PESHAWAR
A ‘Civil Society Consultative Workshop on ‘KP Human Rights Defenders Recognition and Protection Bill’ was organized by Blue Veins in collaboration with the Directorate General of Law and Human Rights, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to facilitate interactive discussion among civil society organizations on the draft of the Bill.
The participants in detail discussed the draft of the Bill as the bill was earlier introduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by Asia Saleh Khattak in 2019 and was referredt to the Directorate General for Human Rights by the Assembly.
The proposed draft describes the Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) as those who whether paid or working payment act or seek to defend, promote, protect or strive for the defense, protection, and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed to the individuals under the Constitution and laws and other institutions and international treaties and instruments at the local, national, regional and international levels.
The participants of the consultative workshop proclaimed that Pakistan committed itself to protecting and safeguarding the rights of human rights defenders as a member of the UN General Assembly, which adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in 1998.
Therefore, it is high time that such commitments are recalled and honored by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government with the facilitation of civil society and other relevant stakeholders.
The members of the Civil Society Organizations called on the provincial government’s earlier commitment made in 2018, which called for the enactment of the law to recognize and protect human rights defenders (HRDs), the human rights policy notified by the Law, Human rights, and the Parliamentary Department. In addition, the KP Human Rights Action Plan recognizes this legislation as a priority and is supposed to be enacted by December 2022.
Asia Saleh Khattak, Member of the Provincial Assembly and Mover of the Bill said, “The existing draft of the bill is prepared after a series of consultations with Civil Society Organizations, HRDs, and other stakeholders.
This law is intended to be as comprehensive as possible while recognizing that it will require adaptation to provincial contexts and national legal and constitutional frameworks.
“She further added, “I anticipate that any flaw in this legislation will be improved and will soon be tabled in Assembly for debate and enactment.”
Aneela Mahfooz Durrani, Director General Law and Human Rights said that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Directorate General of Human Rights are committed to safeguarding the rights of citizens. The Human Rights Department will continue to collaborate with local, national, regional, and UN human rights mechanisms to prevent and respond to human rights violations and will closely collaborate with HRDs and CSOs.
Qamar Naseem, Program Manager Blue Veins said that the legal recognition and protection of defenders is crucial to ensuring that they can work in a safe, supportive environment.
The legal recognition and protection of defenders also contribute to the broader goals of upholding human rights and promoting democracy, good government, sustainable development, and respect for the rule of law. Human rights defenders serve and pursue the interests of rights holders, victims of violations, and society as a whole, he added.
