IWD2022: Interview with Aída Pesquera
International Women’s Day In November 2021, we asked some of the women human rights defenders working for Protection International (PI) about their experiences, passions and visions for a better future. Now, to mark International Women’s Day (8 March) and to celebrate the extraordinary work of women we translated our interviews with these women human rights […]
Ukraine: Protection International Calls for an Immediate End of Military Attacks and for a Diplomatic Solution to the Conflict
[Brussels] 25 February 2022.- Protection International stands with the people in Ukraine and strongly calls for the government of Russia to immediately stop its military attacks and put an end to the violent use of force, which has already had a terrible impact on civilian lives, goods, and infrastructure. Protection International calls upon all the […]
80 NGOs Denounce that the Two Public Statements Issued by the EU and Colombia after their VII High-Level Dialogue and the XIII Human Rights Dialogue Back up the Policies of the Colombian Government
Europe, 23 February 2022 Josep Borrell Fontelles High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Eamon Gilmore European Union Special Representative for Human Rights and European Union Special Envoy for the Peace Process in Colombia. Javier Niño Perez Executive Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service of the […]
International Organizations Alert over Violence and Attacks in the Context of Upcoming Elections
[Brussels/Bogotá], 2 February 2022.– Oidhaco and the signatory organizations below wish to express our serious concerns about the deterioration of the security situation in Colombian regions, and the increase in attacks against social leaders and political candidates in the pre-electoral period. So far in 2022, at least thirteen social leaders have been assassinated in the […]
The Dire Working Environment for Women Human Rights Defenders in DR Congo
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), especially in the eastern part of the country, over two decades of armed conflict and political instability have deteriorated the working conditions for human rights defenders. In 2020, the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) documented 7,909 human rights violations and abuses throughout the DR Congo. […]
Mae Ocampo joins Protection International as new Executive Director
Brussels, 3rd November 2021, It is with great pleasure that we inform you of Ms Mae Ocampo joining Protection International AISBL as its new Executive Director. Ms Ocampo brings several key strengths to this role. Ms Ocampo is a feminist woman and human rights defender who began her activism at a young age, resisting land-grabbing […]
Protection International and Germain Rukuki Finally Come Together, 4 Months after His Judicial Victory
As PI celebrates our friend’s newfound freedom, we wish to express our deepest gratitude to all individuals and organizations who supported us in advocating for the Burundian Human Rights Defender’s release. [Brussels, 22 October 2021] – Four months after Germain Rukuki’s judicial victory, Protection International is glad to meet the Burundian human rights defender and […]
Shocking Decision as Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Lawyer Tony Germain Nkina
[Burundi] 8 October 2021.- Six international human rights groups – Amnesty International, the Burundi Human Rights Initiative, DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project), Human Rights Watch, Protection International Africa, and TRIAL International – condemned the decision of the Court of Appeal of Ngozi on 29 September to uphold the conviction and […]
Human Rights Defenders Poetry Challenge
Created by: Protection International, ProtectDefenders.eu, and the University of York An entire year has passed since the kick-off of our #StayWithDefenders campaign, and we would like to call attention to all those human rights defenders who steadfastly continue their work despite the fact that COVID-19 rages on. To honor the human rights defenders that have […]
Protection International Signs a Joint Open Letter to Address Reprisals Against Paten Clan, Uganda
On September 9, a group of organizations that are members of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development and other allies sent an open letter to the African Development Bank and the Nordic Development Fund, calling on them to take immediate action to address reprisals against a community in Uganda impacted by the Wadelai irrigation […]