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Informal exchange of views with representatives of civil society
organised on the initiative of the Chair of the GR-H
“Challenges faced by human rights defenders”
Strasbourg, Friday 8 December 2023, 9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.
Committee of Ministers’ Room
AGENDA
Opening
- Ambassador Helge Seland,Chair of the GR-H
Introduction
- Claudia Lam, Deputy to the Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
- Debbie Kohner, Secretary General of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI)
Thematic session:Challenges faced by human rights defenders
The protection of Human Rights Defenders is a priority for the Council of Europe (see Appendix).
The value of “the work of all human rights defenders, including NHRIs and civil society organisations, which each make important contributions to an environment of respect for and the active promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe” was acknowledged in Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the need to strengthen the protection and promotion of civil society space in Europe.
This was re-affirmed by the Council of Europe Heads of State and Government at their 4th Summit in Reykjavík on 16-17 May 2023: “We reiterate the pan-European role of the Council of Europe and in this regard, we will step up and strengthen the Council of Europe’s engagement with democratic actors in Europe and its efforts to create an enabling environment for human rights defenders”.
Within the framework of the follow up entrusted to the GR-H, it is timely and relevant to devote its annual informal exchange of views with civil society to the topic of human rights defenders.
The informal exchange aims at discussing more concretely the trends and challenges they face, such as various forms of reprisals, including physical ones, smear campaigns, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) and other intimidating acts, as well as possible responses.
What specific challenges are faced by human rights defenders working in the areas of women’s rights, protection of the environment and media freedom? Can good practices be identified?
How can the Council of Europe strengthen its engagement with, and create an enabling environment for, human rights defenders?
Speakers:
- Marion Boeker, Member of the Executive Board, European Women’s Lobby
- Sarah De Roure, Head of Protection, Front Line Defenders
- Flutura Kusari, Senior Legal Advisor, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
- Rita Patricio, Representative to the Council of Europe, Amnesty International
Discussion
Concluding remarks
- Ambassador Helge Seland,Chair of the GR-H
Appendix
In addition to the judicial protection offered by the European Convention on Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights, the Organisation’s mechanisms related to human rights defenders have been significantly developed in recent years, with a view to enhancing their protection in the light of the Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Council of Europe action to improve the protection of human rights defenders and promote their activities of 6 February 2008.
The Parliamentary Assembly’s work has been streamlined, notably with the ratification of the terms of reference of the General Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders (currently Mr Emmanuel Zingeris) on 8 October 2018.
The Commissioner for Human Rights’ specific role on issues related to human rights defenders is highlighted in the above-mentioned Declaration. As support for the work of human rights defenders lies at the core of the Commissioner’s mandate, the Commissioner and her predecessors have used various tools in the framework of their mandate with the aim of improving the situation of human rights defenders, assisting them when they are at risk and promoting their work.
The Secretary General’s Private Office procedure of 2017 is specific and distinct from the procedures of the European Court of Human Rights and the activities of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Commissioner for Human Rights. This procedure aims at assisting human rights defenders who allege that they have been subject to reprisals for their interaction with the Council of Europe. Since 2017, the Private Office has sought the experience of other international organisations with similar procedures. Consequently, and within the framework of the Secretary General’s follow-up proposals to the decisions adopted at the 129th Session of the Committee of Ministers on “the need to strengthen the protection and promotion of civil society space in Europe” (17 May 2019, Helsinki, Finland (the so-called “Helsinki process)”, the operating criteria have been reviewed.
To secure regular exchanges and synergies among the above-mentioned instances, an intersecretariat task force on civil society and human rights defenders, operating through the Private Office, was set up in 2022. Its aim is to share timely information on thematic work and initiatives and on urgent questions, and to address notably the Council of Europe’s co-operation with civil society, including through its field offices, as well as co-operation with other international organisations (EU, UN and OSCE), in particular when operating similar procedures on human rights defenders.
In response to the Reykjavík Declaration, the Secretary General’s Roadmap on the Council of Europe engagement with civil society 2024-2027 contains forward-looking observations devoted to human rights defenders.