Marshall Islands Rights Defenders Seek Justice Across Generations, UN Expert Says

Women and organisations defending women’s rights or assisting survivors of violence face threats and harassment, according to information received by the Special Rapporteur.

Generations of Marshallese people have worked to secure recognition of harms that reach into their health, land and cultural identity, building a human rights movement rooted in communities helping one another. Concluding an official visit to the Marshall Islands, UN Special Rapporteur Andrea Bolaños Vargas praised that collective commitment and warned that exhaustion, limited resources and threats against some defenders continue to restrict their work.

Bolaños Vargas, whose mandate covers the situation of human rights defenders, described a country with an active civil society and a government generally open to supporting human rights work. Her observations recognised the strength of grassroots organising and the determination of Marshallese people to seek justice for their own communities and prevent others around the world from experiencing similar suffering.

Nuclear and Climate Harms Span Generations

The nuclear legacy and climate change have presented challenges that profoundly affect the physical and cultural survival of Marshallese communities, prompting defenders to take their demands for recognition to the international stage. Their advocacy addresses lasting consequences for the rights to health, land and food, together with the traditional customs and cultural practices that connect people to their communities and identity.

The psychological, emotional and mental health effects of these harms place a heavy burden on those defending their rights, the Special Rapporteur said, particularly when their claims receive insufficient acknowledgment or action. The exhaustion associated with pursuing justice across generations has itself affected defenders' ability to continue their work, making recognition and meaningful remedies essential parts of the response.

Distance and Scarce Resources Restrict Advocacy

Civil society organisations in the Marshall Islands defend the rights of women, children, young people and persons with disabilities, expose corruption and promote access to health, education and a healthy environment. Bolaños Vargas highlighted their ability to involve grassroots communities in improving their own conditions, describing collective participation as a distinctive strength of human rights work in the country.

Access to funding, information, resources and training remains an obstacle, with geographic isolation making these difficulties particularly acute in the outer atolls. Transportation barriers, communication problems and limited services make advocacy harder to sustain, and defenders working for the rights of persons with disabilities face pressures that can lead to both emotional and physical exhaustion.

Threats and Prejudice Demand Greater Protection

Women and organisations defending women's rights or assisting survivors of violence face threats and harassment, according to information received by the Special Rapporteur. Cooperation with the Government has not removed the risks associated with cultural and gender-related barriers, and Bolaños Vargas also expressed concern about reported reprisals against defenders exposing corruption, drawing attention to the need for protection across different areas of advocacy.

The expert encountered difficulty identifying defenders openly working on LGBTIQ+ rights, an issue she linked to prevailing social attitudes and widespread prejudice. Those conditions appear to restrict both the visibility of individuals and organisations defending these rights and the space available for them to operate, adding another barrier to an inclusive environment for human rights work.

Truth, justice and reparation must remain central to addressing the nuclear legacy and supporting a safe environment for defenders, Bolaños Vargas stressed, calling for transparency, participation, accountability and effective remedies. She said those advocating for victims of the nuclear legacy cannot carry out their work without full disclosure of information about nuclear testing, connecting access to information with the ability of Marshallese communities to pursue justice across generations. Her report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2027.