Americas: Security must not come at the expense of rights

Across the Americas, the expansion of securitisation and militarisation policies is putting human rights at risk and undermining access to justice. Under the pretext of combating violence and organised crime, increasingly restrictive measures threaten to shrink civic space, criminalise human rights defenders and erode the rule of law.

This trend is already evident in several countries:

• Colombia: Increasingly aggressive rhetoric in the name of security.
• Ecuador: Restrictive prison policies and the militarisation of prisons.
• Honduras: Mass displacement, carried out by security forces, against, rural, Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
• Venezuela: Continued restrictions on human rights defence work and civic space.
• Nicaragua: Transnational repression targeting human rights defenders.

In this context, it is particularly important to recognise the role of those who continue to defend rights and demand justice despite the risks they face. Women searchers for their disappeared persons in Mexico are a powerful example. Their essential work in addressing the crisis of enforced disappearances continues in an environment marked by threats, violence and a lack of protection. This situation has prompted UN experts to reiterate the urgent need for effective measures to ensure their safety.

The cases presented in this month's bulletin highlight a shared reality across the region: security cannot be built at the expense of human rights. On the contrary, the protection of fundamental freedoms, access to justice and the active participation of civil society are essential conditions for achieving sustainable, people-centred security. At a time of growing challenges to democracy, continuing to document, denounce and support those affected by these situations remains an essential task.

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