WARSAW, 8 December 2010 - Ahead of the International Human Rights Day on Friday, participants at an international meeting hosted by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today called for better inter-institutional co-operation to strengthen protection of human rights defenders.

The two-day event is organized by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture. ODIHR hosts the annual meeting for the first time.

Snjezana Bokulic, the head of ODIHR’s human rights department, stressed that the OSCE highly values the work of civil society in promoting human rights: "The international community must combine its efforts in a joint and comprehensive approach in order to effectively support the important work that is done by human rights defenders in the region."

Antoine Bernard, Chief Executive Director of FIDH, added: "Human rights defenders are facing stronger and more sophisticated repression in many countries. A strong and articulated response from the institutions represented here today needs to be further developed."

Participants in the meeting include representatives of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Council of Europe, European Union, African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, as well as several non-governmental organizations involved in supporting human rights.

They discussed how to better share information and improve the visibility and impact of support activities.

OSCE participating States have emphasized the need to protect human rights defenders and, at the Astana Summit last week, stressed the important role played by civil society in helping states to ensure full respect for human rights.

Direct link to the press-release