Capacity Building

Raising the capacity of human rights defenders from the East and Horn of Africa sub-region.

Our Work
To build the capacity of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the East and Horn of Africa sub-region is a vital part of DefendDefenders work.

We aim to equip individual HRDs, EHAHRD-Net, and national HRD coalitions in the sub-region in the areas of HRD protection mechanisms and security management, Advocacy tools and strategies for HRDs, HRD Coalition building, Networking. In order to achieve this goal, DefendDefenders organises trainings, conferences, and workshops, as well as action-based learning and mentoring to HRDs. 

Claiming Spaces: Tactical Tool for Human Rights Defenders.

Every year, DefendDefenders organises our annual flagship event Claiming Spaces: Tactical tools for HRDs – a week-long capacity building event for HRDs. The event is organised in different countries every year, and welcomes about 100 HRDs to enhance their skills in a various set of topics.

Check out Claiming Spaces!

Latest News

Marie Louise Baricako’s Journey of Resilience and Advocacy

Since 2019, DefendDefenders has been partnering with Mouvement Inamahoro. Marie Louise acknowledges how the partnership connects them to a larger network of HRDs and civil society organisations from the region, helping to amplify the Burundian HRDs’ advocacy efforts.

Ameir Suliman: Standing Tall for Human Rights Against All Odds

“So, it is a successful partnership. And what I like about DefendDefenders is their way of working with others, they are friendly. You never feel that they are ‘just doing their job’. There is this humanity, not just with a few that I can pick out, but with all the staff. Whenever we reach out to them, whenever they have the resources, they never stop supporting us. I think many people appreciate that. DefendDefenders helps them to start a new life, they can stand on their legs again and continue working in the field of human rights.”