Research Projects — human rights defender hub

Research at the HRD hub

Funded as a ‘global thought leader’ by the Open Society Foundations, and other funders, the HRD Hub researches the risks facing HRDs, their security management practices, and their wellbeing.

Human Rights Leadership in Challenging Times

Ritualising Protection in Conflict

The Protection and Wellbeing of Human Rights Defenders with Disabilities

The Security and Protection of Human Rights Defenders at Risk

Temporary International Relocation Initiatives and the Wellbeing of Human Rights Defenders

A Global Network of Human Rights Defender Focal Points

The Wellbeing of Human Rights Defenders

Temporary Protective Relocation for Civil Society Actors and Artists at Risk

Mapping Protection Architectures for Human Rights Defenders at Risk

Research support for UN Special Rapporteur

We are proud to have supported the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Michel Forst, in the production of his landmark report on women human rights defenders. In this report, the Special Rapporteur highlighted the significant achievements of women human rights defenders in the face of overwhelming odds. Noting their experiences of gendered and intersectional risks, he outlined eight priorities for building diverse, inclusive and strong movements of women human rights defenders.

Responses to research

This video includes two short films based on verbatim poetry created from interview transcripts from the Navigating Risk, Managing Security, and Receiving Support research project led by Dr. Alice Nah. The films were produced by MA students at the Centre for Applied Human Rights as part of a module on Culture and Protest.

Civic space across the globe is rapidly being restricted or closed. In this short film made by students based at CAHR, human rights defenders from Egypt, Ethiopia and Turkey discuss their experiences of activism and human rights work in a hostile environment. The film features Getachew Simie, a former fellow of the Protective Fellowship Scheme, and is based on research conducted at CAHR.