UNDP-OHCHR TOOLKIT 4.6 Protection of human rights defenders QUICK FACTS ABOUT NHRIS AND PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS According to a NHRI survey, fewer respondents (62.2%) carried out activities aimed at protecting human rights defenders. This percentage was highest in the Asia Pacific, with 11 respondents (91.6%), followed by 7 in the Americas (77.7%), 11 in Africa (57.8%) and 9 in Europe (42.8%). Only two thirds had dedicated activities for human rights defenders. When establishing and strengthening capacity in this area, NHRIs should be considering developing their work through the following types of activities: 11 receiving and handling complaints from human rights defenders; 11 programs to sensitize the general public and particular target groups (state institutions, lawyers, etc.) on the importance of respecting the work of human rights defenders; 11 advocating on behalf of human rights defenders at risk, for example through protection programs or by submitting complaints to regional bodies, an appointed Rapporteur on freedom of expression; 11 establishing a focal point or unit within the NHRI for human rights defenders; and 11 supporting the work of human rights defenders, for example through sharing best practices and holding training workshops, presenting awards (e.g. two NHRIs from Africa, two from the Americas, one from the Asia Pacific region and two from Europe). Source: OHCHR, Survey of National Human Rights Institutions: Report on the Findings and Recommendations of a Questionnaire Addressed to NHRIs Worldwide. 2009. www.nhri.net 4.7 Core Protection and Specific Groups The rights of these groups are often contested and controversial. NHRIs are often the only ones that can speak out and come forward in defence of vulnerable groups, and sometimes in the face of trenchant public critique. When it comes to core protection, these groups are especially vulnerable. 11 Women 11 Children 11 Persons 11 Older with disabilities persons 11 Migrant workers 11 Minorities 11 Indigenous peoples 11 Persons with HIV/AIDS 11 Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons 11 Refugees 11 Human 60 and displaced persons rights defenders. Many of these can be treated as intersectional issues, that is, issues where the victim is both a woman and a lesbian, and/or has been trafficked, or is also a refugee. An example of this is the case of LGBT persons in South Africa, where victims of attacks are women, people of colour, and people with HIV/AIDS. >> Example: Increased vulnerability for groups in South Africa In South Africa, open harassment and violence towards LGBT people is common. Rape of black and coloured homosexual men occurs frequently. There are reports of “curative rape” of black and coloured lesbians in townships, meaning that young lesbians are raped by a man with consent from their family to “cure” them from lesbianism. Because of the high prevalence of rape, prevalence of HIV/AIDS among black South African lesbians is reported to be as high as in the general population. Homophobia is common among all social groups in South Africa but negative attitudes and homophobic statements are rarely reported to the police. The church still have [sic] leaders who openly condemn