Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Work of Front Line Defenders in Afghanistan: Discussion

Ms Michelle Foley:

I thank the committee for inviting us to appear. The HRD memorial project is a joint project initiated and co-ordinated by Front Line Defenders, working together with international NGOs, including Amnesty International and Global Witness, as well as local partners in the countries where targeted killings of human rights defenders are the most prolific. The project has been actively tracking and verifying the killing of defenders since 2016 and, just last year, we recorded the killing of at least 331 human rights defenders in 25 different countries. The most at-risk groups are those working on land, environmental or indigenous people’s rights, which make up 69% of the overall figure. The subgroup of defenders working specifically on indigenous people's rights accounted for 26% of killings, which is particularly egregious given indigenous peoples are estimated to make up just 6% of the world's population. While killings took place in 25 different countries last year, the vast majority took place in just seven, namely, Colombia, the Philippines, Honduras, Mexico, Afghanistan, Brazil and Guatemala.

There is no denying that it is the figures from Colombia that are particularly in need of urgent action. Our partners in Colombia, El Programa Somos Defensores, gathered and verified the instances of the killing of 199 human rights defenders because of their peaceful work last year. This figure accounts for well over 50% of the global figure. In consultation with defenders on the ground, we have conducted an extensive analysis of the context which is allowing these killings to take place and we have shared this with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his Department. Ireland, as a long-standing supporter of the Colombian peace process, is in a unique position to address these issues. As it currently holds a seat at the UN Security Council, it is both opportune and timely for Ireland to champion peace-building, human rights defenders and security in Colombia as a key priority area for the Security Council during its membership term.

It is my pleasure to introduce a short video from Diana Sánchez of la Asociación Minga, who will speak on why Colombian human rights defenders are being killed at such a high rate, the impending elections in May, the expected rise in violence and what countries like Ireland can do through the UN Security Council framework.