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Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- Finally, women defenders complained about women being depicted first as victims, and not as fully fledged actors bringing about change. The role of women defenders is still little known or recognized. They come up against numerous hurdles in their own family, their community and the organizations they work in. Women defenders described national contexts in which they were still perceived as second class players, whose expertise applied only to certain areas and whose contribution to the observance and promotion of human rights remained for the most part invisible. They complained that they were not fully brought into consultation processes, particularly as regards development projects. It should also be pointed out that, in their separate sessions with the Special Rapporteur, women defenders described the situation within non-governmental organizations, where stereotypes favouring men persist. They reported difficulties in being recognized by their male colleagues, in management or decision-making positions. Several women personally invited by the Special Rapporteur to take part in the regional consultations had found themselves replaced by a male colleague.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Large-scale development project and human rights defenders 2013, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- Rather than demonstrating opposition to development, such actions should be seen as legitimate attempts to defend the rights of those affected directly and indirectly by development projects and policies, as long as they are pursued through peaceful means. Resistance evokes a number of human rights issues, including with regard to the right to freely pursue one's economic, social and cultural development and the right not to be discriminated. Moreover, resistance can be viewed in connection with the rights to participate in the conduct of public affairs and to access information. It can also be framed as a legitimate effort to pursue the highest attainable standard of living and adequate housing and to defend one's privacy. The Special Rapporteur is of the opinion that human rights defenders and the communities whose rights they defend are free to oppose development projects through the exercise of their fundamental rights and that restrictions on those rights have to be applied in accordance with national legislation and the State's international human rights obligations. The Special Rapporteur provided observations on national legislation in her 2012 report to the General Assembly (A/67/292).
- 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
- Activists
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Use of legislation to regulate activities of human rights defenders 2012, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- With regard to States practising a regime of authorization for public assemblies, the Special Rapporteur continues to receive reports that such authorizations are denied to human rights defenders intending to raise awareness of human rights or protest against human rights violations. In other cases, assemblies have been permitted to go ahead, but not in the places requested. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the need for States to be notified of assemblies to ensure the safety of participants and surroundings. She shares the position of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association that a regime of notification gives the authorities sufficient notice and that this is the international standard by which States should abide in order to respect the right to assemble peacefully (A/HRC/20/27, para. 28). Nonetheless, the Government should ensure that spontaneous assemblies are permitted to take place and that protesters are able to voice their concerns to their target audience. Referring authorized assemblies to geographic locations other than those designated by the organizers would constitute a limitation on freedom of peaceful assembly.
- 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
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 125a
- Paragraph text
- [The United Nations should:] Ensure that all agencies and programmes of the Organization are made more aware of the question of 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 123
- Paragraph text
- He intends to publish, at the end of his first three years in the mandate, an assessment of the implementation of his vision and his priorities, together with information on the difficulties and obstacles encountered, and to share this assessment with the members of the Council.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 118
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur intends to engage in specific work in the area of reprisals, on the basis that any person who cooperates with the United Nations or international organizations, or who reports abuse or human rights violations, may be considered a defender, in view of his or her activities to protect rights and freedoms.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 116
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is very mindful of this issue and wishes to help raise the awareness of the international community, particularly as regards the role that the United Nations should play in dealing with the issue and getting States to face up to their responsibility.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 103
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur is conscious of his responsibility to speak out loud and clear in support of the rights of human rights defenders against those who challenge them and to remind everyone that those who promote and defend human rights are ipso facto defenders, even if they are not members of an organization.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 89
- Paragraph text
- Follow-up is important because, by drawing attention to cases that have had a positive outcome, it shows the good practices that can be reproduced or duplicated in order to increase the chances of obtaining positive results in a larger number of cases. Where possible, the Special Rapporteur will include positive stories in his reports in order to show the relevance or effectiveness of a good practice.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Activists
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Workplan and Future Activities of the Special Rapporteur 2015, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- Undue restrictions on freedom of expression or opinion are often imposed by States to prevent human rights defenders expressing themselves or engaging in activities to protect and promote fundamental rights and freedoms. That is one of the topics covered in the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 98b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages enterprises to:] Avoid any action aimed at hampering the work of defenders, recognizing, in particular, the right to freedom of expression, association, meeting, and demonstration.
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 94b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur encourages defenders and civil society to:] Play an active part in promoting gender equality and combating all forms of discrimination against women defenders, including within 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global trends in risks and threats facing human rights defenders 2015, para. 93d
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur recommends that States adopt the following measures:] Abolish laws that discriminate against certain categories of defenders, as well as those relating to blasphemy or apostasy, so as to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, including in it the right to criticise the State, its representatives and religious authorities;
- 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
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
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