December 18, 2018 - On the
occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human
Rights Defenders, the universal and regional protection mechanisms call on the international community to
renew its commitment to support and protect human rights defenders.
There can be no realisation of rights without the space to defend those
rights. Human rights defenders are the guardians of universally recognized rights, equality, freedoms and
justice, for all of us! The adoption
by consensus, two decades ago, of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders[1]
by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly set a milestone in universally recognising
the essential and legitimate role played by human rights defenders around the
world.
We have seen an impressive growth of the human rights movement over the
last two decades, with activists in every corner of the world defending human
rights and fundamental freedoms, countering discrimination and marginalization,
and promoting justice, the rule of law, democracy and development. The human
rights movement has never before been so global, vibrant, diverse and truly
universal as it is now. It has achieved important victories in all regions of
the world.
Over the last two decades, we have also seen the creation of international
and regional mechanisms, which we represent. They play an important role in
promoting the implementation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and
protecting human rights defenders across countries and regions.
However, as we celebrate the achievements of human rights activism over
the last 20 years, today women, men and human rights defenders of other genders,
including children human rights defenders, are ever more at risk.
Each day we witness a serious deterioration in the environment for human
rights defenders, at the same time as the consensus on the fundamental
recognition that their rights need to be protected is vanishing.
We have seen laws being introduced in all of our regions that shrink the
legal and operational space for human rights defenders, breaching the legal
obligations and political commitments of States to create and maintain an
enabling environment for human rights defenders.
Human rights defenders are increasingly harassed, imprisoned, tortured, and
even killed because of their work. According to UN verified data, at least 1,019 human
rights defenders were killed in 61 countries across the world from 2015 to 2017.
In the past 20 years, at
least 3,500 human rights defenders worldwide
have paid with their lives for defending the principles enshrined in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These
figures do not fully reflect the magnitude of the violence faced by human
rights defenders globally. The
numbers of killings and countries in which they take place have risen, while
those responsible are rarely brought to justice. New challenges have also arisen,
such as the lack of accountability of State and non-State actors, including private
companies, for attacks against defenders; threats to digital security and the privacy
of human rights defenders; as well as pressure, intimidation and harassment of
human rights defenders online.
Human rights defenders are especially and systematically targeted
in contexts of conflict or crisis,
as well as when protecting migrants and refugees’ rights, land and
environmental rights, in the context of the development of extractive
industries, and in the name of national security
and the fight against terrorism. Smear campaigns and stigmatization remain commonly used to delegitimize human
rights defenders and undermine their work. Restrictive
environments are on the
increase, where defenders are working within legal frameworks that inhibit the
rights to freedom of association (including the right to access funding),
expression and peaceful assembly.
Women human rights defenders are particularly restricted in their work
as patriarchal and discriminatory norms and practices would like to see women
relegated in the house rather than publicly active and outspoken, particularly
on equality matters. They are not only targeted for their human rights work
but also because of their gender and the social norms, traditions and gender
stereotypes they challenge. They may be subject to rape and sexual violence,
abuse and violence within their family and community, and their children and
family members may also be targeted for their work. This is why they deserve special attention from our
various mechanisms.
We call on States to renew their commitment to protect
human rights defenders. This must include the safeguard of the space for human
rights defenders to participate in the discussions on human rights in regional
and international fora. We further call on States to prevent, guarantee independent investigations into and
sanction firmly all those responsible for threats and violations of human rights
defenders’ rights, with the aim to prevent and fight against impunity, and
especially to protect human rights defenders’ lives, personal integrity and to
ensure that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any
hindrance or fear of reprisals. Instead
of stigmatisation, there needs to be stronger protection for human rights defenders worldwide
and enhanced public recognition by the States of their legitimate and critical role for the promotion of
human rights and the rule of law.
As a follow-up to our meetings last July with UN counter-terrorism bodies at the invitation of the
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for
Human Rights (FIDH) in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of
Human Rights Defenders, we further call upon States to refrain from using security threats as a pretext to delegitimize and
silence civil society. We also call for strategies of the UN
counter-terrorism strategy to ensure that the principle of no harm applies to
all measures promoted by the UN including by its anti-terrorism agencies.
On the occasion of the 20th
Anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and of the fifth anniversary of the General Assembly
resolution on women human rights defenders, States
should reiterate their support for human rights defenders ahead of the
high-level panel discussion on human rights defenders at the UN General
Assembly on December 18, 2018.
Signatories:
·
Michel Forst, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Situation of
Human Rights Defenders
·
Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, Special Rapporteur of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights
(ACHPR) on Human Rights Defenders
·
Francisco José Eguiguren Praeli, Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders of
the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR)
· Dunja Mijatović,
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
[1] Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and
Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 53/144 on
December 9, 1998.
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