Join us for a side event on land and environmental rights defenders in danger!

You canalso download an overviewof recent cases of land and environmental rights defenders in danger here.

Join us for a side event on

Land and environmental rights defenders in danger

Date: Tuesday 3rd December 2013

Time: from 1.30 to 3pm

Place: UN Palais des Nations, Room XX

Human rights defenders play a critical role in exposing and ensuring accountability for business-related human rights violations. Despite this, around the world, there is an increase in attacks, judicial harassment, restrictions, surveillance, intimidation and reprisals against defenders who work on land and environment issues associated with business activities.

This side event will pay special attention to challenges engendered by the increasing criminalisation or repression of those peacefully denouncing adverse human rights impacts of corporate projects, discussing the role of both States and companies.

Calling upon States and all other stakeholders to give full recognition to the legitimate role and important work carried out by defenders, the event will be an opportunity to explore ways to improve the security of these advocates at extreme risk as well as to prevent and combat impunity for such attacks and violations.

Panellists

Jorge Luis Morales, lawyer and member of the Verapaz Union of Peasant Organisations (UVOC), Guatemala

Samuel Nguiffo, Secretary General of the Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Cameroon

Pavel Sulyandziga, Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights

Harriet Berg, Minister-Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Norway in Geneva

Moderator

Debbie Stothard, Coordinator for the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean), Malaysia and FIDH Secretary General

Submit questions through Twitter using #LandRightsHRD

Live webcasting will be available at http://ishr.ch/webcast

Interpretation, sandwiches and refreshments will be provided

The event is co-sponsored by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Peace Brigades International (PBI), the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), EarthRights International (ERI), Friends of the Earth International, Global Witness, the International Land Coalition, the International Union for Conservation of Nature National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL), the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia).

Contact Delphine Reculeau of OMCT for further information: +41 22 809 49 39 / dr@omct.org.