When it comes to human rights, we sometimes forget how much we owe to others – the hundreds of thousands of unsung heroes, known collectively as human rights defenders. They have changed history, tackling injustice and discrimination wherever they found it. Some of their names will be known to you: Emmeline Pankhurst, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Rigoberta Menchû. But the great majority are unknown to the world at large. They range from princes and politicians to women and men from all walks of life. Some rich, some poor. Some intellectuals, others barely literate. No formal qualifications are required. We can all be human rights defenders and we all should be. It just takes commitment and courage. Every year, thousands of human rights defenders are harassed, abused, unjustly jailed and murdered. Often their families are targeted as well. That is why, this year, Human Rights Day is dedicated to human rights defenders and their magnificent battle to stop discrimination. We need to stand up for their rights, so they can continue to stand up for ours.

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