Civil Rights Defenders

Civil Rights Defenders is an international human rights organisation, founded in 1982 in Stockholm, Sweden. We defend people’s civil and political rights and empower human rights defenders in Sweden and globally. All countries need a strong civil society that scrutinizes those in power and presses for positive development. That is why we combine human rights work with efforts to empower local human rights defenders. Together with local partners we monitor the authorities and demand accountability when they violate human rights in law or practice. We take legal action against states, and inform and lobby decision makers to effect change and seek justice. Local human rights defenders are at the centre of all our work. We draw attention to their situation, and seek to support them with training, resources or expertise to protect the space in which they act and strengthen their work. Civil Rights Defenders was founded as a part of the Helsinki movement, under the name Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights. In 2009, we decided to change our name into one that better reflects our work and objectives today. The main donor for our international activities is the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida. In September 2009 we started fundraising from the general public in Sweden.