The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), in collaboration with the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI), held a consultation forum on April 15 and 16, 2026, in Addis Ababa, aimed at expanding civic space and strengthening the protection of human rights defenders in Ethiopia. Representatives from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights-East African Regional Office (OHCHR-EARO), the African Union Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR), and various CSOs participated in the consultation.
During the consultation, papers focusing on international and continental legal frameworks and standards regarding civic space and the protection of human rights defenders were presented and discussed. Additionally, EHRC’s ongoing activities to expand civic space and protect the rights of human rights defenders through monitoring, research, conducting public inquiries, and drafting model law were presented at the forum.
Participants of the consultation emphasized the need to reform legal frameworks to create a better civic space in Ethiopia and to provide adequate protection to ensure human rights defenders do not face physical or online human rights violations.
The Executive Director of the NANHRI, Gilbert Sebihogo, explained that government commitment, as well as collaboration between the EHRC and CSOs, are crucial for expanding civic space and strengthening the protection of human rights defenders.
EHRC’s Civil and Political Rights Department Director, Mekdes Amenu, noted that ensuring the rights to freedom of association, freedom of expression, and access to information is essential for expanding civic space and strengthening the protection of human rights defenders. She called upon all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, to work in coordination for its practical realization.