Along with whistleblowers, human rights defenders are the best examples of how people can use their personal strength to expose dangers to communities, society and the environment. Whether fighting on behalf of political prisoners, minorities and children, or campaigning for safe food, water and housing, they are often the last line of defense against abuses by corrupt or uncaring elites.
Also like whistleblowers, many human rights defenders take on major risks – including threats to their own life. At least 635 were killed in more than 30 countries in 2019-20, according to Front Line Defenders. Global Witness estimated 1,922 environmental human rights defenders were slain in 52 countries from 2002-19.
Protecting vulnerable and poorly resourced activists in real life-or-death situations is proving to be increasingly difficult. Business and political elites fearful of losing their power and money are lashing out against them daily all around the world.
A new idea has emerged that would get endangered activists out of harm’s way quickly and with little bureaucracy. ProtectDefenders.eu, a consortium of 12 international human rights groups, has proposed a special EU visa program for human rights defenders.
ProtectDefenders’ Visa4HRD initiative seeks to close the gap between what the EU says and what it actually does. The EU issued guidelines on human rights defenders in 2004, yet it still lacks a specific mechanism for them to seek safety.
“Since the very beginning of our...
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has claimed that a viral comment linked to an X account attributed to its chairman was posted before the original pro-APC post it was respondin...
