Human rights defenders and the shrinking space for civil society

Speakers:

• Navi Pillay
  UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Dr. Halah Eldoseri – Saudi Arabia
  Halah Eldoseri is a researcher on women’s health services and the social factors affecting women’s health. She keeps a blog (Saudi women’s rights) as a platform to educate women about the country’s obligations towards women by presenting an Arabic version of international, regional and local agreements and treaties to reform women’s rights. As an independent women’s rights activist, she writes Op-eds and commentates on issues related to the status of women and their rights in Saudi Arabia and the region. She publishes guides to help women in domestic violence situations and to assist them in seeking help through legal or informal channels. She also organises lectures and workshops in Saudi Arabia for activists and the public related to women’s rights. Maksym Butkevych – Ukraine
• Maksym Butkevych is an experienced radio and TV journalist currently working with “Hromadske Radio” (“Public Radio”) in Kiev. He is the Co-Founder and Co-Ordinator of “No Borders” project of the NGO “Social Action Centre”, which works on anti-discrimination issues. He organised an independent radio station to directly cover the events in Ukraine and is the Co-Ordinator of the Independent Civic human rights violations Investigation Commission set up to investigate crimes committed.