The Hard Road to a Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Protection Law: Initial Assessment of the Bills in the 19th Congress

In 1998, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (Resolution 53/144), which recognizes individuals and groups who peacefully promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Declaration mandates that States respect and protect human rights defenders without discrimination, safeguard them from arbitrary actions due to their legitimate activities, ensure remedies for violations, and conduct impartial investigations into alleged abuses. States are also urged to create an enabling environment for their work through legislative, administrative, and institutional measures, including public education and independent human rights bodies.

Currently, there are five pending bills in the Philippine legislature that aim to establish protections for Human Rights Defenders (HRDs): four in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate.

This paper seeks to initiate discussions, gather viewpoints, and develop strategies for drafting an effective HRD Protection Law.

Founded in 1979, ANGOC is a regional association of national and regional networks of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Asia, actively engaged in food security, agrarian reform, sustainable agriculture, participatory governance, and rural development.