Regional Action Plan on Human Rights Defenders A COMPLEMENTARY PROTECTION AND PROMOTION FRAMEWORK The Regional Action Plan is designed to complement the established global protection landscape, filling a gap in the Asia Pacific region. In doing so, the APF acknowledges the core international instruments that establish the normative protection framework of the rights of HRDs. While most of these rights are established by international human rights treaties, separate overarching commitments have also been made by States, NHRIs and defenders’ networks on HRD rights. These include: • The 1998 UN General Assembly Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the HRDs Declaration); • The 2018 GANHRI Marrakesh Declaration; • The 2018 Human Rights Defenders World Summit Action Plan; • The 2019 UN General Assembly Declaration on Implementing the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders; • The 2013 UN General Assembly Declaration on Protecting WHRDs; • The 2019 UN Human Rights Council Resolution on the Contribution of EHRDs; • The 2008 European Union Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders; and • The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls, and SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions. The Action Plan will also support the implementation of these commitments in the Asia Pacific, both regionally and nationally. 16