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At the OSCE’s second Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of the year, HRHF highlighted issue of GONGOs within the multilateral system and the role they play in challenging human rights and liberal democratic narratives, including at the OSCE’s human dimension pillar proceedings.

At the OSCE’s second Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of the year, HRHF urged the OSCE Participating States to strengthen legal safeguards against digital threats to civic space, as well as calling for the OSCE to establish a formal mechanism to monitor and report on reprisals against civil society for engaging with the institution. HRHF also called for additional steps to be taken to address rising threats to civic space, including for various stakeholders to review their own digital practices in order to not undermine the security and safety of civil society.

At the first of the OSCE’s key human rights forums of the year, HRHF worked with civil society partners from the Network of Human Rights Houses and beyond to continue to raise the issue of reprisals and threats against human rights defenders across the OSCE region, as well as highlighting the situations in Georgia and Serbia via side events co-organised with partners.

At the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, HRHF worked closely with partners from the Network of Human Rights Houses and beyond to keep civic space and accountability at the centre of international attention. HRHF cited the reporting and analysis of partners to highlight the human rights situations in multiple countries, renewed calls for scrutiny where repression is entrenched, and used interactive dialogues, UPR adoptions, side events, and various meetings with officials to bring the voice of civil society partners to HRC member and observer states.

Dagens verden preges av krig, uro og ledere med forakt for felles normer. Norge kan ikke ta seg råd til å satse mindre på menneskerettigheter i en slik virkelighet, skriver seks menneskerettighetsorganisasjoner.

The Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN) welcomes the European Commission’s renewed commitment, as part of the EU Civil Society Strategy1, to scale up its support to ensure an enabling environment for civil society and human rights defenders across the world2. In this context we urge the European Commission to take a decisive step toward establishing a Directive on the Protection and Mobility of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), creating a coherent and predictable framework for their protection within the European Union.

Between October and December 2025, the Solidarity Force project, supported by HRHF, brought together young human rights defenders from Belarus and Ukraine for an international course on human rights reflecting the context of repression in Belarus and Russia’s war against Ukraine. 16 participants strengthened their skills in human rights monitoring, advocacy, and documentation through a four-day training in Poland, webinars, and continued collaboration, while building cross-border connections based on trust and solidarity. HRHF spoke with two participants about their experience and how the project influenced their perspectives and work.

At the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, HRHF and Human Rights House Zagreb urged the Croatian authorities to ensure full access peaceful assemblies, introduce robust safeguards against SLAPPs, and strengthen coordination for implementing international human rights recommendations, and ensure meaningful and timely consultation with civil society.

At the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, HRHF and Belarusian Human Rights House (BHRH) warned that Belarus continues to dismiss fundamental recommendations on freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly while maintaining widespread repression. Together, HRHF and BHRH urged Belarus to unconditionally release all political prisoners, end the repression of civil society, and cooperate fully with UN human rights mechanisms.