On December 10th we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an occasion to reflect on the past and envision the future role of human rights in addressing the world’s profound challenges. This December will also mark 25 years since the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders was approved by consensus at the UN. Thus, it is an opportunity to honour the courageous individuals who have dedicated their lives to standing up for our human rights and in doing so protecting and promoting the social, cultural, civil, political and economic rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration.

Human rights defenders (HRDs) come from all walks of life. They may be journalists, lawyers, health professionals, teachers, artists, trade unionists, anybody who takes injustice personally and acts on it. Some are famous, like American footballer Colin Kaepernick taking a knee for racial injustice, and their activism comes at a great personal cost. These courageous individuals face targeted attacks, threats, harassment, detention, torture and even killing.

The Human Rights Defenders Memorial, a joint initiative by a network of national and international human rights organizations, documented the targeted killings of 401 HRDs in 2022 alone. As we commemorate this 75th anniversary, we must collectively engage on what more the philanthropic community can do to protect and support those on the frontlines of the fight to uphold our freedoms.

Growing unmet need

Funding is critical. Soon after it was founded in 1961 Amnesty International, alongside it’s campaigning work, provided direct financial support to human rights defenders at risk through its Relief Programme. In 2022 Amnesty’s Relief Programme expenditure doubled compared to 2021 in large part due to the Afghanistan crisis. And demand has grown further this year, as HRDs continue to be targeted relentlessly amid crackdowns and conflicts worldwide, including in Israel, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Eswatini, Colombia, Myanmar, Venezuela, Russia, and Sudan. This has resulted in significant unmet need.

The money goes towards undertaking urgent relocation for those in imminent danger and providing legal aid to support those fighting trumped-up charges arising from their legitimate work. It may also cover medical costs for individuals who have been tortured, well-being retreats as a respite from persecution, or local direct financial assistance to strengthen local community practices and systems that bolster safety, often known as collective protection. So far this year Amnesty has supported close to 7,500 individuals across 85 countries, with a budget just shy of $2 million. Many more could have been supported if greater funding were available.

While global and regional organisations continue to play a significant role, it is often protection networks and coalitions at the national level that are most agile, nimble and effective at responding to defenders’ needs. These national protection networks operate on shoestring budgets and are often unable to capture the attention of philanthropic donors. Supporting national protection networks in countries where HRDs are most at risk should be an essential ingredient in any funder’s protection or human rights strategy.

‘We need to provide those unable to return home with the opportunity to thrive in new communities, using their lived experiences to support, inspire, and influence bigger and better protection mechanisms.’

In the wake of Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, regional human rights network, FORUM-ASIA supported three courageous women HRDs from a grassroots organization in Sagaing, an area deeply scarred by military atrocities. The organization led many peaceful protests but were impacted when one of its leaders was shot dead and its founder imprisoned. Numerous staff members, including the three women, found themselves on the military’s wanted list and their homes destroyed by bulldozers. Displaced, the three were forced to constantly relocate, carrying only essentials in their backpacks.

In response, FORUM-ASIA provided immediate support, facilitating their move to safer locations, including border areas less monitored by military forces. This support was not only about safety; it also ensured basic survival needs were met.  FORUM-ASIA’s support extended to the families of the three women, who also suffered the repercussions of harassment and human rights violations.

Newer types of partnership

While there is some funding directed for short-term relief, there is a major gap in support to HRDs forced to leave their countries, who require longer term protection. To address this, we need to think more holistically and develop partnerships across civil society, business, local municipalities, and academia. We need to provide those unable to return home with the opportunity to thrive in new communities, using their lived experiences to support, inspire, and influence bigger and better protection mechanisms.

Many are already contributing: there is a network of Shelter Cities that host HRDs forced to leave their countries in Brazil, Costa Rica, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway and Georgia, and the Ubuntu Hub Cities across Africa (Abidjan, Accra, Cape Town, Kampala, Praia, Pretoria and Johannesburg).

These, together with the University of York and University of Dundee’s fellowship schemes, are providing holistic support to the growing numbers of rights defenders forced to relocate for medium or long terms, to reposition themselves and continue to have an impact to protect rights and democracy in their countries.

In 2024 we will continue to call further cities, governments, universities and philanthropists to step up, join and better fund this movement to provide protection and sanctuary to HRDs at risk. Cross-cutting partnerships can make these spaces where defenders can thrive. We also need to increase our support to those human rights activists from the most marginalised groups, women human rights defenders for example who are attacked for what they do and for who they are. At the root of the work of these defenders remain systemic forms of oppression, such as patriarchy and racism. Their dedication to human rights deserves our unwavering support and protection.

Guadalupe Marengo is the Head of the Global Human Rights Defenders Programme and the Head of the Global Relief Programme at Amnesty International

Sharan Srinivas currently serves in Open Society Foundations’ Global Programs as acting co-director, Justice. He is director, Securing Democratic Freedoms, and leads OSF’s global work to protect open society defenders and journalists.