Declaration+25: setting out international standards to protect the right to defend rights

25 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, reaffirming the right to defend human rights. The Declaration also delineates the rights and obligations of States, human rights defenders, and all actors in society to allow human rights defenders to work for the promotion and protection of human rights in a safe environment, where they are recognised, valued and protected.

Unfortunately, the implementation of the UN Declaration was not carried responsibly by all the countries. 25 years later, human rights defenders have to face a threatening and dangerous context that prevents them from exercising the right to defend human rights.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration, 18 human rights organisations united to improve some areas of the UN Declaration in order to ensure the protection of the human rights defenders.
On 19th June 2024, they came up with The Declaration+25 that enhances the UN Declaration and together they form a comprehensive set of standards and parameters that should guarantee the right to defend rights and those who exercise it.
The principles of the Declaration+25 are based on international law and consider the international jurisprudence over the last 25 years, the evolutions of movements and activism as well as defenders’ lived experiences.

Eventually, it serves as a call to action towards all the actors to work together and engage in reinforcing the Declaration and protecting the human rights defenders.