What do human rights defenders do?
Human rights defenders work towards the realisation of any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards. They work across the spectrum of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights in many different ways. Some human rights organisations contribute to the implementation of human rights standards by: • documenting human rights violations • campaigning to ensure that governments fulfil their legal obligations Some human rights organisations publicly condemn failures to protect people’s rights by: • organising peaceful demonstrations • publishing articles exposing human rights violations. Other human rights defenders: • provide practical support to the survivors of human rights abuses or their families, such as legal representation or shelter from domestic violence • start projects to realise a community’s economic and social rights, for example by providing access to education or housing • use human rights educat
