On 4 and 5 November 2025, we convened to commemorate two decades of protecting and promoting the work of human rights defenders (HRDs) since 2005. The two-day celebration, held in Kampala, Uganda, brought together over 200 HRDs, national, regional, and global human rights

🇪🇺 Ambassador @JanSadek was delighted to join celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of @DefendDefenders, one of Africa's most respected #HumanRights institutions working, with EU support in🇺🇬, to protect & promote human rights defenders in the East & Horn of Africa sub-region

Our kids have been riding the same bus for over 50 years! Totally unacceptable! It's time for an update! Here are some remodel ideas. Anything would be better than what it currently is! Let's show the next generation some love and get them a nicer and safer new ride! Perhaps some

Our Executive Director, Mr @Hassan_shire, closed the two-day convening marking DefendDefenders’ 20th Anniversary celebrations with words of gratitude and reflection. He thanked all participants who took time out of their busy schedules to celebrate, reflect, and reimagine the

PICTORIAL: We had three engaging panel discussions today. The first, “Intergenerational World Café: Navigating Global Uncertainties,” was excellently moderated by @Tabithador our Senior Manager Protection and Security Management and sparked meaningful intergenerational dialogue

In her concluding remarks during the panel discussion, Gina Romero focused on the interaction between Gen Z and UN human rights mechanisms, drawing on her personal experience at a similar age. When she was a younger, she too had little knowledge of the UN Gina emphasised that

Public relations taught me to spin the truth. Law taught me to hide the truth. Only creative writing allowed me to tell the truth.

According to Clement Voule, UN human rights mechanism has been effective in advancing the human rights agenda and supporting the work of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs). He noted that UN Special Procedures have provided a valuable platform for defenders, allowing them not only to

In his reflections during the panel, Maina Kiai underscored the urgent need to reimagine the human rights system, he noted that continuing to operate with 20th-century approaches in a 21st-century world renders current systems ineffective and called for collective reflection on

“Warm greetings from @DefendDefenders and @AfricaDefenders . Just yesterday, we celebrated two decades of impactful we across this incredible continent. Today, I stand before you to pay tribute to your leadership and your invaluable contributions to your communities and

As part of the ongoing celebrations, participants had the honour of engaging with three UN mandate holders during a powerful panel discussion on human rights in the 21st Century held this afternoon. The discussion featured Clement Voule (2018–2024), Maina Kiai (2011–2017), former

The Orange Messiah is literally the Antichrist. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

From celebrations to capacity building, as we reimagine safety and solidarity for Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) amid shifting global trends, day two of our 20th Anniversary celebrations kicked off with a dynamic session titled “Intergenerational World Café: Navigating Global

❕ 🚨 REPORT LAUNCH 📖 ❗️ ❝ ‘They Won’t Silence the People’: The right to peaceful protest in Africa in 2025 — with substantive case studies on Mozambique, Senegal, Tunisia, and Uganda ❞ In this report — one of the most ambitious reports ever published on the right to

In June 2025, African Defenders convened representatives from 40 countries in Maputo for a strategic deliberation, held against the backdrop of significant global shifts and evolving geopolitical dynamics. Among the central topics of discussion was securing the future of human

We did not only celebrate 20 years of existence, we also took time to look ahead and envision how the work of human rights defenders can be sustained over the next two decades. As part of this forward-looking reflection, we launched the Roots of Resilience Mentorship Programme,

Good morning y'all. Back to work (not stopped)... Some news in the pipeline as usual!

Tonight’s celebrations were crowned with a special moment of honour as our Executive Director, @Hassan_shire, received the Shield Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his unwavering commitment to protecting and promoting the work of human rights defenders.