Hina Jilani, right, the UN Secretary General´s Special Representative for Human Rights Defenders, once again visited the Human Rights House today summing up the achievements as her second and last term is coming to an end later this year. -Throughout my six years in this post, I have concentrated on meeting human rights defenders, said Jilani. Their security and working conditions remain lacking. Even the UN itself repeatedly ignores the particular problems of human rights defenders. (03-APR-06)
This article has been written by HRH / Niels Jacob Harbitz. Photo of Jilani: HRH / Baard Brinchmann Løvvig.
The Pakistani lawyer Hina Jilani has been the first to hold this particular mandate within the UN system. Every year, she has reported both to the spring session of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, and to autumn sessions of the General Assembly at the Un Headquarters in New York City.
Strong appreciation of HRH´s work
In addition to pointing out the particular problems of human rights defenders in different countries, regions and continents of the world, her report also recommends means and strategies with which to improve human rights defenders´ security and working conditions. Her recommendations corresponds well with the priorities of the Human Rights House Network, and it comes as no surprise, therefore, that, after getting to know HRH´s activities closer, especially in the course of 2004 and 2005, she wrote a letter of endorsement, highlighting the importance of HRH´s concept, mandate and work. Hina Jilani´s letter of endorsement can be read here.
