Human rights advocacy

Since 2011, the BPCH has been organizing annual coordination meetings with the participation of representatives of Belarusian and international organizations. The meetings have a strategic nature. Human rights activists determine priority issues and community actions for the next year. The meeting allows you to define advocacy priorities for the near future, for issues that will be dealt with by the human rights community, to exchange experiences, and to discuss common strategies.

A vivid example: in January 2017, the idea of ​​holding a Parallel Forum before the OSCE Summit in Minsk appeared, and in July, the Parallel Forum took place thanks to the joint efforts of Belarusian NGOs and their international partners.

Also, the annual January meeting is an opportunity for the Belarusian human rights community to meet and communicate with the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus. Unfortunately, the special rapporteur does not have the opportunity to meet with human rights defenders in Belarus itself, because the Belarusian authorities do not recognize this mandate and refuse to cooperate with him.

The BHRH constantly supports joint statements, letters, and appeals of the Belarusian human rights community. The House actively participates in their writing and is the author and initiator of signing some statements.

The BHRH is also a member of the Civil Solidarity Platform and joins the statements in response to the persecution and intimidation of human rights defenders, public and political activists, and independent journalists in the region of the former Soviet Union. The House has been actively involved in the Platform's initiatives since its inception.

The BHRH works closely with the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus. The special rapporteur receives information about human rights violations in Belarus, especially repression, torture, and the persecution of public activists, protesters, and journalists.

In 2017, the BHRH with the Human Rights Center "Viasna" argued for the need to extend the special rapporteur's mandate in Belarus. As a result, the special rapporteur's mandate was extended.

Under the auspices of the BHRH, Belarusian human rights organizations send the special rapporteur their analyzes and reviews of current events related to human rights before the presentation of his annual report.

The BHRH and coalitions of Belarusian human rights organizations writes alternative reports and participates in their promotion.

For example, at the 94-1st session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in December 2017 in Geneva, a delegation of Belarusian human rights organizations presented an alternative report on racial discrimination in Belarus. The delegation of Belarusian human rights defenders also included graduates of the ILIA-By educational program. The participation of graduates was an educational visit to Geneva, organized by the BHRH and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.