Environmental Human Rights Defenders

ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

Call for inputs

UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders

Michel Forst

Human rights defenders play an important role in the promotion and protection of our human rights, many of which depend on a healthy and sustainable environment. In their personal or professional capacity, individually or collectively, environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) strive for the realisation of the rights and fundamental freedoms as they relate to the enjoyment of a safe, healthy and sustainable environment.

Despite the protection afforded to them by the human rights law, EHRDs increasingly face heightened risks and suffer grave violations of their rights as a result of their defence of land, environment and indigenous rights.They are subjected to killings and detention, threats and intimidation, stigma and criminalization from State and non-State actors.

States have clear obligations to respect the rights of EHRDs and protect them from harm. They should combat impunity for attacks and violations against EHRDs, particularly by non-State actors, who in turn also have responsibilities under human rights law. Business enterprises have a responsibility to respect internationally recognized human rights, a duty which is independent of State obligations.

Due to the complexity of monitoring and documenting the situation of EHRDs, it has been challenging to fully grasp the scale of the challenges and identify ways to overcome it.

The UN Special Rapporteur, Michel Forst, willtherefore explore these issues in a report on the situation of EHRDs around the world, to be presented in October 2016to the UN General Assembly. The report will be made publicly available, including on the website of the Special Rapporteur.

In this context, you are encouraged to share your inputs on a) the risks and threats EHRDs are facing;b) the role of State and non-State actors in aggravating or alleviating them; and c) concrete measures and practices to strengthen the protection of EHRDs.

Please email your inputs to the questions below to at the earliest convenience or by 24 June 2016, at the latest.

Your responses will be held confidentially and will not be attributed to you, unless you give us permission to do so. This survey is also available in Spanish and French.

We look forward to receiving your inputs.

QUESTIONS:

1. Please provide a specific example(s) of threats or challenges facing environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) as a result of their work?

Are there any groups of EHRDs that are particularly at risk from these threats?

2. Please identify root causesthat underlie these threat(s) and challenge(s)?

3. Please specify actors, State or non-State,whichplay a role in the violations committed against EHRDs? In what way are they involved?

4. Please provide specific examples of a practice or measure that you employ and consider to be effective in addressing challenges in this area. Why is it effective?

5. Please specify actors, State or non-State, whichplay a role in making that measure effective, and in what way?

6. Under what conditions do you think this practice might be successful elsewhere?Are there any other measure(s) that have not been tried but you think could be effective?

7. Please provide your details (this will be kept confidential),so we know who is submitting this input and if you don’t mind us getting back with any questions.