# Front Line Defenders

Front Line Defenders, or The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, is an Irish-based human rights organisation founded in Dublin, Ireland in 2001 to protect those who work non-violently to uphold the human rights of others as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

## History

The organisation was founded by Mary Lawlor, former director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International with a US$3 million donation from businessman and philanthropist Denis O'Brien. Front Line Defenders has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and has Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
In 2006 Front Line Defenders established a European Union office in Brussels.
Front Line Defenders received the King Baudouin International Development Prize in 2007 and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 2018. On 3 July 2014, Lawlor was presented with the Order of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by French Ambassador to Ireland, Mr Jean-Pierre Thebault, on behalf of the French government.
Front Line Defenders' overall goal is to enable human rights defenders, as key agents of social change, to continue their work without the risk of harassment, intimidation or arrest.

## Notable work

In October 2021, Front Line Defenders found evidence that various Palestinian citizens belonging to human rights groups which had been outlawed by Israel, had been targeted by spyware made by the Israeli technology company, NSO Group.

## Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk

In 2005 this award was established, which according to the organisations website is awarded to a human rights defender "who through non-violent work, is courageously making an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights of others, often at great personal risk to themselves". The award brings international attention to its recipient's cause, and a €15,000 cash prize.
The recipients of this award since its inception are as follows:
* 2005 – Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, Sudan
* 2006 – Ahmadjan Madmarov, Uzbekistan
* 2007 – Gégé Katana, Democratic Republic of Congo
* 2008 – Anwar al-Bunni, Syria
* 2009 – Yuri Melini, Guatemala
* 2010 – Soraya Rahim Sobhrang, Afghanistan
* 2011 – Joint Mobile Group, Russian Federation
* 2012 – Razan Ghazzawi, Syria
* 2013 – Biram Dah Abeid, Mauritania
* 2014 – SAWERA – Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas, Pakistan
* 2015 – Guo Feixiong, pen name for Yang Maodong, China
* 2016 – Ana Mirian Romero, Honduras
* 2017 – Emil Kurbedinov, Crimea
* 2018 – Nurcan Baysal, Turkey
* 2019 – Ibu Shinta Ratri, Indonesia
* 2020 – Africa: Mekfoula Mint Brahim, Mauritania; Americas: Guardia Indígena del Cauca, Colombia; Asia: Juwairiya Mohideen, Sri Lanka; Europe & Central Asia: Lara Aharonian, Armenia; Middle East & North Africa: Fatima Al-Bahadly, Iraq
* 2021 – Africa: Aminata Fabba, Sierra Leone; Americas: Camila Moradia, Brazil; Asia: Mother Nature Cambodia, Cambodia; Europe & Central Asia 1: Siarhei Drazdouski & Aleh Hrableuski, Belarus; Europe & Central Asia 2: Mamadou Ba, Portugal; Middle East & North Africa: Sami & Sameeha Huraini, Palestine
* 2022 – Liah Ghazanfar Jawad, Afghanistan; Ameira Osman Hamid, Sudan; Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Zimbabwe; Javier del Tránsito and María del Tránsito Salvatierra, Mexico; Volha Harbunova, Belarus