February 28, 2018

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) today is presenting its report “Toward a Comprehensive Policy to Protect Human Rights Defenders,” in the context of the 167th session of the IACHR taking place in Colombia. The purpose of this report is to provide the States in the region with guidance in developing their domestic policies, programs, and protection mechanisms for human rights defenders, in keeping with inter-American human rights standards. …“The work of defending human rights in the countries of the Americas has become extremely dangerous,” said the President of the IACHR, Commissioner Margarette Macaulay. “The levels of violence against people who defend human rights in our region are alarming, and the rates of impunity for these types of crimes are very high. The focus of the IACHR’s concern is on the violent deaths of rights defenders, the impunity that tends to surround these types of crimes, and the remaining vulnerability of all persons and groups on whose behalf the defender had worked. This makes it essential and urgent for the States to adopt effective measures to put an end to this situation,” she added…Some of the groups with especially high rates of violence and harassment against them include those who defend land and territories, advocate for environmental rights, and oppose certain economic megaprojects and natural resource development projects; those who advocate for women’s rights, on issues related to sexual violence and sexual and reproductive rights; health and rights defenders who work on issues related to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.