Shahid Malik manages long-running UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) programs at the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) in close collaboration with the Board and senior management. This includes documentation of cases of enforced disappearances and other human rights abuses; supervising and monitoring research on health, legal and livelihood issues; needs assessment and identifying resources; budget management; building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and INGOs for joint initiatives; evaluation of projects, processes and program design. He is also responsible for raising funds for APDP programs and developing relationship with donors.
Human rights defenders in India face a diverse range of attacks and harassment from state and non-state actors alike, including killing, physical assault, arbitrary detention, threats and judicial harassment. Police officials are often the perpetrators of violence against HRDs, which is usually carried out with impunity. Armed groups and private companies also target HRDs for work related to economic development projects and their impact on the local communities or the environment. HRDs are increasingly the targets of online smear campaigns by radical nationalists.
