Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Dec. 6th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Good afternoon, everyone. I am pleased to have you here at the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. We are beginning the first of two sessions on the work of international human rights defenders. Of course, we are going to be recognizing Human Rights Day and Human Rights Month.

We had two speakers today. Unfortunately, Ms. Hansen had to pull out, but we are very pleased and honoured to have with us Mr. Frédéric Hareau, the director of programs at Equitas. Thank you very much for being here.

Founded in 1967, Equitas is a Canadian non-profit organization focusing on human rights education. With 40 staff, the organization has trained more than 5,000 human rights defenders from 140 countries, notably through its three-week annual international human rights training program. Equitas partners with IHRTP alumni to run education programs in Asia, Africa, the Americas, central and eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Equitas also runs programs geared towards Canadian youth, including Play It Fair! and Speaking Rights, which provide educational tool kits on human rights for use in day camps and extracurricular programs. Equitas is operated with the support of the Government of Canada, as well as provincial and municipal governments.

I can think of no better organization to have at the table, with the broad array of services you provide in the area of support for human rights defenders, both in Canada and around the world. With that, I would like to give you the floor, and then we'll do some questions.

Thank you, Mr. Hareau.

[Frédéric Hareau, Director of Programs, Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I will do my intervention in French, and after that, I can definitely also entertain some questions in English.

Mr. Chair, subcommittee members, first let me thank you for this invitation. I also thank you for conducting a study on the situation of human rights defenders.

As you can imagine, this is a matter that has been at the heart of Equitas’ work for many years. To us, it seems particularly important in the current context.

For more than 50 years, Equitas—International Centre for Human Rights Education has been promoting human rights education in Canada and around the world. Thanks to the support of the government, our capacity-building programs have provided tools for more than 50,000 human rights defenders in more than 140 countries.

Equitas' actions are designed to bring about profound and sustainable change by confronting the inequities that marginalize individuals and the groups to which they are associated, and that prevent men and women from achieving their full potential and active participation in the social, political and economic development of their communities and their nations. Human rights defenders are the catalysts for that change.

The testimony I have for you is based on Equitas’ long experience as well as that of hundreds of human rights defenders with whom we work around the world. It is also based on our collaboration with a number of international institutions, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the special rapporteurs working on the issue of human rights defenders. They include Michel Forst, the current rapporteur, whom we recently brought to Canada, and Margaret Sekkagya, from Uganda, a former special rapporteur who is now a member of Equitas’ honorary board of directors.

My testimony is also based on the consultations we have held in recent months with human rights defenders as part of the review of Canada’s international policy conducted by Global Affairs Canada.

In these remarks, I would like to deal with three topics. First of all, the international context that strongly influences the current reality and work of human rights defenders. I would also like to point out some of the more specific aspects of the situation for human rights defenders. Finally, I would like to make some recommendations as to the role that Canada could play internationally to support the work of human rights defenders.

In terms of the current context, I will not give an overview but I will simply highlight three important elements.

First of all, there is the emergence, or re-emergence, of conflicts in a number of regions around the world and the major humanitarian crises that result. Everyone is aware of the refugee crisis, for example. The number of refugees is constantly increasing. To the refugees fleeing their war-torn countries, we can add those displaced by natural disasters. Refugee women and children are particularly vulnerable, especially to sexual violence.

The second major element we can see is the growing insecurity in the world. This insecurity is not only linked to terrorist attacks and movements but also to the resulting repressive and militaristic measures that some countries have put in place. These often lead to flagrant human rights violations and put security issues at the heart of the work of human rights defenders.

Finally, I would like to point out that, internationally, the environment for civil society is more and more difficult. Paradoxically, the role of civil society is increasingly recognized, both internationally and in Canada, but, in certain countries, we can see that the space in which it is able to do its work is being reduced.

A 2015 study conducted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace revealed that, in three years, more than 60 countries around the world have adopted or drafted legislation restricting the activities of civil society organizations.

In a recent report, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights pointed out that civil society organizations were increasingly the target of attacks in many regions of the world.

In the same report, the High Commission for Human Rights also identified the five elements essential for supporting the work of civil society and for creating a safe and productive environment: a robust legal framework that conforms to international norms, protects public freedoms, and provides access to justice; an appropriate political environment; access to information; space in which civil society can participate in decision-making processes; and long-term support and resources.

However, we have to point out that those conditions are far from being fulfilled in many countries of the world. In fact, in some countries, there has been a deterioration in recent years.

Let us now examine the situation for human rights defenders, who clearly are the first to be affected by that deterioration.

In his 2015 report to the United Nations General Assembly, Michel Forst, the special rapporteur, highlighted the worsening situation for human rights defenders and the increasing complexity of the perils they face. This complexity is attributable to the many forms the perils take: physical, psychological, economic or social. He also emphasized that a number of factors are interacting, including poor governance, the absence of the rule of law, the rise of intolerance and religious fundamentalism, and tensions on matters of development. He concluded by pointing out that the threats to and the violations of the defenders’ rights are coming from more and more perpetrators, whether state-sponsored, private, political or economic, or from groups of religious extremists.

Some categories of defenders are at particular risk because of their identity, the nature of their activities, or the situation in which they operate. Among the groups most at risk, we can mention women, those defending the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgendered people, those advocating for minorities, those combatting corruption and impunity, those standing up for the environment or indigenous peoples, journalists and bloggers, lawyers working to promote and protect rights, and defenders working in conflict or post-conflict zones.

Because of their commitment, defenders often face numerous threats to their person. These can take the form of stigma or disparagement, restrictions on freedom of movement, abusive administrative measures, attacks on means of subsistence, threats to family, kidnapping or torture. They may even include murder.

In recent years, we have also seen the dangers they face increase and become more sophisticated. The new dangers include defamation campaigns in social media or blogs, threats to security, an increasing use of the law to the point of abuse, such as limiting the defenders’ work by arbitrary detention or disproportionate penalties, and limiting the work of their organizations by making it more difficult for them to obtain funding, to become registered or to get permits allowing them to conduct activities.

Finally, it is appropriate to point out, in general, that the work of these defenders is little known and little recognized by the general public and by state authorities in a number of countries. This adds to their vulnerability.

Despite all these challenges, I cannot emphasize enough that, in recent years, we have seen the human rights movement become stronger, more diversified, more organized, and more mobilized. It continues to do remarkable work in strengthening good governance, in combatting conflicts, in giving a voice to those that have none, or in making human rights a greater reality, particularly for the most vulnerable groups.

Though the challenges are very real, the role of human rights defenders today seems to be more important than ever, if we want to build inclusive, just and fair societies.

The role of the defenders is critical if we want to make Programme 2030 and its sustainable development objectives a reality. At the heart of the program lies the struggle against the inequalities that are the fundamental causes of poverty and conflict in the world. This commitment is enshrined in the founding principle that no one must be left behind.

For Canada, a commitment to human rights defenders represents a unique opportunity to set ourselves apart by adopting innovative approaches to meet the current challenges.

The government should focus its efforts on promoting and protecting a positive, safe, environment for civil society organizations, in particular for human rights defenders.

Canada has great experience in working with civil society organizations at home and abroad. However, it seems necessary to pay more specific attention to the matter so that policies can be more consistent and results more meaningful. Canada should combine the human rights programs in its international development initiatives with vigorous political action from our government and diplomatic missions when civil society’s space is threatened.

I would like to conclude by proposing some recommendations or possibilities for action for the Government of Canada.

First, it should adopt an action plan to implement the International Development and Humanitarian Assistance Civil Society Partnership Policy. This policy, developed by Global Affairs Canada, outlines the guiding principles and overall objectives of Canada’s development commitment to civil society in establishing a healthy environment for, and improving the effectiveness of, its cooperation with civil society.

Second, it should develop a government-wide policy and strategy on specific help for human rights defenders, to include financial support, diplomatic engagement and emergency assistance in the possible form of relocation, legal and medical assistance, and host communities. Particular attention should be paid to particularly vulnerable groups, such as women and those defending LGBTQI rights.

Third, we have to make sure that human rights are at the very heart of Canada's political and commercial relationships.

Fourth, we have to support programs that strengthen the capacity of human rights defenders in order to provide them with tools so that they can mobilize communities around the values and principles of human rights, talk effectively with governments, implement approaches based on human rights, develop and implement strategies to ensure their safety and, finally, to support the emergence of national, regional and international networks of human rights defenders.

We must support the creation and strengthening of protection mechanisms for human rights defenders who are particularly at risk, including support for already existing mechanisms such as the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

Dialogue between governmental partners must be promoted on a regular basis and civil society organizations, whether local, regional or international, must also be invited to participate.

I also suggest that the pertinent focal points of defenders' issues be clearly identified at Canada's diplomatic missions abroad.

Programs that provide defenders with flexible and predictable funding must also be created, so that they are able to continue their work, even in surroundings that can sometimes be extremely difficult and complex, such as in Burundi.

Finally, the defenders' work must be better known and their actions publicly supported by communication and information campaigns and concrete initiatives.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Equitas is ready and willing to work with the subcommittee, with Parliament, and with the government in their efforts to support the work that the defenders are doing for a more just and fair society, both here and around the world.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Thank you very much for your remarks.

We will now move to the first round of questions, and we'll begin with MP Anderson.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Thank you to our witness for being here today with us.

One of the reasons we're having this hearing is to highlight Human Rights Day. I'm just going to ask you, is there anything we have to celebrate?

[Frédéric Hareau]

Should I answer now?

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Sure.

[Frédéric Hareau]

I think there are a number of things that we should celebrate in terms of human rights. I think we've seen in the last year, as I was mentioning, the strengthening of the human rights movement. There have been some developments that we haven't seen before.

For example, if you look back 20 or 25 years ago in terms of women's rights and the emergence of women's rights, you see there have been a number of developments in terms of the international framework, the concrete implementation of human rights on the ground.

Of course, I was mentioning there were a number of issues, but I think there are also a number of things to celebrate. I think it's actually very important to look at not just the challenges in front of us, but also to acknowledge what has been accomplished and the work that's taking place on the ground in many countries around the world.

Let's look at Tunisia, for example, and the role that civil society has played in ensuring a democratic transition in a very difficult period of time after the revolution. These are the kinds of things that we can celebrate in terms of the role of human rights defenders, but let's also look at some of these things we can build on.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Let's talk a bit about your organization.

You have had some funding, I understand, in Tanzania, Senegal, Haiti, and Colombia. Can you highlight your successes? What are you working on there and where do you anticipate success in that programming?

[Frédéric Hareau]

In terms of the programming, we received funding for supporting the capacity building of organizations internationally through the international human rights training program that is happening every year in Montreal, and on bringing together approximately 90 to 100 human rights defenders for a capacity-building session. Then we have more specific and fuller competence in implementation of specific programming in Senegal, as you mentioned, and Colombia, Tanzania, and Haiti.

I will just use the example of Haiti. It's a very difficult context. We've been working there since 1988. We were involved there a lot after the earthquake in 2010. I think what we see happening in Haiti is the development of community engagement, community building based on human rights principles and values. We have been able to work in different communities across Haiti to support the integration of a human rights based approach at the very local level, so we start to see the different competencies of the people working together, including people with disabilities, women, and in some cases including LGBT groups, to develop a comprehensive and human rights based development plan.

It's early to say, but we hope with a new president in place that will create some space to continue the work in Haiti, and to engage with authorities. There was a lack of government there, but now we see some space in working with the community, where we can engage and understand human rights, and engage also with the authorities to ensure that this transformation is also happening in terms of the policy framework.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

In a place like that, do you have the capacity to engage in building institutional strength, or do you focus primarily on education and then just try to....

[Frédéric Hareau]

We focus primarily on education, but we focus also on building bridges and collaborating. For example, one of our key partners there is the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which is working intensively with the institution building in Haiti, so I think we are trying to build those bridges.

At Equitas, our strength is really human rights education and building the capacity, but in our work we are also trying to build bridges between civil society organizations and government. It is clear that the solution does not just come from civil society. It has to come from the interaction and the collaboration between government institutions and civil society.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I guess we've seen an example of where that hasn't been working. We've been studying Burundi over the last few weeks. One of the targets in Burundi was human rights defenders.

On a practical level, what kinds of priorities do human rights defenders have to adapt in a situation like that? How do you find yourself adapting to that? I know a lot of them have been forced out of the country now, but when that begins, how do people deal with that?

[Frédéric Hareau]

That's a very difficult question, in Burundi particularly, because we are in such an extreme context.

The intervention has to be at different levels. I understand the former president Pacifique Nininahazwe from the FOCODE came to give testimony there. I think now he's based between Rwanda and Uganda. The human rights defenders were obliged to get out of the country. What they are doing in documenting the human rights violations, the disappearances taking place in Burundi, is critical because we need to document the situation in Burundi. They have a network on the ground, but they cannot operate openly there.

I was in a regional training session two weeks ago in Cameroon, and we had some participants from Burundi. We were building the capacity of civil society organizations. They see that there is still some space to do some work. There is still some space to try to infuse the building of bridges among the communities, using the human rights principles and values to continue to build those bridges, because I think there is really a lot of danger in terms of division among the different communities in Burundi.

I think it is also a question of finding some space, some actors who might not engage in very politically difficult issues, but to find some space to work at the community level on a small scale. I think we need to continue to build that movement within the country too.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I'm jumping around a bit here, but Equitas has continued to partner through your International Centre for Human Rights Education in Sri Lanka. I think your project is to bring different faith communities together, to try to get them to the table and have discussions.

I have an interest in religious freedom. Can you tell us how that project is contributing to the development of religious freedom and support for that in Sri Lanka?

[Frédéric Hareau]

I think the project in Sri Lanka has been integrating different components. One was research looking at what the deep causes of conflict are, particularly at the community level, looking at incidents of interreligious conflict in Sri Lanka at the community level, and looking at what the triggers are of this type of conflict and what the strategies are to address those. That was a big part of the components.

Then it was about looking at how we can build relations and connections between the different actors at the community level, the religious leaders, the local authorities, the civil society organizations, and put in place some early-warning mechanisms.

First, there is a dialogue that needs to take place. There is some education that needs to happen at the community level in terms of ensuring people have a different perspective of other religious groups. There is also the building of the connection between the different actors.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Is that going in the right direction?

[Frédéric Hareau]

We've seen some movement. For sure it's not just action by Equitas, obviously. I think it's the interaction of different factors. The change in government in Sri Lanka has also created some space for that. There is some political willingness to try to put in place some institutions that will support that process of national reconciliation: how you build the bridges and support existing efforts, not just duplicating or working in parallel.

We work at the community level in terms of capacity building, but we're working closely with the government and institutions of the government in Sri Lanka, which is trying to find solutions to build that reconciliation.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Here's just a practical issue. You were talking about some of the challenges on human rights defenders with threats being more sophisticated, and legislation security issues, and that.

What kind of successful strategies do human rights defenders adopt, particularly in the areas of dealing with electronic and personal surveillance? Do you have some tools that you use?

[Frédéric Hareau]

Yes. There are some very technical tools. I think there are a number of online communities that have been developing tools. Moodle, for example, is using and creating communications platforms. I think there are a number of very technical things. We are looking at that currently, how we can build the capacity of human rights defenders to use that.

I think it's a movement in development. The issue is also that the forces in terms of surveillance are moving very quickly, too, so it's a never-ending fight and competition between who's first in addressing that.

One of the things we realized also is that, even if people are aware of that, human rights defenders are taking very few measures to protect themselves on the ground. It's also about building their understanding that basically any communication you are doing can be intercepted, so really making sure you take that into consideration in the way you communicate. There are some very practical, simple measures you can take to protect yourself, but in many cases none of them are taken.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Is that part of your education?

[Frédéric Hareau]

Absolutely, and more and more, actually.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Okay, good. I think I'm out of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Thank you, MP Anderson.

We're now going to MP Miller.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

With your colleagues present, and on behalf of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, I had the honour of announcing a grant of $1 million in the light of your civic engagement. I was able to see your colleagues in action and to have your activities well described to me.

I would like to come back to your domestic activities, because here we are talking mostly about civic engagement in Canada.

In our study on the Yazidis, a witness mentioned that most human rights violations are committed by people known in the villages, when they were experiencing social disintegration, an erosion of the social fabric.

How can your action help to strengthen the dialogue between the parties who may be threatened where their society is being weakened, such as with the Yazidis and those around them?

[Frédéric Hareau]

First, you would have to encourage an awareness of human rights issues and bring people to reflect critically on the culture of violence that often prevails in many communities.

How could people be encouraged to think more about interrelationships, about issues of inclusion and exclusion, of discrimination and marginalization? It would have to be done through a fundamentally community approach, by bringing various parties together.

Of course, in any community, some people commit human rights violations. There needs to be a way of managing that and some people will have to be brought to justice.

The reflection on this community engagement must also be built together. Those in the community have to be convinced that they have the power and the ability to try and maintain their objectives in the area of human rights. This is long-term work.