Defending and promoting human dignity regularly comes with a number of challenges. In culture where traditionally, the upholding of human dignity is of low value, those who stand up are often left alone, misunderstood and family and friends, working against the mainstream. In addition, in today's world of ongoing shrinking space, repression and reprisals against human dignity defenders take place in a variety of ways. It is vital to ensure that despite all odds, human dignity defenders can count on a system of protection for what they do.
The promotion and protection of human rights often comes with a certain level of risk of reprisals and attacks, both on the individual as well as on the organization, and both in the virtual as well as the real world. However, you are not alone: there are measures you can take to minimize such risk.
A cyberattack is a malicious and deliberate attempt by an individual or organization to breach the information system of another individual or organization. Common cyber attacks in the human rights world are related to the deliberate finding of information to engage in repression and reprisals. Other common reasons of concern for the non-profit world in general are the increasing request for ransom, when a cyber attack simply blocks off the whole IT system of an organization.
There a times when we need to turn to a lawyer for legal support, especially when exposed to reprisals and repression, which is often an expensive endeavour. However, many lawyers have agreed to support those who defend human dignity for free, as part of their pro-bono commitment.
Given the ongoing and increasing need for funding to protect human rights defenders at risk, we have therefore screened the internet and put together a list that should help you find faster and easier funding for urgent needs to protect yourself, your staff members or other human rights defenders at risk that you are aware of.
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With the ongoing shrinking civic space and paired with the increase in violent conflict, the number of human dignity defenders who had to leave their country for fear of reprisals, repression or even for fear for their lives is on the raise. These courageous men and women often continue their engagement to defend human dignity from abroad, but see themselves confronted with the challenges to overcome their traumatic experiences of leaving their home, adjusting to their new live in a third country while trying to find ways and strategies to continue their vital work.
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Recognition and acknowledgement of who we are and what we do are of vital support for our individual motivation to continue to engage in human dignity work. It is an intrinsic need of every human being, but even more valuable for all those who are continuously exposed to injustice.
One major confidence booster for human dignity work is the recognition given to human dignity defenders and organizations via prizes and awards. But winning a prize or an award is more than that: many come with prize money, which is an excellent mean by those who award the prize to contribute to the financial stability and enhance future human dignity work. Even more important is the public promotion and communication that comes with receiving a prize. It often catapults human dignity defenders in the spotlight, supports visibility and solidarity, ultimately hoping to contribute to a better protection of those how win the prize from reprisals and repression.
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