The Chairperson of the EHAHRD-Net undertook an advocacy mission to Washington in June 2008 in order to raise awareness of the current plight of HRDs in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan amongst get decision-makers notably in the State Department and Congress. The mission also sought to ensure that human rights are placed at the heart of future responses to the crises in the region.
Alex Neve’s Reflections: The Journey of Hassan Shire and the Birth of DefendDefenders
As Hassan’s vision started to take hold, he reached out to several people and organisations, sharing the idea of establishing an HRDs’ network in the East and Horn of Africa. He mobilised financial and institutional support from those who understood and agreed that this was something essential; something that could make a difference.