Campaign for the Right to Defend Human Rights  

On this page you'll find links to information and documents related to the ongoing campaign.  The page will be updated as new information is available so please come back again.

 

 

Colombian and International Campaign for the Right to Defend Human Rights in Colombia

 

 

Defending human rights is a moral responsibility aimed at saving lives, preventing grave human rights violations and ensuring that violence does not remain in impunity.  Defenders seek to strengthen the rule of law and call for changes in government and state policies.
 
Sadly, in Colombia being a human rights defender is a dangerous, often deadly job.

 

What is the Campaign and how can you get involved?

On Wednesday 9 September 2009, a national and international campaign for the protection of Colombia's human rights defenders was launched in Bogotá by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sekaggya.

 

The campaign addresses five key areas where change is needed in order to improve guarantees and protection for defenders:

 

1. Impunity in cases involving defenders.

2. Misuse of State Intelligence against defenders.

3. Systematic stigmatization of defenders by government officials.

4. Unfounded criminal proceedings brought against defenders.

5. Problems with the protection program for defenders at risk.

 

Find out how the campaign came about and what is means to be involved here

 

Uk and Ireland Campaign Launches

 

The Campaign was launched in London and Dublin in October 2009, with Colombia lawyer Eduardo Carreño and representatives from the Uk and Irish governments: read more here

 

Read about Eduardo Carreño's meeting with the then UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband here

 

 

Campaign Website

 

Keep updated with the lastest news from the campaign and receive alerts about human rights defenders at risk (currently in Spanish only) by signing up to the campaign at the Colombia Defenders website

 

Key documents

 

Campaign Recommendations

A number of Colombian, US, UK and European organizations have worked together to develop a Declaration containing the key messages of the campaign and key Recommendations for policy changes on the five key issues.

 

ABColombia and partners also presented a number of Recommendations to the UK government and to the EU.  European organisations presented similar recommendations to their own governments.

 

Campaign Report

ABColombia, Oidhaco and the U.S. Office on Colombia developed a joint report to support the campaign.  The report contains emblematic case studies which highlight the 5 key issues of concern:

 

Colombia Reports

In Colombia the Campaign will be releasing a series of short bulletins accompanied by case studies (currently available in Spanish only)

Series 1 on Impunity with a case study on the women's organisation Organización Femenina Popular:

 

 

The British Embassy in Colombia

The British Embassy in Colombia is a strong supporter of human rights defenders. 

Their new monthly Human Rights bulletin presents information on the Embassy’s activities in the area of human rights and champions the work of an organisation or individual through the ‘defender of the month’. 

Visit the Embassy’s website to view past issues of the bulletin (available in Spanish only). 

 

United Nations Report

The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, visited Colombia in September and was present at the official launch of the campaign. 

 


At the launch in Bogotá Mrs. Sekaggya told defenders, “without you democracy will not exist…without your struggle and work peace would never be achieved. Without you, human rights would be forgotten in Colombia and in the rest of the World".

Read Mrs. Sekaggya's full report on Colombia:

 

  

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