“My name is James Bidal. I work with South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network (SSHRDN), a coalition of civil society organisations and individuals that have come together to protect and promote human rights and our core mandate is protection of human rights defenders (HRDs).”
“My first encounter with DefendDefenders was in 2012, shortly after South Sudan gained its independence. This was during the period when the South Sudanese government was established following the referendum, a key provision of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army and the Government of Sudan, which guaranteed the right to self-determination. There were a lot of dynamics taking place and HRDs were being targeted and facing serious risks. So DefendDefenders saw the need to bring the HRDs together. They sent some Protection Officers to roll out trainings on risk assessment, security management and digital safety, so that HRDs would be able to protect themselves. I had some basic ICT skills at the time, so I came in as a co-facilitator at the trainings, helping DefendDefenders’ staff who had been sent to South Sudan. That is how I came to interact with DefendDefenders.”
“I would say I started my human rights work in 2016, after the violent political crisis in South Sudan, which had negative implications on HRDs. We needed to protect our civic space and protect HRDs, and I dived into this work. That is how I ended up becoming an HRD. Because of the work, there was a time I was facing acute risks, numerous threats were directed against me, so I felt unsafe in my own country. Through DefendDefenders’ help, I was able to visit Kampala and meet with the protection team, who helped me develop a security plan. They made sure we consistently followed the implementation, so that helped in de-escalating the threats. That was so important for me, and I found myself becoming a stronger HRD. After subsequent trainings, they brought me on board to be part of the SSHRDN, and eventually I became part of its secretariat.”
“Many of my colleagues also went through similar experiences, where DefendDefenders was able also to strategise their protection. Instead of being kidnapped or even detained, other colleagues were relocated to safer spaces across the continent. Some have been able to continue with their work, all thanks to DefendDefenders’ support, which is so important to the human rights fraternity.”
“We see such a positive change among us; from all the trainings we receive. When it comes to protection and security training, HRDs are now able to navigate the different levels of threats that are directed against them. And of course, our human rights work exposes us to a lot of scenarios, which also has a direct impact on our mental health. But now we can talk to the DefendDefenders staff, who are able to help us cope.”
“Through the trainings and support that DefendDefenders gives, we have gained many skills, particularly advocacy skills, where we are able to do advocacy at different levels, on different human rights issues. At the national level, we were able to do advocacy with our parliamentarians and the key government ministries, to influence policies. Not only that, but we have also been supported by DefendDefenders to attend sessions of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), where we are able to present reports and give statements on our country’s situation, and we believe that advocacy work has also influenced the decisions of the Commission. So that is very important.”
“DefendDefenders has helped in linking us, the grassroots HRDs, to regional and international human rights mechanisms. We also attended sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), where over the past four years, we were able to advocate for the renewal of the investigative mandate of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, which is the only mechanism that has the capacity to document and preserve pieces of evidence for the purpose of future accountability. So, the work of DefendDefenders is so important when it comes to the protection of human rights in Africa and globally. For us, DefendDefenders has done great work. SSHRDN is now a big human rights movement in South Sudan that links the grassroots with the regional and international mechanisms; we are recognised at the country level, at the regional and international scene because of our partnership with different organisations. This is through the efforts of DefendDefenders.
“We are so happy to be affiliated with DefendDefenders and we look forward to continuing this partnership. To my brother, my mentor, Hassan, I say: Keep up the courage, keep up the good work. He and DefendDefenders have saved many lives through the protection grants, where the team is able to respond urgently. Without DefendDefenders, I believe many lives could have been lost. We really appreciate that. God bless him and DefendDefenders abundantly.”