Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report February 2012 This page is intentionally blank Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report February 2012 A report submitted by GHK Consulting in association with HTSPE February 2012 J40252612 GHK Consulting Ltd 67 Clerkenwell Road London EC1R 5BL T +44 (0) 20 7611 1100 F +44 (0) 20 8368 6960 [email protected] www.ghkint.com i Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Document control Document Title Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Job number J40252612 Prepared by Nicolaj Sønderbye Checked by Karin Tang Date February 2012 ii Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Abbreviations AEDH Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de L’Homme AI Amnesty International AOHR Arab Organisation for Human Rights AWID Association for Women's Rights in Development CAHR Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) at York University CCJ Colombian Commission of Jurists CCS Committee of Concerned Scientists CHRD Chinese Human Rights Defenders CJFE Canadian Journalists for Free Expression CAL Coalition of African Lesbians CARA Council for assisting refugee academics CPJ Commission to Protect Journalists EC European Commission EEAS European External Action Service EHAHRDP The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project EIDHR European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights EMHRM Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network EP European Parliament EU European Union Freedom House Freedom House FIDH The International Federation for Human Rights GHRC Guatemalan Human Rights Commission HIVOS Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries HRD Human Rights Defender HRW Human Rights Watch ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ICORN International Cities of Refuge Network IFEX International Freedom of Expression Exchange ISHR International Service for Human Rights IWPR Institute for War and Peace Reporting LDMC League of Displaced Women in Colombia LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender MISA Media Institute for Southern Africa MoI Ministry of Interior MoJ Ministry of Justice MoU Memorandum of Understanding MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs NED National Endowment for Democracy NGO Non-governmental organisation PEN A world association of writers RWB Reporters Without Borders OMCT The World Organisation Against Torture iii Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report SAHRDT Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Trust SAR Scholars-at-Risks network SGBV Sexual Gender Based Violence SST Students Solidarity Trust SRF Scholar Rescue Fund UAF Urgent Action Fund UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights UDEFEGUA Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders Protection Unit UN United Nations UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCHR United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights WiPC Writers in Prison Committee WLUML Women Living Under Muslim Laws WOREC Women’s Rehabilitation Center iv Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Contents Disclaimer ...................................................................................................................... vi Executive summary ......................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Background and rationale for the study ................................................................................... 4 1.2 Objective and purpose ............................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Scope and limitations of the study ........................................................................................... 5 1.4 Structure of the report .............................................................................................................. 5 2 Methodology ...................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Approach .................................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Methods ................................................................................................................................... 6 3 Policy context ..................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Global policy background ......................................................................................................... 8 3.2 The EU policy background ....................................................................................................... 8 4 Main findings .................................................................................................... 10 4.1 Mapping of existing shelter initiatives, programmes and actions .......................................... 10 4.2 Political, legal and financial constraints of existing initiatives ................................................ 24 4.3 Assessment of the need for a structured shelter network for HRDs in need of temporary relocation ................................................................................................................................ 28 5 Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................ 30 5.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 30 5.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 31 Annex 1 Terms of Reference ............................................................................... 34 Annex 2 Study Questionnaire .............................................................................. 41 Annex 3 Analytical matrix ................................................................................... 45 Annex 4 Global shelter and regional shelter initiatives ...................................... 46 Annex 5 Shelter initiatives in EU Member States .............................................. 79 Annex 6 Costs of shelter initiatives in EU Member States ................................ 116 Annex 7 List of consultations .............................................................................132 Annex 8 Bibliography ........................................................................................ 136 Annex 9 freeDimensional Triage Team case processing ................................... 137 Annex 10 Standard agreement between ICORN and Member city/region ....... 138 Annex 11 Option: EU HRD Platform / Coordination Entity ............................. 143 v Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Disclaimer This Report has been produced by Nicolaj Sønderbye, senior human rights expert at GHK Consulting Ltd in association with HTSPE. The Report does not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the European Commission (EC), nor is the EC bound by its conclusions and recommendations. vi Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU Final Report Executive summary In May 2011, GHK Consulting Ltd, in association with HTSPE, was commissioned by the European Commission (EC) to undertake a ‘mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU’. The objective and purpose of the study is to provide an overview of the existing shelter programmes with a focus on shelter initiatives in the EU and to identify their strengths, weaknesses, gaps and constraints. Furthermore, the study explores recommended options for how to encourage synergies and coordination to better respond to future needs for temporary shelter for human rights defenders (HRDs) in need of urgent relocation in and outside the EU. The methodology was based on primary and secondary research. From May to September 2011, the consultant carried out nine country visits to the following countries within the EU: Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom and the following countries outside the EU: Canada, Norway and the United States. The countries were selected in close consultation with the EC and based on lessons learnt with existing shelter and temporary relocation programmes, emergency visa processing and numbers of HRD relocation requests. Data was gathered through stakeholder interviews in Brussels, via telephone and e-mail questionnaires. The overall key findings and conclusions with regard to the existing shelter initiatives are presented as follows: 1 Diversity Shelter initiatives are tailored according to the different individual needs of HRDs and thus need to be flexible in order to provide a best-fit, tailored and comprehensive response.