Objectives

The Human Rights Defenders World Summit 2018 will celebrate the achievements of the last 20 years and look forward to the next two decades. It is the main goal of this Summit that, 20 years from now, in 2038, a new generation of HRDs will look back and see this event as marking the transition to a new paradigm to approaching the security and protection of HRDs.

Specifically, the Human Rights Defenders World Summit 2018 will

Commemorate

The essential role of HRDs in advancing human rights, sustainable development, democracy and rule of law, and raise awareness of the specific threats, violence and obstacles they face, with a focus on those who are particularly targeted.

Reaffirm

The demand from the 1998 Summit for States to “fulfil their obligations under international human rights law and to respect, and enforce respect for the right to freedom of action for human rights defenders” (see 1998 Paris Declaration), in order to ensure a safe environment for HRDs to carry out their work.

Provide

A platform for HRDs to put forward their solutions to today’s situation and propose and affirm strategies for engagement on recognition and effective protection of HRDs with a variety of actors, including focused engagement with the donor community on more effective and impactful resource allocation.

Identify and Promote

Strategies for advocacy and campaigning that do not rely on institutional responses, but instead seek to win the support of wider audiences within communities where HRDs work.