Human Rights Defenders | Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Posts Tagged ‘Human Rights Defenders’

New UNPO report “Disappearing Peoples and Voices: Enforced Disappearances as a Tool of Repression against Human Rights Defenders

August 25, 2026

On 21 August 2026 UNPO has published a new report, “Disappearing Peoples and Voices: A Look into Enforced Disappearances as a Tool of Repression against Human Rights Defenders and Activists,” examining how enforced disappearances are used to silence political dissent and self-determination movements among unrepresented nations and peoples.

Enforced disappearances rank among the most severe human rights violations. Beyond stripping victims of their rights and freedoms, they function as a deliberate mechanism to silence activism and instil fear within entire communities. By removing activists, community leaders and human rights defenders from public life, these practices restrict communities’ ability to document abuses, advocate for their rights and participate meaningfully in national and international discussions on their future. They also create a chilling effect that discourages others from speaking out or engaging in advocacy for fear of similar reprisals. Yet those responsible for enforced disappearances often face minimal, if any, consequences.

Unrepresented nations and peoples are disproportionately affected by this practice, as their lack of equal representation, political participation, and meaningful access to self-determination leaves them with fewer protections and avenues to address enforced disappearances.

The paper follows two webinars held by the UNPO in commemoration of the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances in 2024 and 2025, and it is part of the organisation’s Compromised Spaces campaign, which has documented how states target activists, journalists, and human rights defenders abroad.

Drawing on testimonies gathered directly from UNPO’s membership, the report examines case studies from seven member communities: the Baloch, Sindh, Ahwazi Arabs, Crimean Tatars, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Iranian Kurds. While each community’s context is distinct, the analysis identifies recurring patterns across cases, including the use of counter-terrorism and national security pretexts to justify repression, the deliberate concealment of victims’ whereabouts, and the extension of these tactics across borders through transnational repression. The report, in fact, examines how states increasingly extend repressive practices beyond their own borders. Transnational repression can involve digital surveillance, intimidation, threats against family members, illegal deportations, political assassinations, and enforced disappearances. These practices create a situation in which leaving a country does not necessarily provide protection, as activists and diaspora communities may continue to face threats and reprisals abroad.

While enforced disappearances remain a global challenge, unrepresented peoples experience their impact disproportionately, given their limited access to formal channels of recognition and redress. The report underscores that, as methods of repression become increasingly sophisticated, including through the use of digital technologies, the importance of impartial and accessible human rights mechanisms capable of protecting those who are excluded and silenced.

At the same time, the report highlights how greater international awareness and collective action can help amplify the voices of affected communities. The same technologies that facilitate repression can also support the search for disappeared persons, maintain connections across borders, and strengthen advocacy. UNPO’s webinars demonstrate the value of bringing affected communities together to share their experiences, raise awareness, and support one another in seeking greater international attention.

https://unpo.org/disappearing-peoples-and-voices-a-look-into-enforced-disappearances-as-a-tool-of-repression-against-human-rights-defenders-and-activists

Major 2019 report on environmental defenders finds 52% of defenders were harassed by companies

August 24, 2026

A 2019 report released today by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) clearly demonstrates that people who protect the environment and human rights are increasingly being monitored, threatened, harassed – and even murdered.

The civil society democratic space is shrinking. Since 2012 more than 70 countries have introduced legal restrictions aimed at citizens involved in civil society organisations. The situation has become increasingly dangerous for people fighting for democracy, environmental protection and human rights. People who defend nature are particularly vulnerable.

…The report presents the results of a comprehensive study carried out by the SSNC … based on testimonies given by 25 environmental organisations around the world with whom SSNC collaborate:

• 88 percent … state that the situation for civil society … has deteriorated in recent years.

• 80 percent state that they find it difficult to carry out their activities as planned…

• 24 percent state that employees or individuals from the organisation’s target groups have been killed as a result of their environmental work.

• 52 percent state that they can give examples of when they or their target groups have been harassed or threatened by private companies.

• 68 percent perceive that decision-makers … regard the environmental movement as a threat.

https://www.business-humanrights.org/my/%E1%80%9E%E1%80%90%E1%80%84/environmental-report-defenders-under-attack-the-threats-facing-people-who-protect-nature

https://www.business-humanrights.org/my/latest-news/major-new-report-on-environmental-defenders-finds-52-of-defenders-were-harassed-by-companies

Posted in books, Human Rights Defenders | 2 Comments »
Tags: Business and human rights, environmental defenders, harassment, Human Rights Defenders, report, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)

Interview with Tania Pariona Tarqui, an Indigenous human rights defender from Peru,

August 20, 2026

OMCT published this interview.

Tania Pariona Tarqui is an Indigenous Quechua human rights defender, activist from Peru, and Executive Secretary of the coalition Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CNDDHH). As she started defending the rights of children and youth during her teenage years, now an advocate for women’s rights across South America, her work is more than ever relevant, not only in Peru, but for the global anti-torture movement. Over the past few months, the country has passed a series of laws that threaten decades of efforts for justice and accountability. Passing through Geneva for various advocacy meetings, she tells us all about the state of human rights in Peru and what these laws will mean for human rights defenders and victims of torture and ill-treatment.

What is the current human rights situation in Peru?

Peru is experiencing severe setbacks in human rights, even in very basic rights that took decades to achieve, such as gender equality or the broad women’s movement, along with sexual and reproductive health. We are also facing setbacks in terms of memory of our past. Recently, an Amnesty Law was passed to ensure impunity for serious human rights violations committed by the Armed Forces, the National Police, and self-defense committees during the internal armed conflict of the 1980s-2000s. This paves the way for impunity for those linked to crimes against humanity and erases the memory of thousands of victims who have waited decades for justice. In Peru today, our rights are not guaranteed, there is no protection.

What is the impact of these laws?

For families of victims of the 1980s conflict, as well as those killed in the 2022–2023 protests, these impunity measures deny justice and memory, rewriting history in ways that contradict lived experience. This “turning the page” denies grave violations. This is a hard blow to families who have fought for decades. The Amnesty Law would affect hundreds of cases, not isolated events. The State claims this law responds to terrorism, but in reality, it benefits human rights violators in the security forces implicated in torture, extrajudicial executions, and enforced disappearances.

What about human rights defenders?

Many human rights lawyers and organisations advocate for justice, but this law blocks their work by pardoning perpetrators of serious violations. Defenders are also stigmatised as “terrorists” or “terrorist sympathisers”. The term “terrorist” is indiscriminately applied by authorities, politicians, and even President Boluarte to delegitimise human rights defense. But lawyers are defending victims, not terrorists.

What can be done?

Raising a collective voice is essential. International solidarity must echo demands for justice globally. It is indispensable to maintain hope for a real democracy, not just the act of voting, but one that is intercultural, equal, and inclusive of Indigenous peoples and women. Currently, there are no political participation mechanisms for Indigenous peoples or Indigenous women. This is not true democracy.

The mechanisms of the UN and of the inter-American system are crucial, not only to issue recommendations but also to adopt a firm stance. Too often, human rights violations and violence against women are normalised. The international community must rethink its actions and strengthen democracies, protection mechanisms, and resources for defenders. Civil society is vital to democracy, yet civic space in Peru is shrinking. Without human rights, there is no democracy.

What is most important when defending human rights under these conditions?

Defending human rights today must go beyond the human rights community, reaching society at large. Youth and children must be included, with schools and communities addressing these issues. I come from a generation that witnessed progress thanks to older sisters who fought for important policy change. Now it is our duty to defend those advances, ensuring they remain for future generations.

Peru’s message of granting amnesty for crimes against humanity is disastrous, signaling to the world that impunity is acceptable. But as global conflicts show, impunity only harms the poorest and most vulnerable. We cannot normalise this; we must confront it now.

What message would you like to send to the international community?

To the international community: in Peru today, citizens’ rights are being violated, especially those who raise their voice against measures affecting our well-being and future.

Peru often presents itself abroad as a defender of human rights, but right now Peruvians have no guarantees of these rights. It is crucial that the international community pay attention, especially to cases of torture and arbitrary detention of activists, students, and indigenous women. Our call is for the international community not only to express concern but also to be present, speak out, and advocate for the rights of Peruvians.

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/blog/growing-impunity-peru-interview-with-a-peruvian-human-rights-defender

Posted in films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
Tags: activist from Peru, and Executive Secretary of the coalition Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CNDDHH), anti-torture campaign, history, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, impuntiy, interview, OMCT, OMCT SOS-Torture network, Peru, politics, Tania Pariona Tarqui, Tania Pariona Tarqui is an Indigenous Quechua human rights defender, video clip

FEDA – Egypt political prisoners’ families launch new international rights group

August 17, 2026

On 14 August 2026, families of Egyptian detainees launched Families of Egyptian Detainees Association (FEDA) to seek releases, fair trials and better prison conditions on the 13th anniversary of Rabaa to seek practical solutions to what it described as a 13-year detention crisis and press for improved prison conditions and fair trials.

In its founding statement, FEDA said its main objective was to bring an end to “the tragedy that has continued for 13 years” by pursuing measures that could lead to the release of political detainees.The group’s launch coincides with the 13th anniversary of the Rabaa and Nahda massacres on 14 August 2013, when Egyptian security forces violently dispersed two sit-ins by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.

The association said it would use legal and political channels to seek prisoners’ release and push for fair trials and detention conditions that comply with Egyptian law and international standards.

Its plans include approaching Egyptian and international institutions, political and religious leaders, and figures working in politics, media and human rights. FEDA also intends to visit the United Nations and bodies dealing with detention and enforced disappearance, pursue legal cases over alleged abuses and organise solidarity events.

Human Rights Watch estimated in 2017 that around 60,000 people had been imprisoned on political grounds since that year, although that cannot be treated as a current estimate of those presently held.

Rights organisations say political detention has affected journalists, activists, human rights defenders, protesters, academics and political opponents, as well as people detained over expression or political activity.

The association stressed that it was not aligned with any particular political movement, saying its purpose was to represent detainees’ families and work with Egyptian and international institutions to bring the political detention crisis to an end.

https://www.newarab.com/news/egypt-political-prisoners-families-launch-intl-rights-group

Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: campaign, detention, Egypt, Families of Egyptian Detainees Association (FEDA), FEDA, HRW, Human Rights Defenders, new ngo, news, NGO, politics, prisoners

Afghanistan’s human rights crisis worsening after five years of Taliban

August 17, 2026

As Taliban rule in Afghanistan continues, UN experts and many others warned that normalisation continues despite increasing restrictions imposed on the population, including women and girls, over the past year. They urged States to accelerate steps towards accountability.

“Five years may be a short period in the life of a country, but it is a long one in a child’s life,” the experts said. “A generation of girls has now been denied secondary education. A girl who was in grade six when the ban began is reaching adulthood without another day in school.”

Over the past year, the Taliban have further entrenched their institutionalised gender-based repression. The experts reiterated that the Taliban’s intentional and targeted gender-based deprivation of fundamental rights amounts to the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. As this repression forms part of an institutionalised system of gender-based discrimination, oppression and domination, the experts said it can also be characterised as gender apartheid. They urged States to actively support the codification of gender apartheid as a distinct crime against humanity…

Enforcement measures, some involving cruel and inhuman punishment, have also intensified, the experts said. In 2025 alone, more people were publicly flogged than in all the previous years of Taliban rule combined.

“Women have been turned away from hospitals on account of their attire or for lacking a male guardian, denying them their right to access health care. In June 2026, at least 30 women and girls were jailed in Herat for allegedly violating the Taliban’s dress code. When residents protested, security forces opened fire, killing at least two people, including a boy.”

They called for strengthened support for the International Criminal Court, warning that “the newly mandated Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan must not remain only an achievement on paper; it must also be properly and swiftly resourced.”

“Afghanistan is not a safe country: mass returns and forced deportations in violation of the obligation of non-refoulement must stop, particularly for those who face heightened protection risks, including religious or ethnic minorities and LGBT persons,” the experts said.

“There should be no moves to normalise the Taliban de facto authorities, including by accepting diplomats or holding meetings in capitals, without demonstrated, measurable progress against human rights benchmarks, particularly for women and girls,” the experts said. “For five years, Afghans’ human rights have been systematically violated, yet many continue to strive bravely and against the odds to restore them. The international community must not let them down again.”

The full statement is available here.

Afghanistan: UN experts warn against normalisation of Taliban rule (Press Release)

HRW calls for release of six rights workers from Taliban prison

https://amu.tv/249925

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/blog/a-bridge-to-justice-an-afghan-woman-lawyer-on-resilience-solidarity-and-a-hopeful-future

Ravadari Says Taliban Have Arbitrarily Detained More Than 6,000 People in Afghanistan

https://amu.tv/250139

https://8am.media/eng/five-years-taliban-world-misunderstand

Posted in HRW, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Afghanistan, HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, human rights of women, ICC, Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan, news, politics, Taliban, un experts, women

Four US human rights groups sue Trump administration over ‘crippling’ ICC sanctions

August 13, 2026

On 11 August 2026 the Guardian and other media reported that four prominent US human rights organizations have accused the Trump administration of using its “crippling” sanctions regime against the international criminal court (ICC) to undermine global efforts to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court on Tuesday, the groups – the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch and the Open Society Institute – argued that the administration’s targeting of the ICC, as well as of groups and individuals affiliated with it or assisting its work, amounts to a “blatantly illegal attack on international justice”, the groups said.

The suit challenges Trump’s February 2025 executive order, which authorized sanctions on ICC officials, judges and others working to support its investigation of Israeli crimes in Palestine – one of 18 investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity the Netherlands-based tribunal is overseeing.

The US state department and justice department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tuesday’s lawsuit follows one filed last month by Democracy in the Arab World Now (Dawn), a Washington-based advocacy group focused on US foreign policy in the Middle East, and the New York-based Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide, as well as legal challenges brought by some of the sanctioned individuals themselves, including Albanese’s family and three sitting ICC judges.

James Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, a program of Open Society Foundations, which the Trump administration also explicitly threatened last year, called the sanctions “an assault on the rule of law, independent judges and prosecutors, and civil society in the United States and around the world”.

“Independent courts can function only when judges, prosecutors and rights advocates are free to do their work without fear of political retaliation. We believe that no one is above the law,” he said in the press conference on Tuesday. “The executive order shields the perpetrators of war crimes from scrutiny while punishing those who pursue accountability. Justice must be fair and impartial, not only directed at America’s adversaries.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/11/human-rights-groups-trump-lawsuit-icc-sanctions

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/11/rights-groups-sue-trump-administration-over-targeting-icc

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-human-rights-groups-sue-trump-over-anti-icc-push-2026-08-11

https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/18/us-sanctions-2-more-international-criminal-court-officials

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/other/3969297-un-experts-demand-us-end-icc-sanctions-as-international-justice-faces-growing-pressure?amp

Posted in HRW, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: American Friends Service Committee, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights Watch, ICC, International Criminal Court, Israel, news, Open Society Institute, Palestine, politics, sanctions, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Tomoko Akane, Trump, un experts, USA

2025 EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World

August 13, 2026

This year’s EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World is looking back at a year that has been remarkable for the persistence and variety of conflicts, and for widespread shifts away from an international rules-based order to one based on autocratic power, where self-interest takes precedence over solidarity.

There is a stark contrast between current geo-political trends and the achievements recounted in this year’s EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World report. Made up of many stories, the report outlines the positive results of people in countries all over the world coming together to make a positive difference. We want to tell these stories because the principles enshrined in the founding EU treaties are noble and universal, and because today it takes strong resolve to speak difficult truths and keep the European Union (EU) on the right side of history.

The EU continues to act in a world characterised by fear and uncertainty. For the EU, the compass of universal human rights has kept us on a steady course, charted in the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, and the EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy follows the same structure. The report presents stories about protecting and empowering individuals, building resilient, inclusive and democratic societies, promoting a global system for human rights and democracy, harnessing opportunities and addressing challenges and ensuring we deliver by working with our partners.

Amid these challenges, and as this report makes clear, the European Union remains a steady force for good in the world, not least because our interests and values – grounded in universal norms – are one and the same. That is why we are still the partner of choice for those who want to foster cooperation for human rights and democracy globally. This report contains many examples of our positive work that I hope can serve as inspiration to others.

The last 12 months have brought innumerable small victories for human rights and democracy, from the many moves away from the death penalty, to the new generation rising to the challenge of public participation, online and in the streets, in Gen Z movements across the globe. We can see that democracy, human rights and justice remain an aspiration and a source of hope. Several elections in 2025 resulted in peaceful transfers of power, demonstrating the resilience of democratic institutions.

The EU accompanied many of these high points, whether through election monitoring, capacity building, or celebrations and public statements, just as it lent a hand to shed light on human rights violations and democratic backsliding by giving voice to victims, supporting human rights defenders at risk, leading efforts in multilateral fora or manoeuvring through quiet diplomacy.

The 2025 EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy shows that human rights are not just words for us, but take the form of actions of all kinds by our countless partners around the world as well of course as EU actors, whether in Brussels or in EU Delegations, offices and missions.

As this report attests, promoting and defending human rights and democracy around the world is a long-term commitment for the EU, requiring collective efforts that often need time to bring results. But working with partners to preserve and improve human dignity, basic freedoms and justice contributes to creating a solid and lasting foundation on which we can all build prosperity through sustainable development.

Learning from the unprecedented challenges of 2025, the EU carries on working to uphold human rights and democracy, and is proud to continue to promote these important stories of hope and impact.

Read the 2025 EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy Annual Report

https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/eu-summarises-situation-with-human-rights-and-democracy-worldwide-in-its-latest-report

Posted in EU, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: annual report 2025, Democracy, EU, EU Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World, Europe, history, Human Rights Defenders, Kaja Kallas, news, politics

Minority artists exhibit in Geneva: stories of displacement, fragmented identities and marginalization

August 10, 2026

Through paintings, photography, sculpture, installation, digital arts, dance and music, the International Contest for Minority Artists transforms the lakeside promenade into an open-air exhibition celebrating the role of minority artists as human rights defenders. Held from 31 July to 31 August, the exhibition showcases the work of 30 laureates of the 2022-2025 editions of the contest, whose art bears witness to lived experiences that may otherwise go unnoticed.

“Art is an essential dimension of human rights work. While strengthening the rule of law and uncovering facts are vital, lasting change requires compassion,” said UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, on the occasion of the 3 August inauguration along Quai Wilson. “And that compassion is nurtured by works of art. They keep us from becoming numb to suffering and injustice; they reject the dehumanization of others. Art is also a powerful tool for prevention, human rights education, and the preservation of historical truth.”

Structured around four themes (Statelessness; Intersectionality; Memory in the Present; Belonging, Place and Loss), the exhibition pairs each artwork with the artist’s personal story, revealing the experiences that inspire their creative practice and their commitment to defending human rights.

With the use of distinct creative methods, these human rights defenders demonstrate the ability of art to convey strong sentiment and mobilize an audience. Through mediums such as painting, dance, photography, sculpture, and music, art becomes a means to preserve, witness, and resist cultural erasure, while asserting a strong presence in the public sphere.

Co-curated with the support of Roma artist and 2025 laureate Sead Kazanxhiu, this exhibition is a collaboration between UN Human Rights and the Ville de Genève, along with partner organizations Freemuse, Minority Rights Group, and the Centre des Arts of the International School of Geneva.

For this exhibition, UN Human Rights worked in partnership with the Embassy of Foreign Artists (EoFA), based in Geneva, to organize the first residency of the “Minority Artists for Human Rights” initiative, with the goal of supporting minority artists in their expressive endeavours.

EoFA, founded in 2012, offers residencies, designs research programs, and ensures that foreign artists have optimal working conditions in Geneva. In their words, they aim to promote a “genuine appreciation for hosted projects and people behind them.”Creating spaces for minority artists

An artistic residency has accompanied the exhibition this year, with four past laureates participating: Chuu Wai from Myanmar, Bakri Moaz from Sudan, Alia Al-Saadi, of Palestinian descent born in Syria, and Tufan Chakma from Bangladesh.

Participating artists

Zahra Hassan Marwan, Jean Philippe Moiseau, Abdullah, Amin Taasha, Naser Moradi, Mawa Rannahr, Babatunde “Tribe” Akande, Bianca Batlle Nguema, Mehdi Rajabian, Karthoum Dembele, Aluízio de Azevedo Júnior, Tufan Chakma, Andrew Wong, Elahe Zivardar, Bianca Broxton, Joel Pérez Hernández, Francis Estrada, Laowu Kuang, Jayatu Chakma, André Fernandes, Maganda Shakul, Chuu Wai, Alia Al Saadi, Sead Kazanxhiu, Darwin Cruz, Lindxee Collins, Bakri Moaz, Mariri Tavares, Emanoel Saravá, and Kheder Abdulkarim.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2026/08/when-art-defends-human-rights-minority-artists-exhibit-geneva

Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Alia Al-Saadi, artists, Bakri Moaz, Chuu Wai, Chuu Wai from Myanmar, Geneva, Human Rights Defenders, International Contest for Minority Artists, Sead Kazanxhiu, stories, Tufan Chakma, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk

Call for inputs to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the mental health of human rights defenders

August 4, 2026

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders invites States, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, human rights defenders, medical and mental health professionals, academics, United Nations entities, regional organizations, donors, and other relevant stakeholders to provide inputs for an upcoming thematic report to the 64^th session of the Human Rights Council on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of human rights defenders. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/03/10/andrea-bolanos-vargas-next-special-rapporteur-on-human-rights-defenders/]

Human rights defenders play a vital role in promoting and protecting human rights, fundamental freedoms, democratic values, environmental protection, and social justice. In carrying out their work, defenders are frequently exposed to a range of pressures and risks, including threats, harassment, intimidation, surveillance, criminalization, arbitrary detention, reprisals, online abuse, displacement, and violence. These experiences may have significant consequences for their mental health and psychosocial well-being.

The report aims to examine the challenges faced by human rights defenders in maintaining their mental health and well-being, identify barriers to accessing adequate support, and highlight promising practices and measures that can help create enabling environments in which defenders can safely and sustainably carry out their work.

The Special Rapporteur welcomes contributions from all regions and encourages submissions reflecting the experiences of defenders working in diverse contexts, including women human rights defenders, Indigenous defenders, environmental and land rights defenders, LGBTIQ+ defenders, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, youth defenders, defenders with disabilities, and defenders operating in situations of conflict, occupation, humanitarian crises, or authoritarian settings.

A detailed outline is to be found in the document.

Call for inputs to the report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders to the 64th Human Rights Council

Posted in human rights, Human Rights Council, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Andrea BOLANOS VARGAS, call for input, Human Rights Defenders, mental health, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders

Shelter City Spring 2027: Three-Month Human Rights Defender Protection Programme

August 2, 2026

Human rights defenders at risk can receive three months of temporary protection, tailored support, and networking in the Netherlands. Deadline: 2 August 2026.

Justice & Peace Netherlands has officially opened applications for the Shelter City Spring 2027 Programme, offering human rights defenders (HRDs) at risk the opportunity to spend three months in the Netherlands in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment. The application deadline is 2 August 2026.

The internationally recognized Shelter City initiative provides temporary relocation for human rights defenders facing threats because of their peaceful activism. During the programme, participants receive tailored support, strengthen their professional networks, and develop new strategies to continue advancing human rights in their home countries.

With 14 Dutch cities participating in the Spring 2027 cycle, the programme represents one of Europe’s leading temporary protection initiatives for frontline human rights advocates.

Shelter City is coordinated by Justice & Peace Netherlands and is designed to offer temporary safety and capacity-building opportunities to human rights defenders who are working under difficult or dangerous conditions.

Rather than serving as a permanent relocation initiative, Shelter City provides participants with a temporary period of rest, reflection, professional development, and international networking before they safely return home to continue their important work.

The programme recognizes that human rights defenders often operate under immense pressure, including intimidation, harassment, surveillance, threats, arbitrary detention, or violence. By offering a secure environment, Shelter City enables participants to recover, strengthen their resilience, and enhance the effectiveness of their advocacy.

The Spring 2027 Shelter City Programme will run from:

March to May 2027

Participants will stay in one of 14 participating cities across the Netherlands for approximately three months.

The programme is structured to ensure participants return home better equipped—both professionally and personally—to continue defending human rights in their own communities.

Apply for the Justice & Peace Netherlands Shelter City Spring 2027: Three-Month Human Rights Defender Protection Programme

Posted in human rights | Leave a Comment »
Tags: defenders at risk, Human Rights Defenders, Justice & Peace Netherlands, Netherlands, Shelter City Netherlands, temporary relocation, training courses

Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards