Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Human rights defenders working on behalf of communities affected by large-scale development projects are increasingly being branded ‘anti-government’, ‘against development’ or even ‘enemies of the State’, the Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, has warned.
Human rights defenders trying to help communities affected by projects such as the construction of hydroelectric power stations, dams, and roads or the operations of various extractive industries were being “harassed, stigmatized and criminalized for doing their work,” the Special Rapporteur said on Monday 28 October in a report to the UN General Assembly. They also faced deaths threats and physical attacks. In her report, Ms. Sekaggya calls for a rights-based approach to large-scale development projects, which would include the principles of equality and non-discrimination, participation, protection, transparency and accountability, including access to appropriate remedy.

“It is essential that communities and those defending their rights are able to participate actively, freely and meaningfully in assessment and analysis, project design and planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects,” said Ms. Sekaggya. Such participation can contribute significantly to defusing tensions, she added. Ms. Sekaggya also stressed that, “States have an obligation to provide protection to those claiming their legitimate right to participate in decision-making processes and voicing their opposition to large-scale development projects.”

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13912&LangID=E

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This entry was posted on October 29, 2013 at 18:30 and is filed under human rights, Human Rights Defenders, UN.

Tags: criminalization, death threats, detention, development, environmental issues, freedom of expression, Human right, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, judicial harassment, Land issues, Margaret Sekaggya, retaliation, Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur, UN General Assembly, United Nations, United Nations Special Rapporteur