2018 was the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which laid out HRDs’ rights and the protections due to them. However, the work and safety of these crucial individuals and groups seems to be facing a crisis as they come into conflict with financial, political, and ideological interests across the world.[1]
This is characteristic of the chasm between the commitments leaders make, in public and on the international stage, and the impact communicators and activists witness on the front lines of expression. This ‘implementation gap’ is one of the major challenges ahead for bodies like the United Nations.
[1] OHCHR, Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 5 December 2018, available at https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.asp.x?NewsID=23980&LangID=E