NATIONAL ACTION 5: Monitor violations against Human Rights Defenders However, you should take a proactive attitude and actively seek for data, for example by directly reaching out to HRDs or their acquaintances, or by carrying out investigations, surveys, or onsite visits to detention centres, and through complaints-handling systems, HRD Focal Points and national hotlines.123 Focused monitoring around specific public events, such as elections or court proceedings which may result in higher vulnerability for HRDs is also useful.124 With all data collection, secondary sources can also be useful. Secondary sources may be in a better position or have more resources to obtain necessary information from primary sources, which in turn can increase the reliability of the data. Such sources include the media, civil society organisations, international organisations, government officials and agencies, observations from the ground and judicial or quasi-judicial decisions.125 Finally, tertiary sources, which are those that have no direct connection to the specific case at hand, but may serve as reference to understand the context or other, less specific aspects, such as history books or country analysis.126 Case study: In order to prepare a report on the situation of criminalised HRDs, the NHRI of Kenya held both individual and group meetings with HRDs and their networks, as well as with police officers who interacted directly with imprisoned HRDs. HRDs who could not be interviewed were provided with questionnaires. The NHRI also talked to judges and state actors, and reviewed publications and reports from multiple sources to collate the primary sources of information from the field.127 Similarly, when preparing a report on the situation of HRDs, the NHRI of South Africa conducted interviews with activists, researchers, academics and lawyers working with HRDs to provide context on the experiences of HRDs. It also referenced country reports and reports submitted to international and regional bodies, reports and documents available from government departments; reports and research conducted by civil society organisations (CSOs), networks and campaigns; and media reports.128 iii. Analysing the data One data are collected, they should be analysed. This involves, among other things, determining the existence of a risk. That is, the objective probability that some danger faced by HRDs will materialise.129 Once all information is analysed, conclusions can be drawn regarding the situation of HRDs in general or of an HRD in particular. If applicable, the result of risk assessments can be shared with relevant authorities, alerting them of the analysis of the risk situation, so that adequate (individual or collective) protection measures can be taken (as discussed in National Action 4). Alternatively, conclusions of collected information can be used to prepare reports on the situation of HRDs (as discussed in National Action 6). 123 https://ganhri.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DIMR_GANHRI-CSW-Report_final-BF.pdf p.23 124 https://ganhri.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/GANHRI-UNICEF-Children%E2%80%99s-Rights-in-National-Human-Rights-Institutions.pdf p.33 125 http://www.civicus.org/images/stories/csw/EWS_Toolkit-March2010.pdf p.4 126 https://www.oas.org/es/sap/pubs/GuiaAlerta_s.pdf p.36, 37 127 https://www.knchr.org/Portals/0/CivilAndPoliticalReports/Defending%20the%20Defender_Human%20rights%20defenders%20in%20conflict%20with%20the%20law.pdf?ver=2018-06-06-175208-833 p.14 128 https://www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/Human%20Rights%20Defenders%20Publication.pdf page. 10 129 https://www.protectioninternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Best-Practices-and-Lessons-Learnt.pdf p.89 41