Categoria: Resources

Article 19 (2016) The Right to Protest: Principles on the protection of human rights in protests

Report by Article 19 which sets a series of principles aiming at setting minimum standards for the respect, protection and fulfilment of the right to protest, while promoting a clear recognition of the limited scope of permissible restrictions. The principles are also intended to be used by civil society organizations, activists, HRDs, lawyers, judges, elected representatives, public officials and other stakeholders in their efforts to strengthen the protection of the right to protest.

Available at:
https://www.article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/38581/Right_to_protest_principles_final.pdf

Tactical Technology Collective (2016) Holistic Security. A Strategy Manual for Human Rights Defenders

Report by Tactical Technology Collective which adopts a ‘holistic’ approach to security and protection strategies for HRDs. It attempts to integrate digital security, psycho-social well-being and organizational security processes and highlight their interrelatedness. The manual is designed to guide the process of establishing or improving security strategies for individuals, collectives, or organizations.

Available at: https://holistic-security.tacticaltech.org/ckeditor_assets/attachments/61/hs_complete_hires.pdf

International Service for Human Rights (2016) Protecting our space: Human rights defender strategies to protect civil society space

Report by International Service for Human Rights based on consultations with HRDs from around the world. It examines and lists several elements of successful strategies and lessons learnt from unsuccessful experiences related to targeted advocacy to defend civil society space.

Available at: https://www.ishr.ch/sites/default/files/documents/protecting_civil_society_space-final_version.pdf

Amnesty International (2017) Human rights defenders under threat. A shrinking space for civil society.

Report by Amnesty International which provides an overview of the dangers HRDs face and calls on those in power to take immediate measures to ensure that human rights defenders are recognized, protected and equipped to conduct their work without fear of attack in a safe environment.

Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/act30/6011/2017/en/

In Difesa Di and Osservatorio Repressione (2024) Diritto non Crimine. Per la Madre Terra, la giustizia sociale, ambientale e climatica

Collaborative report promoted by In Difesa Di and Osservatorio Repressione through an informal working group in the aftermath of the academic visit of UN Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders Michel Forst under the Aarhus Convention to Italy in April 2023. The report reflects on the narratives and targeted laws aimed at delegitimizing, criminalizing and discrediting defenders of the environment in Italy and the Italian government’s violations and undermining of international commitments concerning human rights.

Available at: https://www.indifesadi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DIRITTO_NON_CRIMINE.pdf

Civil Rights Defenders (2020) Security Guidelines for Human Rights Defenders

Report by Civil Rights Defenders describing and countering the various threats faced by HRDs, specifically in the Western Balkans but also applicable to other regions where civil society faces repression. It outlines the types of potential threats faced by NGOs and journalists and provides solutions as well as graphics and illustrations.

Available here: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://crd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Security-guidelines-for-HRDs1.pdf&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1721295368075840&usg=AOvVaw3X5x-R2YXfhXsMFnIvZvlI

EarthRights International (2018) Fighting Back: A Global Protection Strategy for Earth Rights Defenders

Report by Earth Rights International as part of a roadmap and strategy to protect the rights of earth defenders facing repression and violence linked to land disputes, natural resources, and climate change. The report presents Earth Rights International’s analysis of the causes of threats and attacks against defenders, drivers, and perpetrators of abuses. It also outlines a global protection strategy to address this issue based on ‘protect, prevent, reveal and redress’ principles.

Available at: https://earthrights.org/publication/fighting-back-a-global-protection-strategy-for-earth-rights-defenders/

Civil Rights Defenders (2019) Human Rights Defenders in the Western Balkans

Report by Civil Rights Defenders covering the position of human rights defenders in the Western Balkans region. The report draws on extensive research on the challenges and position of HRDs in the six Western Balkan states and offers recommendations to national authorities, the international community, media, and HRDs.

Available at: https://crd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Human-Rights-Defenders-Report.pdf

Protection International (2024) A Critical Approach to Collective Protection: Taking Stock of Protection International’s Experience

Report by Protection International which provides key concepts for protection work and explores how collective protection concept redefines HRD’s protection as something collective by nature and reflects on the collective impact of violence, the need for collective protection strategies, and redirects the discussion on the protection of HRDs towards structural roots of violence.

Available at: https://www.protectioninternational.org/researchpublications/collective-protection/

International Service for Human Rights (2015) Human Rights Defender Toolkit for Promoting Business Respect for Human Rights

Report by International Service for Human Rights aiming to provide HRDs with an overview of the existing legal and policy framework and emerging global norms to protect human rights in the context of business operations. It also gives defenders tools for strategic engagement with stakeholders at each stage of project development, provides with actions businesses should take to respect and engage HRDs, and offers practical examples of how businesses and HRDs can work together.

Available at: https://www.ishr.ch/sites/default/files/article/files/ishr_hrd_toolkit_english_web.pdf