Women play a vital role in their communities by challenging past human rights violations, advocating for victims of human rights abuses, and challenging discrimination and marginalisation of vulnerable groups. However, they face numerous obstacles to carrying out this vital work including harassment, intimidation, forced disappearance, and the use of threats against their children and families. A protective international presence is needed to ensure that they can continue their work.

PBI will offer protection to at-risk women human rights defenders (HRDs) through the work of around 68 volunteer observers working in four countries who offer physical protection by the side of HRDs (up to 24 hr if needed) backed up by extensive advocacy efforts to alert authorities at the local, national and international level of our work.