Safeguarding Human Rights Defenders – Closing the Protection Gap for Human Rights Defenders | Aarhus PRTRs MoPs Side Event

The side event to the 8th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention and the 5th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs will offer a dedicated space for learning from environmental defenders and raising awareness of the need for their protection. We will hear testimonies, discuss the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders, and turn the lessons learned into recommendations for the better protection of defenders. This event is organized by Arnika and Be Life with the support of EEB, Guta Association, Friends of the Earth England Wales and Northern Ireland, Wildlife and Countryside Link, Social Justice Center, Aarhus Centres Bosnia and Herzegovina, Environment People Law, Ecohome, CEE Bankwatch Network, Not1More, Youth and Environment Europe, Justice and Environment and the Geneva Environment Network.

About this Event

The side event to the 8th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention and the 5th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs will learn from testimonies of environmental defenders and there will be the opportunity for event attendees to provide their input. In addition to hearing testimonies, the side event will discuss the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders and turn the lessons learned into recommendations for the better protection of defenders.

There will also be a screening of a short, powerful film by Not1More ‘Voices on the Frontline’ on the violence that UK environmental protestors experience from police and security forces.

This side event is a follow up to an earlier side event, Defending the defenders: Awareness raising, Testimonies and Mutual Learning, taking place on 19 November, 8:30-9:45 CET.

Aarhus Convention MoP8 & Protocol on PRTRs MoPP5

The eighth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention MoP8), the fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (Protocol on PRTRs MoPP5), their joint High-level Segment (HLS) and associated meetings are taking place at Palais des Nations from 17 to 21 November 2025.

Taking place every four years, the five-day series of meetings in Geneva will bring together around 300 representatives of Governments, international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders with an aim to advance transparency, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. The meetings will provide a platform to review progress and challenges in environmental democracy, digital transformation, circular economy, and sustainable development—linking environmental and human rights to promote effective and accountable governance to ensure a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for present and future generations.

Speakers

Additional speakers to be confirmed.

Ratko PILIPOVIĆ

Aarhus Centres BiH

Salome SHUBLADZE

Social Justice Center

Olha MELEN-ZABRAMNA