Members of Parliament

Verification of the respect of the States commitments in the field of human rights is a key responsibility of parliamentarians . Parliamentarians, therefore, play a major role as human rights defenders.

To support and protect defenders, members of parliament can

• Adopt a support programme in favour of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders
• Ensure that legislation in security matters, for example, is not diverted in order to hinder the defenders’ action. Such an initiative can be taken on behalf of the defenders established in the country and on behalf of those residing in third countries.
• They can ensure the conformity of the national legislation with the Declaration and adopt the Declaration as binding national legislation.

Actual initiatives already undertaken in certain countries:

• The adoption of a Resolution or Motion on the protection of defenders like in Belgium (Congress and Senat), Germany and Spain.
• The Creation of a Parliamentarian Committee or working group
• Individual support of threatened defenders and very public taking up of their defence.
• Participation in a defenders support delegation in the field
• The placing of the defenders’ protection issues on the agenda of the Inter-parliamentarian Union meetings