The mission of AHRN is to facilitate, through various activities, the promotion, protection and capacity building of Human Rights Defenders in the Great Lakes region, and thus strengthen the role of Civil Society in the region
AHRN’s vision is to be the primary support and platform for local human rights defenders and their organizations in the Great Lakes Region and enable them to work together for a better community. By doing so, AHRN seeks a better Great Lakes Region without any human rights violations.
Facilitate capacity building through exchange of experiences and information, research and internship programs between the Human Rights Defenders in the region and the rest of the human rights defenders worldwide
Within this program we have three main activities aiming at building the capacity of HRDS: Regional networking and exchange : a bi-annual workshop where member organizations meet to :create an environment in which they are able to network among one another and reflect on their common work experiences and plan actions accordingly.
Ensure safe working conditions, Relocate, Repatriate defenders and follow up on their safety.
AHRN believes that the encouragement of HRDs to continue their work is vital to the continuation of peace-building efforts and promotion of human rights within the areas of conflict in the HRDs respective countries.
Are you a human rights defender? Are you threatened or under intense pressure because of your work, and do you think that temporary shelter and rest can help you to continue your work of protecting and promoting human rights.
Apply for temporary relocation online Or Download the application form.
The Activist Lab experiments how to equitably partner and enhance the power of youth activists to push path-breaking progress on political accountability, climate justice, gender equality and economic transformation. 30 young activists and a few representatives of our partner organisations came together in Tbilisi, Georgia to learn from each other, […]
General, newsletter December 14, 2022
The AHRN Coordinator, Olivier MUHIZI, participated in the Shelter City Network’s annual conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, where he made a presentation on the activities of Shelter City Dar es Salaam and Shelter City Benin. The conference was attended by more than 25 representatives of Shelter Cities from around […]
General, newsletter September 18, 2022
Cher partenaire, Africa Human Rights Network Foundation (AHRN Foundation), en partenariat avecLa Fondation Défenseurs D’Afrique (FDDA), annonce le début d’un nouveau projet de 5 ans, de relocalisation temporaire des défenseurs des droits humains en danger. Le programme de relocalisation se fera deux fois par an durant toute la période du […]
General, newsletter July 25, 2022
Dear partner, Africa Human Rights Network (AHRN Foundation) in partnership with Fondation Défenseurs D’Afrique (FDDA), is launching a new five years project of temporary relocation for at risk human rights defenders. Selected candidate will stay in Benin for a period of three months. The deadline for applications is August 15th, […]
Activist Lab – Africa, pilot project: Empower youth activists and accompany them in social change campaigns in home countries. The main objective of this pilot project is to facilitate connection, strengthen the capacities of young human rights defenders and encourage/accompany their efforts to continue their human rights work. As a […]
General, newsletter June 20, 2022
Young African Defenders in Action (YADA), an initiative of AHRN Foundation, is a leading pan-Africanist youth network dedicated to promote and protect human rights and encourage youth groups to avoid violence. Young activists have been proving their role in making changes in Africa but they are still left behind in […]
News Highlight Art Exhibition from Human Rights Defenders International Women’s Day International Girl Child Day Click to DOWNLOAD THE NEWSLETTER
General, newsletter May 16, 2019
On 23 September, AHRN gave a speech at the seminar entitled: ‘Partnerships for Peace: Engaging with Diaspora”. The coordinator of AHRN, Mr. Olivier Muhizi explained how migrants organizations can have a positive impact on their societies in light of sustainable peace building .Members of the diaspora from conflict zones are […]
In commemoration of the African Year of Human Rights with particular focus on the rights of women, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) jointly held the 59th Ordinary Session of the Commission and the 28th Ordinary Session of the African Children’s Committee from 21 October to […]
AHRN and the Mechanism of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to improve the working environment of HRDs in the African Great Lakes Region. It is in the mandate of the SR to cooperate and engage in dialogue […]
Organized by the international civil society implementing the EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism (ProtectDefenders.eu), the meeting was organized to share best practices of different relocation programmes, discuss challenges and see how to enhance collaboration between programmes. During the two days meeting, AHRN explained its cooperation with the Mechanism of the […]
With the support of ProtectDefenders.eu and Justice and Peace Netherlands, AHRN has launched in May 2017 its HAKI shelter project: a temporary relocation programme for at risk Human Rights Defenders from the great lakes region. The main objectives of this programme are to provide shelter to human rights defenders at […]