“Human rights defenders” are people who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights through peaceful means. Often in challenging circumstances, they expose human rights violations and advocate for respect of human rights.
Since the Helsinki Final Act, OSCE participating States have repeatedly reaffirmed the right of individuals to know and act upon their rights and duties. Regrettably, however, these individuals and groups are sometimes subjected to unnecessary bureaucratic burdens, arbitrary detentions, assaults, ill-treatment or defamation campaigns. In the 1994 Budapest Document, participating States emphasized the need for the protection of human rights defenders.
In their Astana Commemorative Declaration, Heads of State and Government of OSCE participating States stressed that they “value the important role played by civil society and free media in helping us to ensure full respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, including free and fair elections, and the rule of law.” In this context, civil society organizations have placed particular emphasis on the security of human rights defenders and the need for OSCE action to develop appropriate mechanisms and tools for security and protection of human rights defenders.
ODIHR assists national authorities in fulfilling their commitments to protect human rights defenders by monitoring the ability of human rights defenders to operate and building their capacity through education and training in human rights. ODIHR follows the situation of human rights defenders in detention, regularly raising their cases with the national authorities, monitoring their trials and making visits to their detention facilities.
In June 2013, ODIHR launched a project to develop recommendations for participating States on how to effectively protect human rights defenders.
As part of the project, ODIHR will examine good practices, current challenges and trends during consultations with human rights defenders and representatives of OSCE participating States. The recommendations will be published in 2014.
Throughout its work in this area, the Office also closely works with local civil society and relevant international partners, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the Organization of American States, among others.
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
