Our story
Why PHRD exists
Human rights defenders — journalists, lawyers, activists, community organisers — are among the most targeted individuals in the world. They face surveillance, imprisonment, exile, and violence precisely because their work matters. When national systems fail them, international structures must act.
PHRD was founded in 2026 with a clear mandate: bring defenders' cases and the systemic failures that enable repression to the EU and international level. We combine rigorous documentation with strategic advocacy at the European Parliament, Commission, and Council.
Our work is grounded in a defender-centred, trauma-informed, intersectional approach — recognising that compounded vulnerabilities require compounded protections, and treating solidarity as a genuine operational commitment.