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<p>In 2017, officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) collaborated
with representatives of civil society organisations to update the FCO's "Guidelines
on Working with Human Rights Defenders". These Guidelines were issued to all
Ambassadors and High Commissioners in December. They give guidance on how UK diplomats
should become well acquainted with civil society representatives, including human
rights defenders. Each Ambassador and High Commissioner is able to decide how to apply
the Guidelines in the context of the country to which they are accredited. With this
decentralised, flexible approach, diplomats overseas are able to make decisions based
on local knowledge and conditions. The FCO believes that this is a better approach
than a prescriptive, centrally-driven strategy.</p><p> </p>
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