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A celebration and commitment towards greater protection of human rights defenders

ISHR and the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS) organised a training on engaging strategically with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights ahead of its 77th ordinary session and the NGO Forum, in Arusha, Tanzania.

Cyrine Hammemi is a human rights defender from Tunisia. Her work focuses on the human rights of persons belonging to minority groups, through alerts on discriminatory situations and the violence they suffered. In an interview with ISHR, Cyrine shares her personal journey into activism and her vision for a more inclusive and equitable future.

Environmental defenders from across Latin America and the Caribbean came together last week for the 2nd Forum on human rights defenders (Escazú Agreement) making evident their indispensable role in defending life on earth. To make Escazú meet their needs and expectations, the mechanisms to support implementation must receive adequate funds.

ISHR and Freedom House hosted a group of young defenders from the diaspora for a training on UN human rights mechanisms and joint advocacy meetings in Geneva during the week of 10 September.

Cynthia Palacios Reckziegel works in international advocacy for the Center of Legal and Social Studies (CELS) in Buenos Aires. She shared her hopes for a future in which women in Argentina can access reproductive health services without being discriminated.

Andreza Jorge is a human rights defender and activist working to empower communities in favelas in Brazil. She was also a participant to the 2023 edition of ISHR’s flagship training course, the Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme (HRDAP).

After a two-month online course and over ten intense days in-person in Geneva, sixteen dedicated human rights defenders participating in ISHR’s 2023 Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme (HRDAP23) exchanged experiences, strengthened their skills, put them into practice, and built a network of allies in Geneva and across the globe.

David Yambio is a community advocate and spokesperson at the NGO Refugees in Libya. His own experiences of forced exile inspired him to fight for the human rights and well-being of migrants and refugees on both sides of the Mediterranean.

Camila Zuluaga is an international advocacy lawyer at the Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ). She spoke to ISHR about her history of activism and hope for Colombia, which is about working to make a safer country for human rights defenders.