Open Letter to ECOSOC regarding the Committee on NGOs
The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Committee on NGOs (the Committee) considers applications by NGOs for ECOSOC accreditation and, as such, is a key gateway for NGOs to gain access to the UN. ECOSOC accreditation provides NGOs with access and participation rights in many UN spaces including the Human Rights Council and ECOSOC Commissions. However, the Committee operates in a highly politicized manner, in particular regarding […]
Indonesian Lgbti Defender Receives Felipa De Souza Award
Chairperson of PI Indonesia and founder and chair of Arus Pelangi, a national federation supporting LGBTI human rights in Indonesia, Yuli Rustinawati has received the Felipa De Souza Award at the OutRight’s Celebration of Courage Gala on Sunday, 16 May 2016. The award comes at an important time as in the last three months “…Indonesian politicians have […]
URGENT CALL TO THAI GOVERNMENT TO FOLLOW COMMITMENTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Member States of the United Nations (UN) gathered in Geneva for the 2nd cycle of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Thailand. Community-based human rights defenders and civil society organizations welcome the statement by the Thai delegation led by the Minister of Justice, that Thailand acknowledges it is “their duty that […]
Online Discussion: Holistic security in practice
Join us for an online discussion on holistic security with Senior Advisor Nora Rehmer. Context Human rights work is a fulfilling and rewarding vocation. But it can also be frustrating, exhausting, and risky. We know that it is important to think about psycho-social well-being, organizational security, and legal and digital security, yet we struggle to […]
HRDS discusses the civil society perspective following the UPR review of Thailand
Following the review of Thailand by the UPR Working Group on 11 May 2016, the ‘Human Rights Defenders at the UPR Thailand 2016’ side event will discuss the views of civil society from 13h00-14h30 at the Palais des Nations. Human rights defenders in Thailand remain at high risk for protecting their communities and their environment. […]
FOR THOSE WHO DIED TRYING’ PHOTO EXHIBITION OPENS IN GENEVA
Protection International opened the photo exhibition, ‘For those who died trying’ on the Place des Nations in Geneva on Monday, 9 May 2016. The exhibition ran from 9-11 May and presented the photographs of 37 murdered or abducted human rights defenders in Thailand. ‘For those who died trying’ will tour Thailand and various countries in Europe […]
Course Fee: “Security and protection management for human rights defenders and social organizations”
The course fee will depend on the country of origin or residency of the person or institution wanting to participate in it. We will make a distinction between applicants based on: • People working in institutions and participating as an institution, making up a team of up to three people. The team would act […]
Marguerite Barankitse awarded the Aurora Prize
Marguerite Barankitse from Maison Shalom and REMA Hospital in Burundi was named as the inaugural Laureate of the $1 million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. Her amazing work saving thousands of orphans and refugees during the years of civil war in Burundi was recognized on April 24th in Yerevan as she was handed the prize by […]
Honduran Environmental Hrds Visit Brussels
This week two human rights and environmental defenders from COPINH (Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras) will be visiting Brussels. Afterwards, the Indigenous Lenca activists will tour five European countries to demand justice for the murder of their leader Berta Cáceres, call on involved European companies to withdraw indefinitely from the Agua […]
A Call to End Vigilante Dispersal at Public Events in Indonesia
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released a statement concerning the protection of the right to freedom of expression and assembly in Indonesia. Over the past two months vigilante groups have forcibly dispersed groups at peaceful events, countered only with an indifference by police about protecting these rights of expression. Examples of forced dissolution […]