International Service for Human Rights

Description

International Service for Human Rights, ISHR, is an independent, non-profit organization that promotes and protects human rights worldwide.

It works in solidarity with human rights defenders, strengthening their capacity, advocating for stronger human rights laws and systems, and pressing for accountability for grave violations by states and non-state actors. It offers training programmes, research, legal advice, strategic litigation, and specialised information to help defenders engage with the United Nations and regional human rights systems. Its mandate does not extend to investigating or assisting with individual complaints.

Founded in 1984, ISHR has offices in Geneva, Switzerland, and New York, United States, plus a permanent presence in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. It played a role in drafting international standards such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the Yogyakarta Principles, and helped create UN and African Commission mandates on human rights defenders.

It publishes a Human Rights Monitor and other periodic reports tracking developments at the UN Human Rights Council, General Assembly and African Commission, alongside research, briefing papers, manuals and training courses for human rights defenders.