"Remarks by Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor"

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Allow me now to turn to the thematic report I’m presenting today, which shines a light on human rights defenders, who all too often work in the dark.

Its title is: Out of sight: human rights defenders working in isolated, remote and rural contexts

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I note that while some governments have taken some measures to protect such HRDs at risk, these measures are often better in theory than practice, and are too often insufficient...

We have watched with horror the failure of States and existing international mechanisms to protect HRDs in conflict, conflicts which serve to isolate defenders as protection actors leave or are prevented from entering conflict zones. Congolese defenders in the ongoing crisis in Eastern DRC, Palestinian defenders in Gaza and the West Bank, and defenders in Sudan to name just three.

But it is not just killings and physical attacks that remote and isolated defenders face.

Many cannot even connect with their country’s national civil society and social movements or don’t know how to.

Some say the authorities simply ignore them...

I routinely hear from Indigenous defenders working in isolated, remote or rural areas that businesses and governments do not consult with them properly...

Some attacks are committed by agents acting for businesses, others by government authorities and businesses acting together.

HRDs working in remote areas often can’t access reliable banking systems or the internet, vital services these days, especially during emergencies.

Many of these defenders are unjustly criminalised for their work...

Language is also a major challenge. Speakers of minority languages are at a huge disadvantage when seeking support or trying to present their work to wider audiences. Defenders living with disabilities often face major difficulties in having to travel long distances to report violations, or to do advocacy...