Reports

On the Legal Frontline: Lawyers and Paralegals as Human Rights Defenders in the East and Horn of Africa

31 January 2020

Introduction Legal activists in the East and Horn of Africa sub-region navigate a complex legal terrain and are routinely subjected to intimidation and violence due to their human rights work. This policy brief is based on lessons learned from a vanguard of lawyers, paralegals, and activists who are “working towards the application of the law with a human rights approach” in the sub-region.[1] They are

Read the report

Navigating Justice: Lawyers as Human Rights Defenders in Ethiopia and Somalia/Somaliland

9 December 2019

In a new report launched today, Navigating Justice: Lawyers as Human Rights Defenders in Ethiopia and Somalia/Somaliland, DefendDefenders examines the work of lawyers to identify their best practices, vulnerabilities, and needs in these rapidly changing environments. This report outlines several avenues governments, donors, and non-governmental organisations can take to help effectively promote the work of lawyers, such as capacity-building activities, and areas of immediate focus like psychosocial support. “There can be no lasting peace without justice, and no fulfilment of basic human rights without peace,”

Annual Report 2018

1 July 2019

Read our Annual Report 2018. In 2018, DefendDefenders and its partners continued to monitor and document human rights violations across the East and Horn of Africa sub-region, with a focus on the contexts affecting the work of HRDs. The year was filled with human rights contrasts in the East and Horn of Africa sub-region, and worldwide, as vastly constructive and destructive human rights actions took place in parallel. The sub-region witnessed a rising trend of shrinking civic space, affecting the respect for human rights and rule of

No Advice without Knowledge: Scrutiny elements in the UN Human Rights Council’s item 10 resolutions

21 June 2019

In a report published today, DefendDefenders analyses the content and evolution of resolutions adopted by the UN Human Rights Council (hereafter “Council”) in the framework of its agenda item 10, which is dedicated to technical assistance and capacity-building. No Advice without Knowledge focuses on the presence of scrutiny (understood as monitoring and public reporting) elements in the Council’s item 10 resolutions. As Hassan Shire, DefendDefenders’ Executive Director, highlights in his Foreword, the Council’s agenda item numbers reflect different possible approaches to human rights violations, from exposure

Turning the Page: Rebuilding Civil Society in Ethiopia

7 May 2019

In a new report launched today, Turning the Page: Rebuilding Civil Society in Ethiopia, DefendDefenders examines the challenges faced by Ethiopian human rights defenders (HRDs) amid the ongoing reform process and makes concrete recommendations for rebuilding a robust and inclusive civil society ahead of elections planned for 2020. Despite some positive developments, serious gaps remain, and rights-based organisations in the country currently lack the capacity to keep pace with these developments. This report outlines several avenues donors and international organisations can use to help effectively

“To Them, We’re Not Even Human”: Marginalised Human Rights Defenders in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania

3 December 2018

In a new report launched at the annual Claiming Spaces forum, DefendDefenders examines the important role played by marginalised human rights defenders (HRDs) in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Uganda’s Social Media Tax through the lens of network measurements

12 November 2018

Today, in collaboration with OONI (Open Observatory of Network Interference), DefendDefenders co-published a new research report: “Uganda’s Social Media Tax through the lens of network measurements”. Our research report is available here. As of 1st July 2018, Uganda has introduced a new OTT (Over The Top) tax – commonly referred to as the Social Media Tax – which requires people in Uganda to pay taxes to the government in order to access several online social media platforms. Unless this tax is paid, access to these specific social media platforms is blocked.

Annual Report 2017

1 October 2018

Download report Dear friends, colleagues, and fellow human rights defenders, Throughout 2017, the human rights situation in the East and Horn of Africa remained extremely precarious, with five (5) of the eleven (11) countries under our mandate currently subject to UN Special Procedures. Continued internal conflict threatens to destroy countries like South Sudan and Burundi, while more stable nations like Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia continue to feel civilian pressure for more representative democracy. The push and pull of progress remains twofold: whereas nations like Somalia

Between Despair and Resilience: Burundian human rights defenders in protracted exile in Uganda and Rwanda

14 September 2018

Despite being forced into exile after April 2015, many Burundian HRDs continue their work. A new report examines the challenges they face.

Headlong Rush: Burundi’s behaviour as a member of the UN Human Rights Council

25 July 2018

DefendDefenders examines Burundi’s abysmal record as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

Spreading Fear, Asserting Control: Tanzania’s assault on civic space

26 June 2018

DefendDefenders raises the alarm about a growing human rights crisis in Tanzania

“This Is Our Freedom. These Are Our Rights” Human rights defenders in South Sudan since July 2016

26 April 2018

DefendDefenders examines the state of human rights defenders in South Sudan.

Don’t Shoot the Messenger! Journalists as Human Rights Defenders in the East and Horn of Africa

2 November 2017

DefendDefenders examines the challenges journalists face, and provides an overview of the various strategies they have used to circumvent and continue their work amid these restrictions

STAND UP! Security manual for African human rights defenders

6 May 2017

Our security manual provides key strategies that human rights defenders and civil society organisations can use to immediately improve their safety.

Safeguarding Civil Society

17 March 2017

A joint report with contributions from DefendDefenders’ Technology team assesses Internet freedom and the digital resilience of civil society.

Annual Report 2016

1 January 2017

Dear friends, colleagues, and fellow human rights defenders, As our battle for the promotion and protection of human rights increasingly shifts towards the digital world, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project decided it was time for our online and offline organisational image to get a makeover. In 2016, we adopted DefendDefenders as the organisation’s new name and worked on a new brand and website to reflect the progress the organisation has made in the last 12 years. Throughout 2016, DefendDefenders has

Exiled and in Limbo: Support mechanisms for human rights defenders in exile in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda

20 June 2016

DefendDefenders examines the situation of HRDs living and working in exile, and provides a resource guide of the various support mechanisms available to them.

Strengthening the Human Rights Council at 10

28 April 2016

This joint civil society paper has been prepared by 20 leading international, national and regional non-governmental organisations, on the occasion of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 10th Anniversary. The paper provides concrete recommendations for short- and medium-term steps that would enhance the Council’s ability to better fulfil its mandate. The impact and achievements of the HRC over the past decade should be measured against its mandate to promote and protect universal human rights, and address situation of violations of human rights, including gross and systematic violations. The

DefendDefenders submits 4 joint reports to 26th session of UPR Working Group

31 March 2016

The Universal Periodic Review is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. DefendDefenders submitted four joint reports for the UPRs of South Sudan and Uganda.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Somali human rights defenders and media workers caught in the crossfire

16 February 2016

Somali human right defenders, including journalists, face worsening patterns of attacks on their rights to life, security of person, and freedom from arbitrary arrests and detention.

Annual Report 2015

1 January 2016

Dear friends and colleagues, It’s been over ten years since I had to flee my country and found a safe haven in Canada. Forced to leave my native Somalia because of my work, I had to fly halfway around the world, far from my colleagues, family, friends and work to find safety. Today, against the backdrop of the European refugee crisis and the multiple crises, conflicts an crackdowns taking place in the sub-region, it is more important than ever that human rights defenders find a