International and national non-governmental organizations in the field of protection of human rights defenders

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The article is devoted to highlighting the activities of international and national non-governmental organizations for the protection of human rights defenders; defining their place and role in the existing international and national human rights systems. Attention is focused on the activities of such non- governmental human rights organizations as: International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Observatory For Defenders, Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders (FLD), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC), etc. It is noted that there is a significant trend towards an increase in the number of non-governmental organisations on the African continent in response to numerous violations of the rights of human rights defenders. These organisations include: Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN), AfricanDefenders (Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network), Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (REDHAC), Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI), DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (EHAHRDP)), SouthernDefenders (Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN)). It is concluded that the importance and activities of international and national non-governmental organizations are that they are, first of all, an integral part of the international universal and regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights, since human rights defenders are guaranteed the rights provided for in international human rights instruments, and therefore, in case of their violation, they have the right to apply to the supervisory bodies of these treaties (the Human Rights Committee, the European Court of Human Rights, the Committee against Torture, etc.; secondly, the above mentioned organizations contribute to the protection of the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders, taking into account the specifics of the region and national legislation; focus on respecting gender equality; make significant efforts to improve the existing legal framework for the protection of human rights defenders, expand the rights of this category of persons, taking into account the changing situation in the world with human rights and modern challenges.