Human rights are not abstract ideals. They are the laws that protect people from harm, the mechanisms that hold power to account, and the freedoms that make democracy meaningful. 

Around the world, however, those rights are under pressure. Hard-won protections are being rolled back. The space for rights is narrowing – slowly, but unmistakably. And parliamentarians are being silenced. 

Yet human rights are only as strong as the parliaments that defend them. That is why this campaign exists. Bring human rights into focus is a call to action for parliamentarians everywhere. Because rights don’t defend themselves. They require people with the power to act being willing to use it. In parliament, that power is yours.

This booklet sets out 10 concrete actions across two pillars, all serving one mission. Some of those actions will take an afternoon. Others will take years of sustained commitment. All of them will make a difference.