Red Cross must be present in Western Sahara
The Rafto Foundation supports the appeal asking Red Cross International to deploy a permanent mission to Western Sahara, ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims affected by conflict and violence.
22.02.2021
The campaign initiators CODESA (The Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders) has now sent the appeal to the International Commitee of the Red Cross (ICRC), asking to deploy a permanent mission to Western Sahara for the protection of Saharawi civilians. The campaign concluded on 15 February 2021 and has received wide international support with signatures from 150 Parlamentarians within the EU, 177 organizations from 41 countries, including international civil society groups, institutes, trade unions and political parties.
READ THE APPEAL HERE
Over the last months there has been an increased harassment by the Moroccan authorities against Sahrawi human rights defenders living in Western Sahara, Front Line Defenders and Human Rights Watch report.
The Rafto Foundation supports the Sahrawi people in their struggle for human rights in Western Sahara. In 2002, the Foundation awarded the Rafto Prize to human rights defender and former political prisoner, Sidi Mohammed Daddach.
Photo: United Nations Media Archive
