Nelly Bassily | May 5, 2014
Five years ago, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project published the first edition of a handbook called Defending Human Rights. Since then, new challenges have evolved to shape the context in which human rights activists work. In response, the organization has now released a second, revised, edition.
The 77-page document covers subjects ranging from international and regional instruments for the protection of human rights defenders, to approaches to security in human rights work, to coping strategies for trauma victims.
It also includes information on advocacy campaigns and social media, as well as strategic policies for defending women and sexual minorities.
Four appendices include various documents (resolutions, declarations, etc.) on the protection of human rights defenders, resources for human rights defenders, resources on international and regional mechanisms, and a list of organizations that work with defenders of human rights.
The free handbook is available to download as a PDF document in English, French, Swahili, Somali, Amharic and Arabic at this link: http://www.defenddefenders.org/resource-book/