February 3, 2022
Cited article by Carmen Sesin, NBC News
HRRC supports human rights defenders in their efforts to advocate for the rights of all. The increasingly dangerous situation in Latin America is highly concerning, and for human rights to be maintained, those defenders must be protected and supported.
Article Summary
A recent report released by Freedom House, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, found that Latin America is one of the most dangerous regions for human rights defenders. In 2020, Latin America accounted for over three quarters of the deaths of human rights defenders worldwide. This includes community leaders, artists, indigenous leaders, and others seeking to advance social and human rights in the region.
As the human rights situation is worsening in the region, we are also seeing extremely high levels of migration. This has forced many human rights defenders in Venezuela to flee to Columbia, and those in Nicaragua to Costa Rica. This is creating more uncertainty, and while there is a growing effort to support these human rights defenders, they are not garnering the necessary funding. Many of these people require emergency assistance, medical aid, and legal assistance, as well as shelters such as the Shelter City Initiative in Costa Rica.