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بيانات صحفية

Concerns over attempts to block three human rights organisations from gaining UN consultative status

26 July 2006

Front Line is gravely concerned with reports that some member states of the UN Economic and Social Council Committee (ECOSOC) on NGOs are attempting to block or stall three human rights organisations from gaining UN consultative status because their human rights work concerns violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The three human rights organisations in question are the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians; the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany and the International Lesbian and Gay Association Europe.

UN Consultative status allows international, regional, sub regional and national NGOs to contribute to the programs and goals of the UN. The 2,700 NGOs that currently have consultative status with the UN serve as technical experts and advisors and can attend UN international conferences.

Consultative status is given to NGOs by UN-ECOSOC upon recommendation by the 19 member states of the UN-ECOSOC committee on NGOs.  Read More

International Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders is a success

8 December 2005 Nearly 200 women’s rights and human rights defenders from approximately 70 countries worldwide gathered from 29 November to 2 December in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to hold an historic global gathering on women human rights defenders. The consultation was attended by the First Lady of Sri Lanka, Shiranthi Rajapakse, and opened with a welcome address by Nimalka Fernando, from the Women’s Alliance for Peace and Democracy in Sri Lanka.

Front Line sponsored a two-day workshop for selected Women Human Rights Defenders immediately prior to the International Consultation. The workshop was led by Cecilia Jimenez and sought to develop appropriate methodology and resource materials for addressing the specific needs of women human rights defenders. The workshop drew heavily on the input from the participants and considered a number of case studies.  Read More

International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders, Launch Statement

Defending Women, Defending Rights International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders

Mahboobeh Abbasgholizadeh, a woman activist in Iran and editor of Farzaneh (the first women’s studies journal in Iran) is in prison upon the order of Tehran’s General Prosecutor. For more than two weeks now, Mahboobeh has been held without any formal charges, and she has been denied access to legal counsel or any visitors. Her only apparent offense is her activism and strong linkages with international women’s rights movement. Fereshteh Ghazi, another woman journalist writing on women’s issues for a daily newspaper in Iran, was also arrested.

Irene Fernandez, a Malaysian woman activist who has been fighting for women workers’ rights, has been prosecuted and convicted by the Malaysian government in a case, which has been dragged on for eight years. She is being prosecuted for releasing comprehensive documentation of the abuses against migrant workers in detention in Malaysia. She is currently appealing her case before the court.  Read More

Campagne internationale consacrée aux défenseuses des droits humains, Novembre 2004

Une campagne d’envergure internationale consacrée aux défenseuses des droits humains a débuté le 25 novembre dernier lors du forum de la société civile asiatique qui s’est tenu à Bangkok. L’objectif principal de cette campagne est d’informer et de sensibiliser la population mondiale aux problèmes rencontrés quotidiennement par les défenseuses des droits humains et la nécessité pour eux d’être protégés. A cette occasion, des militantes et défenseuses des droits humains, issus de différentes branches et ayant des champs d’action variés, des associations à but non lucratif, des ONG, ainsi que d’autres membres de la société civile se sont rassemblés afin de discuter ensemble et d’élaborer des solutions pour contrer ces problèmes.  Read More

International Campaign launched on Women Human Rights Defenders, November 2004

An International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders was launched on 25 November 2004 at the Asia Civil Society Forum in Bangkok. The campaign is a global mobilisation to bring international attention to the concerns of Women Human Rights Defenders and their need for protection. It will involve women and human rights activists in different fields and sectors, grassroots groups, NGOs, social movements and other members of the civil society. Front Line is part of the International Coordination Committee for the Campaign. The Campaign has been launched with an International Statement highlighting the situation of women human rights defenders and the specific challenges they face.

Guide to the International Criminal Court for Human Rights Defenders, September 2004

Human Rights Watch has published an excellent guide to how human rights defenders can work with the International Criminal Court (ICC)entitled How Nongovernmental Organizations Can Contribute To the Prosecution of War Criminals. The guide answers some of the frequently asked questions about the Court. In particular it explains how NGOs can contribute to the Court’s work of prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide at the international level. It does so by answering frequently asked questions about the International Criminal Court and the way NGOs can contribute to its efforts. Further information on the ICC can also be found on this website at Tools & Manuals/The International Criminal Court - Information for Human Rights Defenders.

Human Rights Defenders need stronger international support and protection, October 2004

Human Rights House Network conference entitled “Activists under Attack. Defending the Right to be a Human Rights Defender” held in Oslo, 13-14 October 2004.

The Human Rights House Network and conference participants urged governments worldwide to "develop and follow comprehensive policies to enhance their support to and protection of human rights defenders, nationally and internationally". They gave "urgent recommendations" to "prevent the perpetration of violations against defenders and the consequent worsening of human rights situations". They also stated that "the deteriorating security and working conditions of human rights defenders are a threat to democracy".

STATEMENT FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS HOUSE NETWORK

Not a Happy 5th Birthday for Human Rights Defenders, Dec 2003

“In the last five years we have sadly seen an increase in the attacks on human rights defenders around the world,” said Mary Lawlor, Director of Front Line, at an event in Dublin to mark the 5th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

In the last week we have seen an attempt by a group of 10 men in balaclavas and armed with machetes to kill human rights defender Victor Rosa in Guatemala. At the same time human rights defenders Madeleine Afite and Franka Nzounkekang were threatened and harassed by the authorities in Cameroon because of their work to expose torture.

In China Jiang Lijun is beginning a four year prison sentence for “incitement to subvert state power” because he posted political views in favour of democracy on the Internet. In Tunisia human rights lawyer Radhia Nasraoui is entering the seventh week of a hunger strike in protest against threats and harassment from the Tunisian authorities.  Read More

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