Hina Jilani (right),  United Nations’ Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, was a special guest at the Human Rights House Network Meeting, which took place 7-10 September in Baku. She encouraged the defenders to submit reports, appeals and complaints to the UN. (26-SEP-05)

Photo: Baard Brinchmann Lovvig

Delegates to the conference stressed the importance of learning about Jilanis mandate and their rights as human rights defenders. In a workshop held by the Geneva-based NGO ISHR, the delegates learned how to appeal to the UN. Jilani encouraged the defenders to submit reports on violations by using a questionnaire that was distributed. Download Jilani’s questionnaire on how to appeal (English, French and Spanish versions).

Hina Jilani has been serving the mandate since the year 2000. She was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General following a motion made by the UN Human Rights Commission. Her main tasks include: analyzing the situation and rights of people involved in activities in support of human rights, establishing and strengthening cooperation and dialogue between State governments and interested actors on the promotion and implementation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998), as well as promoting activities that reinforce the protection of human rights defenders.

Names and shames with the backing of the UN
 Mrs. Jilani’s activity focuses on four areas: democratization, security and counter-terrorist legislation, human rights defenders in emergency situations and women defenders. The UN Special Representative gathers information on the situation of human rights defenders by maintaining constant contact with the defenders themselves, representatives of particular countries, parliaments and regional representatives of international organizations, as well as during visits made at the invitation of particular States (Mrs. Jilani visited Kyrgyzstan, Colombia, Guatemala, Thailand and Macedonia). In cases when Mrs. Jilani states a violation of the rights of particular individuals, she intervenes by sending letters to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the given States, in which the violations took place, and to their diplomatic missions within the United Nations in Geneva.

Reports to the UN High Commission for HR and the General Assembly
Each year the UN Special Representative files a report to the UN Human Rights Commission and the General Assembly, in which she describes her activity during the given year and points out possible threats, which human rights defenders may encounter, as well as the possible methods of prevention and counteracting. In next year?s UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sessions in Geneva, Jilani?s mandate will be up for discussion as to whether or not to continue this particular special representative within the UN system. In her interventions i Baku, she made a strong appeal to everyone present to lobby for this to happen, especially since it has been brought beyond doubt during her now five years of documenting the security and working conditions of human rights defenders that these are in fact deteriorating, but also that it does work to intervene and name and shame the violators of human rights defenders? rights.  

For more information see: www.unhchr.ch/defenders/