“Civil society identifies key issues for the new Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders”, 10 Jul 2014

The investigation and prosecution of attacks against human rights defenders, together with the recognition and protection of defenders in national laws and policies, should be key priorities of the new UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, according to a consultation convened by the International Service for Human Rights in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights…Participants…identified a range of human rights defenders who face particular risks…These included…defenders who work on issues of corporate accountability or protest against extractive industries and major development projects; and defenders who…combat impunity for gross violations… According to Mr Ineichen, ‘This meeting confirmed that human rights defenders...continue to face serious threats, from physical attacks against women human rights defenders in Pakistan…to the surveillance of activists working on business and human rights in the US, Canada and Mexico…’…[P]articipants…also discussed…priorities and strategies to improve the situation of human rights defenders...