Curt Goering writes about the disturbing developments in Egypt, which mirror shrinking space for human rights and civil society organizations in many other parts of the world.

Rights and freedoms are the focus of this year’s Human Rights Day, according to the UN. Those rights and freedoms—freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear – are the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which applies to all human beings. But this year in particular, that last one, “freedom from fear,” gets stuck in my throat. Because we’re not all free from fear these days. Not by a long shot.

On March 8, the international community marks International Women’s Day. This special occasion recognizes the incredible advancements and achievements of women worldwide. As part of CVT’s observance of International Women’s Day, we’d like to introduce you to women who are leaders in human rights. Here’s an interview with Darine El Hage, a human rights lawyer and activist. She previously worked with New Tactics in Human Rights, a program of CVT.