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Brussels, 20 January 2026
Protection International reaffirms its commitment to the protection of Human Rights Defenders by completing a support cycle focused on the wellbeing and security of LGBT+ rights defenders. This initiative has directly benefited 23 individuals and enabled PINK Armenia, the partner organization, to significantly enhance its operational and data protection capacities against increasing risks.
Pink Armenia is a leading civil society organization in Armenia, dedicated to promoting and defending the rights of LGBT+ individuals. Established to address the lack of legal protection and social support for the LGBT+ community, the organization provides crucial services such as psychosocial and legal assistance, community-building programs, and educational initiatives aimed at fostering tolerance and inclusivity.
Some of the most common risks Pink Armenia faces include security challenges, such as constant digital surveillance, harassment, and the grave risk of sensitive information exposure, primarily driven by persistent attacks from hostile conservative and anti-gender groups that actively undermine the safety of the staff and community members.
The support, provided through Protect Defenders, the European Union Human Rights Defenders mechanism led by a consortium of 12 NGOs, primarily aimed to reinforce the organization’s security infrastructure and promote team resilience. This action is vital to ensuring the safety and continuity of the work carried out by organizations operating in increasingly hostile environments and facing growing threats.
Key activities implemented through the grant included digital security reinforcement by upgrading outdated and insecure data management; comprehensive digital security training tailored to the specific needs of the organization and a 3 day strategic meet up focused on organizational security planning, risk assessment, team building and long-term strategic planning.
The experience from this grant cycle has yielded important lessons: tailoring security training to staff-identified needs significantly boosts engagement and effectiveness. Furthermore, improved procurement processes and the strategic meet-up enabled more targeted planning and strengthened internal practices, contributing to enhanced team resilience and overall operational preparedness.
These initiatives align with the core mission of Protection International to support human rights defenders at risk, remaining steadfast in its commitment to building a safer and more enabling environment for all those who defend human rights worldwide.