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Violations committed against defenders by non-State actors 2010, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- In a recent case involving a transnational mining company, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requested that the concerned State suspend operation of a gold mine owned by a transnational corporation until the adoption of a decision on the merits of the petition associated with the request for precautionary measures. The State was also requested to adopt any other necessary measures to guarantee the life and physical safety of the members of the indigenous communities concerned and to plan and implement protection measures with the participation of the beneficiaries and/or their representatives, who should also be considered human rights defenders. Despite the decision granting precautionary measures, leaders of the communities peacefully protesting against the perceived negative effect of the mining on, notably, their right to water have been threatened and attacked.
- 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
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Security and protection of human rights defenders 2010, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- In some States, trade union leaders, community leaders and land-rights defenders, including indigenous groups, are targeted for their activities. Elsewhere, defenders denouncing corruption and working on environmental issues are systematically attacked and threatened. Defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights are also subject to threats and intimidation when they attempt to access information. In certain countries, defenders trying to gather information on violations of human rights or humanitarian law being committed in certain areas are prevented from doing so in an often violent manner, which includes the use of killings, harassment and threats. In countries where the control of natural resources is at stake, defenders have been particularly threatened while denouncing the lack of transparency regarding contracts between the State and private companies.
- 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
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
On the Declaration on human rights defenders 2011, para. 46a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression has emphasized that restrictions on the following dimensions of the right to freedom of expression are not permissible:] Discussion of Government policies and political debate; reporting on human rights, Government activities and corruption in government; engaging in election campaigns, peaceful demonstrations or political activities, including for peace or democracy; and expression of opinion and dissent, religion or belief, including by persons belonging to minorities or vulnerable groups;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
On the Declaration on human rights defenders 2011, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- The protection of the right to protest comprises both negative and positive obligations. The State has a negative obligation to abstain from interfering and a positive obligation to protect rights holders in the exercise of this right, particularly when persons protesting hold unpopular or controversial views, or belong to minorities or other groups exposed to higher risks of attack and other forms of intolerance. Additionally, respecting the right to protest involves the obligation of States to take concrete steps to build, maintain and strengthen pluralism, tolerance and an open attitude to the expression of dissent in society.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
On the Declaration on human rights defenders 2011, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- It is because of the visions of courageous defenders that human rights have developed and transformed our societies. These visionaries have held "that women deserve the same rights as men, that empires are not inevitable, that indigenous peoples are human beings, or that torture and genocide are ethically reprehensive and need not be tolerated. Similarly, they ask people to imagine that international norms can be established and that nation States need not be allowed to claim that however they wish to behave and treat people is strictly their own business." However, these ideas often meet resistance, especially because they challenge the legitimacy of the status quo as well as sociocultural norms and traditions.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
On the Declaration on human rights defenders 2011, para. 60
- Paragraph text
- Nonetheless, ideas that "offend, shock or disturb" are protected under the right of freedom of expression. This is a crucial part of what is required for a "democratic society" to exist. Pluralism, tolerance and broadmindedness are particularly important in a democratic society. Democracy does not simply mean that the views of the majority must always prevail: a balance must be achieved which ensures the fair and proper treatment of minorities and avoids any abuse of a dominant position. The State is the ultimate guarantor of the principle of pluralism, a role that entails positive obligations to secure the effective enjoyment of rights. These obligations are of particular importance for persons holding unpopular views or belonging to minorities, because they are more vulnerable to victimization.
- 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
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Thirty-six communications were sent to China regarding alleged arrests and 17 regarding other forms of criminalization. Those at risk include women defenders working on the rights of religious and national minorities, women's rights, including family planning and reproductive rights, housing rights, democratic reform, and impunity for alleged use of torture, among various others. Of particular concern is the frequency with which it was alleged that such defenders were sentenced to prison terms, including periods of administrative detention, often referred to as "re-education through labour".
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 79
- Paragraph text
- During the 2004-2009 period, 28 communications were sent regarding arrests and detentions of women human rights defenders and those working on women's rights or gender issues in the Americas, along with 22 concerning further criminalization of human rights defenders. Regarding arrests and detentions, those most at risk appear to be women activists for indigenous rights, particularly in Chile along with other women community leaders, campesino and rural activists, environmentalists, and lawyers. Similarly, indigenous activists appear to be at risk, particularly in the Chilean context. During 2004-2009, the mandate sent six communications regarding the criminalization of women working on indigenous issues in Chile. Such criminalization usually involved charges and trials based on supposed public order offences related to the right of assembly, and, on occasion, terrorism-related charges.
- 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
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- The prevalence of the alleged use of torture, as well as other forms of ill-treatment and mistreatment of women human rights defenders and those working on women's rights or gender issues while in detention is alarming. During the stated period, 149 such allegations were noted in communications from the mandate in this regard. Several such cases (22) pertained to detained or imprisoned defenders in China; of these, there were a notable number of alleged incidences of physical attacks and beatings by inmates, who had reportedly been ordered to do so by prison guards. Other violations reported in China have included beatings by law enforcement officials, the use of torture as a disciplinary measure, denial of adequate medical care in detention, forced medication and sleep deprivation. Among the alleged victims of such treatment were pro-democracy activists, defenders working on reproductive and housing rights, and the rights of religious, national, and ethnic minorities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- The human rights activities carried out by those subjected to threats and death threats in the Americas region ranged very widely. Among the groups which appear to be most at risk are women defenders working to fight impunity for alleged human rights violations, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. Moreover, those working on indigenous rights also appear to be at risk, particularly in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Honduras; trade unionists, particularly in Colombia and Guatemala; and women's rights and/or LGBT defenders in the region.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- LGBTQI+
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- Threats and death threats were also reported in all other regions, although in much smaller numbers. In Asian countries, threats were reported in countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran (eight communications), the Philippines (five communications), Sri Lanka (five communications), Nepal (five communications), China (four communications), and Pakistan (four communications), among others. The activities carried out by the WHRDs subjected to threats in this region varied widely by country, including women's rights activists, primarily in the Islamic Republic of Iran; and indigenous and other minority activists, particularly in the Islamic Republic of Iran, China and the Philippines, among others. Explicit death threats were reported in the Philippines (three communications), Sri Lanka (two communications), Nepal (two communications), the Islamic Republic of Iran (two communications), Pakistan (two communications), China, the Maldives, and Malaysia.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Women human rights defenders and those working on women's rights or gender issues in the Americas appear to be most at risk of being killed or having an attempt made on their lives. The largest number of these communications was sent to Colombia (12 regarding killings, 11 regarding attempted killings), while other cases were reported in Brazil (two regarding killings, four regarding attempted killings); Guatemala (two regarding killings, two regarding attempted killings); and Honduras (two regarding killings, two regarding attempted killings); with attempted killings also being reported in Mexico (two), Chile (two), Ecuador (two), and Peru (two). Those most at risk appear to be women trade unionists and women labour rights activists, particularly in Colombia and Guatemala; women indigenous rights activists, particularly in Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and Guatemala; and women environmental and land rights activists, particularly in Brazil and Colombia, along with family members and associates of all the aforementioned defenders.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Allegations on attacks against the physical integrity of this group of defenders by non-State groups and individuals were received during the 2004-2009 period, cases of which were raised in 52 communications. About half of these cases were reported in Central and South American countries. Those most at risk in this region appear to include women working as journalists, such as those critical of paramilitary groups in Colombia; women advocating for workers' rights in Mexico, along with women lawyers, indigenous and pro-democracy defenders. Physical attacks were also reported in Europe and Central Asia (10 communications), the Middle East and North Africa (six communications), Asia (five communications), and Africa (three communications).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Selected groups of defenders at risk: journalists and media workers, defenders working on land and environment issues; and youth and student defenders 2012, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- In 2008, the Special Rapporteur presented her first report to the General Assembly (A/63/288), in which she laid down her vision for the mandate. In that report, she indicated that she would maintain and strengthen the focus of the mandate on those groups of defenders most exposed to risks. At that stage, she also identified several groups of defenders particularly targeted for their activities, including women human rights defenders; those working to promote economic, social and cultural rights, including land and environmental issues; and those defenders working for the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.
- 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
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Selected groups of defenders at risk: journalists and media workers, defenders working on land and environment issues; and youth and student defenders 2012, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Journalists and media workers have been targeted because of their reports on human rights violations or because they were witnesses to human rights violations themselves. The mandate holder has received information on investigative journalists and media workers targeted for their research on topics such as crime, corruption, trafficking, torture, impunity, environmental issues and forced evictions. Often, journalists and media workers have been arrested and detained for monitoring demonstrations. Other journalists and media workers were targeted for participating in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), their democratic activism or working and advocating for the rights of certain groups of people, such as minorities.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Selected groups of defenders at risk: journalists and media workers, defenders working on land and environment issues; and youth and student defenders 2012, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Between December 2006 and May 2011, a large number of communications sent during the reporting period (106) concerned alleged violations against defenders and activists working on land and environmental issues. According to the information received, this group is thoroughly heterogeneous. It includes defenders carrying out a vast range of activities related to land and environmental rights, including those working on issues related to extractive industries, and construction and development projects; those working for the rights of indigenous and minority communities; women human rights defenders; and journalists.
- 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
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Selected groups of defenders at risk: journalists and media workers, defenders working on land and environment issues; and youth and student defenders 2012, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Therefore, this section of the report has been structured on the basis of the different subgroups identified, with each subsection including information on profile of activities, alleged violations, perpetrators and regional trends. It is also worth mentioning that there is certain overlap between the different subgroups, particularly between the group of those defenders working on issues related to extractive industries and construction and development projects and those working for the rights of indigenous and minority communities.
- 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
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Selected groups of defenders at risk: journalists and media workers, defenders working on land and environment issues; and youth and student defenders 2012, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- These women defenders were active in negotiations with local authorities to resolve land conflicts (900 women in Brazil, Colombia Guatemala, India) and denouncing land-grabbing (China); working for reparations for indigenous people (India, Nepal and Peru) and denouncing encroachments on their lands (India, Nepal); organizing community events (Colombia); campaigning against nuclear power plants (Philippines 2); campaigning against the development of a gated community and marina development (Bahamas); working for the rights of field workers (Honduras); protesting against the creation of a residential and leisure complex (Mexico); filming a documentary on the harmful impact of oil production (Nigeria); campaigning for water rights and against the construction of a dam (India); and campaigning against mining projects (Peru).
- 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
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Both the Special Rapporteur and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders have repeatedly reported on the extraordinary risks faced by those defending the rights of local communities, including indigenous peoples, minorities and people living in poverty. These human rights defenders commonly face threats, harassment, intimidation, criminalization and physical attacks. The Special Rapporteur and the Special Representative have observed that human rights defenders are commonly branded as being against development if their actions oppose the implementation of development projects that have a direct impact on natural resources, the land and the environment. Examples of such projects include the construction of hydroelectric power stations, electric pylons, dams, highways and cement factories, and the operations of various extractive industries. Human rights defenders also speak out against forced evictions that occur in connection to development programmes and projects.
- 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
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- Instruments protecting the rights of specific populations also guarantee to those concerned the right to participation. The obligation of consulting with the objective of obtaining the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples through their own representative institutions whenever consideration is being given to legislative or administrative measures that may affect them directly is established in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (General Assembly resolution 61/295, annex, articles 18 and 27) and in the Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (Convention No. 169) of the International Labour Organization. Furthermore, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities provides for the right of minorities to participate in decision-making and the obligation of States to ensure such participation, including in economic progress and development (Assembly resolution 47/135, annex, articles 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
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- In addition, the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples must be obtained for any negotiation or consultation process on large-scale development projects to take place. The concept of free, prior and informed consent has come about as a result of the recognition that indigenous peoples have strong cultural attachments to the territories they inhabit. The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples has emphasized the need for Governments to engage in consultations with indigenous peoples in good faith, with the objective of achieving consent (A/HRC/12/34, paras. 46-49). The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders is concerned about cases reported to her in which free, prior and informed consent has not been sought, has been sought only to a limited extent or has been sought at the same time as coercion has been exerted on communities.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is encouraged by the various initiatives that have come to her attention during the preparation of the present report to enhance the participation of stakeholders in large-scale development projects, notably those designed to benefit local communities. She has observed that more needs to be done, however, in terms of implementation and urges State and non-State actors to strengthen their efforts in this area. Moreover, she notes that the right of indigenous people to free, prior and informed consent is in many cases not respected because, despite being protected by law, it is not incorporated in the regulatory framework of business enterprises, which limits implementation considerably.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- Country visits undertaken by the Special Rapporteur since 2007 have shed light on the high risks faced by human rights defenders involved in large-scale development projects. When she visited Honduras in 2012, the Special Rapporteur expressed concern about the reports and testimonies she had received of violations and abuses committed against defenders working for the rights of indigenous and other local communities by law enforcement authorities, often in collusion with private security firms hired by the corporate sector. While recognizing the legitimate right of the Government to promote private investment, the Special Rapporteur expressed concern about the "state of fear" affecting defenders working on environment-related issues and opposing projects by private companies or the State, in particular in the construction of dams and in the mining and tourism sectors.
- 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
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples has dedicated three reports (A/HRC/18/35, A/HRC/21/47 and A/HRC/24/41) to the impact of extractive industries on indigenous territories where mining, forestry, oil and natural gas extraction and hydroelectric projects have affected the lives of indigenous communities. The Special Rapporteur underlined reports of an escalation of violence by Governments and private security forces as a consequence of extractive operations in indigenous territories, especially against indigenous leaders, and of a general repression of human rights in situations where entire communities had voiced their opposition to extractive operations (A/HRC/18/35, para. 38). He pointed to a lack of operative consensus about the extent and means of realization of the State's duties with regard to resource extraction and development projects and a lack of a minimum common ground for understanding the key issues by all actors concerned (A/HRC/18/35, paras. 62 and 66).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Finally, exacerbating these difficulties is the fact that the attacks and threats against defenders are perpetrated not just by States, but by non-State actors as well. This applies particularly to countries in which one notes a surge in religious fundamentalism (especially in North America, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East) or the presence of armed or low intensity conflicts (in the Middle East, Africa and certain countries in Asia); or even to development projects in which certain economic actors attempt to impose their interests - sometimes with explicit support from governments - to the detriment of observance of human rights. The defenders point to numerous pressures from these different actors in respect of actions to promote economic, social and cultural rights (sexual and reproductive rights, labour rights, the rights of indigenous peoples, and the right to natural resources and the environment).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Environment
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- During each regional consultation, discussions were held about the threats and challenges faced by certain specific groups of defenders. As requested on several occasions by the Human Rights Council (in its resolutions 13/3, 22/6 and 24/24), strategies and actions for providing them with better protection were also examined. Some defenders face threats purely because of their identity (for example, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex persons, members of indigenous peoples, or defenders of persons suffering from albinism), others because of the issues they address (combating corruption, protecting the environment), or due to a particularly sensitive context (defenders working in conflict or post-conflict areas).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- LGBTQI+
- Women
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Finally, as regards indigenous peoples, numerous defenders in Latin America underscored the lack of a legal and institutional framework recognizing the rights of these communities or, when they are recognized, the failure to implement them. The fact that they live in isolated rural areas combined with the existence of certain kinds of claims, such as the defence of lands or attempts to achieve autonomy, expose them to numerous threats and physical assault. This is one of the areas in which the Special Rapporteur intends to conduct a specific study together with the Special Rapporteur for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 93a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States adopt the following measures:] Do more to disseminate the work of defenders and to support their work through campaigns and specific communication and information activities that pay tribute, in particular, to the contributions made by certain categories of defender, such as women; defenders of the rights of lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons; defenders working in the area of corporate social responsibility and land-related rights; defenders of the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples; and defenders who combat impunity and corruption;
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- LGBTQI+
- Women
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph