DefendDefenders at the UN Human Rights Council
With a permanent UN office in Geneva, DefendDefenders conducts strategic work with and towards the UN Human Rights Council to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights defenders (HRDs) in the East and Horn of Africa sub-region.
Our Work at the UN HRC
DefendDefenders leverages multiple strategies to amplify the voices of human rights defenders at the global level.
ECOSOC observer status
DefendDefenders holds consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
HRDs to the HRC
To ensure that HRDs are heard at the HRC, DefendDefenders brings HRDs from the East and Horn of Africa sub-region to the HRC sessions.
Engagement with diplomatic missions and HRC members
Through our UN office in Geneva, we ensure strategic engagement with diplomatic missions and HRC members.
Engagement with like-minded organisations in Geneva
Through our UN office in Geneva, we ensure strategic engagement with like-minded organisations based in Geneva.
Our Permanent Office in Geneva
Since 2018, our Geneva office has been the cornerstone of our UN advocacy work, enabling direct engagement with the Human Rights Council, diplomatic missions, and civil society partners.
Get in Touch with Our Geneva Office
Do you wish to get in touch with DefendDefenders UN office in Geneva?
Contact UsRelevant News
Reflections on the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council
The UN's liquidity crisis and broader funding cuts to international agencies and the non-profit sector continue to affect human rights work worldwide. It is estimated that the UN's budget will decrease by 15% in 2026...
9 October 2025
Somalia: international support and scrutiny should continue despite UN shift
After the UN Human Rights Council changed its approach to Somalia's human rights situation, DefendDefenders stresses that both technical support and human rights scrutiny should continue...
8 October 2025
Burundi: international human rights scrutiny continues
Ten years after the unresolved 2015 crisis, and with no improvement in Burundi's human rights record, the UN Human Rights Council has extended the mandate...
6 October 2025