International Service for Human Rights, New York

The International Service for Human Rights is an independent, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights. We achieve this by supporting human rights defenders, strengthening human rights systems, and leading and participating in coalitions for human rights change.

We believe that if human rights defenders - the essential agents - engage with international and regional human rights laws and systems - the powerful levers - this creates national-level human rights progress and change!

ISHR achieves human rights impact in five key ways:

1. Empowering human rights defenders – ISHR’s training, information products, strategic advice and advocacy accompaniment ensure that national-level human rights defenders can use international and regional human rights mechanisms in the most powerful and effective ways
2. Strengthening human rights laws and systems – ISHR’s policy research and advocacy, together with our access to high-level decision-makers and diplomats within the UN and regional systems, help make those systems more accessible, effective and protective for human rights defenders and the victims they represent
3. Promoting accountability for violations – ISHR’s experience at the UN and with regional bodies means we can use those mechanisms in the most rapid and strategic ways possible to prevent attacks and violations against human rights defenders, and to ensure justice and accountability where they occur
4. Securing implementation at the national level – ISHR’s expertise on international human rights defender standards and resolutions, together with our deep partnerships with national human rights networks and organisations, enable us to play an influential role in securing implementation of these standards and resolutions on the ground
5. Building powerful partnerships for change – ISHR’s strong relationships with key governments, progressive businesses and leading NGOs mean we can build and mobilise powerful partnerships for human rights change

Our work focuses on those human rights defenders who are most at risk, where our support can protect and strengthen them as agents of change, including:

• Women human rights defenders
• Defenders of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex rights
• Defenders working on business and human rights
• Defenders working to promote democratic freedoms and to end impunity, particularly in countries undergoing transition.

More information is available at www.ishr.ch.