As post number 400 something positive. Without entering into the ongoing discussion on whether the Commonwealth still has a function or even a raison d’etre, it is true that over the years it has increasingly embraced human rights and agreed to the Declaration of Commonwealth Values in 1977. The Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, stressed this point again at the opening of an expert panel discussion recently held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, on ‘Strengthened Protection for Human Rights Defenders in the Commonwealth‘.
“Sustainable development and democracy cannot take place when human rights are not defended,” said Ms Masire-Mwamba. “We will continue to strengthen national human rights protection systems, and work with human rights defenders in their interpretation and application of laws to further the interests of the people in democracy and development. She noted that while all human rights defenders are vulnerable to human rights violations as a result of their work, evidence illustrates that women human rights defenders are most at risk as a result of their gender.
Human rights defenders in many Commonwealth countries still do not have the protected space within which to raise their voices without state reproach, said Karen McKenzie, Head of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She said human rights defenders who are particularly targeted include people working on issues related to land and natural resources; the rights of women; the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people; abuses against migrants, as well as those working to ensure justice for human rights abuses, journalists, bloggers and trade unionists.
Ms McKenzie said the Secretariat aims to advocate for and encourage the opening up of safe spaces within which human rights defenders are able to operate with the necessary protections. Towards this end, she said the Commonwealth will be deepening its assistance to member countries to prepare for the Universal Periodic Review and implement accepted outcomes.
Hina Jilani, a human rights lawyer in Pakistan and former UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, said efforts to establish, promote and sustain democracy; maintain international peace and security; and provide or advance a people-oriented agenda for development cannot be accomplished without the contributions that human rights defenders make. She pointed out that in situations of crisis, defenders can monitor an overall situation, rapidly investigate allegations of possible violations and report their conclusions, providing a measure of accountability. They also provide the international community with some independent verification of what is actually happening within an emergency situation, informing the process of decision-making. She stated that their presence is known to have calmed situations and, at times, to prevent human rights violations from being committed. Ms Jilani said the work of human rights defenders can help to bring human rights violations to an end and ensure a measure of justice for those who suffered violations.
Other speakers included the Oak Foundation’s Director of International Human Rights Programme, Adrian Arena, who spoke about the importance of civil society’s support for human rights defenders and the provision of tools to facilitate their advocacy work; and Mozambique’s High Commissioner to the UK, Carlos Dos Santos.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 