PERSONAL AND ORGANISATIONAL SECURITY Thinking about security
While it is the State’s prime responsibility to protect and promote human rights, you as human rights defenders play an important role in monitoring and working to enhance the State’s human rights policies and its implementation of such policies. Human rights organisations and defenders often challenge the status quo by demanding accountability and an end to impunity; fighting for the rights of marginalised and vulnerable groups and challenging well-established norms and societal structures. Working on and for such critical issues to bring institutional and societal shifts toward equality, the nature of your work as human rights defenders can leave you more exposed to risk. The global trend of using civil space and rights as a battleground for power by suppressing alternate or dissenting positions has manifested in many dubious and violent forms. Both States and non-state actors have and can target(ed) human rights defenders through smear campaigns; restricting or banning
foreign funding; using the legal system to tie up HRDs in lengthy and baseless legal battles through arbitrary arrests and detention; restricting or banning movement; and many other human rights-violating methods. It is important to be aware of all the aspects of your work that can potentially lead you and your organization to be targeted by the State and/or other actors. With such activity and the involvement of certain actors, some groups of human rights defenders can experience more intensified risk. This includes defenders working for the rights of indigenous peoples and marginalised communities; defenders engaged in issues involving large economic interests (such as environmental activists); defenders working for the rights of religious and/or ethnic communities; defenders in rural areas (This is due to the fact that they are often isolated and have less access to support); defenders working for the rights of sexual minorities; and women human rights defenders.
Local communities and indigenous peoples are often left out of decisionmaking processes involving the use of their land and property. Working collectively and collaboratively to defend rights helps create a stronger, more resilient defense. Photos: NHRF grantee partner, Pasta de Conchos (left), supports human rights defenders in Mexico and NHRF grantee partner, FIWON (above), supports human rights defenders in Nigeria.
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