CALL TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

By Mongezi Mhlongo (BTM Reporter)

UGANDA – 06 May 2009: Concerned about the soaring levels of violence against human rights defenders in the world, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (EHAHRDP) organised a conference in Uganda that aimed to unravel significant issues pertinent to gay rights defenders and other human rights activists in April.

The Johannesburg +10 Human Rights Defenders Conference was a follow up to the first All Africa Human Rights Defenders Conference that was held in Johannesburg in1998. 

According to Hassan Shire, Director of EHAHRDP the conference’s objective was to take stock of the achievements made in the protection of human rights defenders since the first All Africa Human Rights Defenders Conference held in Johannesburg in 1998 to jointly devise strategies to respond to new and persisting challenges facing human rights defenders.

At this conference a declaration, dubbed the Kampala Declaration of Human Rights Defenders was drafted by 85 Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) from 45 African states and 33 partners from across the world.

This declaration noted that all countries were concerned about the increasing violence against human rights defenders also urging all states to bring to a halt all forms of violence geared towards human rights defenders. 

“We call on states to bring to an immediate end to harassment, intimidation, legislative affronts and attacks on HRDs”, the declaration read.

It further urges states, intergovernmental organisations and non-governmental organisations to re-enforce their assistance and protection to HRDs, such as providing protection grants, responding to evacuation and relocation needs, offering family support, psycho-medical assistance as well as legal assistance to human rights defenders.

The four day conference saw various deliberations from delegates who noted that there are still challenges being faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) and other human rights defenders in the world.
 
Participants, according to Sheik, also discussed challenges facing human rights defenders across the continent with particular attention being paid to women human rights defenders, journalists and sexual minority defenders.

The conference was concluded with EHAHRDP calling on all human rights human rights defenders to work towards the implementation of the Kampala Declaration and a Plan of Action in order to make a safe working environment need, reality.