Who we are
ProtectDefenders.eu is the European Union Human Rights Defenders mechanism, led by a Consortium of 12 NGOs active in the field of Human Rights.
Front Line Defenders
Reporters Without Borders
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
ESCR-Net
ILGA World
Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism (UAF)
Protection International
Peace Brigades International
Euro-Mediterranean Foundation Of Support To Human Rights Defenders (EMHRF)
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
DefendDefenders – East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
Front Line Defenders, Reporters without borders, the World organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH form the Board of ProtectDefenders.eu. The Board is chaired through a six-month rotation system among its four members.
The Secretariat of ProtectDefenders.eu is based in Brussels and coordinates the implementation of the EU Human Rights Defenders mechanism. Meet the Secretariat:
What we do
Our mission is to protect defenders at high risk and facing the most difficult situations worldwide. ProtectDefenders.eu
Operates a permanent and rapid response mechanism to provide urgent assistance and practical support to Human Rights Defenders in danger, their families, and their work.
Manages a programme of temporary relocation for Human Rights Defenders at risk to relocate inside their country, within their region, or abroad in case of an urgent threat.
Supports the creation of shelters for HRDs at risk and coordinates an exchange platform for stakeholders working on temporary relocation for Human Rights Defenders, the EU temporary relocation platform
Provides training, financial support, accompaniment, and capacity-building to Human Rights Defenders and local organisations
Monitors the situation of human rights defenders, including in the field, and advocates for a protection agenda for Human Rights Defenders at local, regional, and international level
Promotes coordination between organisations dedicated to support for Human Rights Defenders, EU institutions and other relevant actors
Learn more about ProtectDefenders.eu
You can download our brochure and learn more about our programmes in support human rights defenders at risk
2020 Annual Report | BUILDING THE RESILIENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT RISK WORLDWIDE
2021 Annual Report | THE HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT AT A CROSSROAD
2019 – 2022 Report | HOLDING THE LINE
2023 Annual Report | REACHING FURTHER
The Canada Resettlement Stream
The Canadian government has expanded the available spaces for the Human Rights Defenders refugee stream as part of the broader Government of Canada’s humanitarian commitment to welcome vulnerable Afghan refugees—including women leaders, human rights defenders, persecuted religious or ethnic minorities, LGBTI individuals, and journalists and people who helped Canadian journalists.
ProtectDefenders.eu advises the Canadian Government on human rights defenders at risk and makes referrals to them for consideration for resettlement under this Refugee Stream for Afghan Human Rights Defenders. ProtectDefenders.eu will not be involved in the final decision-making regarding successful candidates, or the resettlement process. The Refugee Stream is managed by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada – a department of the Government of Canada, and it is funded by the Government of Canada. ProtectDefenders.eu works with partner organizations to receive and screen applicants for the Canada resettlement stream.
For more information about our this programme, please visit ProtectDefenders.eu Canada Resettlement Scheme’s website.
Work with us
Find here our latest vacancies and job advertisements
Contact us
Please be informed that we give priority to requests from human rights defenders at risk due to their work. Response times to other types of inquiries and contacts, including requests from individuals who do not qualify as Human Rights Defenders at risk, might take time.
Feedback and response
ProtectDefenders.eu is committed to delivering services that enhance the protection of human rights defenders at risk worldwide. However, we acknowledge that we may not be able to respond to all requests for support or meet them to the complete satisfaction of the individual concerned.
ProtectDefenders.eu encourages and welcomes all positive and negative feedback from human rights defenders and other individuals who have had work-related interactions and experiences with our organization.
If you believe that you have been negatively affected by the actions of ProtectDefenders.eu or its representatives, you can submit a complaint by filling this form, and we will review it thoroughly. If you do not have a specific complaint but would like to provide feedback regarding our work, you can use this channel to communicate your feedback to us.
Kindly note that the Feedback and Response mechanism is not designed to review the decisions made by our team on provision of support, as it is foreseen to address instances where actions (or lack thereof) on the side of ProtectDefenders.eu have negatively impacted a person of concern to ProtectDefenders.eu.
Please ensure to include complete and specific information in your email to us, i.e. the name of the concerned project/staff, date of mentioned interactions, specific complaint/feedback, and any reason or evidence that you might have. This will speed up the process of addressing your complaint/feedback.
- ProtectDefenders.eu will immediately acknowledge the receipt of the complaint/feedback and an initial response within 15 days;
- The Head of the Secretariat will review the complaint/feedback as soon as possible, and provide a response addressing the complaint/feedback within 30 days.
- All positive and/or negative feedback will be conveyed to the respective Programmes team/colleagues to improve our functions.
Frequently Asked Questions about ProtectDefenders.eu
Whether you are a potential applicant or have some general questions, you can find answers and information quickly about our support to human rights defenders in the FAQs below
ProtectDefenders.eu is the name of the EU Human Rights Defenders mechanism, implemented by a consortium of twelve international non-governmental organisations working in the field of protection for human rights defenders at risk.
ProtectDefenders.eu is financed by and works in synergy with the European institutions when necessary, but it is operated independently and is constituted as its own formal entity with its own mandate.
ProtectDefenders.eu is supported by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), which provides for 95% of its funding.
The Consortium of ProtectDefenders.eu was set up to implement the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism, and our membership is not open.
ProtectDefenders.eu has a global mandate and thus operates worldwide. Our grant-making programmes however, may impose different restrictions. Most importantly, we do not provide support to individual human rights defenders that are EU-citizens, nor EU-registered organisations are eligible under our Streghtening Organisations programme. Nevertheless, we do support initiatives taking place in EU countries, such as temporary relocation programmes, advocacy activities, or training.
ProtectDefenders.eu has four different grant-making programmes available for the human rights community. Namely: two individual support programmes, the Emergency support programme and the Temporary relocation programme ; and two programmes for local human rights organizations, the Strenghtening Organisations programme, and the Shelter Initiatives programme.
We also coordinate and animate a formal network of NGOs, governments, and institutions involved in relocation of HRDs -the EU Temporary Relocation Platform
Besides, ProtectDefenders.eu funds training, accompaniment in the field, and capacity-development to human rights defenders and communities, by funding our Consortium’s partner activities and programmes. Similarly, ProtectDefenders.eu contributes to fund our partners’ regular field monitoring work, and field missions such as trial monitoring, fact-finding, or advocacy missions, as well as targeted outreach actions to reach out to those most at risk defenders. Finally, ProtectDefenders.eu’s funding supports the public mobilisation and advocacy work of our partners, which contributes to alleviate the situation of individuals at risk and to call for an environment conducive for the defence of human rights worldwide.
You can subscribe here to receive news and updates about ProtectDefenders.eu’s work.
You can also follow us on:
Job and consultancy vacancies are regularly posted on this section of our website.
Amidst the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking all the necessary measures to maintain the global protection programmes in support of human rights defenders and local communities at risk. ProtectDefenders.eu – the European Union Human Rights Defenders mechanism, remains operational despite the coronavirus crisis. We continue focused on maintaining our support to human rights defenders at risk and taking the necessary measures to safeguard our staff. Some of our activities, however might be impacted. Our emergency support programmes – including the 24/7 hotline, remain available, as well as our funding for human rights organisations and groups operating in repressive contexts. We will continue to receive requests for temporary relocation for at-risk defenders – and their families when possible, in partnership with host institutions worldwide, and we will process them as long as movement limitations in place in part of the world allow.
If you believe that you have been negatively affected by the actions of ProtectDefenders.eu or its representatives, you can submit a complaint through our website and we will review it thoroughly. If you do not have a specific complaint but would like to provide feedback regarding our work, you can also use this channel to communicate your feedback to us.
