Stigmatization and harassment of human rights defenders leading to ‘precarious situation’

NGOs working in the field of human rights are constantly bullied, harassed, insulted, threatened and stigmatized, in what has been described by the Aditus Foundation as a precarious environment to be working in.

In commemoration of International Human Rights Day, the foundation said it was calling for more respect for the central role NGOs play in promoting and contributing towards Malta’s overall wellbeing.

“Malta’s human rights defenders are those individuals and organisations that tirelessly seek to ensure that all persons are able to enjoy their fundamental human rights,” said Aditus in a statement. “They are active in a broad range of sectors, addressing various groups of persons and themes including: survivors of domestic violence, persons with disabilities, migrants and refugees, children, survivors of crime, the environment, LGBTIQ+ persons, inmates, women involved in prostitution, good governance and so many others.”

It added that NGOs were present where state interventions were either absent or insufficient, leading to a higher risk of human rights violations taking place.

Furthermore, the NGO said that without the work done by several groups, Malta could boast todays’ “levels of social wellbeing”.

“In return, many of us are bullied, harassed, threatened and stigmatized. Many of us are denied access to important dialogue with state entities, or exploited by the state as we provide those public services the state refuses or is unable to provide,” Aditus said.

“As the community of Malta’s human rights defenders is still mourning the brutal assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, we are uncertain of the security of our working environment and are concerned for the physical and psychological safety of our staff and volunteers.”

Furthermore, the Aditus insisted that NGOs were not satisfied that their concerns were being taken seriously by the competent authorities, especially in view of the fact that they were often victims of hate perpetuated by those entities responsible for their protection.

“Understanding the importance of human rights defenders is fundamental for the fostering of a society that is geared towards respecting, protecting, and fulfilling everyone’s human rights.”

Tolerating such abuse, warned the NGO, Malta was not only offending the principles human rights embody, but also further marginalizing those communities and themes human rights defenders stand up for.

“On International Human Rights Day, we therefore urge Malta to rethink its relationship with human rights defenders. This means to not merely refrain from activities that instil fear and insecurity, but to take steps towards actively supporting human rights defenders.”