On Thursday 12 October, Nicaraguan and El Salvador Human Rights Defenders have been shortlisted as finalist for Sakharov Prize 2023.
This a strong long term political commitment by the European Parliament to support their inspiring work and causes.
Today we celebrate their work as legitimate and essential to contributing to democracy and rule of Law in Latin America, which remained the deadliest region in the world for human rights defenders. This was compounded by the pandemic, which saw an unprecedented increase in attacks against human rights organisations, activists, and defenders, leading to displacement, violence and impunity. This situation has disproportionately impacted the most marginalised.
What can the EU do?:
– to incorporate the protection, promotion and support of human rights defenders into multilateral and bilateral political dialogue and cooperation agreement.
– to open up safe channels of dialogue with all civil society organisations,
– to prioritise the protection and consultation of civil society.
– to increase flexible, long-term funding for human rights defenders and
– to ensure accountability and review funding to entities involved in cases of corruption and human rights violations
