2025 Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme (HRDAP) participants and ISHR staff in front of the UN building in Geneva ©Ben Buckland for ISHR
Here at ISHR we are constantly being inspired by the brave people taking action to defend human rights and want to share some of their stories with you.
Nawaf is the founder of Kuwait Watch and an active human rights defender. Nawaf, who is well known for advocating for the rights of stateless persons and other minorities in Kuwait, was advised on arrival in Geneva for the UPR of Kuwait that an arrest warrant awaits him on return home.
When Idolina's brother formed part of the teachers' union protest, he was disappeared and later jailed forcing Idolina to take up his defence. Here, she explains to ISHR the impact of the represion of human rights activism in Mexico.
Mexican activist Bettina Cruz recently attended the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights. In this profile, she tells ISHR why the human rights violations in her region and her own criminalisation made this a priority.
Bassam al-Ahmad, spokesperson for the Violations Documentation Center in Syria, tirelessly documents human rights abuses amidst Syria's conflict, advocating for global action.
Gissou Nia advocates for human rights in Iran, highlighting challenges for defenders amidst crackdowns on civil society and calling for UN action to protect fundamental freedoms.
Rafaela Danielli Nicola fights for environmental justice in Brazil, confronting industrial impacts on communities with Forum Suape's advocacy for transparency and corporate accountability.
Emmanuel Umpula Nkumba highlights the systemic challenges facing human rights defenders in DRC, emphasising the struggle for corporate accountability amid governmental and legal indifference.
Sukhgerel Dugersuren champions corporate accountability in Mongolia, highlighting the urgent need for legal reforms to protect the environment and communities from the mining industry's impacts, while facing challenges against human rights defenders.
17 year-old British human rights defender, Fahma Mohamed, is committed to freeing the world of female genital mutilation, starting with her own community in Bristol, UK.
'If you threaten human rights defenders, you break the eyes, mouths, legs, and arms of the people', says the Director of Women Peace Network Arakan, ahead of the vote on a UN General Assembly resolution on Myanmar.
Sheila Keetharuth, with her extensive background in human rights advocacy and as a Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, highlights the critical role of defenders in driving human rights change, emphasising the power of international mechanisms in providing visibility and protection.
Born and educated in Geneva, ISHR founder Adrien Zoller’s lifelong commitment to non-governmental and human rights work began as a hobby. Adrien spoke to ISHR about what drove him towards his human rights vocation, and about ISHR’s founding and profound impact to the global human rights movement.
