News & Media

The Front Line Dublin Platform 2010

Front Line Dublin Platform
10.2.2010

Front Line is the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders founded in Dublin in 2001 by Mary Lawlor (a member of the Irish Refugee Council's Board) with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line aims to address the protection needs identified by defenders themselves. To this end, an essential part of the organizations work is hosting "The Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders." This event provides a truly unique opportunity for human rights defenders at-risk, from every corner of the world, to come together to share experiences, learn from one another, discuss relevant issues and engage with decision makers from governmental and intergovernmental bodies. It is also a space where human rights defenders can speak openly and freely without fear of intimidation or arrest and a chance for them to escape from the relentless pressures under which they work in their everyday lives.

The Dublin Platform 2010 is being held from February 10th to 12th. At opening of the conference, the gathered Human Rights Defenders, from 85 countries, were addressed by Denis O’ Brien, Chairman of Front Line, as well the NGOs Director Mary Lawlor. The keynote addresses were delivered by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.

Ms. Pillay stressed the need to improve the effectiveness of protection measures for human rights defenders in precarious situations. “It is of vital importance to discuss at this forum and elsewhere – and as often and as visibly as possible – ways and means to minimise risks for human rights defenders, improve their safety, and foster an environment conducive to human rights advocacy.” Minister Martin underlined Ireland’s support for Human Rights in saying “Human rights and the cause of human rights defenders occupy a very important and indeed central place in Ireland’s foreign policy.”

The event brings together activists and campaigners from countries including Nigeria, Burma, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Malaysia, India, Yemen and Sri Lanka.

Listen to the Experiences of 2 Human Rights Defenders; Ajeet Singh, a human rights defender from India who works on the issue of sex trafficking and forced prostitution with his group GURIA and Sari Bashi head of Gisha, a legal group that lobbies for freedom of movement for Palestinians in Gaza as they discuss their work with Pat Kenny on RTE Radio 1 (Link on Top Right)

 

For more media coverage of the Dublin Platform, please click on the link below:

The Irish Times: Human Rights Activists From Around the World Attend Conference in Dublin