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© Karen Arnold / Public Domain Pictures.net

Where we work

Countries and sub-regions

ISHR identifies priority countries or sub-regions according to criteria including:

  • whether assistance or support is requested from national or regional-level human rights defenders, or the need for support is identified through national or regional consultations or research
  • the potential for systemic and sustainable human rights impact in the country or sub-region through engagement with international or regional mechanisms
  • whether ISHR can add distinctive value
  • the availability of human and financial resources.

Mechanisms and bodies

ISHR engages with international and regional mechanisms and bodies – including multilateral bodies and multi-stakeholder initiatives and associations – for four primary purposes:

  • We support and accompany human rights defenders to ensure their engagement with international and regional mechanisms and bodies is effective and influential.
  • We build and strengthen partnerships with and solidarity between human rights defenders using the spaces and opportunities associated with international and regional mechanisms and bodies.
  • We inform the agendas and outputs of international and regional mechanisms and bodies so as to strengthen the recognition and protection of human rights defenders, promote accountability for violations or abuses against them, and ensure they are responsive to human rights defenders’ calls.
  • We strengthen and safeguard the safety, accessibility, credibility, effectiveness and influence of international and regional mechanisms and bodies.

ISHR’s engagement with international and regional mechanisms and bodies is always informed by defenders on the grounds and frequently in coalition with key regional and international partners and networks.

Where We Work Map

Countries where we are:

Angola

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Botswana

  • Supporting defenders

Burkina Faso

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Benin

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

Burundi

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Cameroon

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Strengthening laws and systems

Equatorial Guinea

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Gabon

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Guinea

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

Liberia

  • Supporting defenders

Madagascar

  • Strengthening laws and systems

Malawi

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Mali

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

Mauritania

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Mozambique

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Namibia

  • Supporting defenders

Niger

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

Congo

  • Strengthening laws and systems

Senegal

  • Strengthening laws and systems

Sierra Leone

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

South Africa

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

United Republic of Tanzania

  • Supporting defenders

Togo

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

Uganda

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders

Zambia

  • Strengthening laws and systems

Zimbabwe

  • Supporting defenders

Cambodia

  • Promoting rights and accountability

China

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

India

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Kazakhstan

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Myanmar

  • Supporting defenders

Mongolia

  • Strengthening laws and systems

Nepal

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Philippines

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Pakistan

  • Promoting rights and accountability

State of Palestine

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Russian Federation

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Sri Lanka

  • Supporting defenders

Thailand

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Türkiye

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Uzbekistan

  • Promoting rights and accountability

The Bahamas

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Belize

  • Supporting defenders

Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Brazil

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Cuba

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Colombia

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Costa Rica

  • Supporting defenders

El Salvador

  • Supporting defenders

Honduras

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Mexico

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Peru

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Nicaragua

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Algeria

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Bahrain

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Egypt

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Iraq

  • Strengthening laws and systems
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Morocco

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Saudi Arabia

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Yemen

  • Promoting rights and accountability

The United Arab Emirates

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Andorra

  • Promoting rights and accountability

France

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Hungary

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  • Promoting rights and accountability

Switzerland

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

Ukraine

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability

The United States of America

  • Supporting defenders
  • Promoting rights and accountability