An Open Letter to the Nobel Committee

Dear Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee,

9 December 2018 will mark the 20th anniversary of the UNs Declaration on human rights defenders*. It is an ideal and opportune moment to recognise and celebrate the efforts of these extraordinary individuals who despite threats of violence and unlawful imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, torture and assassination, continue to peacefully challenge injustice and call for the implementation and strengthening of the rule of law. Since 1998, over 3000 human rights defenders have been killed for defending the fundamental values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN.

In recognising the increasingly hostile environments globally, in which human rights defenders must work, the late Former Secretary-General to the United Nations, Kofi Annan, recently said:

“To stand up for human rights requires courage, perseverance, vigilance and a strong foundation of knowledge and evidence. We need to be vigilant in the protection of human rights defenders, for when the defenders’ rights are violated, all our rights are injured.”**

In the same vein and emphasising the critical role that human rights defenders play in promoting and fostering stable democracies and sustainable peace, Permanent Representative of Norway to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ambassador Steffen Kongstad said:

“Threats and attacks against human rights defenders may hamper the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights, undermining social cohesion, and ultimately stability and development.”***

Despite this recognition and respect at the highest levels of the international community, human rights defenders are killed every day. human rights defenders who suffer disproportionately are those activists working at grassroots and community levels, in isolated regions and from marginalised populations, who lack networks and resources to command international attention. Human rights defenders can be community leaders, lawyers, journalists, environmental activists, victims of abuse, trade unionists and teachers.

It is for these urgent reasons that Peace Brigades International with the support of the UK All- Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group has nominated the global community of human rights defenders for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. It is the highest humanitarian achievement through which to recognise human rights defenders and celebrate their commitment to advocating for and building societies that are peaceful, safe, inclusive, tolerant, just and sustainable for all. The nomination is currently supported by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and some governments, diplomats and parliamentarians around the world.

We believe that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the global community of human rights defenders will mark a milestone in legitimising the crucial work they undertake to protect humanity and bring the trends of persecution they suffer to the public eye.

Furthermore, this collective award would mark a world first. By nominating a community rather than individuals or organisations, we emphasise that the trends making the defence of human rights ever more risky and ever more admirable, are global. We seek to highlight that the community itself is integral to the defence of human rights and it is the idea of community that motivates people to take enormous risks defending the rights of others and advancing peace.

Signed:

1. ABColombia 
2. ABCPAZ 
3. Acceso a la Justicia 
4. Access Now 
5. Acuerdo de Mujeres 
6. Adivasi-Koordination 
7. Advocacy Forum (Nepal) 
8. Albergue de Migrantes Hermanos en el Camino A.C. 
9. Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua (AlDP) 
10. Alianza Sierra Madre A.C. 
11. Alliance des Avocats pour les Droits de L’Homme 
12. All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group 
13. Aluna Acompañamiento Psicosocial A.C. (México) 
14. Amazon Watch 
15. American Jewish World Service 
16. Amigos 
17. Amnesty International 
18. Appleton Foundation 
19. Artículo 19 
20. ask! – ArbeitsgruppeSchweiz-Kolumbien 
21. Asociación Calidad de Vida 
22. Asociación Colectivo Violeta 
23. Asociación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos y Víctimas de Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos en México (AFADEM)
24. Asociación Mujeres Palante 
25. Asociación para una vida mejor (Apuvimeh) Honduras 
26. Asociación Talita Cumi 
27. Asociación Taller Abierto 
28. ASPRODER 
29. Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE) 
30. Association Tunisie Terre des Hommes 
31. Ayuntamiento de Donostia/San Sebastián 
32. Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales 
33. Bindmans LLP Law Firm 
34. Brot für alle CH 
35. Brot für die Welt 
36. Bulungan Pioneer Foundation 
37. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre 
38. CAFOD 
39. Casa del Migrante de Saltillo 
40. Caucasus Civil Initiatives (CCIC) 
41. Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) 
42. Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) 
43. Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York 
44. Centre for Human Rights and Development 
45. Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña “Tlachinollan” 
46. Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” 
47. Centro Diocesano para los Derechos Humanos Fray Juan de Larios 
48. Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental A.C. 
49. Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social A.C. 
50. CFD the Feminist Peace Organisation 
51. Chairperson Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization Public Union
52. Christian Aid Ireland 
53. CIVICUS 
54. Civil Rights Defenders 
55. CMDPDH 
56. Colectivo ANSUR 
57. Colectivo Contra la Tortura y la Impunidad A.C. 
58. Colectivo de Abogados Dike 
59. Colectivo de Abogados José Alvear Restrepo 
60. Colombia Libre 
61. Colombian Caravana UK Lawyers Group 
62. Comhlámh 
63. Comisión de Solidaridad y Defensa de los Derechos Humanos A.C. 
64. Comision Intereclecial de Justicia y Paz 
65. Comision Nacional de los Derechos Humanos Cndh-Rd 
66. Comité Cerezo México 
67. Comité de Defensa Integral de Derechos Humanos Gobixha A.C. 
68. Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos 
69. Community Resource Centre 
70. Comunidad Martín Carrera 
71. Conciencia Ciudadana A.C. 
72. Congreso de los Pueblos, Colombia 
73. Consorcio para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca A.C. 
74. CORDICOM 
75. CORE Coalition 
76. Corporación Andares Ida y Vuelta 
77. Corporación Espacios de Mujer 
78. Corporación Foro Ciudadano 
79. Corporación Kes Kiwe 
80. Defend Defenders (East & Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) 
81. Deighton Pierce Glynn (Law Firm) 
82. Diakonia 
83. Docip 
84. Earth Rights International 
85. Ecos de Colombia – Migración y Refugio 
86. Educación para la paz, A.C. 
87. ELAS – Fundo de Investimento Social 
88. Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center 
89. ELSAM (Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy) 
90. Environmental Network for Central America (ENCA) 
91. Epikeia Observatorio Universitario de Derechos Humanos 
92. European Bars Federation 
93. Faculty of Advocates Human Rights and Rule of Law Committee 
94. Familia Pasta de Conchos 
95. Feminist Self-care Collective – Brazil 
96. FIAN International 
97. Finca minga La Constanza 
98. Fondo Alquimia 
99. Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres 
100. Fondo de Acción Urgente para América Latina y el Caribe 
101. Fondo de Mujeres Bolivia Apthapi Jopueti 
102. Fondo Lunaria Mujer – Colombia 
103. Founders of the “Academics under Threat” Network 
104. Frauen für den Frieden Schweiz 
105. Friends of the Earth United States 
106. Front Line Defenders 
107. Fuerzas Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos en Coahuila
108. Fuerzas Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos en México 
109. Fund for Global Human Rights 
110. Fundación Acceso 
111. Fundacion Aguaclara 
112. Fundación Moisés Bertoni 
113. Fundación Pro Defensa del Derecho a la Educación y la Niñez 
114. Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society 
115. Global Fund For Human Rights Defenders, Freedom House
116. Global Fund for Women 
117. Global Greengrants Fund 
118. Global Witness 
119. Grupo belga ‘Solidair met Guatemala’ 
120. Grupo de Pensamiento Afrodescendiente (GPA) 
121. Grupo Ecuménico de Mujeres Constructoras de Paz 
122. Grupo Sociedad Civil 
123. Honduras Forum Switzerland 
124. HRM Bir Duino 
125. Humanistas por la Renta Básica Universal e Incondicional 
126. Humanrights.ch 
127. Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales
128. ICCO – COOPERATION 
129. IDHEAS, Litigio Estratégico en Derechos Humanos AC 
130. IFOR-MIR Switzerland 
131. INAH Mexico 
132. Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) 
133. Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Defensores de Derechos Humanos 
134. Iniciativas de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (ICID)
135. Iniciativas para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Oaxaqueña 
136. InspirAction 
137. Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia A.C.
138. Inter Pares (Canada) 
139. International Accountability Project 
140. International film festival and forum on Human Rights (FIFDH)
141. International Labor Rights Forum 
142. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) 
143. Irish Council for Civil Liberties 
144. Iván Castro Chadid Profesor Titular Universidad Javeriana
145. Jamaa Resource Initiatives 
146. JASS – Just Associates 
147. Karapatan 
148. Kenoli Foundation 
149. Kolectivo Antimilitarista de Medellín 
150. Lambi Fund Of Haiti 
151. Latin America Bureau 
152. Latin America Working Group (LAWG) 
153. Latino Life Media 
154. Leigh Day 
155. Lesbenorganisation Schweiz LOS 
156. LGBT Centre (Mongolia) 
157. Link-AR Borneo 
158. LP3BH Manokwari, the Institute for Research, Investigation and the Development of Legal Aid 
159. Lush 
160. Mathare Social Justice Centre 
161. Mesa de Derechos Humanos Oriente Ant. 
162. MISEREOR 
163. Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights 
164. Movimiento Social Discapacidad Colombia MOSODIC 
165. Narasha Community Development Group 
166. National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (Kenya) 
167. Novaokupa Red PIDHDD Argentina 
168. Nürnberger Menschenrechtszentrume.V. 
169. Observatoire d’Etudes et d’Appui à la Responsabilité Sociale et Environnementale (OEARSE ) 
170. Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes
171. Observatorio San Calixto 
172. Odhikar 
173. Oficina Ecuménica por la Paz y la Justicia / Ökumenisches Büro für Frieden und 
174. OMCT – World Organisation Against Torture 
175. OMI – Västerås Suecia 
176. Organización de Colombianos Refugiados en Chile OCORCH 
177. Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña, OFRANEH 
178. Oxfam
179. OyuTolgoi Watch 
180. Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network 
181. Peace Brigades International 
182. Peace Watch Switzerland 
183. Perifèries del Món 
184. Plataforma Internacional contra la Impunidad 
185. Prisoners of Conscience Appeal Fund 
186. Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER) 
187. Promoción Educación y Defensa en DDHH, PROMEDEHUM 
188. Protection International 
189. Protection International Mesoamérica 
190. Psychological Responsiveness NGO 
191. Red de Género y Medio Ambiente 
192. Red de Huertos Urbanos Comunitarios de Madrid 
193. Red de Víctimas Colombianas por la Paz en Latinoamérica y el Caribe -REVICPAZ- 
194. Red europea de Comités Oscar Romero 
195. Red Popular de Derechos Humanos Bogotá REDHUS 
196. Revicpaz-Lac 
197. Rivers without Boundaries Coalition (Mongolia) 
198. Santa Fe Humana 
199. Servicio Internacional para la Paz (SIPAZ) 
200. Servicios para una Educación Alternativa EDUCA Oaxaca A.C.
201. Servicios y Asesoría para la Paz (Serapaz) 
202. Simmons & Simmons 
203. Sociedad Hominis Iura (SOHI) 
204. Society for Threatened Peoples (Germany) 
205. Sri Lanka Advocacy 
206. SweFOR 
207. Swiss Peace Council, Zurich 
208. Swiss Working Group on Colombia/Arbeitsgruppe Schweiz Kolumbien
209. Tamera – International Peace Research Center 
210. Tania González Peñas, Parlamento Europeo 
211. Tavistock Peace Action Group 
212. Terre des Hommes France 
213. The Alliance for Lawyers at Risk 
214. The Bromley Trust 
215. The Norwegian Human Rights Fund 
216. The Priory Fund 
217. The Washington Office on Latin America 
218. Trócaire 
219. UGT España – Director ISCOD 
220. Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos Guatemala – UDEFEGUA
221. Unión Vecinal para la Participación Ciudadana A.C 
222. Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights 
223. Vamos por los Derechos. Nariño
224. Vicaría de Justicia y Paz, Diócesis de San Cristóbal de Las Casas
225. West African Human Rights Defenders’ Network 
226. Westpapua-Netzwerk 
227. Yanet Fermín – Diputada Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela