The following is a guest blog by our new Human Rights and Projects Officer, Motsabi Rooper.
This Monday, as part of our marking of Human Rights Day 2013, we took part in the EU’s Annual Human Rights Defenders Meeting. During the event we met with a diverse range of Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) – including trade unionists, community workers, justice sector, indigenous, women and environmentalist activists – to hear about the freedoms they promote, challenges they face and their hopes for the future.
A common concern raised during the event was the increase in attacks against the security and legitimacy of human rights defenders in the country.
By definition Human Rights Defenders across the world often work in challenging environments and we recognise that 2013 has been a particularly difficult year for HRDs in Guatemala. The Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights reports 18 murders of HRDs this year alone (the highest number in 5 years) and has also expressed concern about criminalisation and defamation campaigns against them.
In line with our core values of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, the UK supports the right of HRDs to carry out their activities and voice their opinions in order to defend human rights peacefully.
This is why, here in Guatemala, we are committed to working together with authorities, the EU, the UN and Human Rights Defenders themselves to actively monitor situation of HRDs in the country and follow up on particular cases of attacks and threats against them.
Whilst we recognise that 2013 has been challenging, we welcome steps such as the recent creation of a journalist protection body and stand ready to support such efforts of the Guatemalan Government to improve the situation of HRDs in the year ahead. For more on our policy on HRDs you can read the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the EU Guidelines on HRDs which guide our action on this issue.
In a statement we issued to mark Human Rights Day 2013, Ambassador Sarah Dickson paid tribute to the work of HRDs and the Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman whose efforts we stand ready to support to tackle the human rights challenges ahead. This can be read here: https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/uk-marks-human-rights-day
Before signing off we would like to leave you with our top 3 reasons as to why HRDs across the world are important to the UK:
1. They document and report human rights violations and act as spokespeople for vulnerable and marginalised groups who might not be able to defend themselves.
2. They help to expose the reality of situations and identify key issues which prevent or obstruct positive change. This includes strengthening governance, improving the lives of women and girls, conflict prevention and peace building.
3. They act as agents of change. For example, HRDs can lobby their governments to ratify international human rights treaties and help ensure State compliance where treaties have already been ratified.
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