Front Line Defenders, or The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, is an Irish-based human rights organisation founded in Dublin, Ireland in 2001 to protect those who work non-violently to uphold the human rights of others as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
History The organisation was founded by Mary Lawlor, former director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International with a US$3 million donation from businessman and philanthropist Denis O'Brien. Front Line Defenders has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and has Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
The organisation maintains regional representations in countries throughout Africa, Asia, North and South America, and the Middle East. In 2006 Front Line Defenders established a European Union office in Brussels.
By 2007, Front Line Defenders operated 24-hour hotlines in 5 languages for those who felt their rights were being violated anywhere in the world. The organization received the King Baudouin International Development Prize in 2007.
In 2018, the organization was one of four recipients of the United Nations Human Rights Award.
In October 2021, Front Line Defenders found evidence that various Palestinian citizens belonging to human rights groups which had been outlawed by Israel, had been targeted by spyware made by the Israeli technology company, NSO Group.
Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk
In 2005 this award was established, which according to the organisations website is awarded to a human rights defender "who through non-violent work, is courageously making an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights of others, often at great personal risk to themselves". The award brings international attention to its recipient's cause, and a cash prize.Nomination opens for the 2016 Front Line Defenders Award , Awid.org, 20 January 2016 Front Line Defenders. 2005 – Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, Sudan 2006 – Ahmadjan Madmarov, Uzbekistan 2007 – Gégé Katana, Democratic Republic of Congo 2008 – Anwar al-Bunni, Syria 2009 – Yuri Melini, Guatemala 2010 – Soraya Rahim Sobhrang, Afghanistan 2011 – Joint Mobile Group, Russian Federation 2012 – Razan Ghazzawi, Syria 2013 – Biram Dah Abeid, Mauritania 2014 – SAWERA – Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas, Pakistan 2015 – Guo Feixiong, pen name for Yang Maodong, ChinaThoolen, Hans (12 September 2015). 2015 Front Line Defenders Award to Chinese Guo Feixiong (Yang Maodong) Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders. Retrieved 12 March 2016. 2016 – Ana Mirian Romero, Honduras La activista hondureña Ana Mirian Romero recibe premio "Front Line Defenders", Efe.com, 10 June 2016 2017 – Emil Kurbedinov, CrimeaSorcha Pollak, Crimean Tatar lawyer honoured at Dublin ceremony, Irishtimes.com, 26 May 2017 2018 – Nurcan Baysal, Turkey 2019 – Ibu Shinta Ratri, Indonesia2019. Shinta Ratri strives to give trans children a better future. Jakarta Post. 2020 – Africa: Mekfoula Mint Brahim, Mauritania; Americas: Guardia Indígena del Cauca, Colombia; Asia: Juwairiya Mohideen, Sri Lanka; Europe & Central Asia: Lara Aharonian, Armenia; Middle East & North Africa: Fatima Al-Bahadly, Iraq 2021 – Africa: Aminata Fabba, Sierra Leone; Americas: Camila Moradia, Brazil; Asia: Mother Nature Cambodia, Cambodia; Europe & Central Asia 1: Siarhei Drazdouski & Aleh Hrableuski, Belarus; Europe & Central Asia 2: Mamadou Ba, Portugal; Middle East & North Africa: Sami & Sameeha Huraini, Palestine 2022 – Liah Ghazanfar Jawad, Afghanistan; Ameira Osman Hamid, Sudan; Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Zimbabwe; Javier del Tránsito and María del Tránsito Salvatierra, Mexico; Volha Harbunova, Belarus 2023 - Olivier Bahemuke Ndoole, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Segundo Ordóñez, Ecuador; Jeany 'Rose' Hayahay, Philippines; Digital Security Lab, Ukraine; Hala Ahed, Jordan 2024 - Gamito dos Santos Carlos, Mozambique; Muñecas de Arcoíris (Rainbow Dolls), Honduras; Sammi Deen Baloch, Pakistan; Doros Polykarpou, Cyprus; We Are Not Numbers (WANN), Palestine 2025 - Luc Agblakou, Benin; The Movement for Human Rights, Peace and Global Justice (MONDHA), Dominican Republic and Haiti; Arnon Nampa, Thailand; Sharifa Madrakhimova, Uzbekistan; Mhamed Hali, Western Sahara
See also List of human rights organisations
References
External links
International Human Rights Funders Group