Human rights defenders in Liberia play a vital role in promoting accountability and transparency in the country.
However, the existing legal framework, including restrictive laws, expose human rights defenders to many challenges, prosecutions and repression.
The legal recognition and protection for human rights defenders is thus crucial in ensuring they can work in a safe, supportive and enabling environment free from attacks and reprisals.
The legal recognition and protection of defenders also contribute to upholding human rights, and promoting democracy, good government, sustainable development and respect for the rule of law.
In order to strengthen the legal recognition of defenders, Liberian civil society organisations have taken a significant step by proposing a national policy for the promotion and protection of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs).
This policy seeks to provide legal recognition and institutional protection of defenders and align the commitments of Liberia with regional and international human rights standards.
This national consultation aimed at strengthening the human rights defenders’ movement and in particular the national coalition of the human rights defenders.
It also aimed at developing a roadmap to guide advocacy activities to strengthen the protection of human rights defenders, including on the adoption of the Human Rights Defenders policy and, to encourage the national government and policy actors to endorse it.
Alongside the organizers, the meeting brought together representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Legislature, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), and civil society actors working on various human rights thematics.
The consultation ended with a common understanding of the benefit of the adoption of a law on the recognition and protection of defenders in Liberia and would be an important step to supporting the rights of human rights defenders who serve and pursue the interests of rights holders, victims of violations, and society as a whole.
By Lidawh-wè Fabienne Dontema and Elise Golay
