Protecting Human Rights Defenders at Risk
The Integrated Refugee Organization (IRO) Emergency Protection Program provides rapid, confidential, and needs-based assistance to Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), journalists, civil society activists, lawyers and other civic actors facing imminent threats, protection risks, or humanitarian emergencies arising from their legitimate human rights work.
Human rights defenders often work in challenging environments where they may experience intimidation, violence, arbitrary arrest, forced displacement, digital attacks, financial hardship, or other forms of retaliation. These risks may affect defenders working within their own communities, those supporting refugees and other vulnerable populations, or those who have been forced to flee and continue their work in exile.
IRO’s Emergency Support Program helps address urgent protection needs by providing timely assistance that safeguards lives, promotes dignity, and strengthens the resilience of defenders so they can continue their legitimate human rights work safely.
What We Support
Depending on the urgency of the situation, the assessed protection risks, and available resources, IRO may provide one or more of the following forms of emergency assistance:
- Emergency financial assistance
- Emergency medical treatment and hospitalization
- Temporary relocation to a safer location
- Safe accommodation and shelter
- Food and basic necessities
- Emergency transportation
- Legal assistance and documentation support
- Psychosocial support and counselling referrals
- Emergency communication support
- Digital security support, including emergency devices, software, and incident response
- Family assistance where immediate family members are directly affected by the threat
Who Can Apply?
The Emergency Support Program prioritizes assistance for:
- Human Rights Defenders
- Journalists and media workers
- Civil society activists
- Human rights lawyers
- Community leaders at risk because of their human rights work
- Immediate family members directly affected by the same threat
The program serves individuals at risk regardless of whether they are working in their home country, living in exile, or supporting vulnerable communities, provided their need for assistance falls within IRO’s protection mandate.
Eligibility
Applicants should:
- Be facing an urgent protection risk or humanitarian emergency related to their legitimate human rights work.
- Demonstrate an immediate need for emergency assistance.
- Successfully complete IRO’s confidential verification and risk assessment process.
- Meet the program’s eligibility criteria and available funding priorities.
Submitting a request does not automatically guarantee assistance. Each application is assessed individually based on the urgency of the situation, level of risk, available evidence, IRO’s organizational mandate, and available resources.
Confidentiality
IRO treats every request with strict confidentiality. Information shared by applicants is used solely for protection assessment, case management, and the provision of assistance, in accordance with IRO’s safeguarding, confidentiality, and data protection policies.
Request Emergency Support
If you are facing an immediate protection or humanitarian emergency related to your human rights work, you may contact IRO through our email: protection@integratedrefugee.org.
Every request is reviewed promptly and confidentially. Where IRO is unable to provide direct assistance, and with the applicant’s consent, we will seek to refer eligible cases to trusted national, regional, or international protection partners.
Our Commitment
IRO is committed to protecting Human Rights Defenders and other civic actors at risk by providing timely emergency assistance, strengthening resilience, and ensuring that those who courageously defend human rights can continue their work in safety and dignity.