Frontline

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Launched in February 22nd 2001 in Dublin, Front Line provides practical support for these individuals in their activities and tries to ensure that no physical or mental harm results from their human rights work. Front Line's main focus is on those human rights defenders at risk, either temporarily or permanently, because of their work on behalf of fellow citizens.

"After 27 years experience with Amnesty International I realized that there was a gap in the protection of human rights defenders at risk. There was no organization concentrating specifically on those people," Lawlor states. A genial and motivated woman, Mary Lawlor is open and candid about her efforts.

"It was an area of work that I had come across through Amnesty. In Amnesty the mandate is so large that you couldn't give an awful lot of attention to it. That was essentially the motivation that led me to set up Front Line. I realized that there was this gap and when you think about these people, in my experience, they are the people who actually help to bring about civil and just societies. They really should be protected in order to work from the inside to change the society that they're living in."

'Steps to Protection', the Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders took place last January of this year, in Dublin Castle. Partially aided by The Ireland Funds, the platform was a gathering of defenders and those who wished to support them. Ireland Funds support was used to help offset the travel costs in bringing delegates to the Platform. Defenders testified to the atrocities taking place worldwide, identified needs and a framework of support began to fall into place.

"A lot of people from the Platform came from very different backgrounds. For example, I had a Dalit [untouchable], Mr. Varadaraj Baskaran of the People's Education and Economic Development Society (PEEDS), in India. He was trying to work for Dalit rights and was both a victim and a defender."

"In the labyrinth of my life, I have witnessed our living houses being burnt, our own sisters being gang raped, the old and the young being brutally and savagely attacked by the dominant caste and the state police. Being abhorred an untouchable and in particular as the focus of all this violence, we are being psychologically wounded," said Mr. Baskaran.

"There's an absolutely wonderful woman in Tunisia called Radia Nasri, a lawyer. For ten years she's been working, taking cases, trying to bring people to justice, denouncing what's going on there. For that she's been followed, she has been harassed. The police were around her house when she was to come to the Platform - we weren't sure when we could get her there," says Lawlor.

The Front Line Leadership Council consists of life-long human rights supporters and some prominent public figures including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bono. When asked how Ms. Lawlor managed to get so many heavy-hitters on board a relatively new project, she laughs. "How did I get them? I wrote to them!"

"What is great about Front Line is that it is so absolutely direct," she enthuses. "It is connecting with the bravest and most noble people in this world. For example, I've gotten two people out of Congo since January who had gone into hiding. One of was able to get in touch with me, and because I had a bit of money I was able to get money for him to flee over the border, hire a car… A very hazardous journey, but thank God he arrived safely into Zambia. I've been able to providebulletproof vests and steel doors to lawyers in Columbia."

Around the world, across continents, cultures and creeds, human rights defenders work to make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a reality for all. Often they are the only force standing between civilians and an unbridled state power. 'I feel so good about it," says Lawlor. "I kind of feel that I'm bringing my thirty years experience in human rights to a very focused and effective task."

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