Int Federation of Human Rights core funding 2012-2016 - FIDH 2012-2016

Results

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) works for defending all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and specially focuses on securing the freedom and capacity to act for human rights defenders, the universality of rights and their effectiveness. During 2016 FIDH has conducted its work in relation to six priorities. In the annual report 2016, FIDH gives a picture of the global situation and challenges and presents national, regional and international results in regards to each of the thematic priorities and their respective sub areas. The results relate both to FIDH and its member and partner organisations' work. While the results in many cases are presented on an activity level, every thematic areas includes examples of outcomes. During 2016, in all priority areas, FIDH has written a total of 25 fact finding reports, conducted 70 international missions, provided 31 material support to human rights defenders at risk, carried out 100 advocacy missions before inter-governmental organisations, submitted 357 alerts on the situation of defenders and taken 110 judicial actions on behalf of victims. These are more or less the same figures as 2015. Some few highlights of results are presented below: In March 2016, and after more than a decade of sustained efforts by FIDH and its members, the former military leader of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo, and former Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Pierre Bemba was convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal Court. This conviction marks the first time that justice has been done for victims of sexual violence before the ICC. Following intense mobilisation regarding the grave and deteriorating situation in Burundi throughout 2016 and into 2017 the ICC has just taken the decision to open an investigation regarding crimes against humanity. In October 2016, FIDH published a report denouncing the threat of dispossession looming over almost 120,000 farmers and the risk of an ecological disaster posed by the plan to construct an inter-oceanic canal in Nicaragua. Its findings received broad press coverage and were also echoed in an urgent resolution of the European Parliament. The latter contributed to the de facto suspension of the canal project. In Tunisia, continued advocacy with member organisations and partners – in favour of laws and policies conforming to the constitution and international obligations – has contributed to results such as the bill relating to the prevention of people trafficking which was passed in July 2016 and more recently the landmark bill to end all violence against women in July 2017. Work throughout 2016 on the development of the Guidelines on Combating Sexual Violence and its Consequences in Africa has also led to results in 2017, with the Guidelines adopted in March, and officially launched at the 61st session of the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2017. In Thailand, the work of FIDH led the United Nations to declare that the detention of human rights defender “Golf” Pornthip Munkong for lèse-majesté was arbitrary. She was subsequently released in August 2016.