From 3 to 4 July 2025, with financial support from International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) of Mali organised a training workshop for human rights defenders on the legal framework for their protection and the national mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders.
Human rights defenders (HRDs) play an essential role in protecting everyone’s rights and assisting victims of human rights abuses and violations. Given the socio-political and security situation in the country over many years, HRDs in Mali are exposed to risks to their right to liberty and security on one hand, and to their physical and psychological integrity on the other.
To help mitigate the risks to which HRDs are exposed, the CNDH Mali organised a workshop, which brought together around 30 participants. The activity aimed, first, to familiarise participants with the legal frameworks for the protection of human rights. At the international level, HRDs had the opportunity to explore the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. At the national level, participants were familiarised with Act 2018-003 of 12 January 2018 on human rights defenders in Mali.
Regarding the national mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders (MNPDDH), whose mission is currently carried out by the CNDH, participants were trained on the mechanism’s mission and were invited to collaborate effectively with it.
Finally, given the risks of arrest, abduction and imprisonment to which HRDs are exposed, the CNDH also trained participants in techniques to ensure their physical safety.
On 18 September 2025, Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (RNDDH), in partnership with International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), organised an advocacy workshop in Niamey on the establishment of a national mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders in Niger.
From 16 to 17 September 2025, the Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (RNDDH), in partnership with International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), organised in Niamey a workshop on the dissemination of the law defining the rights and duties of human rights defenders in Niger.
The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) of Mali has developed a manual on the protection of human rights defenders to facilitate implementation of its protection mandate.
