Human rights defender’s story: Pedan Marthe Coulibaly from Côte d’Ivoire
Pedan Marthe Coulibaly champions women's rights in Côte d'Ivoire, facing challenges and advocating for legal reforms and human rights defenders' protections.
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.
Pedan Marthe Coulibaly champions women's rights in Côte d'Ivoire, facing challenges and advocating for legal reforms and human rights defenders' protections.
Reine Alapini-Gansou, the former Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders at the African Commission, emphasises the critical synergy between her mandate and civil society for safeguarding defenders in Africa, spotlighting the escalating challenges in regions like Burundi and Congo.
Francess Piagie Alghali, a leading women's rights advocate in Sierra Leone, discusses her transformative journey from the Human Rights Commission to grassroots activism, facing cultural challenges and the struggle for funding while championing women's dignity and rights.
Denis Mukwege, the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate from the DRC, is a distinguished surgeon and human rights advocate dedicated to restoring the dignity of women survivors of sexual violence in conflicts, bravely confronting threats due to his vocal opposition to impunity and economic injustices.
Elsa Saade discusses her involvement with the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, emphasising the unique challenges faced by women human rights defenders in the Gulf region and the importance of international advocacy for their protection.
Pierre Fritznel is the Executive Director of Combite pour la Paix et le Développement, an NGO in Haiti focusing on combatting violence against women and ensuring the participation of women in reconstruction efforts.
Ahlem Belhadj champions women's rights in Tunisia, facing challenges despite legal advances, advocating for protection mechanisms for women human rights defenders against social and governmental resistance.
Alejandra Burgos is Coordinator of the Salvadoran Network of Women Human Rights Defenders, which aims to articulate efforts for the protection of women defenders and the promotion of women’s rights. She is based in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Mary Akrami champions the protection and rights of Afghan women through shelters and advocacy, highlighting the urgent need for defender safety mechanisms amidst personal risks.
Tilder Kumichii of Cameroon champions gender equality and educates on human rights, facing cultural challenges and advocating for legal reforms to protect women and human rights defenders.
Mexican activist Bettina Cruz recently attended the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights. In this profile, she tells ISHR why the human rights violations in her region and her own criminalisation made this a priority.
When Idolina's brother formed part of the teachers' union protest, he was disappeared and later jailed forcing Idolina to take up his defence. Here, she explains to ISHR the impact of the represion of human rights activism in Mexico.