Monitoring and Protective Accompaniment In Cambodia, human rights defenders are increasingly at risk for threats, intimidation, violence, and arrest. Monitoring and protective accompaniment are important aspects of protecting and defending human rights, and a large part of LICADHO Canada’s work. Having uninvolved observers bear witness of crisis has been proven to ease negative psychological impacts on victims. Simultaneously, monitors are able to document details and evidence which can be used to disseminate information quickly, engage international media, provide rapid response to victim’s needs, and legally defend victims.
Protective accompaniment has been defined by Peace Brigades as “a compelling and visible reminder to those using violence that their actions will have repercussions nationally and internationally”. People who provide protective accompaniment services to threatened human rights defenders have also been referred to as “unarmed body guards”.
LICADHO Canada provides monitoring and/or protective accompaniment services in many circumstances including non-violent community resistance efforts, court cases, elections, demonstrations, union strikes, and forced evictions and displacement.