Whilst the Philippines are party to most international human rights treaties, human rights defenders (HRD) express serious concerns about their implementation.

Grave human rights violations continue to be pervasive and it has been acknowledged nationally, through the Melo Commission Report, and internationally, through the report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in 2007, that human rights defenders have been and continue to be specifically targeted and face serious risks in carrying out their human rights activities. The former UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights defenders described the environment in which HRDs are operating as “a particularly dangerous one”.

Since 2001, the number of politically motivated killings and enforced disappearances has caused great concern and despite being recognised as a problem by the government, political will has not been extended to offer any serious attempts to properly investigate these crimes, nor ensure that the perpetrators are brought before a competent court and held accountable for their actions.

In addition to the very real and serious threat of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, human rights defenders reported other forms of harassment and persecution, including: death threats, arbitrary arrest and detention, public vilification, regular surveillance, inclusion of names in military order of battle, office raids, trumped-up criminal charges and restrictions or interference in public demonstrations and fact-finding missions.

Many human rights defenders reported no longer being able to live in their homes due to the extent of the surveillance and the fear of being abducted or killed. The need to constantly move about and the difficulties that come with it limit the ability of human rights defenders to carry out their activities as effectively as they would wish. Organisations experience difficulties in mobilising as they continuously need to find safe venues for meetings and safe transportation for members. Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) have been specifically targeted in many cases.

Human rights defenders in the Philippines are active on a broad range of issues including extrajudicial killings and involuntary disappearances; indigenous people's rights; women's rights; urban poor, peasant, agricultural workers and fisher-folks rights; worker's rights; children's rights; and, sexual orientation and gender identity.