The Gulf National Congress (GNC) is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental organisation that works to provide support and protection to human rights defenders (including independent journalists, bloggers, LAWYERS, etc.) It was founded on 15 July 2014 by human rights defenders in the region of Dubai. The GNC has offices in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman. The GNC documents the human
rights environment for human rights defenders working in the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates). Objectives
To provide rapid, practical and effective support to human rights defenders at risk, including by carrying out missions and issuing press releases, calls to action and country REPORTS, as well as a regional annual report. To provide practical support that contributes to strengthening the capacity of human rights defenders to manage their security, including through training PROGRAMS and facilitating emergency requests via international partners. To support networking and exchanges between human rights defenders on the subject of security and protection, including through the regular holding of the Gulf Defenders Platform and by targeted campaigns. To strengthen international protection of human rights defenders at risk, for example by supporting regional and international mechanisms such as the role of UN bodies for human rights defenders, including to promote the implementation of the UN Declaration on human rights defenders, and by holding advocacy events at the UN. To promote and help shape the development of an understanding of the vital importance of the media in the protection of human rights defenders.
