The Right to Defend Rights
Everyone has the right to peacefully promote, exercise, claim and defend their human rights recognized in national, regional, and international laws – this is the Right to Defend Rights.
To exercise the right to defend rights, everyone should be able to, for example, freely express their opinions, share ideas, and access publicly relevant information held by the authorities. They should also be able to access funds for their operations, to peacefully protest, and to form and join associations to defend human rights without illegitimate restrictions. Among other things, they should also be able to access justice and find remedy when the exercise of these rights is violated or abused.
The right to defend rights is guaranteed by a set of human rights and fundamental freedoms which are critical for exercising the actions illustrated above. These include the freedoms of association, assembly, opinion and expression, as well as the human rights to participate in public affairs, to be protected from abuse by authorities, and to access justice, among others. Together, these rights comprise the framework for an enabling environment for those who defend rights, also known as human rights defenders |
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To read more about the right to defend rights and how it is connected to the human rights framework and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, click here.
Who are human rights defenders
Everyone can be a human rights defender. The term refers to people who promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means. They can act individually or in association with others and are key actors in supporting and holding states accountable to their human rights obligations.
Human rights defenders are individuals and groups working on a variety of human rights issues across our societies. To name a few examples, they can be LGBTI people who fight to end discrimination and promote access to equal rights; children who defend the right to participate in public affairs; women who advocate for equal pay for all genders; journalists who report on or investigate human rights issues; indigenous peoples and small farmers who defend the right to access, protect and use land; and staff of national human rights institutions, among so many others. See the OHCHR Fact Sheet on human rights defenders for further Information.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted in 1998 a Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which states the right of everyone to act as a human rights defender and outlines their key role in the realization of all human rights.