Antoine Bernard
Antoine established and steered the International Secretariat, playing a fundamental role in the development and expansion of FIDH. Under his guidance, the organisation engaged in innovative and pioneering operations in the world of defending human rights.
The numerous victories he contributed to include the 1998 adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders; the 2002 establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the mobilisation that led to the ICC sentencing of Jean-Pierre Bemba in 2016, which was the first verdict to recognise rape as a crime against humanity and to hold those effectively in command responsible; the identifying of corporate responsibility on the part of economic players and their criminal prosecution as well as dialogue with some companies to encourage them to develop and assume their social responsibility; lastly, his work at FIDH, including in recent months, to usher in digital communication, to counter attacks aimed at delegitimising human rights, to organise the decentralisation of our organisation and to create transparent and faithful partnerships.
FIDH is immensely grateful to Antoine for his tireless optimism, his audacity and tenacity, and the passion that he has for our organisation, serving and supporting FIDH member organisations and their defenders.
He is an iconic figure in the worldwide human rights movement. He embodies the patience that is needed for universal, steadfast commitment to practical and concrete progress, as well as a single-minded pursuit of justice and the audacity that this requires.
Following the departure of Antoine, a transition management team is being set up headed by Juliane Falloux, FIDH Executive Director.
