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Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- Throughout the world, these defenders endure a series of threats and violations of their rights, sometimes relayed by the media in a context marked by an abundance of ultranationalist rhetoric stigmatizing certain communities or minority groups. These defenders are also labelled as traitors when they support certain groups or communities, such as the Roma people or indigenous peoples.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues 2011, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- The mandate also sent 40 communications concerning alleged violations against women defenders advocating the rights of indigenous communities, community leaders and those advocating for the rights of women within indigenous communities. The vast majority of such defenders worked in American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico, but also in other countries, notably India and the Philippines, among others.
- 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
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 72
- Paragraph text
- The defenders also complain that minorities are not consulted or else pseudo-consultations are held with people chosen by the State, not by the communities themselves.
- 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
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Good practices in the protection of human rights defenders 2016, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- Some activists face greater and more specific risks than others (see A/HRC/16/44, A/HRC/19/55 and A/70/217, paras. 61-77). Defenders who challenge social and cultural norms, do not fit stereotypes and prescribed roles, or who challenge power structures in society - such as defenders of sexual orientation and gender identity rights, women defenders, and defenders working on the rights of minorities and indigenous people - are often stigmatized and subjected to threats and attacks from members of society because of who they are or what they do. Defenders in conflict zones and in occupied territories are also more vulnerable to continuous insecurity and threats. Protection practices must therefore be gender-sensitive and suited to the specific needs and situations of such defenders at risk.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Humanitarian
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Ethnic minorities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- 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
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. 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. 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
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
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
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. 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. 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
16 shown of 16 entities