CIVICUS welcomes the appointment of Andrea Bolaños Vargas as the new UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. The mandate is critical to ensuring a strong and effective UN human rights system.
Three years after the 25th anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, human rights defenders face continued and unprecedented challenges. The unlawful detention and prosecution of human rights defenders feature among the top ten violations of core civic freedoms, amid increased surveillance, harassment, and other attempts to intimidate and silence these critical voices.
According to the CIVICUS Monitor, a participatory research collaboration to measure civic freedoms around the world, only 7% of the world’s population live in countries with somewhat enabling civic space conditions, which are essential for human rights defenders to do their work.
The protection of human rights defenders lies at the heart of the UN human rights system, and must be prioritised to ensure a sound, healthy and safe civic space at the national, regional, and international levels.
The mandate has historically served as a key tool to promote and protect individuals and groups who peacefully work to advance human rights worldwide. The renewal of the mandate for further three years, alongside the appointment of an independent, impartial, and highly competent expert as the new Rapporteur sends a strong signal of support to defenders at a time of declining global commitment to human rights, multilateralism, and international solidarity.
Andrea Bolaños Vargas, a Colombian national, is a human rights expert with a wealth of experience across diverse issue areas, including migration, gender and human rights protection, both within civil society and grassroots movements. Her expertise, background and lived experience reflect the diversity of human rights defenders worldwide and will bring insightful perspectives that will strengthen the mandate’s capacity to advance holistic protection for defenders and activists at risk worldwide.
Andreas Bolaños Vargas will succeed Mary Lawlor, who has held the position since 2020. CIVICUS thanks the outgoing UN Special Rapporteur, Mary Lawlor, for her unwavering commitment to the recognition and protection of human rights defenders, and warmly congratulates Andrea Bolaños Vargas on her appointment. We look forward to working with the incoming Special Rapporteur on the protection of human rights defenders at risk and the release of those arbitrarily imprisoned.
