Civil Rights Defenders

Description

Civil Rights Defenders is a politically and religiously independent human rights organisation. It is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1982 as the Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, and took its current name in 2009.

The organisation partners with and supports human rights defenders working in some of the world’s most repressive regions. It operates on four continents, through eight regional branch offices, in over 50 countries. It has around 70 staff members.

Its work includes monitoring and defending civil and political rights. It runs specific programmes such as the Natalia Project, an Emergency Fund for defenders at risk, and a database of human rights defenders. It also runs a programme on core international crimes and gives an annual Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award.

It is governed by an independent, non-profit Board of Directors, and is a registered Swedish nonprofit controlled by the Swedish Fundraising Control. Funding comes from governmental organisations, the Swedish Postcode Lottery, foundations, corporate partnerships and individual donors. The organisation maintains regional offices in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Bogotá, Brussels, Juba, Pristina, Sarajevo, Tirana and Tbilisi, in addition to its Stockholm headquarters.