To: All UN Member States
Human rights defenders are people who act with humanity, serve humanity and who contribute to and bring out the best in humanity. They are key to our daily lives – they work so our governments are more transparent and accountable, our environment cleaner and safer, our schools and workplaces fairer, and our futures more sustainable. As human rights defenders confront power, privilege and prejudice, they frequently face a wide range of risks and threats, including against their organisations and their families, friends and loved ones. Despite their vital contribution, both some governments and non-State actors are still seeking to silence defenders as they expose injustices and demand accountability for all.
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders is integral to their protection and recognition, globally. It gathers and responds to information on the situation of defenders around the world, engages constructively with governments and non-State actors and provides expert recommendations to promote the effective implementation of the ‘Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms’ (The Declaration on human rights defenders).
2023 marks 25 years since the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on human rights defenders. The adoption of the Declaration was a critical point in human rights history where it articulated how existing human rights law applies to the situation of human rights defenders, recognised the importance and legitimacy of human rights activity, and the need to protect it along with those who carry it out. It is apposite that this major anniversary coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, reflecting the integral role that human rights defenders play in the realisation of universal human rights.
In 2022, the Human Rights Council reaffirmed the importance of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and its full and effective implementation, and that promoting respect, support and protection for the activities of human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, is essential to the overall enjoyment of human rights, including in conflict and post-conflict situations. In 2021, the General Assembly passed by consensus with 85 State co-sponsors a resolution acknowledging the important and legitimate role that human rights defenders played in the COVID-19 response, as well as the challenges faced as a result.
At the 52nd session of the Council, States will consider a resolution extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for three years. This is a key opportunity for States and the Council to demonstrate their support and recognition for the indispensable role human rights defenders play to ensure that all people enjoy freedom, dignity, justice and equality.
Our organisations therefore urge all States to support the resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders by:
participating positively in the negotiations on the resolution;
presenting early co-sponsorship of the text;
resisting any attempts to dilute the mandate or State obligations; and
supporting consensus renewal of the mandate.
Sincerely,
ACAT Belgium
ACAT Germany (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture)
ACAT Italia
ACAT RDC
ACAT Spain-Catalonia
ACAT, GHANA
ACAT-France
ACAT-Liberia
ACAT-Switzerland
ACAT-UK (Action by Christians Against Torture – UK)
Accion Solidaria on HIV/Aids
Action by Christians against Torture in Togo (ACAT TOGO)
Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture – Canada
action by Christians for the abolition of torture – Congo
Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) – Cameroon
Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture of Côte d’Ivoire
Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture in Burundi (Acat-Burundi)
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum
Agir ensemble pour les droits humains
AlertaVenezuela
Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man
ALKARAMA
Alliance for Democracy in Laos
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Amnesty International
Amnesty International Mongolia
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Asian Legal Resource Center
Association for Progressive Communications – APC
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
association for the respect of indigenous rights, sustainable development and human right
Association for women and Children at Risk
Association of balal
Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM)
Aula Abierta
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
Brot für die Welt
Burkina Faso Coaltion of Human Right Defenders (CBDDH)
Bytes For All, Pakistan
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
Center to Alternatives to Development
Centre for Human Rights & Democracy in Africa (CHRDA)
Centro de Alternativas al Desarrollo (CEALDES) – Colombia
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
Child Rights Connect
CIVICUS
CIVILIS Human Rights
Collective of the Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA)
Committee for Free Expression (Comité por la Libre Expresión C-Libre)
Community Empowerment for Progress Organization
Community Resource Centre (CRC)
Coordiantion of Associations and Individuals for Freedom of Conscience
DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)
Emonyo Yefwe International
End Impunity Organization
Equipo de Estudios Comunitarios y Acción Psicosocial – ECAP
Euro-mediterranean federation against enforced disappearances
European Network Against Racism
Federal Association of Vietnamese Refugees in the Federal Republic of Germany
FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
Forum Menschenrechte
Franciscans International
Freedom House
GALE, The Global Alliance for LGBT Education
Geneva for Human Rights – Global Training (GHR)
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Global Human Rights Group
Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Global Observatory of Communication and Democracy (OGCD)
Gulf Centre for Human Rights
Habitat International Coalition
Hallmark Media
Human Rights Association (Insan Haklari Dernegi)
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE)
Human Rights Council of Australia
Human Rights Defenders Fund
Human Rights House Foundation
Humanists International
Strategic Human Rights Litigation
IFEX
ILEX Acción Jurídica
In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND)
Inclusive Bangladesh
Indigenous Peoples Rights International
Initiative for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS), Inc.
Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA)
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka
International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists Australia
International Dalit Solidarity Network
International Federation of ACATs (FIACAT)
International Planned Parenthood Federation
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
International volunteer organization for women education development
Intersex Society of Zambia
Ivorian Human Rights Defenders Coalition (CIDDH)
Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF.org)
Judicial Reform Foundation Taiwan
Karapatan Alliance Philippines
KIOS Foundation
Law Society of England and Wales
Lawyers without Borders Canada
Maldivian Democracy Network
Mauritanian association for socio-educational development
MENA Rights Group
Mesoamerican Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders (IM-Defensoras)
Mongolian Women’s Employment Supporting Federation
Namibia Diverse Women’s Association (NDWA)
Network of the independent Commission for Human rights in North Africa CIDH AFRICA
ORGANIZATION OF ACTIVE WOMEN IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE
Organization Solidarity Development
OYU TOLGOI WATCH NGO
Peace Brigades International
People Forum for Human Rights(People Forum)
PICUM (Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants)
Plateforme Droits de l’Homme
POS Foundation
Project on Organizing, Development, Education, and Research (PODER)
PROMEDEHUM
Protection International Mesoamérica
Public Verdict Foundation
Rainbow Pride Foundation
Red Dot Foundation
Refugee Council of Australia
Renewable Freedom Foundation
Riposte Internationale
Rivers without Boundaries
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
Safety and Rights Society (SRS)
SAHR
Scholars at Risk
SHOAA for Human Rights
Society for Threatened Peoples
SOS-Esclaves
Speak Up
Struggle to Economize Future Environment (SEFE )
Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU)
Swedwatch
Syrians for Truth and Justice – STJ
The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House
The Community Action Center at Al-Quds University
The Global Interfaith Network (GIN-SSOGIE)
The Kvinna till Kvinna foundation
The Norwegian Human Rights Fund
The Regional Coalition for WHRDs in MENA (WHRDMENA Coalition)
The William Gomes Podcast
Togolese Coalition of Human Rights Defenders
Tournons La Page
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO)
Viet Tan
West African Human Rights Defenders Network
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Women’s World Summit Foundation
World Justice Project
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
World Uyghur Congress (WUC)
WWF International
Yemeni Institute for Strategic Affairs
Youth Care Motivators
Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia
Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN)
Zo Indigenous Forum (ZIF)
Source: Amnesty International