Front Line Defenders' Security and Protection Training Programme for HRDs, through its workshops, seminars and training resources aims to facilitate a sharing of skills knowledge and expertise to help provide HRDs with additional knowledge and tools that may be useful to them in addressing their personal security and protection issues.

In response to concerns expressed by human rights defenders about the challenges of addressing security challenges, Front Line Defenders has developed a programme of training on security and protection.

Workshops for human rights defenders at risk cover risk assessment, threat analysis, reaction to security incidents, digital security (basic level), dealing with stress, the production of practical security plans geared towards each HRD's unique situation, and how to produce organisational security plans.

The workshops are highly participatory and include brainstorms, small group work sessions, case studies, role plays and discussions.

Front Line Defenders has also developed a network of HRDs with experience of managing security, who have attended Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops on security and protection and are able to train other defenders in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Please contact Anne Rimmer, Training Coordinator, with any queries about training: email: anne@frontlinedefenders.org

Quotes from workshop participants:

“What worked well was the group dynamic, the richness of the information and the flexibility of the facilitators”

“I'm going to sit down immediately with the members of my organisation to pass on this training and put in place a security strategy”

“I will change my old behaviour and adapt it in line with the knowledge I acquired.”

Training Resources

Workbook on Security: Practical Steps for Human Rights Defenders at Risk

The Workbook on Security is designed to raise awareness about security issues and to help human rights defenders consider how to mitigate threats. The workbook takes human rights defenders through the steps to producing a security plan - for individuals and for organisations. It follows a systematic approach for assessing their security situation and developing risk and vulnerability reduction strategies and tactics.

The workbook is also available in Arabic , Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders

The Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders was researched and written by Enrique Eguren of Peace Brigades International, European Office (PBI BEO) and published by Front Line.

The purpose of this manual is to provide human rights defenders with information and tools to improve their understanding of security and protection. The manual topics include risk analysis, evaluating threats, preventing and reacting to attacks and developing security plans. It is the main handout for Front Line training on protection and security.

Protection Handbook for Human Rights Defenders

The Protection Handbook for Human Rights Defenders is a short adaptation and summary of the 'Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders' (above). It was edited by Arnold Tsunga, Executive Director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and published by Front Line.

This handbook is intended as a quick reference tool for human rights defenders, in which to find helpful and practical suggestions on how to deal with threats, intimidation and attacks in order to improve their personal and organisational security.