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Call for Applications to Sister-to-Sister Program 2026

June 10, 2026
Nobel Women's Initiative - Home

On 8 June 2026 the Nobel Women’s Initiative (NWI) invited applications for the 2026 Sister-to-Sister Young Feminist Leadership Program. DEADLINE 26 June, 2026 

For over a decade, the Sister-to-Sister Young Feminist Leadership Program has been a cornerstone of NWI’s strategy to foster a world where feminist peace and security prevail. 

The Sister-to-Sister program brings together young feminist leaders — sisters — in an intensive virtual program which fosters crucial solidarity, support, sisterhood, and skills-building to better equip activists for the challenges ahead. This year’s program theme is:

“Peace in the Age of AI: Building Feminist Futures.” 

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how power and violence are exercised — from AI-driven disinformation, deepfakes and coordinated online harassment used to silence women in public life, to the rise of autonomous weapons systems transforming the future of conflict. The information ecosystem is a critical site of power, and it is deeply gendered. Women are both on its frontlines and leading efforts to reshape it. 

Women journalists, peacebuilders, content creators, communicators, and human rights defenders are increasingly targeted at the intersection of these threats, where narrative warfare online and AI-enabled security risks converge. These technologies are not neutral — they reflect and amplify existing inequalities and feminist leadership in shaping how they are governed has never been more urgent. 

Building on the work of NWI Nobel Laureates — particularly Maria Ressa, whose journalism and advocacy have been at the forefront of defending truth, accountability and democratic space in the digital age — the 2026 Sister-to-Sister cohort will move from analysis to action. 

We at NWI know first-hand that when young women are grounded in their histories, communities and lived realities, they rise with courage, clarity and fierce commitment to equality for all. Guided by the lived experiences of NWI’s Nobel laureates and inspired by Maria Ressa’s visionary leadership, this year’s program reflects our commitment to cultivating the next generation of feminist leaders equipped to navigate, challenge and reshape the digital world.  

Twenty five young, feminist activists will take part in a 6-week intensive virtual learning program from 24 August to 28 September 2026. The program is designed to: 

  • Broaden understanding of how artificial intelligence is reshaping power, conflict, peace — and the specific ways these technologies impact women and feminist movements. 
  • Build knowledge and critical analysis of AI-driven disinformation, digital security threats, autonomous weapons, and the gendered dimensions of emerging technology. 
  • Strengthen tools and strategies for navigating the digital information ecosystem, including digital safety, counter-disinformation tactics and adaptive feminist leadership. 
  • Explore how AI can be leveraged to advance feminist peacebuilding — from amplifying women-led movements, to strengthening early warning systems and expanding access to justice. 
  • Enhance collective learning and peer exchange by deepening mutual trust, sisterhood, and solidarity among young women activists confronting intersecting challenges. 
  • Deepen feminist networks for support and collective action and through this network build resilience and long-term capacity for change.  

To ensure selected Sisters are able to fully participate, an honorarium will be provided to selected participants at the end of the program. This honorarium is intended to contribute to internet access, work space, transportation, care responsibilities and other potential barriers to participation. 

To be considered, candidate applications are due before 11:59pm ET, on 26 June, 2026. Applications should include: 

  • A personal letter or video (max 2 minutes or 1 page) outlining how the candidate has been contributing to feminist peace, digital rights, social and/or environmental justice; the primary challenges in their context (contextually / personally / professionally); and how they hope the program will benefit them and their work. 
  • Current resume, with up to date, detailed experience (paid, volunteer, academic). 
  • Reference letter from a feminist peace, social or digital rights activist or organization, with contact details for follow up. 

The full application form is available here.

https://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org/sister-to-sister-applications-2026

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Kashmir human rights defender and MEA laureate Khurram Parvez to be granted bail but not free yet

June 10, 2026

On 10 June 2026 the Al Jazeera and Wire came with the breaking news that after 4 years of illegal detention Khurram Parvez was granted bail. The Delhi high court on 10 June granted bail to the Kashmiri human rights defender in a case in which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

LiveLaw reports that a division bench of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja allowed Parvez’s appeal challenging a trial court order passed on December 17, 2024, denying him bail. “We have granted bail, subject to various conditions,” the bench said. The full order is awaited. The Delhi High Court granted Khurram Parvez bail in thisNovember 2021 case but he will remain in jail in a separate case from March 2023.

Parvez’s arrest in 2021 and his incarceration since then had invited global censure. In 2023, Parvez was named one of the recipients of the 2023 Martin Ennals Award. The award, named after a famed British human rights activist, recognises “outstanding activists who pioneered human rights”. See: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/laureates/81468931-79AA-24FF-58F7-10351638AFE3

https://thewire.in/law/jailed-for-over-four-years-kashmir-activist-khurram-parvez-gets-bail-in-nia-case

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/10/kashmiri-rights-activist-wins-partial-court-victory-but-remains-behind-bars

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Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera one of many to die in Nicaraguan custody

June 4, 2026

Collage: La Prensa

On 3 June 2026 UN experts expressed dismay at the death in custody of Indigenous Miskitu leader and lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera, and the allegations of enforced disappearance of seven members of his family who had come to claim his remains.

“It is outrageous that repeated warnings and calls for protection have gone unheeded. We consider it an act of cruelty that the Nicaraguan Government is reportedly not allowing Brooklyn Rivera’s family to make decisions about funeral rites and the burial of his remains,” the experts said. [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/03/14/where-is-nicaraguan-indigenous-leader-brooklyn-rivera/]

On 2 June 2026 La Prensa listed 8 victims. [https://www.laprensani.com/2026/06/02/english/3710346-these-are-the-eight-political-prisoners-who-died-in-the-custody-of-the-ortega-murillo-dictatorship]

They called for a prompt, effective, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Rivera’s death in line with international standards, in particular the Minnesota Protocol, and for those responsible to be held accountable.

UN human rights mechanisms have followed this case since 2023 and have repeatedly raised concerns for Brooklyn Rivera’s life, physical integrity, health, and well-being. On 22 August 2025, the human rights experts wrote to the Government of Nicaragua about Rivera’s alleged arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance. They also requested proof of life from Nicaraguan authorities, following rumours of his death in custody. There was no response.

“The reported serious violations committed against Brooklyn Rivera and his family must stop. The Nicaraguan Government must reveal the fate and whereabouts of the seven missing family members and release them immediately,” the experts said.

They urged authorities to immediately respect the rights of Rivera’s family, including granting them access to all relevant information and records, ensuring their participation in decisions regarding his remains, and allowing funeral rites to be carried out in accordance with the family’s wishes and Miskito traditions.

The case of Brooklyn Rivera comes against the backdrop of a grave and sustained deterioration of the human rights situation in Nicaragua. On 1 May 2026, Human Rights Council’s experts warned of a pattern of enforced disappearances, incommunicado detention and detention conditions that could amount to torture or other cruel treatment. In March 2026, the report of a Group of Experts on Nicaragua described repression and persecution by authorities as systematic, amounting to, prima facie, crimes against humanity.

“Rivera’s case cannot be separated from the broader and deeply troubling human rights context in Nicaragua, including the repression of dissent, attacks on civic space, and the persecution of Indigenous leaders, human rights defenders and those perceived as opponents,” the experts said.

The arrest and subsequent enforced disappearance of Rivera occurred after his return from participation in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2023, the experts noted.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/06/nicaragua-un-experts-demand-truth-and-accountability-after-indigenous-leader

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New ISHR online course for environmental human rights defenders

June 3, 2026

ISHR introduces a new on-line course on advocacy for environmental human rights defenders, a practical, self-paced resource for activists, community leaders, and allies to defend the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment using UN and regional mechanisms.

On World Environment Day, and in parallel to the 1st European Forum on Environmental Human Rights Defenders, ISHR is introducing its new online course entitled ‘Advocacy for environmental human rights defenders: a pathway’. A conceptual, legal, and strategic resource to help environmental human rights defenders and their allies translate local environmental struggles into coordinated international and regional advocacy. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/05/12/first-european-forum-on-environmental-human-rights-defenders-3-4-june-2026/]

Environmental human rights defenders are those who protect our planet and defend the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. They are Indigenous Peoples, farmers, scientists, journalists and young activists from all over the world.

Despite their vital role, more than 2,253 of them were killed, harassed, or persecuted between 2012 and 2024 according to Global Witness. More recently, the Business and Human Rights Centre found that the most dangerous sectors in which to pursue activism to defend rights are mining, agribusiness and fossil fuels.

Behind those numbers are stories of resistance and solidarity.

Why a new course for environmental human rights defenders?

The past few years saw an increased number of positive developments for the protection of the environment and environmental human rights defenders.

This includes the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the Human Rights Council’s Resolution 40/11 recognising the role of environmental defenders, the Escazú Agreement enshrining the latter’s rights in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the creation of the Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention. All these developments also require defenders to understand how and when to use these mechanisms. 

I became an environmental human rights defender by coincidence. I need practical tools like this to help me navigate spaces for my advocacy. The ISHR Academy is really a useful one! Christopher Opio, Uganda 

The pathway is divided into three independent chapters

Module content on the ISHR Academy

Chapter 1 examines the legal and conceptual foundations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the role of environmental human rights defenders in addressing the triple planetary crisis, including accountability of States and non-State actors.

Chapter 2 provides strategic and practical guidance to advance environmental justice through UN human rights mechanisms like the Human Rights Council, the Special Procedures, the Treaty Bodies or the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and translate local defence into international advocacy.

Chapter 3 dives into regional mechanisms and other tools, in particular, for the protection of environmental human rights defenders. This includes rapid response mechanisms in Europe and Latin America, and other options designed for African and Asia-Pacific defenders through regional institutions and tools. 

Free, self-paced, modular and flexible, each chapter can be taken independently, enriched with case studies, videos, and additional resources. You set the pace according to your needs.

How do I know if this is for me? 

You know that bringing international attention could create pressure for change, but you don’t know where to start? You have an idea of who the Special Rapporteur on climate change is, the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights does, but don’t know the steps to engage with them?

The pathway walks you through exactly this.

Whether you are a community leader facing displacement, an environmental lawyer seeking international leverage, a representative of a grassroots organisation whose government has stopped listening, a young advocate learning to navigate international spaces, or an NGO supporting defenders on the frontline — this pathway was built for you.

Environmental human rights defenders are often the first to raise the alarm. I often meet people who face pressure or harassment for defending environmental rights and without knowing that international tools can support them. In this module, I will explain what my mandate can do and how defenders can engage with it.

Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to a healthy environment

By the end of this pathway, you will be able to:

  • Understand who environmental human rights defenders are, the contexts they operate in, and the legal frameworks for their protection
  • Identify international and regional advocacy avenues, within the UN and beyond, to advance the right to a clean, healthy environment
  • Plan strategic engagement with mechanisms based on your context, and hold governments and non-State actors accountable.

Start learning now at the ISHR Academy!

ISHR warmly thanks all the human rights defenders, experts, Special Rapporteurs and UN staff who supported us in building this course.

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/new-online-course-for-environmental-human-rights-defenders-on-the-ishr-academy

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Arbitrarily detained lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic in Serbia must be released says ICJ

May 30, 2026
thumbs_b_c_204653ef9478122a144c404305d9fb48 (1)

On 15 April 2026 The ICJ condemned the continued deprivation of liberty of Serbian lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic and the criminal proceedings against him on charges of incitement to violent overthrow of the constitutional order and disclosure of official secrets, which appear to constitute reprisals for the exercise of his right to freedom of expression. On 4 April 2026, Serbia’s Bar Association (Advokatska komora Srbije) expressed concern that the political nature of the charges against him and the three-year period covered by the indictment “give rise to the suspicion that his detention, along with other measures imposed against attorney Stojkovic, are being used as a means of coercion, rather than as a means of ensuring the unobstructed conduct of criminal proceedings.” The Bar Association demanded that Stojkovic be released pending trial.

“The prosecution of a lawyer for social media posts expressing criticism of the authorities is incompatible with Serbia’s obligations under international human rights law and standards,” said Temur Shakirov, ICJ Europe and Central Asia Programme Director. “The Serbian authorities must release Stojkovic and ensure that lawyers can exercise their right to freedom of expression without fear of reprisal.”

The political nature of the charges, the breadth of the indictment covering social media posts over a three-year period, and the severity of the restrictive measures imposed on him, including pre-trial detention, house arrest and a prohibition on posting on social media and on participating in public life, give rise to serious concern that he is being prosecuted to punish him for his public criticism of the Serbian authorities.

Stojkovic was arrested on 29 December 2025 and held in pre-trial detention for 30 days before being transferred to house arrest on 27 March 2026. He remains subject to restrictive measures, including a prohibition on posting on social media and on participating in public life. The charges relate to 17 social media posts published over approximately three years, which the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade has characterized as incitement to violent overthrow of the constitutional order and disclosure of official secrets.

On 24 March 2026, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers addressed a communication to the Serbian Government expressing concern that several provisions of a series of amendments and newly adopted laws relating to the judiciary and the prosecution authorities “may not be in line with international human rights standards related to the independence of the judiciary and the right to a fair trial, including: the impartiality of the prosecution service, the separation of powers, and the ability of judges and prosecutors to perform their functions free from undue influence, pressure or interference.”

https://www.icj.org/serbia-arbitrarily-detained-lawyer-cedomir-stojkovic-must-be-released

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Journalist Halim Naim found safety through Canada’s Human Rights Defenders program and continues the fight for the truth

May 29, 2026

On 3 May 2026, UNHCR published “I am addicted to the truth”: A Venezuelan journalist finds safety and purpose in Canada“, written by Zeba Tasci in Ottawa.

© Halim Naim

For more than 15 years, Venezuelan journalist Halim Naim built his career on one principle: telling the truth.  “I am addicted to the truth,” he says. However, that commitment came at a cost. Reporting in a country where freedom of expression was steadily eroding, Halim faced threats, censorship, and detention. As his visibility grew, so did the risks.  Despite the danger, he continued his work—leading political coverage, interviewing senior public and political figures, reporting national events, and defending the public’s right to be informed. But the pressure intensified. After speaking about contested elections and giving a platform to opposition voices, threats extended beyond him to his family. 

“I separated from my family to protect them,” he recalls.  Soon after, Halim fled Venezuela. He sought refuge in Colombia, where he continued advocating for human rights and supporting fellow Venezuelan refugees. But life remained uncertain. Without secure legal status and amid ongoing safety concerns, he struggled to rebuild. “I felt like I was working in hiding.”  

In 2025, after years living in exile, he was identified by UNHCR as a journalist at risk and was referred to Canada’s Human Rights Defenders resettlement program.  The program is designed to protect individuals who face threats because of their work defending human rights—journalists, activists, and community leaders whose voices are often targeted. For many, it offers a rare and urgent lifeline: a safe pathway out of danger and a chance to continue their human rights work in freedom. 

For Halim, the process moved quickly. Within months, he and his family arrived in Canada.  “Canada saved me,” he says simply.   Beyond safety, the program also provided recognition. “I never felt like a number. I felt like a professional who could contribute.” 

By offering a pathway to safety and a supportive resettlement process, the program allows human rights defenders not only to escape persecution, but to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose. It also enables them to continue contributing their expertise, whether through journalism or advocacy, in their new communities. 

Canada’s Human Rights Defenders program offers safety to people defending human rights and face serious risk because of their work. These individuals may be journalists, lawyers, activists, environmental defenders, people working in women’s rights, LGBTQI+ activists, and community leaders. In 2025, UNHCR identified over 100 cases to be recommended for the program. 

Halim hopes to use his experience to contribute both to Canada, and one day, Venezuela. His goal remains the same: telling the truth to defend human rights.  For Halim, the program that brought him to safety represents something larger than his own story: a commitment to protecting those who speak out against injustice, and ensuring voices are not lost. 

“Exile did not silence us. Exile ignited voices, made them stronger, made them more solid, more secure.” 

https://www.unhcr.ca/news/i-am-addicted-to-the-truth-a-venezuelan-journalist-finds-safety-and-purpose-in-canada

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ProtectDefenders.eu Annual Report 2024–2025: 10 Years of Protection

May 28, 2026
EU Flag

On 28 May 2026, an important milestone was reached: ten years since the creation of ProtectDefenders.eu. Over the past decade, the EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism has supported more than 97,000 defenders worldwide and become one of the most comprehensive international protection initiatives for human rights defenders at risk.

The anniversary comes at a challenging moment. Across all regions, defenders face escalating repression, shrinking civic space, conflict, transnational repression, digital surveillance and increasing restrictions on fundamental freedoms. At the same time, funding ecosystems supporting civil society and human rights work are under unprecedented pressure, while protection needs continue to grow.

Together, they send a strong and timely political signal: human rights defenders are essential to democratic and resilient societies; protecting them is a shared responsibility; and continued political and financial support for the EU Human Rights Defenders mechanism remains critical at a time when demand for protection far exceeds available resources. Their contributions also reaffirm the importance of ensuring the continuity and future strengthening of the Mechanism as part of the EU’s broader commitment to human rights worldwide.

Despite an increasingly difficult environment, ProtectDefenders.eu directly supported more than 10,460 human rights defenders in over 110 countries during the reporting period through emergency assistance, temporary relocation, advocacy, legal and psychosocial support, digital protection and organisational resilience initiatives. Yet the report also highlights a stark reality: current resources allow the Mechanism to respond to only a fraction of the legitimate requests for support received.

As the report makes clear, this is not the time to scale back protection efforts. It is a moment to reinforce collective commitment, strengthen protection systems and invest in the resilience of those who defend rights and freedoms around the world.

Click to see full PDF document

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/albania/protectdefenderseu-annual-report-2024%E2%80%932025-10-years-protection-impact-and-solidarity_en

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ISHR submits 66 cases of reprisals across 24 States to UN

May 28, 2026

In response to the annual call for inputs from the UN Secretary-General, ISHR, on 28 May 2026, has submitted 66 cases of intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the UN from 24 countries.

ISHR’s submission shows that reprisals against people engaging with the United Nations remain widespread and increasingly sophisticated. Human rights defenders continue to face travel bans, arbitrary detention, surveillance, online harassment, attacks on family members, and misuse of national security laws aimed at silencing cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms.

Key trends highlighted in the report include the growing recognition of transnational repression as a form of retaliation, increasing self-censorship among defenders, and the expanding use of digital surveillance and legal restrictions to intimidate civil society. At the same time, the report notes stronger international attention to reprisals within the Human Rights Council, General Assembly, and Treaty Bodies, alongside continued gaps in accountability and protection for those targeted.

ISHR also submitted information and followed-up on numerous cases, including in Algeria,  Bahrain, Belarus, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Guatemala, India, Israel & United Sates of America, Morocco, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Thailand, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen. 

Downloads pdf English

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More than 110 Nobel laureates call on Iran to release Narges Mohammadi

May 26, 2026
guardian.org

On Tuesday 12 May 2026 the Guardian reported that more than 110 Nobel laureates have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Iranian human rights activist and Nobel peace prize laureate, after she was transferred to hospital amid concerns over her rapidly deteriorating health

In a statement 112 Nobel laureates urged the Iranian authorities and the international community to act “without delay” to secure Mohammadi’s release and ensure her continued access to medical treatment.

Mohammadi, who was awarded the 2023 Nobel peace prize for decades of campaigning for women’s rights in Iran was transferred by ambulance in a critical medical condition to Tehran’s Pars hospital on 10 May for specialised treatment. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2023/10/06/jailed-iranian-human-rights-defender-narges-mohammadi-wins-nobel-peace-prize-2023/]

The human rights activist has experienced severe weight loss, unstable blood pressure and serious cardiac symptoms while in detention, and was found unconscious in her cell after a possible heart attack. Mohammadi’s transfer to hospital is only a temporary respite and her representatives fear she will be returned to prison if her condition improves.

The signatories included 26 Nobel laureates in chemistry, 12 in economics, five in literature, 29 in medicine, 11 peace laureates and 29 in physics, and include the authors Annie Ernaux and JM Coetzee.

Mohammadi has been repeatedly detained by Iranian authorities for her activism since first being arrested in 1998, including her campaigns against the death penalty and Iran’s mandatory hijab laws. She has been sentenced to more than 44 years in prison and 154 lashes over multiple sentences. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/01/16/many-ngos-raise-alarm-over-situation-of-detained-human-rights-defenders-in-iran-and-urge-un-human-rights-council-to-convene-a-special-session/]

Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has returned to her home after being discharged from hospital, her foundation said.

Mohammadi, 54, was released from Pars Hospital in Tehran on Sunday 17 May 2026 the Narges Foundation said on Monday. She was transferred from prison to a hospital in early May after she had two episodes of loss of consciousness and a severe cardiac crisis. [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/iranian-nobel-laureate-narges-mohammadi-returns-home-after-hospital-release]

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/may/12/nobel-laureates-call-iran-release-gravely-ill-activist-human-rights-activist-narges-mohammadi

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Human rights defenders to benefit from new protection hub in Kenya

May 26, 2026
Defenders Coalition executive director Kamau Ngugi during the launch of the organisation’s 2026 Strategic Plan at a Nairobi hotel/HANDOUT

An ambitious initiative aimed at strengthening the protection and capacity of human rights defenders in Kenya has been unveiled amid growing concerns over shrinking civic space and rising threats against activists.

Defenders Coalition, a national organisation that works primarily to protect Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) in Kenya, announced plans to establish Haki Village, a resource hub designed to offer safety, training and support to those championing justice and accountability across the country.

Speaking during the launch, Defenders Coalition Executive Director Kamau Ngugi said the initiative would serve as a safe haven for activists and civil society actors operating in increasingly difficult environments. “It will be a safe space for research, wellness, training and protection,” Ngugi said. The launch comes at a time when concerns are growing over the safety of individuals and groups who speak against injustices, corruption and abuse of power, especially as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections begin to intensify.

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) chairperson Claris Ogangah, who was the chief guest at the event, welcomed the initiative, saying it comes at a critical moment when many human rights defenders require protection and institutional support. “Anybody who speaks against injustice needs to be protected,” Ogangah said.

She noted that the establishment of Haki Village complements the work already being undertaken by KNCHR and various civil society organisations seeking to safeguard civic space and uphold democratic freedoms in the country. Ogangah warned that the period leading to the 2027 General Election is likely to witness increased political activity, including campaign rallies and demonstrations that may at times turn violent.

Ngugi said the initiative forms part of the organisation’s broader 2026 Strategic Plan, which will guide interventions over the next five years.

According to him, the civic space in Kenya continues to face increasing pressure and could deteriorate further as the country approaches the next General Election.

“The civic space in Kenya is repressed and may narrow towards closed status as we head to the 2027 General Elections and beyond,” he said.

Ngugi observed that threats against human rights defenders are becoming more complex and sophisticated even as both global and local environments for activism grow increasingly uncertain.

He further argued that many countries, including Kenya, often fail to fully recognise and protect the important role played by human rights defenders, exposing them to intimidation,

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-05-21-human-rights-defenders-to-benefit-from-new-protection-hub

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