The Effects in Practice of the Program for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Abstract

The chapter elucidates the various effects the Brazilian Program for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (PPDDH) has in practice through an analysis of interviews conducted during fieldwork (in six Brazilian states) for the PhD research from which this book originates. It divides the samples into three categories to assess the perceptions of (1) protected human rights defenders themselves, (2) civil society actors, and (3) state officials. The second section analyses the answers of these three groups to the question: Do you think the PPDDH is important? It reveals that interviewees said the PPDDH is important or very important because it protects the life of human rights defenders, is a place where they can get help, helps redress the balance between powerful and vulnerable groups, and works as an articulador politico (political articulator or engager). It also exposes that a few interviewees said the PPDDH is not important because it has not been a priority to the state and, as a result, it has not yet been able to protect human rights defenders efficiently. The third section analyzes the answers of the aforementioned three groups to the question: Do you think the PPDDH does what it promises, that is, do you think it really protects those people designated as human rights defenders? It shows that interviewees said the PPDDH does what it promises, that is, it does protect human rights defenders because it protects the life of human rights defenders and is a place where they can get help. It discloses that interviewees said the PPDDH protects human rights defenders only partially or not at all because the State does not provide the PPDDH with the resources it needs to work well and that the PPDDH depends on other actors to provide protection for human rights defenders. The final section answers the research question: How has the PPDDH functioned since its creation in 2004? Is the PPDDH really fulfilling its stated aims by protecting people who have been designated as human rights defenders?