Resource Hub

Digital Defender Partnerships can provide you with emergency funds up to 10,000€ if you are facing online threats. To apply, you can fill out the secure application form here.

Civil Rights Defenders has an emergency fund to provide you with rapid support if you are a human rights defender in acute danger.

Frontline Defenders can provide you with protection grants up to 7,500€ to pay for your legal and medical fees. You can file an application here.

Freedom House's Emergency Assistance Program can provide you with emergency assistance tailored to your specific circumstances and needs. The Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund provides emergency financial assistance to civil society organisations under threat. To apply you should contact info@csolifeline.org

FIDH can provide you with financial support or direct material support including physical and digital security, communications, capacity building in security, secure transportation, legal support, medical support (including psycho-social support and rehabilitation), humanitarian assistance (including family support), urgent relocation, urgent monitoring, reporting or advocacy. 

To apply, you can download the application form here by clicking on this box and/or contact: C1@fidh.org

Protect Defenders can provide you with emergency grants up to 10,000€. To be eligible to ProtectDefenders grants you have to:

• be a human rights defender working for human rights 
• face risks because of your human rights work
• need urgent support 

The emergency support program can provide you with money to cover urgent protection measures such as transportation, alarm systems, legal aid, medical costs or family support.

Front Line provides 24 hour support to human rights defenders at immediate risk. If there is a crisis you can contact Front Line Defenders at any hour on the emergency hotline.

Forum Asia can help you temporarily relocate if your organisation is one of its members.

International Federation for Human Rights/ The Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders can provide you with personalised assistance to ensure your security. You can contact them through the Emergency Line (appeals@fidh-omct.org) or by phone: + 33 (0) 1 43 55 55 05 using a Skype account. 

Shelter City Initiative enables you to apply for a three-month temporary shelter in one of the cities. The program will cover your travel, visa costs, health insurance and the cost of your three months stay. You will also be offered capacity-building activities, medical care and psychological care. 

To be eligible, you must speak English or French and be willing to speak in public about your case. For more information click on the box.

The Hamburg Foundation for the Politically Persecuted offers human rights defenders who are facing acute risks the opportunity of a year long respite programme in Germany. You can contact the foundation at: kontakt@hamburger-stiftung.de 

La Maison des Journalistes is a non-profit organisation located in France that provides journalists who have been forced to flee their countries because of retaliation on their work with a physical refuge, administrative, legal and social assistance.  To apply, you can fill the application form by clicking on this box.

International Cities of Refuge Network can provide you with physical safety and economic security for a two-years fixed period. To be eligible you need to be a writer (novelist, non-fiction, playwright, poets, editors, translators, publishers, journalists, cartoonists) and have been threatened or persecuted for expressing your opinion orally or in writing. You can apply by clicking on this box.

Scholars at Risk can provide you with short-term positions of refuge or assistance in resuming your academic career if you are scholar. To be eligible you need to be:

• An academic professor, researcher, lecturer;
• Have a substantial and recent history of employment at an academic institution or higher education;
• Have authored academic publications. 

Scholars Rescue Fund can provide you with fellowships to work at host institutions in any country. They also have emergency funds available. To be eligible you need to be an established professor, researcher or public intellectual facing severe and targeted threats. You should preferably hold a PhD and superior academic accomplishments. 

University of York Center for Applied Human Rights can provide you with a three to six months fellowship for respite while simultaneously acquiring new skills and sharing your experience in the United Kingdom. To be eligible for this fellowship you need to be a human rights defender facing risks in your work environment; and be nominated by a reputed civil society organisation that knows your work. You cannot be nominated by your own employers or the organisation you volunteer in.

The Oak Institute for Human Rights - Fellowship provides every year a full academic year fellowship for a human right practitioner involved in on-the-ground work who is exposed to personal risk. The fellowship consists in teaching and research in the United States with a 36,000$US stipend. To apply, you can contact: oakhr@colby.edu. Application deadlines generally are in December.

Ireland: Humanitarian Visa Scheme can provide you with a fast-track processing of your application so you can travel to Ireland for short stays (maximum of three months) to get some respite from temporary safety issues. You can submit an application through the Irish Embassy or consular representation of Ireland in your country of residence. Exceptionally, you can make your application directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin via the Human Rights Unit if you are supported by Front Line Defenders or a similar organization through a letter or other documentation. 

The MFRR’s Journalists-in-Residence (JiR) programme offers temporary shelter for journalists facing harassment and intimidation as a direct result of their work. Journalists get the chance to rest and recuperate in a safe place, and also to continue their investigative work at their own pace and use their time in Leipzig for networking and recovery. The JiR programme lasts for either three or up to six months, and includes a rent-free furnished apartment in Leipzig, as well as a monthly stipend to cover basic living costs. It also covers travel and visa expenses, health insurance, psychological counselling, and journalism-related training sessions on topics like digital security, mobile reporting and social media management.

Workbook on Security: Practical Steps for Human Rights Defenders 

Protection Handbook for Human Rights Defenders

A Guide to Personal Security for Human Rights Defenders

Digital Security & Privacy for Human Rights Defenders

Digital Defenders First Aid Kit. “The Digital First Aid Kit is a free resource to help rapid responders, digital security trainers, and tech-savvy activists to better protect themselves and the communities they support against the most common types of digital emergencies. It can also be used by activists, human rights defenders, bloggers, journalists or media activists who want to learn more about how they can protect themselves and support others. If you or someone you are assisting is experiencing a digital emergency, the Digital First Aid Kit will guide you in diagnosing the issues you are facing, and refer you to support providers for further help if needed.”

Digital Security and Feminist Holistic Protection

Surveillance Self-Defense

Business and Human Rights Resource Center, SLAPPed but not silenced report.

Protection Handbook for Human Rights Defenders

Urgent Responses for Women Human Rights Defenders at Risk

Recommendations to enhance the protection and security of women human rights defenders (2013)

ICT's for Feminist Movement Building Activist Toolkit 

Protection Manual for LGBTI Defenders

Reprisals Handbook

Mapping of temporary shelter initiatives for Human Rights Defenders in danger in and outside the EU

International mechanisms for protecting Human Rights Defenders at risk for their work on land rights

Defending Defenders: Challenging Malicious Lawsuits in Southeast Asia

Accountability Resource Guide: Tools for Redressing Human Rights & Environmental Abuses in International Finance and Development

Fighting Back: A Global Protection Strategy for Earth Rights Defenders

Advice for Human Rights Defenders on How to Engage with the US Government. Human rights defenders who are under threat often turn to the international community for support. Foreign embassies can be an important resource. Based on our interviews with human rights defenders around the world, we have prepared this factsheet to help you engage effectively with the U.S. embassy in your country.

Workbook on security: Practical Steps for Human Rights Defenders at Risk 

International Services for Human Rights, national protections frameworks. National legal protection for human rights defenders is essential for them to do their work safely. In order to facilitate awareness and understanding of developments, ISHR collates latest developments in national legal instruments for defenders and compares them to the Model law

Norway’s efforts to support human rights defenders

Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Swiss Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Human Rights Defenders: Protecting the Right to Defend Human Rights

U.K. Support for Human Rights Defenders

Protecting and supporting Human Rights Defenders

Security in a box