Protecting Human Rights Proponents

In many countries, Human Rights proponents, individual, groups or organisations within society, fighting non-violently for basic freedoms and Human Rights, have been thwarted due to the stances they take (document confiscation or theft, difficulty in receiving foreign subsidies, legal proceedings, threats, etc.).

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs works with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) to protect these parties, which are vital for a free civil society, embodying the only voice of those who cannot speak out. It supports, in particular:

 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (programme jointly-carried out with the World Organization against Torture, which won the French Republic’s Human Rights Prize in 1998)

 the implementation of action to protect (material assistance, investigations, legal watchtower, supply of security equipment, etc.)

 capacity-building in organisations and local players. FIDH educates Human Rights defenders about the legal referral options available to them, both internationally (International Criminal, Court, ad hoc criminal courts) and regionally (European, Inter-American and African Courts of Human Rights).