Defending Human Rights: A Resource Book for Human

to the Government requesting that an invitation
be extended. These visits provide an opportunity
to examine in detail the role and situation of
human rights defenders in the country, to identify
particular problems and to make recommendations
on how these could be resolved. By the nature of
the mandate, the Special Rapporteur is required
to look critically at the situation of human rights
defenders in a country. Nevertheless, the process is
intended to provide an independent and impartial
assessment, which will be of use to all actors in
strengthening both the contribution of defenders to
human rights and their protection.
(I) Annual reports to the UN General
Assembly and the UN Human Rights
Council
The Special Rapporteur submits an annual report to
both the General Assembly and to the Human Rights
Council detailing her year’s activity, findings and
recommendations, including all cases she handled
and any responses from States to urgent action or
allegation letters.
Since the establishment of the mandate, during
sessions of both the General Assembly and the
Human Rights Council, the two mandate-holders
to date have had strong public reports condemning
behaviour of States towards defenders operating
at national level, making emphases on the fact that
some defenders are more vulnerable during national
election periods when trying to participate in the
national election process.
The current mandate-holder, Mrs. Margaret
Sekaggya, has also produced reports on pertinent
thematic issues. In 2010, her report on the situation
of women human rights defenders touch on broader
issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
A recent report takes the form of a commentary
on the Declaration, providing analysis of the rights
contained therein. This useful reference tool for
human rights defenders is available on the OHCHR
website at:
http://www.ohchr.org/
Documents/Issues/Defenders/
CommentarytoDeclarationondefendersJuly2011.pdf.
Contact details for sending submissions and for further
correspondence:
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders,
Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya
c/o Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – Palais
Wilson
United Nations Office at Geneva
CH 1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
To submit an allegation of a violation against a human rights
defender:
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org or fax: +41(0) 22.917.90.06
To contact the mandate holder for other purposes:
Email: defenders@ohchr.org or fax: +41(0) 22.917.90.06
African Commission on Human and
Peoples’ Rights - Special Rapporteur on
Human Rights Defenders
At its 35th Ordinary Session, held from 21 May to
4 June 2004 in Banjul, The Gambia, the African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
decided to appoint Commissioner Janaiba Johm,
as the new Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
Defenders in Africa. She was replaced by Mme.
Reine Alapini-Gansou in December 2005, a lawyer
from Benin, who held the post until 2009. Mr.
Mohamed Khalfallah held the post in 2010, followed
by Mrs. Lucy Asuagbor from November 2010 to
November 2011. Currently the position is again held
by Mme. Reine Alapini-Gansou. The ACHPR is the
first regional human rights body to create a specific
special procedure to deal with the protection of
defenders’ rights.
The decision to appoint a Special Rapporteur on
human rights defenders responds to the grave
risks faced by defenders in Africa and the need to
create a specific instance within the Commission
to examine, report and act upon information
concerning the situation of defenders on the
continent.
The Commission decided to entrust the Special
Rapporteur with the following mandate:
• To seek, receive, examine and to act upon
information on the situation of human rights
defenders in Africa;
To submit reports at every Ordinary Session
of the African Commission on the situation of
human rights defenders in Africa;
• To cooperate and engage in dialogue with member
States, National Human Rights Institutions,
relevant intergovernmental bodies, international
and regional mechanisms of protection of human
rights defenders, human rights defenders and
other stakeholders;
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