Human Rights Defenders Guidelines

In 1998, the UN adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, recognising the critical role of individuals in defending and promoting human rights. Human rights defenders are often at risk, and protecting them is a shared, international responsibility. Since then, many governments, including the European Union, Canada, Norway, the UK and the USA, have adopted guidelines setting out how they will support human rights defenders through their diplomacy and the work of their diplomatic missions.

This series - developed in partnership with Frontline Defenders - builds awareness of HRD Guidelines, who has adopted them, and their value in challenging growing restrictions on civil society space and defending the defenders. Drawing directly on the experience of diplomats and human rights defenders, it shares practical examples of how the Guidelines have been used, and how human rights defenders can most effectively engage diplomats in defence of universal human rights standards.

• Webinar 1: What are HRD Guidelines? featuring Domenica Bumma and Sayeed Ahmad
• Webinar 2: Human Rights Defenders and Diplomats: Reflections from Practice featuring Cecilia Neyroud and Ruki Fernando
• COMING SOON - Webinar 3: Building Strategic Alliances

For links to HRD Guidelines adopted by governments around the world, see our Human Rights Defenders Guidelines resource page.