Network Resources

Well-Being and Resilience

Programs that provide mental health services

The CommUNITY Mental Health Program is an excellent resilience resource for human rights defenders. Their mental health services are free and open to all digital rights defenders, regardless of location. Services include: Psychosocial Coaching, Individual and Group Sessions, and Crisis Support.

Open Briefing's rapid response mechanism provides fully-funded holistic security mentoring and remote accompaniment to human rights defenders and other civic actors at risk of physical, digital, or psychological harm.

Global list of torture treatment centers from the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)

Resources, online courses, research and guides

Self-guided, free online courses designed for HRDs and journalists, available in EN, ES, FR, RU, AR, FA:

• Taking care of your mental health - In this course you will learn different techniques to manage stress and thus acquire tools with which to regulate emotions and perform better in your work and personal life. These techniques will help you to attain a better quality of life and better understand the importance of mental hygiene.
• Psychological preparation before and after a reporting assignment - This course will help you systematize and become aware of the steps, strategies and tools needed for safe news reporting from a psycho-emotional perspective and, in turn, help you emotionally detach yourself from the event.
• Psychological First Aid- Take this course if you want to learn how to help those who need psychological support and to know what tools you should use to safeguard your own mental health in situations so requiring.

Facilitated online course titled Being well; building resilience hosted by the Kairos Project.

Resources, guides:

• An online collection of self-care tools from the Professional Quality of Life initiative at the Center for Victims of Torture.
• Coping with Prison - A collection of resources for HRDs who are preparing to go to prison, and for their families, lawyers and supporters.
• What's the Point of a Revolution if We Can't Dance?is a book published by the Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights.
• The Integrated Security Manual is a collection of group activities for facilitators interested in opening up a space to talk about the connection between human rights work, well-being and security.
• Self-Care as a Political Strategy (article) -- Adopting a self-care approach not only ensures the sustainability of social movements, but also constitutes an ethical-political viewpoint that looks at the practices and relations established at work at the personal and collective level. This article also discusses the experience of Casa La Serena, a place of rest and healing for women human rights defenders.
• New Tactics in Human Rights online conversation summary on "Balancing Human Rights Activism and Self Care" explores why individual and collective self care are important for activists. It also recognizes systemic barriers to the right to rest and leisure and gives insight into the actions individuals and organizations can take to counter the mental health risks of activism.
• Mental Health Guide for Journalists Facing Online Violence by the International Women’s Media Foundation provides:
  • Downloadable exercises to help manage the mental health toll of online abuse
  • Information to understand the psychological reasons why abusers attack online
  • Self-assessments to address how online violence affects one’s well being  
  • Resources and organizations that can support journalists when facing online violence

Research articles:

• Trauma, Depression, and Burnout in the Human Rights Field: Identifying Barriers and Pathways to Resilient Advocacy (2018)
• From a “Culture of Unwellness” to Sustainable Advocacy: Organizational Responses to Mental Health Risks in the Human Rights Field - This study examines how organizations may respond to advocates/HRDs mental health. It also addresses some steps that organization can take to improve the well-being of human rights advocates.

Well-being and resilience grants

Lifeline rapid response resiliency grants provide support to at-risk CSOs to proactively avoid or mitigate the threats they face and help them continue to work in high-risk environments. These grants are highly flexible and support a range of activities including digital or physical security training; technical training on how to respond to restrictive CSO legislation; building peer-to-peer support networks, or establishing temporary collaborative space to help CSOs return to work.

Temporary relocation programs for study, rest and respite

Shelter City is a global movement of cities, organizations and people who stand side by side with human rights defenders at risk. We offer them a safe and inspiring space where they re-energize, receive tailormade support and engage with allies to reinforce their local actions for change.

The International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) is an independent organisation of cities and regions offering shelter to writers and artists at risk, advancing freedom of expression, defending democratic values and promoting international solidarity. ICORN Member Cities offer long-term, but temporary, shelter to those put at risk as a direct consequence of their creative activities.

The Elisabeth-Selbert-Initiative provides threatened human rights defenders with a safe place to recuperate, cope with trauma, and when possible, to network and further develop their professional skills.

Protective Fellowship Scheme for Human Rights Defenders at Risk at the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York (United Kingdom) - Human rights defenders are invited to come to York for periods ranging from three to six months. During this time, they benefit both from time away from a difficult environment, and from educational resources designed to increase their effectiveness and their ability to influence policy and practice when they return home.

Scholars at Risk - Scholars at Risk works with its global network of higher education institutions around the world to arrange short-term, temporary research and teaching positions for threatened scholars. They also provide advisory, referral, and career support services for scholars.

Front Line Defenders Rest & Respite Programme enables human rights defenders to take some time out and to recharge their batteries in a safe environment while at the same time enhancing their skills so that they can work more effectively when they return home. Rest & Respite opportunities are offered on an invitation-only basis. The Marianne Initiative has a Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects (for HRDs in France), and selects fellows who will benefit from personalised support within a place of exchange and training, open to all those involved in the cause of human rights.

Security and Protection

Resources: guides, online courses, helplines, communities of practice

Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline works with individuals and organizations around the world to keep them safe online. If you’re at risk, we can help you improve your digital security practices to keep out of harm’s way. If you’re already under attack, we provide rapid-response emergency assistance. 24/7 services are available with support in nine languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog, Arabic, and Italian. They respond to all requests within two hours.

Surveillance Self-Defense: Tips, Tools and How-tos for Safer Online Communications -- This is an online resource from the Electronic Frontier Foundation that provides up-to-date guidance on basic digital security techniques, tools and further learning. It's very helpful! Resources are available in: EN, ES, AR, FA, FR, RU, Bur, Vie, and many more

Totem Project is a collection of online courses designed by human rights and journalist organizations from around the world. It is maintained and hosted by Greenhost and Free Press Unlimited. I have personally worked with them on a course related to human rights documentation. Many of their courses are related to digital security and privacy. This is a great way to learn about good security practices, and understanding why certain techniques are recommended. Courses are available in: EN, ES, AR, FA, FR, RU

Holistic Security is a strategy manual to help human rights defenders maintain their well-being in action. The holistic approach integrates self-care, well-being, digital security, and information security into traditional security management practices.

Committee to Protect Journalists’ resource center shares critical resources to help journalists prepare for an assignment or respond to an emergency. Digital First Aid Kit is a free resource to help rapid responders, digital security trainers, and tech-savvy activists to better protect themselves and the communities they support against the most common types of digital emergencies.

Freedom of the Press Foundation Guides and Training on digital security

Organisational security community wiki - a resource created by and for security practitioners from all backgrounds to share useful resources and document innovative approaches to long-term security work.

Research on threats to human rights defenders

Research on transnational repression -- This wiki page is a collection of research on the topic of transnational repression, including digital transnational repression.

Resisting Digital Authoritarianism - a recorded panel discussion from the Resistance Bureau.

Regional protection networks for human rights defenders

Africa

DefendDefenders promotes, protects, & strengthens the work of human rights defenders in the East & Horn of Africa sub-region.

West African Human Rights Defenders Network(Réseau Ouest Africain des Défenseurs des Droits Humains)

Southern Defenders -- Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network

African Commission on Human and People's Rights: Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa

Americas

The Mesoamerican Women Human Rights Defenders Initiative (IM-Defensoras) is a local to regional alliance of diverse women human rights defenders (WHRDs), organizations and networks.

Peace Brigades International - Mexico

MENA

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) is an independent, non-profit NGO that provides support and protection to human rights defenders (HRDs) in order to promote human rights, including but not limited to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. GCHR is based in Lebanon and documents the environment for HRDs in the Gulf region and neighbouring countries, specifically Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Global

Front Line Defenders (Ireland)

Protection International (Switzerland)

Peace Brigades International (United States)

Nonviolent Peace Force (United States) champions Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) — using encouragement and deterrence, rather than violence and fear. Geographically, they focus on Iraq, Myanmar, Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Thailand, Ukraine, United States.

Committee to Protect Journalists (United States)

International Media Support (Denmark) can provide legal aid and emergency relocation funds (as well as medium term funding for security and safety)

PAX (Netherlands) may be able to provide assistance in relocation and funding for HRDs at risk

Legal support

Amera International Pro Bono Directory - list of organisations and individuals that provide free legal assistance and support refugees (and asylum seekers) in the listed countries

Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network works to advance the rights and inclusion of refugees and other people in need of protection in the Asia Pacific region—including refugees, asylum seekers, torture survivors and complainants, trafficked persons, IDPs, stateless persons, migrants in vulnerable situations, and returnees—so they may have equal and adequate access to assistance and protection, and to timely durable solutions

Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN) is the first registered LGBTIQ+ refugee-led organisation in Australia. We work to support LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants from non-Western countries to be safe in Australia. Circle Green helps people new to Australia who need professional legal migration advice and are disadvantaged in accessing legal services.

Albany Associates is an organization that provides advice and training for governments and organizations throughout Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central/South Asia. They work closely with governments so they could be helpful in communications related to detention and other security situations.

Emergency grants

ProtectDefenders.eu provides a range of services to human rights defenders at risk, including an emergency helpline (run by Front Line Defenders), emergency grants, and temporary relocation.

Lifeline (an initiative by Freedom House and Front Line Defenders) provides small, short-term emergency grants to CSOs threatened because of their human rights work. Lifeline grants can address security, medical expenses, legal representation, prison visits, trial monitoring, temporary relocation, equipment replacement, and other urgently needed expenses.

Front Line Defenders Protection Grants can pay for provisions (grants are for amounts up to a maximum of €7,500) to improve the security and protection of human rights defenders and their organisations including, but not limited to:

• improving physical security of an organisation or individual, digital security and communication security;
• supporting legal fees for HRDs who are being judicially harassed;
• paying for medical fees for HRDs who have been attacked or who have suffered a medical condition as a result of their peaceful human rights activities;
• providing family assistance for imprisoned HRDs or family members who are at risk because of a HRD's activities.

Urgent Action Fund’s Rapid Response Grants resource the resilience of human rights and gender justice movements by supporting the security and advocacy interventions of activists when a swift response is needed. Specifically, Rapid Response Grants offer quick, flexible funding to respond to security threats or unexpected advocacy opportunities experienced by women, transgender, or gender non-conforming, activists and human rights defenders.

Relocation and resettlement support specifically for HRDs at risk

Canada Global Refugee Stream for Human Rights Defenders - The Canadian government has established a dedicated refugee stream for human rights defenders for resettlement to Canada. Journalists in Distress Network resources for journalists who have received serious threats or are in distress in relation to their work, and may need emergency relocation

Strategic Advocacy

New Tactics in Human Rights Strategy Toolkit - activities and resources for developing an advocacy strategy. available in EN and AR

Advocacy in Restricted Spaces: A Toolkit for Civil Society Organizations is a practical resource that emphasizes that advocacy is possible even in restrictive contexts. The toolkit places the planning process within the context of risk assessment and mitigation, which is essential in these environments.  Available in AR, FR, ES, RU, VI, FA, EN

Resources by language

• français (French)
• عربى (Arabic)
• ဗမာဘာသာစကား (Burmese)
• Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
• español (Spanish)

Security resources by topic

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How to mitigate your risk of being subject to Pegasus surveillance >>

How to deal with online harassment and threats >>

Secure your devices - These resources will help you understand when to use full disk encryption and antivirus.

Protect your accounts using strong passwords, pw managers, 2fa - These resources include videos that explain why strong passwords are so important, how to use password managers, and how to use two factor authentication to protect your accounts.

Safe internet browsing using VPN and Tor browser - These resources will help you keep your internet activities private by using a virtual private network (VPN) or the Tor internet browser. These are very helpful tools if you think an adversary has the capacity and interest to monitor and surveil your activities online.

Protect your information

Protect your communication

How the internet works

Assessment and planning tools