Front Line Defenders

Front Line Defenders
Founded2001
TypeNon-profit
NGO
Location(s)Global
General secretariat at Temple Road, Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland
ServicesProtecting human rights
Websitewww.frontlinedefenders.org Edit this at Wikidata

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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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 €15,000 cash prize.[additional citation(s) needed]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Front Line Defenders win UN Human Rights Prize". RTÉ. 2018-10-26.
  2. 1 2 3 Jackson, Joe (February 11, 2007). "Struggle to defend the defenders". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Who are the 2018 UN Human Rights Prize winners?". Al Jazeera. October 26, 2018. Retrieved 2026-08-18.
  4. ↑ Kingsley, Patrick; Bergman, Ronen (8 November 2021). "Palestinians Were Targeted by Israeli Firm's Spyware, Experts Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Srivastava, Mehul (8 November 2021). "EU-funded West Bank activists hacked by Pegasus spyware, says rights group". Financial Times. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Nomination opens for the 2016 Front Line Defenders Award Archived 2017-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, Awid.org, 20 January 2016
  7. ↑ "The Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk". Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Front Line Defenders.
  8. ↑ Thoolen, 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.
  9. ↑ (in Spanish) La activista hondureña Ana Mirian Romero recibe premio "Front Line Defenders", Efe.com, 10 June 2016
  10. ↑ Sorcha Pollak, Crimean Tatar lawyer honoured at Dublin ceremony, Irishtimes.com, 26 May 2017
  11. ↑ 2019. Shinta Ratri strives to give trans children a better future. Jakarta Post.
  12. ↑ "Volha Harbunova of Belarus receives Front Line Defenders Award". Front Line Defenders. 2022-12-09. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  13. ↑ "2023 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk". Front Line Defenders.
  14. ↑ "2024 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk". Front Line Defenders.
  15. ↑ "2025 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk". Front Line Defenders.
  16. ↑ "Five human rights defenders who refused to be silenced receive the 2026 Front Line Defenders Award". Front Line Defenders. Retrieved 2026-10-11.