Defend the human rights defenders

“To me, human rights defenders at risk are the people who help build civil and just society.”

– Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders.

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On Dec. 10 every year, the world commemorates International Human Rights Day, marking the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 76 years ago. The UDHR lays the moral and legal foundation recognizing that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Significantly, the day before, Dec. 9, is International Human Rights Defenders Day. A day to remember the efforts and courage of the people who fought for these very rights and freedoms we enjoy to be recognized: human rights defenders (HRDs). Without their work, human rights instruments would remain ink on paper. It is HRDs who transform

abstract ideals into assertable, concrete realities. For example, in the Netherlands, the feminist movement led by groups like Dolle Mina pushed for sexual and reproductive rights in the 1970s. In Ireland, the campaign led by Yes Equality and Gay and Lesbian Equality Network resulted in the country becoming the first in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote. And in the Philippines, the 1986 People Power Revolution set a global standard for nonviolent mass action.

As ambassadors to the Philippines, we draw inspiration from the country’s vibrant and diverse civil society movement, whose advocacies and activism are deeply rooted in human rights principles. Filipino HRDs are found in every sector. They are the community organizers, lawyers, doctors, environmentalists, journalists, indigenous leaders, social workers, and many others. They can be protecting ancestral domains from unsustainable mining or ensuring the rule of law applies equally to the poor for example. The essential definition of their role is simple, yet profound. The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders defines them as persons who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights in a peaceful manner. This definition is echoed in the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection bill.

Despite their crucial role, the spaces these defenders operate in can be perilous. We hear firsthand accounts of surveillance, intimidation, and even “Red-tagging.” While sometimes rhetorical, such actions may serve as a prelude to physical danger, harassment, forcing defenders to constantly look over their shoulders. This highlights the importance of continued dialogue, accountability, and cooperation, so that defenders can carry out their critical work without fear.

For the Netherlands, Ireland, and the entire European Union, human rights are at the very core of our foreign policy. The responsibility to protect them does not cease or change when you cross a border. This commitment to universality is materialized through specific instruments: among others the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, which mandate EU missions to provide visible support to at-risk defenders, such as observing their trials, or the Global Europe Human Rights and Democracy program, designed specifically to support civil society activists. The Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus, under which the Philippines enjoys tariff benefits, links these benefits to compliance on human rights and labor standards.

And let us take this opportunity to address the sometimes heard reproach that this is about imposing “Western” values. It is not, it is about support to upholding human rights that the Philippines itself has championed as a signatory to major international treaties. Indeed, the late Gen. Carlos P. Romulo played a pivotal role in crafting the UDHR in 1948.

We acknowledge the efforts of the Philippine government and its institutions to fulfill its strong commitment to human rights. We stand ready to work with all stakeholders, government and civil society alike, to address challenges through continued dialogue and opportunities for cooperation and learning. We particularly laud the initiative to pass the Human Rights Defenders Protection bill into law and hope for its swift realization.

We must protect the protectors. As former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp stated, human rights defenders are “the backbone of broader societal movements, a backstop against the erosion of our rights, and the backdraft feeding the fire of progress.” By ensuring their safety, we do not just save individual lives; we safeguard the very soul of our democratic societies.

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Emma Hicke is Ireland’s ambassador to the Philippines (and ambassador-designate to Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands) since August 2024. Marielle Geraedts is the Netherlands’ ambassador to the Philippines, having served before in Germany, Peru, Uganda, Kenya, and Iraq.

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This commentary is part of a series of articles in the Philippine Daily Inquirer contributed by European Union Ambassadors to the Philippines, in line with Denmark’s Presidency of the EU Council from July to December 2025. The articles focus on strategic areas of cooperation between the EU and the Philippines.