Strengthening human rights systems

Strengthening human rights systems

International and regional human rights laws and mechanisms can be used by human rights defenders to ensure accountability for human rights violations and to create and maintain pressure for human rights change.

Our work to strengthen human rights laws and systems focuses on four key issues:

  • Creating space for human rights defenders – Our research, policy development, advocacy and technical support help create and protect the space for human rights defenders, ensuring their voices are heard.
  • Enhanced legal recognition and protection - Our work seeks to strengthen the legal recognition and protection of human rights defenders at the international and regional levels and the implementation of relevant laws and standards at the national level.
  • Better protection from reprisals – Our work seeks to protect defenders from intimidation and reprisals, and to ensure that international and regional human rights systems have the mechanisms to prevent reprisals and ensure accountability where they occur.
  • Stronger membership and cooperation with human rights bodies – We monitor and report on States’ cooperation with UN treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council, the Universal Periodic Review, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Our research, monitoring, lobbying and advocacy also helps to ensure that UN treaty body members, together with Special Rapporteurs of the UN and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, are independent, expert and qualified.