Here at ISHR we are constantly being inspired by the brave people taking action to defend human rights and want to share some of their stories with you.
Alexandra Lezama is a human rights defender from Venezuela who came to Geneva to expose the facts and consequences of illegal mining and the contamination of the environment in the State of Bolívar.
'Daily challenges are quite difficult sometimes. But I am convinced that, when we do good, when we commit to human rights, whatever the difficulties that come before us, we will always be able to overcome them in full solidarity.'
We are privileged to have met a young, passionate human rights defender - and HRDAP 2018 alumni - who works so that everyone can "live in a better world, a just and humane society in harmony with nature and climate."
Luisa Rios has been working for several years with environmental defenders in Peru. In the past, Luisa helped an indigenous leader capture the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples, in order to draw attention to the adverse impacts of investment projects on people in isolation.
In this video, Luisa talks about her current role as the Office Director for the Madre Dios branch of the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), an organisation that leads a free legal clinic that offers legal assistance and defense to forest users and environmental defenders in the region.
ISHR was honoured to interview Nfor Hanson Nchanji, award-winning Human Rights Journalist from Cameroon.
Looking ahead to next month's UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, this month's defender profile features ISHR trainee and Thai lawyer Sor Polkla. Sor describes her work improving access to justice for those affected by development projects in rural Thailand, and explains how she plans to use the connections she made with ISHR and others at the Forum to expand her network and support her community on the ground.
Surendra Pratap works for the Centre for Workers' Education. He talked to ISHR about his activities promoting workers' rights and trade unions.
Francisco Javier, member of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), talks about the role of UN mechanisms in combatting the ongoing impunity in investigations into the murder of Berta Cáceres, and emphasises that risks for her colleagues are only increasing.
Child rights advocate, Iftikhar Mubarik, discusses his work addressing child exploitation in Pakistan and how he seeks to utilise the UN Human Rights system.
Ivette Gonzalez, strategic engagement associate for PODER, speaks to ISHR about the importance of collaborating to achieve actual human rights change on the ground.
Update 5 October 2018: CONGRATULATIONS to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize 2018 today! Both laureates were awarded for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.
Dr Denis Mukwege is a surgeon and one of the most prominent human and women’s rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). ISHR spoke with him during his visit to Geneva.
