Botswana, Canada, Finland, Myanmar, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Switzerland
HRC38 | Critical situation of environmental defenders should serve as benchmark for diplomatic support
The UN Working Group on business and human rights, together with States, must consider the particular threats and attacks on defenders working on rights related to land and environment, ISHR and a group of environmental defenders told the Human Rights Council. ISHR also emphasised that States providing diplomatic support to business should also require a clear commitment to respect, consult and protect defenders.
Together with a group of environmental human rights defenders from Peru, Botswana, Myanmar and the Philippines, ISHR has called on States to combat impunity for attacks on defenders, and ensure full civil society participation in development and the management of natural resources. The statement was delivered during the dialogue with the UN’s expert group on business and human rights. The Council also considered new reports on the use of economic diplomacy to increase respect for human rights, and on investigative missions to Canada and Peru by the working group.
‘We welcome the affirmation by the Working Group that the situation of human rights defenders should be a critical benchmark to assess eligibility for State support and benefits relating to trade and export promotion,’ said Michael Ineichen, Programme Director at ISHR.
‘Especially States who also have a foreign policy priority on protecting human rights defenders, like those having specific Guidelines on the protection of defenders, should demand that businesses demonstrate a specific policy commitment to respect and consult with defenders before requesting diplomatic support’, Ineichen said.
The statement also called on the forthcoming guidance by the working group to include a specific focus on the situation of environmental human rights defenders.
A newly-released confidential letter by a UN Special Rapporteur documents the disbarment of human rights lawyers in China and the tightening ideological control over lawyers and law firms. The UN expert denounces disappearances, closed-door trials, harassment of relatives, travel bans, and other abuses targeting human rights lawyers.
On Tuesday 16 April 2024, ISHR delivered to both Geneva’s Administrative Council and its legislative counterpart, the Municipal Council, physical copies of the more than 1000 signatures collected in support of a memorial honouring Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli.
The 79th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will be held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 14 May to 3 June 2024. The session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held in hybrid format from the 11-13 May 2024.