Annual Report
2022
Throughout one of the most difficult years in modern history for human rights in Eastern Europe, we have once more witnessed civil society’s resilience, stamina and bravery. More of our colleagues were forced to leave their home countries and some are still behind bars. Yet human rights defenders continued their vital work in documenting war crimes, supporting people in need, lobbying international community and holding governments and individuals accountable. As Russia’s playbook to silence dissent and independent voices is copied and employed by more governments across the region and beyond, societies' mobilisation to push back these attempts is more crucial than ever. Now is the time to step up international communities’ support and solidarity and do more. The work of HRHF and the network of Human Rights Houses could not happen without the generous support of our donors to whom we express our sincere gratitude.
Maria Dahle
Director,
Human Rights House Foundation
Human rights in our focus countries in 2022
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 must be considered within the broader regional human rights crisis which encompasses Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine and addressed accordingly by the international community. The invasion has led to an enormous loss of civilian life and displacement of millions of Ukrainian civilians, and has contributed to a global food security crisis, among other catastrophic developments. In 2022, HRHF and Network members worked together to support human rights defenders (HRDs) in and from Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia; advocate for accountability mechanisms for severe human rights violations in these countries; and, implemented projects to strengthen human rights domestically across Eastern Europe. At the same time, we utilised country reviews at the UN Human Rights Committee and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to highlight on-going and systemic human rights challenges in Russia and Poland.
Eastern Europe
Focus countries: Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Russia
Across the Western Balkans in 2022, HRDs continued to face restricting civic space and reprisals and threats for their legitimate human rights work, including a rise in Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). In response, HRHF and Network partners pursued opportunities to raise pressure on authorities through advocacy at the UN Human Rights Council and Treaty Bodies, the European Parliament, and the Council of Europe. We also supported Network partners in their domestic advocacy and public awareness raising efforts.
Western Balkans
Focus countries: Croatia, Serbia
The promotion by authorities in the South Caucasus of so-called traditional values, attacks on freedom of assembly and association, the use of anti-terror and anti-extremist legislation all marked worrying trends in the region in 2022. HRHF and Network partners responded by strengthening our protection programme for HRDs at risk, expanding our engagement at the OSCE, building local capacity to engage with international mechanisms to address these increasing risks, and implementing community-based projects to raise public understanding of human rights.
South Caucasus
Focus countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
In 2022, Western European countries played leadership roles in responding to human rights violations within the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In Western Europe, HRHF advocated alongside Network members for political support for concrete responses to severe human rights violations across Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, and the Caucasus. At the same time, we pushed back on new efforts, such as Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation, which can have a flow-on effect beyond Western Europe.
Western Europe
Focus countries: Norway, United Kingdom
Our work in 2022
Human Rights House Foundation and Human Rights House Crimea held a joint press conference on the situation in Ukraine held on the sidelines of OSCE SHDM I, April 2022.
Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) envisions a world in which everyone can freely and safely promote and enjoy all human rights. Empowered human rights defenders and a strong and independent civil society are key to this vision.
Our vision
At the invitation of the Norwegian delegation to the UN, Tetiana Pechonchyk of ZMINA Human Rights Centre (member organisation of both Human Rights House Crimea & Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv) traveled to the UN in New York to call for support for Ukraine. Photo via VG.
How we work to achieve our vision
Establish and support Human Rights Houses
Film screening as part of the "The Human being is the Highest Value” project organised by “Open Platform for Art” NGO and PEN Armenia (Human Rights House Yerevan), supported through HRHF's EU-Funded STRONG Civil Society project.
Supporting organisations to meet the most pressing human rights needs
In late September and early October 2022, HRHF travelled to Ukraine to meet with partners, including Human Rights Houses Crimea and Chernihiv, for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Thanks to the flexibility of its donors, including the EU and Norway, HRHF swiftly provided institutional support to a number of organisations so that they could adapt to the new situation and continue serving their communities.
Building a platform for civil society in Yerevan
In 2022, HRHF continued to support the renovation of the premises of Human Rights House Yerevan so that it can serve as a platform for broader civil society in Armenia and beyond.
Pictured: Human rights defenders from Human Rights House Yerevan.
Rebuilding following Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine
Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv was damaged in the early days of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine. Our flexible institutional support was essential for the House to adjust and continue its critical work.
Building capacity to engage in international advocacy
HRHF supported members of the Network of Human Rights Houses to engage with international policymakers throughout 2022. Learning by doing remains a key method by which HRHF builds capacity of Network members.
Members of Houses’ capacity to meet local human rights needs increased.
0
Houses' capacity to meet local human rights needs increased.
0
+
Network members participated in capacity building activities with HRHF.
0
Network partners supported by HRHF to engage in European level advocacy for the first time.
0
+
In 2022, HRHF expanded work to build the long-term capacity of Human Rights Houses and their members to respond to the human rights issues and challenges in their communities. We worked with Houses to strengthen their governance, build their capacity to advocate at international and multilateral bodies, and supported one House with important physical renovations of its premises. Financial framework partnership with the EU allowed HRHF to provide institutional support to a number of organisations which enabled them to swiftly adapt to changing landscapes in their countries to continue serving their communities.
Connect Human Rights Houses
House Treff 2022: Representatives of the network of Human Rights Houses reconnect in person for the first time following several years of unprecedented world events. House Treff 2022 was funded in part thanks to the European Union.
Burning Poets: Free Expression & cultural ties between Armenia and Georgia
Within the framework of EU-funded STRONG Civil Society project, HRHF continued to support civil society-led collaborative projects designed to strengthen outreach and engagement with citizens and communities as well as to promote and engage in dialogue between civil society and relevant national and international stakeholders. Burning Poets is one such project implemented thanks to this support.
Read about Burning Poets here.
Pictured: An evening of selected works by 12 poets and 4 fiction writers from Armenia, and 8 poets and 4 fiction writers from Georgia recited in both languages plus English. 09 June 2022.
Letters from Lukashenka’s prisoners
HRHF’s House-to-House fund provides support for initiatives, organised collaboratively between two or more Houses and their members, to advance human rights priorities in the countries with Human Rights Houses. Letters from Lukashenka’s prisoners, a campaign supported through House-to-House, aims to ensure that unjustly detained political prisoners in Belarus are not forgotten and their voices are still heard from behind bars.
Read about the campaign, and read all the published letters.
Strengthening partnerships outside of the Network
In advocating for the establishment of a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia, HRHF played a leading coordination role for international and domestic human rights organisations. Read our call to EU leaders to table a Human Rights Council resolution to establish the Special Rapporteur.
Advocating with a connected Network of Human Rights Houses
Our Network comes together to protect and advance the freedoms of assembly, association, and expression and the right to be an HRD, which are essential for an independent civil society to function. Throughout 2022, we raised awareness about attacks on these rights and stood together in calls for action.
Showing solidarity during times of crisis
Across the Network, members expressed on-going solidarity with and support for partners in Ukraine. Network members stood in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Belarusian civil society in front of the Russian Embassy in Vilnius in September 2022.
Photographs from the demonstration in Vilnius can be found here.
Meeting common challenges together
In 2022, HRHF brought the Network together for the first in-person event following several years of unprecedented events. Our workshop, co-funded by the EU within the context of our STRONG Civil Society project, brought together 19 participants from 10 Houses and focused on discussing the impact of crises on good governance of organisations and well-being of staff.
Countries in which HRHF supported expansion of local human rights coalitions.
0
Organisations supported through project-based grants.
0
Joint advocacy activities implemented in partnership with Network.
0
+
Collaboration within and sustainability of the Network of Human Rights Houses remained a key priority in 2022. Last year, we stood together as a Network to respond to the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, brought more Network partners into an international coalition advocating for human rights, and expanded our role as a grant-making organisation.
Protect human rights defenders
Freedom for Ales Bialiatski and all political prisoners in Belarus. On Saturday, 10 December, people marched through the streets of Oslo in a peaceful torchlight procession in honour of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winners. Several Norwegian organisations including Human Rights House Foundation organised the torchlight procession.
Calling for the release of Belarusian human rights defenders
By the end of 2022, more than 1,400 political prisoners were in Belarusian jails, including the leadership and volunteers of human rights organisation Viasna. Our Network joined the many international campaigns to advocate for jailed Belarusians HRDs and make sure that they know they are not forgotten.
Raising the profile of defenders facing reprisal
Awards remain a powerful tool for raising the profile of human rights defenders as well as strengthening their protection against possible reprisal. In 2022, we celebrated an award to Ukrainian journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, imprisoned by Russian authorities since 2021, which we nominated for Fritt Ord & ZEIT-Stiftung's Free Media Awards. Photographs from the ceremony can be found here.
Advocating for visas and other support for HRDs
In 2022, many HRDs fearing reprisal for their legitimate work in Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Russia sought refuge outside of their countries. One of their immediate needs was visa support from potential host countries and HRHF advocated strongly for this important protection resource.
Strengthening and expanding Network protection infrastructure
In 2022, Human Rights Houses Crimea and Yerevan - joined the Network’s protection programme, bringing the total number of participating Houses to five. As a part of the programme, Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv opened a new shelter in Lviv. Close coordination, exchange of best practises and sharing of resources through the programme has enabled Houses and HRHF to support hundreds of human rights defenders so that they could continue their work when possible.
Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv’s Lviv hub. Pictured: A screening of the documentary film “Without Status. Ukraine” organised by EHRHC on August 24, 2022.
% Gender breakdown (male/female) of beneficiaries of Network’s protection programme.
0
/
0
HRDs and their family members benefited from the Network’s protection programme.
0
HRD cases raised in international advocacy.
0
+
In 2022, HRHF promoted the visibility of HRDs in the Network of Human Rights Houses, raised awareness of challenges facing HRDs in the context of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine, and called for the release of HRDs in arbitrary detention in Belarus. We advocated for policies and other support for HRDs and used our communications platforms to strengthen protection and promotion of HRDs. The ESU regional project, launched in June 2022 and implemented by ERIM-led coalition of partners, enabled us to continue to provide support to HRDs so that they can continue their work when possible.
On 16 May 2022, Human Rights House Foundation and several Ukrainian and international partners hosted “Moscow Mechanism report on Ukraine: Next steps for the OSCE,” a pre-event for OSCE delegations and stakeholders ahead of the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting.
Advance four rights core to human rights work
Building support to address Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
At the UN, Council of Europe, EU, OSCE, and Crimea Platform we worked with Ukrainian partners to highlight Russian human rights violations and call for action.
Addressing increasing use of SLAPPs
The use of Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) to target HRDs is on the rise. We have engaged heavily on the European level to advocate for policies to address this issue, one which is used heavily to target HRDs.
Engaging at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
As Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine went on, HRHF supported partners in Ukrainian Houses to build support amongst PACE members for action.
Advocating for the Special Rapporteur on Russia
The human rights situation in Russia is critical and HRDs are facing increasing reprisal for their work. In response, HRHF advocated for the establishment of a Special Rapporteur on Russia.
Impressions from our #SR4RU social media campaign in support of calls for a Special Rapporteur for Russia.
0
mln
Joint HRHF-Network member submissions to UN Treaty Bodies as part of country review processes.
0
International advocacy events organised in partnership with Network members.
+
0
International and European-level human rights standards and mechanisms advocated for by HRHF and Network members.
0
+
In 2022, HRHF and Network partners played central roles in advocating for key human rights mechanisms and standards on the international level. At the UN, we successfully advocated for the establishment of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia and the International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, and renewals of the OHCHR Examination on Belarus, and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus. On the European level, HRHF called for stronger EU guidelines for human rights defenders, and engaged with the EU during advocacy rounds with Network partners during Human Rights Dialogues in Armenia and Georgia. We advocated for policies against SLAPPs policies at the EU and Council of Europe level, and worked with partners to ask for a Venice Commission opinion on Azerbaijan’s Media Law amendments. At the OSCE, we pushed for Moscow Mechanisms in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Network of Human Rights Houses
Resource Centre Nakhchivan
Status: Forced to cease activities
The Resource Centre in Nakhchivan was forced to cease its activities in 2014 when its founder was forced to flee Azerbaijan. The doors of the Centre may be closed, but the dream is to one day return to Nakchivan and re-open the doors as a home for local civil society.
Index on Censorship
Location: London, United Kingdom
Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. We publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech.
Human Rights House Crimea
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine.
Established in exile in Kyiv, Human Rights House Crimea aims to develop, strengthen, and coordinate the capacity of organisations involved in human rights protection in Crimea, ensuring more effective and systematic human rights work. Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Human Rights House Crimea and its member organisations have taken a leading role in highlighting human rights violations and alleged war crimes, as well as advocating for accountability.
Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv
Location: Chernihiv, Ukraine.
Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv unites organisations, human rights defenders, and civil activists, who believe that education can secure long-term positive changes in the field of human rights.
The Chernihiv House has worked tirelessly to assist repairs and humanitarian work in Ukraine as well as documenting Russia’s continued military aggression.
Read about Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv and its member organisations.
Human Rights House Belgrade
Location: Belgrade, Serbia.
Supporting civil society, Human Rights House Belgrade has a focus on economic and social rights, discrimination, hate crime, minority issues, and access to justice. The House supports human rights defenders, providing free legal aid in the first instance. It is also a leader in Serbia’s EU negotiation process, coordinating with the National Convention on the EU – the platform for discussion on Serbian accession – as a genuine civil society movement for reforms and further EU integration.
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
Location: Warsaw, Poland
The Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights is one of the original founding members of the Network of Human Rights Houses. HFHR is one of the oldest non-governmental organisations involved in the protection of human rights in Poland and across Eastern Europe.
Human Rights House Oslo
Location: Oslo, Norway
The first Human Rights House was founded in Oslo in 1989, during a time of great change and hope for human rights in Europe. Human Rights House Oslo is today home to six diverse organisations that champion a variety of thematic and geographical human rights issues. These range from women’s rights in Norway, to the human rights situations of Tibet, Eastern Europe, and the entire African continent.
Read about Human Rights House Oslo and its member organisations.
Rafto Foundation
Location: Bergen, Norway
The Rafto Foundation works to promote human rights by presenting the Rafto Prize, empowering human rights defenders, challenging authorities and the business community and by providing education in democracy and human rights.
Human Rights House Tbilisi
Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
Human Rights House Tbilisi unites five civil society organisations working on issues including media freedom, gender-based violence, rehabilitation of victims of torture, and other human rights topics. The House is an important regional resource working to increase capacity and protection for regional HRDs.
Read about Human Rights House Tbilisi and its member organisations.
Human Rights House Zagreb
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
Human Rights House Zagreb was established in 2008 with a goal to contribute to building a democratic, pluralistic and inclusive society based on the values of human rights, social justice and solidarity. Today, the House in Zagreb is renowned as the centre of expertise on human rights in Croatia. The House works on research, monitoring, advocacy and education within three programs: democracy and human rights; justice and human rights; and socio-economic rights.
Read about Human Rights House Zagreb and its seven member organisations.
Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House (BHRH) was registered in 2006 in Lithuania due to the impossibility to register in Belarus. BHRH advances human rights through four strategic directions: human rights education, capacity building for human rights defenders and their organisations, protection and support of human rights defenders, and human rights advocacy.
Read more about the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House.
Human Rights House Azerbaijan
Location: Azerbaijan
Established in 2007, the original Human Rights House Azerbaijan was forced to close its doors in 2011. After a crackdown on civil society in the country in 2014, three independent human rights organisations formed a new core group for the House in 2017. Alongside HRHF, House members aim to continue a policy of engaging constructively with the Azerbaijani authorities, and have developed a roadmap with a view to relaunching the activities of the House in Baku.
Read more about Human Rights House Azerbaijan and its member organisations.
Human Rights House Yerevan
Location: Yerevan, Armenia
Established in Armenia in 2012, Human Rights House Yerevan unites seven organisations that focus on human rights issues including democracy, freedom of expression, LGBT+ & women's rights, gender-based violence, and more.
Read more about Human Rights House Yerevan and its member organisations.
Human Rights Houses in 2022
Concept
The Human Rights House concept is built around the enduring values of solidarity & partnership. It remains as important today as when the first House opened its doors in Oslo in 1989.
Human Rights House Foundation establishes, supports, and connects Human Rights Houses – coalitions of civil society organisations working together to advance human rights at home and abroad. In 2022, over 70 NGOs were united in an international Network of Human Rights Houses.
The year in pictures
In December 2022, Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv hosted the "Bringing Victory Closer" forum , focusing on the crucial standards for safeguarding human rights defenders in Ukraine, especially in the context of the full-scale Russian invasion of the country.
29 April: HRHF's Nora Wehofsits (right) serves on the jury of the 15th edition of the One World Documentary Human Rights Film Festival in Brussels.
24 August: HRHF's Iryna Pavlovska, Maria Dahle & Ane Tusvik Bonde attend a demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on the country's independence day.
In December, we mourned the passing of our colleague, Aleh Hulak. As the head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Aleh was a pillar of the Belarusian human rights movement. Aleh was a tireless advocate for a free Belarus, a Belarus committed to human rights and democratic principles.
Addressing the Human Rights Crisis in the Russian Federation - a side event at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council organised by Human Rights House Foundation together with international and Russian civil society.
June 2022: HRHF's Matthew Jones delivers a statement at HRC50.
29 April: HRHF & representatives of Human Rights House Crimea met with EU Political and Security Committee Ambassadors as well as COEST/COHOM delegates to discuss support for human rights defenders and accountability in Ukraine. The meeting was hosted by the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union. L-R: Nora Wehofsits (Human Rights House Foundation), Tetiana Pechonchyk (Human Rights House Crimea), Jitka Látal Znamenáčková (Permanent Representative to PSC, Czech Perm Rep to EU), Olga Skrypnyk (Human Rights House Crimea), Nadiia Ivanova (People in Need).
1 February: Representatives of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), of which HRHF is a member, together with SLAPP victims meet Věra Jourová, Vice-President and Commissioner for Values and Transparency of the European Commission to deliver 200,000-strong petition urging European Union to end SLAPPs.
14 June: HRHF's Dave Elseroad and Human Rights House Azerbaijan's Shahla Ismayil, during her time in Geneva participating in the UN Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women’s review of Azerbaijan.
7 October: Diplomats take photographs of the final vote count (17 yes, 6 no, 24 abstentions) at the Human Rights Council establishing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for human rights in Russia.
Human Rights House Foundation staff work together on planning and strategy during its 2022 staff retreat.
Partners from Poland in Geneva for joint advocacy activities with Human Rights House Foundation in the context of Poland’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). L-R: Zuzanna Rudzinska-Bluszcz (ClientEarth), Magorzata Szuleka (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland), and Maigorzata Kwiedacz-Palosz (ClientEarth).
28 March: All panellists from the OSCE SHDM I pre-event on Ukraine. L-R: Dave Elseroad (Human Rights House Foundation), Kateryna Rashevska (Regional Centre for Human Rights / Human Rights House Crimea), Tetiana Pechonchyk (ZMINA Human Rights Centre / Human Rights House Crimea), Mariia Sulialina (Centre for Civic Education “Almenda” / Human Rights House Crimea), Olga Skrypnyk (Crimean Human Rights Group / Human Rights House Crimea), Svitlana Valko (Truth Hounds), Antanina Maslyka (Netherlands Helsinki Committee / Civic Solidarity Platform) Yuliya Erner (DRA e.V., CivilM+ Platform).
May 2022: HRHF’s Daiva Petkeviciute and Ane Tusvik Bonde meet in Oslo with Oleksandra Matviichuk of Center for Civil Liberties.
October 2022: Alongside our partners in Norway, we advocated at the Norwegian Parliament for more support for human rights defenders at risk, a robust foreign policy in face of increased Russian aggression, and a long-term commitment to addressing human rights challenges across our region.
September 2022: Human Rights House Oslo celebrated its 30th anniversary in the first gathering at the House post-pandemic.
16 June: representatives from HRHF, and Human Rights Houses Belarus and Tbilisi in Bucharest for the launch of the Emergency Support Ukraine (ESU) project, funded by the EU.
28 April: The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is discussed at a side event during Human Rights House Zagreb’s annual conference, with participants from HRHF, and Human Rights House Crimea.
4 February: PEN Georgia presented the independent Free Litera Awards. The Awards were hailed as a victory for the protection of free expression in Georgia following controversy and the cancellation of the original event in 2021. The awards were co-funded by Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights House Tbilisi, and other partners and crowdfunding.
10 December: A young film director addresses the final event of the “Platform for Children” project, organised by the Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (member of Human Rights House Tbilisi) and Indigo Fund, supported through HRHF's EU-Funded STRONG Civil Society project.
June 2022: Human Rights House Foundation, joined by Human Rights Houses Belgrade and Zagreb, met with representatives of the founding organisations of Human Rights House Banja Luka which celebrated its formal establishment in early 2023.
September 2022: Demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine and Belarus in front of the Russian embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania. Demonstration co-organised by HRHF, Human Rights Houses Chernihiv, Crimea, Belarus as well as several Belarusian NGOs.
“Vision” A young woman lost in her memories awaits the return of a loved one. This is one of 30 short films produced by young Armenians as a part of the “ARTICLE 3: THE HUMAN BEING IS THE HIGHEST VALUE” project organised by "Open Art Platform" NGO & PEN Armenia (member of Human Rights House Yerevan) within the context of HRHF's STRONG Civil Society project, funded by the EU.
November 2022: Educational and anti-burnout retreat for Ukrainian activists, volunteers, psychologists, and human rights defenders, organised by AHALAR, member organisation of Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv. HRHF’s emergency institutional grant funded through HRHF's EU-Funded STRONG Civil Society project helped Ukrainian organisations like AHALAR quickly adapt to meet new challenges following the launch of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
September: Representatives from several Human Rights Houses call for the release of their Belarusian colleagues and all political prisoners in Belarus.
10 December: HRHF and Network members participated in the traditional torchlight procession in Oslo, the night Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to individuals and organisations from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. The procession was organised by Amnesty Norge, Forfatterforeningen, Human Rights House Foundation, The Norwegian Human Rights Fund, Helsingforskomiteen, Norges Fredsråd, Norsk PEN, SAIH, Razam, SmåRådina.
Human Rights House Foundation
Human Rights House Foundation is an international non-profit organisation headquartered in Oslo with an office in Geneva and representation in Brussels and Tbilisi. HRHF holds consultative status at the United Nations and participatory status at the Council of Europe.
This financial data has been summarised from HRHF’s annual accounts. For a complete copy of the annual accounts and the accompanying independent audit report click here.
% Expense distribution per organisational objective: Direct support / HRHF-led initiatives
1. Establish and support Human Rights Houses (66% / 34%)
2. Connect Human Rights Houses (54% / 46%)
3. Protect Human Rights Defenders (62% / 38%)
4. Advance 4 rights core to human rights work (7% / 93%)
5. Build & maintain organisational capacity (0% / 100%)
Direct Support to Partners
HRHF-led Initatives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
% Expenses per organisational objective
1. Establish and support Human Rights Houses (31%)
2. Connect Human Rights Houses (16%)
3. Protect Human Rights Defenders (21%)
4. Advance 4 rights core to human rights work (16%)
5. Build & maintain organisational capacity (15%)
Allocation of expenses 2022
% Revenue by donor
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (72%)
European Commission (12%)
Foreign Commonwealth & Development office of the United Kingdom (6%)
ERIM (4%)
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland (4%)
Office for Foreign Affairs Principality of Liechtenstein (1%)
Other (2%)
For the fiscal year ending 31 December 2022, Human Rights House Foundation’s revenue totalled NOK 35.4 mln (EUR 3.5 mln).
Revenue 2022
Donate
We seek new partnerships in order to expand our ability to advance human rights through empowering human rights defenders and strengthening independent civil society.
We offer our sincere thanks for the generous financial support that we received from donors.
In 2022, our donors included the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, European Commission, Foreign Commonwealth & Development office of the United Kingdom, Office for Foreign Affairs Principality of Liechtenstein, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ERIM, and other donors.
Financial information
% Gender balance (Male / Female)
0
/
0
Locations: Headquarters in Oslo with an office in Geneva and representation in Brussels and Tbilisi.
0
Languages spoken in our offices
0
Nationalities represented in our organisation
0
Members of staff
0
Our people in 2022
Tamar Zakaidze
Grants Coordinator
Mushegh Yekmalyan
Senior Human Rights Officer
Elaine Sabourin
Senior Grants Officer
Nina Pániková
Senior Capacity Building Officer
Kateryna Oleinikova
Administrative Assistant
Ekaterine Keburia
Administrative Assistant
Matthew Jones
International Advocacy Officer
Prisca Jaobelison
Administrative Assistant
Craig Jackson
Communication Officer
Thomas Engebretsen
Financial Accountant
Pasha (Praskovja) Bystrova
Communication Consultant
Staff & consultants
Daiva Petkevičiūtė
Head of House Development and Support
Iryna Pavlovska
Head of Administration and Finance
Leadership
Ane Tusvik Bonde
(Staff elected
Board member)
Senior Advisor, Human Rights House Foundation
Hilde Lundeby
Psychologist, former Senior Advisor, Directorate of Norwegian Correctional Services
Pål Lieungh
Partner, Thommessen law firm
Minda Holm
Research fellow with the research group on foreign policy and diplomacy, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
Laila Bokhari
Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Christopher
Hansteen
(Deputy Chair)
Partner, Hjort law firm
Bernt Hagtvet
(Chairperson)
Professor emeritus, Institute of political science, University of Oslo
Board members
3 November: Index on Censorship's 2022 Freedom of Expression Awards are presented to: Cuban artist Hamlet Lavastida (arts); the Russian human rights project OVD-Info (campaigning); Chinese activist and journalist Huang Xueqin (journalism), and the Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov (trustee award).
29 April: HRHF's Nora Wehofsits serves on the jury of the 15th edition of the One World Documentary Human Rights Film Festival in Brussels.
Between June and November 2022, EHRHC hosted about 400 “Dobrobat” volunteers from all over Ukraine at its premises. The Dobrobat is a volunteer initiative specialising in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Together, the House and the volunteers provided about 150 residential houses with emergency repair work in the surrounding villages, including clearing rubble, fixing of roofs, and installing new windows.
3 November: Human Rights House Belgrade hosts Germany Ambassador Anke Konrad and highlights the human rights situation in Serbia.
September: Representatives from several Human Rights Houses call for the release of their Belarusian colleagues and all political prisoners in Belarus.
24 August: HRHF's Iryna Pavlovska, Maria Dahle & Ane Tusvik Bonde attend a demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on the country's independence day.
Addressing the Human Rights Crisis in the Russian Federation - a side event at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council organised by Human Rights House Foundation together with international and Russian civil society.
1 February: Representatives of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) together with SLAPP victims meet Věra Jourová, Vice-President and Commissioner for Values and Transparency of the European Commission to deliver 200,000-strong petition urging European Union to end SLAPPs.
June 2022: HRHF's Matthew Jones delivers a statement at HRC50.
14 June: HRHF's Dave Elseroad and Human Rights House Azerbaijan's Shahla Ismayil in Geneva.
24 October: Photo exhibition “Stories from occupied Crimea” by three Ukrainian reporters Alina Smutko, Taras Ibragimov, and Aliona Savchuk opened in Zagreb, Croatia by ZMINA, member organisation of Human Rights House Crimea.
7 October: Diplomats take photographs of the final vote count at the Human Rights Council establishing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for human rights in Russia.
Human Rights House Foundation staff work together on planning and strategy during its 2022 internal seminar.
5 September: The Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights together with lawyer Marta Górczyńska recieved the PRO ASYL Human Rights Award for long-term efforts opposing tightening of asylum law in Poland and campaigning for refugee policy grounded in human rights.
28 March: All panellists from the OSCE SHDM I pre-event on Ukraine. L-R: Dave Elseroad, Human Rights House Foundation, Kateryna Rashevska, Regional Centre for Human Rights / Human Rights House Crimea, Tetiana Pechonchyk, ZMINA Human Rights Centre / Human Rights House Crimea, Mariia Sulialina, Centre for Civic Education “Almenda” / Human Rights House Crimea, Olga Skrypnyk, Crimean Human Rights Group / Human Rights House Crimea
Svitlana Valko, Truth Hounds, Antanina Maslyka, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Civic Solidarity Platform, Yuliya Erner, DRA e.V., CivilM+ Platform
May 2022: HRHF’s Daiva Petkeviciute and Ane Tusvik Bonde meet in Oslo with Oleksandra Matviichuk of Center for Civil Liberties.
30 June: Human Rights House Tbilisi's Natia Tavberidze and Elene Janelidze met Human Rights House Yerevan's Mamikon Hovsepyan and Armen Ohanyan during Tbilisi Pride Week's regional conference where the Armenian duo delivered speeches.
October 2022: Alongside our partners in Norway, we advocated at the Norwegian Parliament for more support for human rights defenders at risk, a robust foreign policy in face of increased Russian aggression, and a long-term commitment to addressing human rights challenges across our region.
October 2022: Ekaterina Yesypenko, and her daughter Stefania, accepted the Fritt Ord & ZEIT-Stiftung's Free Media Award on behalf of Ukrainian journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko. Yesypenko has been held by Russian authorities in Crimea since 2014 on bogus charges and, in February 2022, was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
September 2022: Human Rights House Oslo celebrated its 30th anniversary in the first gathering at the House post-pandemic.
16 June: representatives from HRHF, and Human Rights Houses Belarus and Tbilisi in Bucharest for the launch of a the Emergency Support Ukraine (ESU) project.
13 November: Rafto Award Ceremony in Bergen in honour of the 2022 Rafto Laureate, Nodjigoto Charbonnel and the work of his organisation Association Jeunesse pour la Paix et la Non-Violence for their efforts to abolish torture in Chad.
4 February: PEN Georgia presented the independent Free Litera Awards. The Awards were hailed as a victory for the protection of free expression in Georgia following controversy and the cancellation of the original event in 2021. The awards were co-funded by Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights House Tbilisi, Open Society Georgia Foundation, and other partners including Formula TV as well as crowdfunding.
April 2022: Human Rights House Zagreb hosts a panel of Croatian civil society on "Social-economic rights in Croatia" during the third day of its Annual Conference on Human Rights.
June 2022: Human Rights House Foundation, joined by Human Rights Houses Belgrade and Zagreb, met with representatives of the founding organisations of Human Rights House Banja Luka which was formally established in the following year.
September 2022: Demonstration solidarity with Ukraine and Belarus in front of the Russian embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania. Demonstration co-organised by HRHF, Human Rights Houses Chernihiv, Crimea, Belarus as well as several Belarusian NGOs.
“Vision” A young woman lost in her memories awaits the return of a loved one. This is one of 30 short films produced by young Armenians as a part of the “ARTICLE 3: THE HUMAN BEING IS THE HIGHEST VALUE” project organised by "Open Art Platform" NGO & PEN Armenia (member of Human Rights House Yerevan) within the context of HRHF's EU-funded STRONG Civil Society project.
HRH Yerevan conference. Caption needed.
In December, we mourned the passing of our colleague, Aleh Hulak. As the head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Aleh was a pillar of the Belarusian human rights movement. Aleh was a tireless advocate for a free Belarus, a Belarus committed to human rights and democratic principles.
30 September: Viasna wins 2022 Albie Awards. Alina Stefanovich (centre), wife of political prisoner and human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich, accepted the award on behalf of the organisation.
Tetiana Pechonchyk and Kateryna Rashevska of Human Rights House Crimea accept the CEU Open Society Prize on behalf of the Ukraine 5AM Coalition.
10 December: HRHF and network members participated in the traditional torchlight procession in Oslo, the night Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to individuals and organisations from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. procession was organised by Amnesty Norge, Forfatterforeningen, Human Rights House Foundation, The Norwegian Human Rights Fund, Helsingforskomiteen, Norges Fredsråd, Norsk PEN, SAIH, Razam, SmåRådina.