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ISHR provides solidarity and support to defenders working to promote transparency, to combat corruption, and to safeguard and strengthen laws and institutions that protect defenders and promote democracy, accountability and the rule of law.
People and communities flourish in societies that respect human rights and the rule of law. This requires an environment characterised by a vibrant and independent civil society, laws that protect the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, institutions and processes that enable public participation, governments that are representative and accountable, and mechanisms that provide remedy and redress for injustice. Human rights defenders play a vital role in the establishment and maintenance of such an environment, and are often among those that are first silenced or attacked when authoritarian or illiberal governments or unscrupulous corporations move to dismantle democratic institutions and the rule of law.
Through this programme, ISHR provides solidarity and support to defenders working in deteriorating environments where there is a need to safeguard democratic institutions and accountability mechanisms, as well as those working in environments where there is an opportunity to strengthen human rights defenders protection laws and mechanisms.
Read our latest news on transparency and rule of law.
On 9-10 April, ISHR coorganised a consultation meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, in partnership with the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), to revitalise the process towards the adoption of a national law to promote and protect defenders.
Are you a human rights defender looking for tips on how to engage with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission, or ACHPR)? If so, delve into our new e-learning module and discover all you need for real world advocacy in Africa!
Developed for human rights defenders, the Road map provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities when engaging with the State reporting procedure of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
At the 58th Human Rights Council session, civil society organisations share reflections on key outcomes and highlight gaps in addressing crucial issues and situations. Full written version below.
The UN Human Rights Council has extended the mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua for two years, doing so with a larger majority compared to the body’s 2023 renewal, and including a reporting mechanism to the UN General Assembly in New York.
In collaboration with ISHR, the Coalition ivoirienne des défenseurs des droits humains (CIDDH) delivered an oral statement before the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the situation of human rights defenders in Côte d’Ivoire during the session on the adoption of the country’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report. The statement called for, among other things, the inclusion of human rights defenders in the country’s national human rights defenders protection mechanism.
