcome challenges when obtaining visas and negotiating immigration status for defenders at risk in a timely way.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- The appeals received by the Special Rapporteur point to cases of how the rights and security of defenders have increasingly been disregarded and indeed endangered in numerous ways (see A/HRC/31/55/Add.1). Defenders have been stigmatized, defamed and ostracized. They have been threatened, harassed and subjected to surveillance. They have been assaulted, raped, murdered and made to disappear. They are often subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention, accused and sentenced on false charges. They have been subject to laws and regulations that impinge on their rights, in particular their right to freedom of expression, association and movement.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- In accordance with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Special Rapporteur believes that the State, as the main duty-bearer, holds the main responsibility for ensuring that defenders can enjoy a safe and enabling environment. Other actors, however, also play an important role in supporting States, independently and in partnership, to achieve this goal. An enabling environment for defenders must be one in which their work is rooted in the broad support of society and in which the institutions and processes of government are aligned with their safety and the aim of their activities. Both are essential for the creation of an environment in which perpetrators of violations of defenders' rights are held to account and are not allowed to enjoy impunity for their actions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 104
- Paragraph text
- Participation in international mechanisms can, however, place defenders at increased risk of reprisal (see A/HRC/30/29). The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 22/6, reaffirmed the right of everyone to unhindered access to and communication with international bodies. The President of the Council, its special procedures and the treaty bodies have paid more focused attention in considering complaints received from defenders who have been subjected to reprisal for their cooperation with those entities. During regional consultations held with the Special Rapporteur, defenders underscored the need to reach out to new communities of defenders about the protection role of the United Nations and regional mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 105
- Paragraph text
- States have also supported defenders in practical ways. Besides visits and meetings with defenders, officials can also raise cases of defenders during high-level visits and in dialogues with political leaders. In some cases, diplomatic missions have formally advocated the cases of defenders with Governments in host countries through démarches sometimes undertaken jointly with other States. Public statements and private meetings are also ways of signalling support for defenders. High-level interventions on behalf of defenders have been effective in pressuring Governments to take appropriate action for defenders. Diplomatic missions should, however, have direct contact with defenders and consult them (and, if necessary, their relatives or designated contact persons) on the appropriateness of actions.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 106
- Paragraph text
- Certain international actors directly support defenders at risk by providing funding for protection programmes. Such funding supports both preventative action and responses to immediate threats. This assistance is consistent with the right to solicit, receive and utilize resources articulated in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Unfortunately, the ability of defenders at risk to benefit from such international support is often limited by restrictive State policies, which further exacerbate their vulnerability, and the restrictive policies of funders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 108
- Paragraph text
- Flexibility in the organizational structure to receive funding is also important, in that it allows defenders choose to organize their associations in a number of different ways, taking into account restrictive State policies. In ensuring accountability for the use of funding, reporting should be streamlined and based on evolving good practices. International actors should be sensitive to the local situation of defenders and respect the local knowledge of defenders to ensure that the provision of resources or conditions linked to the receipt of funding do not increase further the risks that defenders face.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 99b
- Paragraph text
- [Regional intergovernmental organizations should:] Encourage more States to accede to the Aarhus Convention, in the absence of other multilateral and regional agreements at this stage;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102a
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Reaffirm and recognize the role of environmental human rights defenders and respect, protect and fulfil their rights;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102b
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Ratify ILO Convention No. 169 and guarantee the right to consultation and participation of indigenous communities in decisions at every stage of a project's life cycle;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Gender influences the way that defenders experience risks and threats. Discrimination on the basis of gender is linked to other factors, such as ethnicity, religion, class, age, health or sexual orientation. The intersection of these factors produces different vulnerabilities for women. For this reason, it is critical for gender analysis to adopt an intersectionality lens, examining how the combination of such factors has an impact on the rights and security of women defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- One aspect of security often neglected by defenders is their own well-being. The stress of human rights work often takes a toll on the mental, emotional and psychological well-being of defenders. Defenders should recognize the signs and symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, vicarious trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and burnout, and must be supported in the prevention and treatment of them. It is vitally important for defenders to engage in self-care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- As mentioned above, experiences of violence, risk and security are often gender-based. Women human rights defenders report how they suffer more from verbal abuse, sexual violence and rape; how gender stereotypes are used to delegitimize their work; and how other factors, such as ethnicity, age, class and sexual orientation, exacerbate the discrimination they face. They emphasize the need for gender-sensitive protection measures that focus on holistic security.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- There are three areas that defenders have found valuable in developing their knowledge, skills and abilities: recognizing and defending their rights; adapting tactics and strategies in the face of threats and attacks; and managing their personal and collective security. Such support is being provided in a number of ways; through face-to-face and online training courses, workshops, seminars and conferences; accompaniment, mentoring and collaboration; and the development of databases, manuals, handbooks and tools.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Defenders further wish to share and learn more tactics and strategies for performing human rights work in the face of risks. These may include alternative ways of framing issues so that they are less threating, working with different levels of visibility, and continuing to work under restrictions, such as on funding and registration. Defenders also find it useful to discuss and compare the use of different tools, tactics and strategies for advocacy in specific areas of work.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Human rights capacity-building for environmental human rights defenders and others outside the mainstream of the defender community is crucial to their protection and rights. Their meaningful participation in decision-making must be premised upon a full understanding of their rights. Defenders have also expressed appreciation for technical support that helps them to map threats and vulnerabilities more effectively and develop workable security plans to address the risks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur welcomes commitments by business enterprises to respect human rights and protect the environment, often expressed in public statements and policies, as well as through the adoption of voluntary guidelines and codes of conduct. The Equator Principles, for example, set out a framework which financial institutions can use to assess and manage the social and environmental risks and impacts of projects, as well as to meet minimum standards for due diligence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 85
- Paragraph text
- The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights has also provided guidance for States in the region, particularly with respect to the risks faced by environmental human rights defenders who oppose business and development interests. The Commission's Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has also provided assistance to defenders at risk and supported the development of regional guidelines on the rights of human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- The present report, including the recommendations below, is aimed at guiding all relevant actors in their future efforts to implement their commitments. We should remember that empowering environmental human rights defenders is not only crucial to the protection of our environment and the human rights that depend on it, but also a safeguard to ensure that our future development will be less conflict-prone and more inclusive, leaving no one behind.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur observes great diversity, creativity and innovation in protection practices around the world. The practices range from emergency responses for defenders in immediate danger to preventative efforts to reduce the risks that they face, including by promoting the legitimacy and stressing the importance of their work. Even if one initiative alone is insufficient to protect defenders adequately, each practice can contribute positively to this overall objective.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Environmental human rights defenders are at the heart of our future and the future of our planet. They play a critical part in ensuring that development is sustainable, inclusive, non-discriminatory and beneficial for all, and does not cause harm to the environment. The Special Rapporteur stresses that empowering and protecting environmental human rights defenders is part and parcel of the overall protection of the environment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- During the latter period, the Special Rapporteur sent communications concerning 433 individual environmental human rights defenders whose rights had been violated by the State (security forces, police and local authorities) and by non State actors (transnational companies, paramilitary groups, organized crime, private security firms and the media).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 104b
- Paragraph text
- [International financial institutions should:] Integrate a human rights-based approach in their policies for fund allocation and management; condition their funds on such an approach, in consultation with affected communities and environmental human rights defenders and with their continuing support in the implementation of human rights safeguards.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 105a
- Paragraph text
- [Business enterprises should:] Adopt and implement relevant international and regional human rights standards, including the Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- Human rights impact assessments can be useful tools for human rights due diligence, if structured and implemented appropriately. Such assessments should estimate possible future and actual human rights impacts; involve the participation of affected individuals and communities; and assess risks to rights holders as well as the capacity of duty bearers to respect, protect and fulfil these rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102i
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Engage with investors and business enterprises to uphold their human rights responsibilities and sanction those companies associated with violations against defenders, both at home and abroad.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Protection practices should contribute to the full respect of the rights of environmental human rights defenders and strengthen their security. The Special Rapporteur outlined seven principles that undergird effective protection practices for human rights defenders: they should be rights-based, inclusive, gender-sensitive, focused on "holistic security"', oriented to individuals and collectives, participatory and flexible (A/HRC/31/55).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 116a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that financial donors:] Increase financial resources for protection initiatives focusing on the "holistic security" of defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 97a
- Paragraph text
- [The international community should:] Ensure that the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is guided by a human rights-based approach, guaranteeing meaningful participation of environmental human rights defenders and affected communities, as well as empowering and protecting defenders at the international, regional and national levels;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- For security management training to be effective, it should be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the specific challenges that defenders face. Feedback from defenders suggests that the more tailored the training is to their own contexts and to the specific risks they face, the more they are able to apply what they have learned directly.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 113d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Disseminate the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders through policy measures and awareness-raising campaigns;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 113e
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Provide training to relevant government officials, including police, military and other security officers, as well as members of the judiciary, on the legitimate role of defenders and their rights, in accordance with international human rights law.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Protection practices should focus on strengthening the security of defenders in a holistic manner. Security should not be defined as physical security alone, but should be understood as encompassing multiple dimensions, including economic security, political security, environmental security, digital security and psychosocial well-being.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 112c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that all stakeholders engaged in the protection of human rights defenders:] Explore ways to replicate and disseminate good protection practices, including by transferring them to different and new contexts.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Visiting and meeting with defenders at risk are an important of way of showing concern for their welfare and support for their work, and are invaluable for counteracting isolation and stigmatization among defenders. Field visits to defenders outside of capital cities, in particular, are a valuable way of engaging with and providing support to a broad range of defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 115c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society and human rights defenders:] Build and support networks among defenders and their allies at all levels, critically reviewing their impact on the protection of defenders and ensuring diversity and inclusiveness in the scope of work and membership;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 115d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society and human rights defenders:] Develop concrete ways to strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of defenders, in particular on how to protect their rights and to manage their security;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 115e
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society and human rights defenders:] Continuously adapt existing measures to protect defenders at risk, paying particular attention to the specific needs of those who are most at risk.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- Environmental human rights defenders are one of the most heterogeneous groups of defenders. The category includes a diverse range of people, profiles and trajectories, from small-scale farmers with no land deeds to environmental lawyers and journalists, from well-organized non-governmental organizations to isolated indigenous communities. In many cases, some of these groups already experience marginalization. In many situations, they do not always have the capacity to challenge decisions in courts or they do not have access to mass media. Their marginalization is also due to the nature of their struggles as human rights defenders. Many become environmental human rights defenders by "accident" or "necessity", taking a stand against injustice or harm to their environment. This may amplify their vulnerabilities, as they may not self-identify as environmental human rights defenders and therefore they may be unaware of their rights or existing protection measures, mechanisms or organizations that could support them. The very specific nature of rural communities can also aggravate their vulnerability, as these communities can be located in isolated areas without access to communication and support networks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- Such commitments, while significant, are insufficient in themselves. The Special Rapporteur echoes the observations of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises on the importance of measuring the efforts of State and non-State actors to protect rights and remedy abuses so that gaps in performance and accountability can be tracked, reported and assessed (A/70/216).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102c
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Ensure a human rights-based approach to development in all relevant legal and policy regulations, including multilateral and bilateral agreements or contracts, and establish mechanisms for due diligence concerning the protection of environmental human rights defenders and the environment;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- In some cases, however, there is insufficient information on and analysis of the risks that defenders face and the way protection operates. Research partnerships between scholars, practitioners and defenders can therefore contribute to identifying and filling critical gaps in knowledge on the security and protection of defenders, and to facilitating critical reflection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur welcomes initiatives by States to regulate the extraterritorial activities of businesses domiciled in their territory and/or jurisdiction. These include obligations on companies to report on their operations globally and legal regimes allowing for the prosecution of nationals wherever their offences were committed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 117a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that national human rights institutions:] Develop plans of action to protect defenders, establish focal points to coordinate their implementation and interact with defenders on a regular basis;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 117b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that national human rights institutions:] Monitor and investigate complaints received from defenders on the violations of their rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 118a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that the United Nations:] Formulate and implement strategies and plans of actions\ to strengthen the protection of defenders and to prevent violations against them, including in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and in the context of the Human Rights Up Front initiative;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 118b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that the United Nations:] Develop strategies of risk assessment and management in activities involving civil society and defenders, including by monitoring and responding to cases of reprisal for cooperation with the United Nations at all levels, in particular its human rights mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- Building security awareness and habits can be a lengthy process, and requires long-term investment - by the defenders themselves, by trainers and by supporting donors. Effective follow-up and support increases the likelihood that defenders will internalize the practices they have learned.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- Materials and training should be made easily accessible, including online, as defenders may not always be able to enter face-to-face programmes. Where possible, training should also be provided to persons close to defenders, such as their families, who may be crucial in supporting defenders in times of crisis and whose own security may be affected by the work of defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- National (such as in Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya and Mexico), regional and international networks of defenders and supporters collaborate to document and publicize violations of defenders' rights. They coordinate emergency responses for defenders under attack, arrange meetings with potential allies, and conduct advocacy at multiple levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 104a
- Paragraph text
- [International financial institutions should:] Respect and protect the human rights of defenders and implement their obligations in all activities to ensure an enabling environment for defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- Asia is the second most-dangerous region and has seen an increase in the number of communications, from 25 communications (24 per cent) during the first period to 50 (36 per cent) in the second. The Philippines and India received the largest number of communications on environmental human rights defenders, 9 and 8 respectively.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- According to civil society reports, corroborated by the communications sent by the Special Rapporteur in the last two years, the most dangerous countries for environmental human rights defenders were Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines and Thailand. There are indications that some African countries are facing similar challenges, even if they were not documented and publicized sufficiently.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 103b
- Paragraph text
- [United Nations organizations and agencies should:] Formulate and implement strategies and action plans to strengthen the participation and protection of defenders and to prevent violations against them, including in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Human Rights Up Front initiative;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 103c
- Paragraph text
- [United Nations organizations and agencies should:] Monitor, document and respond to the cases of alleged acts of reprisal against environmental human rights defenders for cooperating with international financial institutions, United Nations agencies and United Nations human rights mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 97d
- Paragraph text
- [The international community should:] Ensure that all development aid and assistance is guided by human rights and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, applying them to programming in all sectors and at all stages;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 97e
- Paragraph text
- [The international community should:] Formulate an international treaty to prevent and address human rights violations by transnational and national business enterprises, also considering the heightened risk posed by business activities to environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 99c
- Paragraph text
- [Regional intergovernmental organizations should:] Provide political and financial support to regional human rights mechanisms with a view to reinforcing the protection of environmental human rights defenders in the regions;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 99d
- Paragraph text
- [Regional intergovernmental organizations should:] Formulate policies and measures to prevent and address reprisals against environmental human rights defenders for cooperating with regional mechanisms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- [Regional intergovernmental organizations should:] ECA and ESCAP should develop similar legally binding instruments on access to information, public participation and justice in environmental matters, including measures to protect environmental human rights defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 101
- Paragraph text
- [Regional intergovernmental organizations should:] The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights should establish a mechanism to provide emergency protection for defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102e
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Formulate national action plans on business and human rights and ensure that they, as well as environmental impact assessments, are developed in full transparency and with meaningful participation prior to the granting of permission or concessions for the implementation of any business or development project;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 113c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Develop a mechanism to investigate complaints of threats or violations against defenders in a prompt and effective manner, and initiate appropriate disciplinary, civil and criminal proceedings against perpetrators as part of systemic measures to prevent impunity for such acts;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- A wide range of actors engage in protection practices, including State authorities, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, intergovernmental organizations, donors, the media, business corporations, and defenders themselves. Often, the success of these practices depends on effective collaboration and coordination between different actors.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- In strengthening the security of defenders, it is crucial that protection practices focus on a "holistic" conception of security. The physical safety of defenders should be interlinked and integrated into their digital security and psychosocial well-being, aspects that tend to be neglected by defenders themselves and their supporters.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 114b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that regional intergovernmental organizations:] Where policies and guidelines are in place, develop concrete plans of action at all levels, with specific monitoring mechanisms to review their effectiveness on the ground, including by seeking feedback from defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 114c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that regional intergovernmental organizations:] Develop interregional coordination mechanisms to share experiences with a view to strengthening protection practices.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 115b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society and human rights defenders:] Foster a culture of "holistic security", focusing in particular on the physical, digital and psychosocial dimensions of security, and facilitate the internalization of security awareness individually and collectively;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- To many, they are heroes defending our planet and our rights. They are not only environmentalists or land activists, but also human rights defenders. However, they are demonized by their opponents as "anti-development" or "unpatriotic". This despite the striving by those defenders for a more sustainable, prosperous and equitable future, an objective shared by the international community as expressed by the adoption of the 2030 Agenda.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Despite their human rights work, environmental human rights defenders increasingly face violence and violations of their rights on a daily basis. They are often treated as enemies of the State and, all too often, are targeted for assassination. The scale of killings indicates a truly global crisis.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 99a
- Paragraph text
- [Regional intergovernmental organizations should:] Urge negotiating parties in Latin America and the Caribbean to expedite the conclusion of the negotiations on the application of principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 105c
- Paragraph text
- [Business enterprises should:] Refrain from physical, verbal or legal attacks against environmental human rights defenders and meaningfully consult with them in the design, implementation and evaluation of projects, and in due diligence and human rights impact assessment processes;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 105d
- Paragraph text
- [Business enterprises should:] Disclose information related to planned and ongoing large-scale development projects in a timely and accessible manner to affected communities and environmental human rights defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102g
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Develop protection mechanisms for environmental human rights defenders, taking into account the intersectional dimensions of violations against women defenders, indigenous peoples and rural and marginalized communities;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102h
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Ensure prompt and impartial investigations into alleged threats and violence against environmental human rights defenders and bring to justice direct perpetrators and those that participated in the commission of crimes;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Bilateral cooperation between States can build the capacity of institutions engaged in protecting the environment and environmental human rights defenders. For example, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, is working with similar agencies in Kenya, Colombia, Mongolia and Mozambique to integrate a human rights-based approach into environmental institutions and processes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- However, bilateral and multilateral agreements between States can also inadvertently increase the risks faced by environmental human rights defenders. Clauses such as those on investor-State dispute settlements may hinder State efforts to consult with defenders. Similarly, restrictive clauses in contracts may limit the information available to defenders and infringe upon their right to participation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 86
- Paragraph text
- Interregional dialogues between regional institutions are an important conduit for raising awareness of the situation of environmental human rights defenders. The Special Rapporteur encourages the expansion of the dialogues, including the new regional regime emerging in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region in the light of the many risks faced by environmental human rights defenders in Asia.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Defenders value support in the development of knowledge about their rights and on protecting their rights in the face of evolving risks. This is particularly important for defenders who do not identify themselves as human rights defenders, and do not realize that their work constitutes human rights work and that they have the right to defend rights, as described in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- Security management training helps defenders to assess and manage proactively the risks that they face. It helps them to analyse threats, to address their own vulnerabilities and to strengthen their capacities. It may also be a way to raise awareness of defenders about current and potential threats in their operational context and how they can respond to them.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 112b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that all stakeholders engaged in the protection of human rights defenders:] Continuously develop good practices, critically reflecting on any gaps, gender-specific inequalities or cases of inequitable distribution of protection resources that may arise;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 113b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Dedicate sufficient funding, and refrain from interfering with externally-sourced funding, for the protection of defenders;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
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Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 102d
- Paragraph text
- [States should:] Ensure a preventive approach to the security of environmental human rights defenders by guaranteeing their meaningful participation in decision-making and by developing laws, policies, contracts and assessments by States and businesses;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 71
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- A number of actors provide emergency grants to defenders in immediate danger. Emergency grants that have easy and fast application processes, quick response times and that allow defenders discretion in using funds most appropriate to their personal situation have helped many defenders cope with threats and attacks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
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Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 73
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- In emergencies, the search for safe accommodation and workspace is often conducted on an ad hoc basis. Defenders are able to relocate more smoothly and safely when networks and organizations that support them have them readily available. Relocation is often a stressful experience. Structured relocation initiatives that allow defenders to continue their work while away, help them to forge links with host communities, provide support for their families and allow for flexibility in their duration of stay help defenders to manage the uncertainty, isolation and challenges of relocating elsewhere. While such initiatives can be developed anywhere, they usually require the contribution of local organizations with the capacity to raise and manage funds, negotiate hosting requirements and respond appropriately to the specific risks and vulnerabilities of defenders, providing them with the support they need. A number of civil society organizations that manage relocation initiatives have helped defenders to capitalize on their time away by creating opportunities for them to build their networks of contacts, conduct advocacy, support human rights education in host communities and strengthen their knowledge, skills and abilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Families
- Year
- 2016
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Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 99
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- Regional and international forums provide opportunities to formulate, coordinate and develop policies for the protection of human rights defenders. Regional organizations have played a leading role in developing and coordinating protection practices. For example, OSCE has developed Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders to support partnerships between Governments and defenders aimed at addressing the challenges faced by the latter. Moving beyond the domestic implementation of protection practices, the European Union Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders set out regional policy objectives and practical initiatives for the European Union and its member States in support of defenders worldwide. The Guidelines are complemented by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, which provides financial assistance to organizations supporting the work of defenders. The Guidelines have provided a foundation for the development of national policies and plans of action in, for example, Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands. Other States, such as Norway and Switzerland, have also adopted national guidelines for supporting defenders. It is vital that such guidelines be disseminated widely so that defenders may be aware of how to engage with relevant actors concerning their protection, and that States allocate resources for the implementation of the guidelines.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 109
- Paragraph text
- The delayed disbursement of funds by donors can have a negative impact on defenders' operations, especially on their capacity to pay their staff on time. Many civil society organizations have limited, if any, cash reserves and credit lines with banks.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes seven principles that, in his view, should underpin good practices by States in the protection of human rights defenders:] Principle 4: They should focus on the "holistic security" of defenders, in particular their physical safety, digital security and psychosocial well-being.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
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Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 97b
- Paragraph text
- [The international community should:] Publicly scrutinize and condemn violations of the rights of environmental human rights defenders and raise the visibility of their legitimate role in defending the land and environmental rights;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Environmental human rights defenders 2016, para. 97c
- Paragraph text
- [The international community should:] Ensure that any future bilateral and multilateral trade agreements involving countries where environmental human rights defenders are under threat include measures to prevent and address violations against defenders and mechanisms to investigate and remedy violations;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 112a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that all stakeholders engaged in the protection of human rights defenders:] Apply the seven above-mentioned principles in the design and implementation of their protection practices;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Defenders need resources and platforms to develop and sustain these networks, especially in regions where networks are yet to be established. In some cases, more established networks have supported the formation of new networks, including through the sharing of good practices and resources.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
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