“Mindful Strokes” campaign- Ttaala June 2024

Watch how Artist Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) created an online campaign, “Mindful Strokes,” which sheds light on alternative, creative mental health practices for human rights defenders. In June 2024, DefendDefenders, in collaboration with the Swedish Arts Council, implemented the Ttaala Program for artist human rights defenders. Through this program, HRDs learned about misinformation, disinformation, critical thinking, and online advocacy.

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Updates from December 2025

Dear Friends, 2025 was a year of reflection and celebration for DefendDefenders and AfricanDefenders, as we marked 20 years of protecting human rights defenders(HRDs)across the East and Horn of Africa and the continent. In my traditional end-of-year message, I looked back on the milestone and our activities through the year and invited our valued partners to join me in reflecting on our shared work.

Human Rights Defender of the month: Moses Mereto Mollel

Moses Mereto Mollel is a human rights defender and disability rights advocate from Ngorongoro District in Tanzania’s Arusha Region. He currently heads the Disability Initiative Support Programme at the Ngorongoro Legal Aid Centre (NGOLAC), where he works to promote the rights, dignity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities within pastoralist and marginalised communities.

END OF YEAR MESSAGE 2025

Dear Colleagues and Friends, As we close our year’s work at DefendDefenders and AfricanDefenders, it is my traditional honor to invite you to join me as we reflect on our year’s work, as valued partners in a common pursuit to ensure a safer working environment for human rights defenders (HRDs) across Africa.

Championing Safe Digital Spaces: The Impact of Lisa Tenneh Diasay’s Work in Liberia

“Cyber security issues and incidents of digital hacking permeated the media world all around me, and I was genuinely concerned. To make matters worse, Women TV Liberia had run a story which ruffled a few feathers across the political field, resulting in our Facebook page and website being hacked. I even felt like I was being watched and followed. At one point, I went into hiding, fearing for my life.”

Updates from November 2025

Hello Friends, All eyes and ears were on Tanzania as we got into November, following the general elections and the troubling reports of post-election violence. What should have been a moment of democratic expression quickly descended into unrest, with clashes reported in several regions and allegations of excessive force by security agencies.

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