This is a report of a workshop of Somali human rights defenders from all areas which was held in Hargeisa, Somaliland, from 13 to 14 February 2003. It was organized by Amnesty International and co-sponsored by NOVIB (Oxfam-Netherlands), within its Somali civil society program, and International Cooperation for Development (ICD), which works with Somaliland non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The workshop brought together 34 women and men from 23 Somali NGOs working in different areas of human rights – in Mogadishu, Puntland, Baidoa, Kismayu, as well as Hargeisa. The purpose was to discuss the role of human rights defenders, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and the work of the UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders.
