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International organisations discuss the protection of human rights defenders in Europe

FRA, together with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), hosted a meeting for intergovernmental organisations and EU institutions on civil society cooperation and support for human rights defenders.

It was a chance to exchange views on ongoing and upcoming activities. Key issues of concern were also discussed. This included the situation for civil society due to the aggression in Ukraine, the difficulties for human rights defenders to obtain protection visas for accessing the EU, the challenges for defenders of migrants’ rights, digital civic space, and the environment.

The European Commission, the Council of Europe, the EU’s External Action Service, the UN’s Human Rights Office and its Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, the United Nations Development Program, and the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee attended the event.

The meeting took place on 13 October.