Pakistan

On 7 May 2015, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) organised a consultation which was attended by a large number of civil society representatives. The aim was to call upon the Pakistani government to ensure safety and protection for HRDs and to facilitate their work. The meeting resulted in the elaboration of an 11­ point Charter of Demands which it was hoped would create a safe and enabling environment for HRDs. The Charter refers to the constitutional and international legal standards governing the protection of HRDs, and describes the Pakistani state’s obligations towards HRDs. Eventually the  Pakistan Human Rights Defenders Network (PHRDN) was created and engaged in further discussions on the topic with the Commission. In 2018 the Commission published the Policy Guidelines on the Protection of HRDs, developed in collaboration with PHRDN.

Updated: 02/2020