NordenBladet — Human rights defenders play an important role in strengthening democracy-building and in supporting sustainable development. At the same time, however, human rights defenders continue to be subjected to sanctions, which are getting even tighter. The shrinking space of civil society and restrictions on freedom of expression threaten the position of human rights defenders. At an event in April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto exchanged views with women human rights defenders (WHRDs).
Phil Lynch, Memory Bandera, Marinel Ubaldo, Hina Jilani and Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.Finland has supported transparent consultations with human rights defenders. For example, during the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2019, Foreign Minister Haavisto invited civil society representatives to tell about their views in connection with the informal Gymnich meeting.On 28 April, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs together with Amnesty International Finland and Finnish NGO Foundation for Human Rights KIOS organised a virtual panel discussion on the work of human rights defenders. In the debate, moderated by Executive Director Phil Lynch from the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), leading WHRDs from the Philippines, Uganda and Pakistan shared their experiences and views of the work done by human rights defenders. They also submitted their recommendations on support for human rights defenders to Minister Haavisto.
Human rights defenders work in difficult conditions
Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi