Lecture on Human Rights Defenders for Law Students

Socially sensitive, rights-based thinking lawyers can be important agents in Human Rights defence. I shall give a lecture at NALSAR University, Hyderabad on what makes someone a Human Rights Defender. I am pleased to give similar lectures during my stay in other Indian Law Schools as well.

Speaking Truth to Power: The Institution of Human Rights Defenders

Gabor Gombos,
Visiting Ashoka Fellow, Bapu Trust, Pune, India; Senior Advocacy Officer, Mental Disability Advocacy Center, Budapest, Hungary

Human Rights Defenders need to have

Cause, commitment and motivation
Regular engagement with the issue and the affected people
Vision and Strategy
Find Resources, Tools, Organizations
- if none available then have to be created
- Basic knowledge of international human rights law

Persistence
Publicity is Power
Information to people
Politics not Law
Politics in the Broad sense
Cooperation and Confrontation
Risks Varies from Issue to Issue


There are some norms and how to interpret and use them. Do not need to become an expert whether of law, media etc. You can seek support on expertise but need clarity on cause.

Objectives :
- Engage with cynicism
- Inform on the fact of deprivation of human rights
- Explore available possibilities to challenge deprivationEnthuse young persons towards cause lawyering