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Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- Citizen journalists have come to play an increasingly important role in gathering and disseminating news, in particular in countries where press freedom is restricted, or in a disaster or conflict zone where professional journalists may not be present. While they cannot replace professionally trained journalists, they contribute to the public's access to a richer diversity of views, opinions and information. Like professional journalists, and for the same reasons, citizen journalists are subjected to acts of harassment and intimidation, including death threats, arbitrarily arrested and detained, prosecuted and sentenced to imprisonment and/or to harsh fines, and even assassinated. However, they enjoy less protection than professional journalists, as they do not have the support of media organizations and networks, and lack recognition as professional journalists.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and press freedom 2010, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also encourages all States to establish an early-warning and urgent response mechanism for the protection of journalists; such a mechanism should also exist for the protection of human rights defenders. It should be an official State commission with high-level recognition and an appropriate budget, composed of high-level representatives of State institutions related to security, territorial administration and human rights, as well as representatives of journalists' associations, media associations and non-governmental organizations working on issues related to the right to freedom of expression. The Commission's plan of work and urgent response procedures should be determined through a common agreement among its members, according to the circumstances of the country or a region within the country.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- Bearing in mind that standards exist in international human rights law for the protection of professional journalists outside of armed conflict situations, the Special Rapporteur urges States, with whom the primary responsibility for the protection of journalists lies, to implement those standards at the national level. This includes ensuring that no legislation is passed to unduly limit the freedom of expression of journalists, ensuring the physical and psychological integrity of journalists, and taking steps to tackle impunity for perpetrators of human rights violations against journalists.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur recommends that civil society organizations work to raise awareness of the risks faced by journalists, the international standards which exist to protect them, and how these might be implemented through campaigns and training initiatives; that civil society organizations, including journalists, make efforts to ensure that global standards of professional conduct are met in order to enhance the credibility and protection of journalists; and that they coordinate with one another and with the United Nations in order to ensure that their work is complementary.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
The implications of States’ surveillance of communications on the exercise of the human rights to privacy and to freedom of opinion and expression 2013, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Inadequate legal standards increase the risk of individuals being exposed to violation of their human rights, including the right to privacy and the right to freedom of expression. They also have an adverse impact on certain groups of individuals - for example, members of certain political parties, trade unionists or national, ethnic and linguistic minorities - who may be more vulnerable to State communications surveillance. Without strong legal protections in place, journalists, human rights defenders and political activists risk being subjected to arbitrary surveillance activities.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- In the Republic of Korea, high school students have promoted a major social mobilization against authoritarian practices within the education system. As a result of the public debate generated by the students, in January 2012, the Seoul Metropolitan Council adopted a students' rights ordinance ensuring, inter alia, the right of students to protest, a ban on corporal punishment, the elimination of mandatory participation in religious activities and the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and pregnant students against discrimination. Action for Youth Rights of Korea, an association established by Korean students in the context of this mobilization, continues to promote student activism.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- LGBTQI+
- Youth
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Contemporary challenges to freedom of expression 2016, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- While the threats to freedom of expression worldwide are severe, there remain important efforts to sustain a commitment to article 19. In the wake of the attacks in Paris in January 2015, dozens of the highest leaders of States gathered for a public demonstration that was, nominally, to support the right to freedom of expression and oppose terrorism. The moment proved to be as much theatre as commitment to law and policy, as no overarching Government-led effort to promote freedom of expression - such as the protection of journalists and artists - followed. Still, one may point to concrete examples that deserve to be emulated. Importantly, many (if not most) Governments proclaim in their Constitutions the right everyone enjoys to freedom of expression. Egypt's is typical, protecting in article 65 the freedom of expression "verbally, in writing, through imagery, or by any other means of expression and publication".
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Security and protection of human rights defenders 2010, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- The obligations of the State are outlined in articles 2, 9, 12, 14 and 15 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. In particular, pursuant to article 12 of the Declaration, States have the obligation to protect defenders. Article 12 of the Declaration provides that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration".
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2010
Paragraph
Security and protection of human rights defenders 2010, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- States should refrain from portraying human rights defenders and their activities as dangerous, illegal or a threat to the security of the State. Their important role and efforts in the promotion, protection and the full enjoyment of human rights by all should instead be praised. The Special Rapporteur would like to recall the primary importance of acknowledging the work and role of groups, organs or individuals in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. This is the first step towards a safe working environment for defenders. By adopting the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, States have committed themselves to recognizing their valuable role in the elimination of human rights violations and should therefore act accordingly at the national level.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2010
Paragraph
Security and protection of human rights defenders 2010, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- Communications issued by the Special Rapporteur indicate that the criminalization of human rights defenders' activities by States' authorities has not decreased. Some States tend to systematically invoke national security and public safety to restrict the scope of activities of defenders. In many countries, trade unionists, members of NGOs and social movements face repeated arrests and criminal proceedings for charges of "forming criminal gangs", "obstructing public roads", "inciting crime", "creating civil disobedience" or "threatening the State security, public safety or the protection of health or morals". Moreover, human rights defenders, including defence lawyers, providing legal assistance to other defenders or victims of human rights violations are threatened, denied access to courthouses and their clients, and arrested and charged under various criminal provisions. The multitude of arrests and detentions of defenders also contributes to their stigmatization, since they are depicted and perceived as troublemakers by the population.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
On the Declaration on human rights defenders 2011, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- There are both negative and positive obligations on States arising from the right to freedom of association, including the obligation to prevent violations of this right, to protect those exercising this right and to investigate violations of this right. Given the importance of the role that human rights defenders play in democratic societies, the free and full exercise of this right places a duty on States to create legal and real conditions in which defenders can freely carry out their activities. Also, although associations are required to have some kind of institutional structure, they do not need to assume a legal personality to operate and de facto associations are equally protected under the Declaration.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2011
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- A large number of communications sent during the period (196) concerned alleged violations against defenders, including males, working on women's rights or gender issues, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual issues (LGBT). This group is thoroughly heterogeneous, including women and men carrying out a vast range of activities related to women's rights, including those working on issues related to sexual and reproductive rights; organizations dealing with violence against women, rehabilitation and impunity related to violence, rape and sexual violence, women's shelters caring for victims of the above; and journalists and bloggers writing on women's rights issues.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- LGBTQI+
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- A specific group that also appears to be at particular risk is that formed by women working in the legal profession, including lawyers, judges and paralegals. Between 2004 and 2009, the mandate sent 81 communications regarding the situation of women defenders from these professional categories. Women defenders with this profile appear to be more affected in certain countries, notably the Islamic Republic of Iran (nine communications), Colombia (eight communications), China (eight communications), the Russian Federation (seven communications) and Tunisia (six communications).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- Women journalists and media professionals working on human rights issues also appear to be exposed to risk as a result of their work. This group includes women investigative journalists working on human-rights related issues, women columnists advocating human rights reform, women reporters monitoring and reporting violations of human rights, and women bloggers. The mandate sent communications about 70 cases concerning this category during the six-year period. In certain countries, a large proportion of communications sent concerned women working as journalists or who were engaged in other media-related activities. Women working as journalists were also the subject of various communications sent to, inter alia, Tunisia (seven communications), Colombia (seven communications), the Islamic Republic of Iran (seven communications), Belarus (five communications) and the Russian Federation (five communications).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- In certain cultural and social contexts, issues relating to rape and sexual abuse of women remain taboo. Women working on such issues, including victims thereof seeking redress, organizations representing victims or granting them shelter, and organizations working with sex workers, among others, often face a hostile response from both society and State as a result of their work. In this connection, 19 communications were sent regarding defenders working on issues related to sexual abuse, rape, and prostitution. Of these, six detailed alleged violations against rape victims seeking redress or publicizing the issue, or their lawyers and two being sent to Pakistan, while others were sent to India, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Guatemala. The alleged violations in these cases included an arrest, threats, harassment, and a travel ban.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- References were often made to general legislative frameworks, special programmes and databases designed for the protection of women in general against violence and discrimination. References were also made to programmes for the protection of victims and witnesses in order to address the situation of women defenders and those working on women's rights or gender issues. While this is appreciated, the Special Rapporteur considers that it is not sufficient to effectively address the particular challenges and needs of this group.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2011
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. 62
- Paragraph text
- As the Special Representative had highlighted, the protection accorded to defenders by the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders is not dependant on whether the focus of the work of the defender(s) in question is on civil and political rights or economic, social and cultural rights. All peaceful actions by defenders to call attention to possible failures of the State to create the necessary social and economic conditions for the enjoyment of rights and freedoms in practice are legitimate and fall within the scope of the Declaration (A/HRC/4/37, paras. 27-30).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2012
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. 32
- Paragraph text
- The mandate holder has stated on various occasions that, although many professional activities do not involve human rights work all of the time, they can have occasional links to the defence of human rights. In this regard, journalists and media workers can be considered as human rights defenders when, through their activities, they promote human rights in general and strive to protect the rights of others. The mandate holder has also frequently underlined the important role of journalists and media workers in the promotion and protection of human rights. On the one hand, their work can help protect people when their lives or rights are threatened or whose work is being unduly hindered. On the other hand, journalists and media workers have the means to effectively raise awareness about the work of defenders and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2012
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Development policy should contribute to increased respect for the human rights of those targeted and affected and strengthen their capacity to lead their lives in a dignified manner. It should be an instrument for doing more than just promote economic growth and meet basic needs: it should aim to expand people's choices, focusing especially on disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Its ultimate aim should be to empower people, especially those most marginalized, to participate in policy formulation and hold accountable those who have a duty and a responsibility to act.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- Human rights defenders are at the heart of the development process and can be key actors in ensuring that development is inclusive, fair and beneficial for all and that dialogue is used to reinforce social cohesion and pre-empt conflict and the radicalization of positions. Defenders can play a crucial role as members of teams conducting human rights impact assessments, formal multi-stakeholders oversight mechanisms and mediation and grievance mechanisms and as independent watchdogs monitoring the implementation of large-scale development projects.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2013
Paragraph
Elements of a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders 2014, para. 115
- Paragraph text
- The integration of defender-related issues should become more systematic. In this connection, the Special Rapporteur reiterates her recommendation to enhance coordination between States and regional groups. Additionally, the Special Rapporteur still notes a tendency for recommendations with regard to defenders to be vague, and believes that they should be more concrete to facilitate their implementation and measure the progress. The Special Rapporteur would also like to reiterate the need for awareness-raising and capacity-building to allow for the participation of defenders at the grass-root levels in the UPR process (A/HRC/10/12, para. 102).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- 2014
Paragraph
Elements of a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders 2014, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur remains concerned by the trends of judicial harassment and stigmatization of women human rights defenders, including those working on religious practices in relation to blasphemy legislation, and defenders working on sexual and reproductive rights in relation to legislation on public morals. She is also concerned with recent legislative moves to purportedly curb the promotion of homosexuality and the constraints that defenders of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons face due to criminalization of same-sex relations in over 75 countries worldwide.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
- LGBTQI+
- Women
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur has noted with great interest that, over the past few years, human rights defenders have been active in ensuring that the protection promised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is extended to new threats to human dignity. As a result of their work to combat gender-related violence against women, they argue that rights should be protected also within the household and the community. They contend that multinational corporations should be held morally and legally liable for their actions and omissions that deprive men and women of their fundamental rights. They are working to ensure that universal access to primary education and antiretroviral treatment becomes a fundamental right and is not treated as a service that is dependent on charitable action or an aspect of economic development.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2015
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;
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
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).
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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
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.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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. 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.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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. 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.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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. 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.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- 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