Comprehensive safety of human rights defenders: supporting the front lines in defense of democracy

FOR ALL TO SEE: A colorful, artistic image. The background blends forest, water, city lights, and the texture of weathered concrete. In the center, there is a silhouette of a person seen from behind in shades of orange, over a grid pattern. Highlighted in shades of white and gray is the call for proposals’ title: “Comprehensive safety of human rights defenders: supporting the front lines in defense of democracy”. In the lower right corner is the Brazil Fund logo. 

1. CALL

The Brazil Human Rights Fund, with support from the Ford Foundation and Porticus, invites civil society organizations to submit proposals to strengthen their institutional capacities related to the comprehensive safety and protection of human rights defenders throughout the Brazilian territory.

This call seeks to encourage the adoption of an institutional culture of comprehensive safety that prioritizes the safety and well-being of rights defenders in Brazil, creating a safer and healthier organizational and political environment for their actions. The grant will be aimed at the development and adoption of effective comprehensive safety and self-protection measures.

We will give priority to organizations that operate in contexts of greater risk in Brazil and have limited access to funds. We also value work that incorporates the racial, ethnical, gender, and sexual orientation dimensions, including from an intersectional perspective, given the multiple human rights violations in the country.

2. SUBMISSION KEY DATES

Proposals may be submitted from August 6, 2025 to September 1, 2025, by 6 p.m. (GMT-3). 

3. NUMBER OF GRANTS AND FUNDING AMOUNT

Twenty-one organizations, groups, and collectives will receive grants of up to sixty thousand Brazilian reais (BRL 60,000.00) each, totaling up to one million, two hundred and sixty thousand Brazilian reais (BRL 1,260,000.00) in grants under this Call for Proposals. The projects shall be carried out over a period of no more than 12 months.

4. BACKGROUND

Human rights defenders (HRDs)—and the organizations, collectives, and movements in which they work—remain on the front lines of the defense of democracy and social justice in Brazil. They play a crucial role in exposing violations, calling for accountability, and building alternatives for equitable development, as well as paving the way for actual social participation by historically excluded groups. However, this leading role exposes them to a scenario of growing risks, combining historic crises of inequality with new anti-rights offensives that seek to restrict civic spaces.

Between 2012 and 2023, at least 401 human rights defenders were murdered in Brazil, according to Global Witness. Combined with the cases recorded in Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, these figures average 70% of the deaths of defenders in Latin America—a region that accounted for 85% of murders reported around the globe in 2023.

Only in 2023, there were 25 murders of human rights defenders in Brazil, second only to Colombia. Liability for these violations rest with both private and state actors, in a context of increasing hostility and democratic fragility. It is important to highlight that these risks are even more pronounced when intersected by markers such as gender and race, amplifying the vulnerability of Black, Indigenous, and Quilombola women defenders, for example, who face multiple forms of violence and exclusion in their spheres of action.

Although there are state protection mechanisms, they prove to be insufficient. Public policy is constrained by several structural and political limitations. Failure to investigate crimes, delays in implementing the National Protection Plan, and the tendency to reduce measures to formal protocols without concrete responses perpetuate impunity. This institutional fragility is compounded by political discourses that delegitimize social struggles, fuel stigmas against HRDs, reinforce polarization, and incite violence.

The call for proposals Comprehensive safety of human rights defenders: supporting the front lines in defense of democracy was designed to assist in countering this hostile environment through the allocation of funds and provision of technical support to initiatives that aim to bolster collective protection practices and expand the autonomy of groups at risk. By strengthening solidarity networks and supporting local resistance, we seek to contribute to a Brazil where the defense of human rights is guaranteed, respected, and valued as the cornerstone of an inclusive, pluralistic, and sustainable democracy.

5. CONDITIONS TO APPLY

• The applicant must be a group/collective/organization working in defense of rights.

• Each organization, group or collective may submit only one project. Should a same organization, group or collective send more than one project, ONLY the last one registered will be considered.
• Projects from organizations, groups and collectives with little to no access to other sources of funding will have priority.
• Projects from organizations, groups, and collectives that jointly operate in a context of risk and threats as a result of their rights advocacy efforts will have priority;
• We will accept proposals submitted by non-profit organizations, groups, and collectives, even if they are not yet officially registered and/or do not bear a CNPJ (Brazilian Corporate Taxpayer ID).
• WE WILL NOT ACCEPT projects submitted by individuals, governmental organizations, universities, international organizations, political parties, small or medium sized enterprises, microenterprises, and individual microentrepreneurs.
• It is permitted to submit concurrent proposals for other open calls from Brazil Fund.
• This call for proposals seeks to support the adoption of a culture of comprehensive safety; therefore, projects that qualify as emergency responses (see Brazil Fund’s Emergency Support Policy) will not be prioritized.

6. ORGANIZATIONS THIS CALL FOR PROPOSALS AIMS TO SUPPORT

Applicants from organizations that promotes racial, gender, and sexual orientation equity in its composition will be prioritized.

Priority will also be given to organizations, groups, and collectives that work on the front lines of human rights defense and face threats and risks to the safety of their staff, and thus need to implement effective comprehensive safety measures to ensure a healthy and safe environment for their work.

In addition, the call for proposals prioritizes organizations focused on defending the rights of:

• Indigenous peoples;
• Quilombola peoples;
• Rural workers and extractive workers;
• Other traditional peoples;
• Black population;
• Women;
• Youth;
• LGBTQIAP+ population;
• Movements of marginalized areas, informal settlements, and favelas;
• Community education organizations engaged in safety and protection formative paths.

7. IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS FOR PROJECT SELECTION AND APPROVAL
   a) Proposals

The objective of this call of proposals is to support projects that seek to develop and reinforce the institutional capacities (within each organization) necessary to implement comprehensive safety strategies for human rights defenders. We encourage proposals that address the following dimensions related to comprehensive safety:

• Physical safety: including preventive and protective measures to ensure the bodily integrity of HRDs, such as the safety of individuals and organizations, territorial monitoring, among others;
• Psychosocial safety: including mental health literacy for HRDs, care, and self-care;
• Digital safety, including, for example, digital literacy and initiatives to ensure the privacy of HRDs, among others;
• Organizational security: involving administrative and financial concerns, and asset management measures, aimed at ensuring that civil society organizations can avoid being charged with administrative offenses;

Since these dimensions are interconnected, proposals may address one or more dimensions, according to the applicant’s interests.

In order to develop their institutional capacities, we encourage the submission of proposals on actions focused on the organization itself, such as:

• Actions and strategies to promote mental health, care, and self-care for HRDs;
• Contracting comprehensive safety training for the applying organization and/or relevant leaderships;
• Contracting technical consulting or advisory services focused on capacity building efforts in self-protection and comprehensive safety;
• Hiring in-house staff dedicated to the safety issue;
• Risk assessments and analyses;
• According to the organization’s own experience, preparation of job aids for defenders and organizations at risk, such as guides, booklets, videos, etc.;
• Development and implementation of plans, internal policies, or safety strategies;
• Acquisition of security infrastructure, such as cameras, access control systems, anti-spyware software, etc., and training on their proper use;
• Engagement in strengthening networks and exchanging experiences on safety in a wide range of contexts.

The topics and approaches mentioned above are offered as example to better explain Brazil Fund’s understanding of institutional capacities. However, it is worth noting that proposals outside these specific categories are still welcome, provided they focus on the self-protection and comprehensive safety of human rights defenders.

Proposals demonstrating that the organization is facing threats and risks, that they operate on the front lines, and that they intend to improve safety measures or adopt a culture of comprehensive safety will have absolute priority in the selection process.

b) Comprehensive Safety

In the face of mounting violence against human rights defenders in Brazil—marked by murders, threats, and criminalization, often compounded by factors such as race and gender—civil society has responded by building its own strategies for protection and resistance. In this scenario of increasing hostility, the acquisition of knowledge related to comprehensive safety becomes even more urgent.

Comprehensive safety for human rights defenders refers to a broad and interconnected concept that aims to ensure the protection and well-being of these individuals in all dimensions of their lives and political practices. It consists of creating conditions that allow defenders to act in the defense of rights safe and sound, contributing to engender realities based on social justice, dignity, and sustainability.

This concept covers physical safety measures, such as preventive measures against risks to the bodily integrity of the organization’s members, harm reduction, or responses to already perpetrated attacks; emotional and psychological safety, including psychosocial support and mental health literacy, care, and self-care; digital safety, with a focus on privacy protection and secure communication; and legal security, with a legal counsel to prevent and mitigate risks or respond to litigation.

In addition, it also encompasses strengthening the administrative and financial security of organizations, promoting training in management and accounting to ensure their sustainability and prevent them from being charged for criminal offenses.

Comprehensive safety is a rapidly changing concept that reflects the needs of those on the front lines of the struggle for rights. In short, it aims to provide human rights defenders with the tools and support they need to effectively work in a safe environment and act with resilience. Comprehensive safety necessarily stems from a perspective of solidarity—that is, a collective approach—since HRDs, organizations, and movements always act in an interdependent manner, interconnected with one another.

Defense networks, support groups, and civil society organizations actively promote training, workshops, and the sharing of best practices to foster a culture of safety within civil society. These efforts seek to create the necessary conditions for HRDs to tackle threats in different contexts.

The establishment of protection networks and mutual support among organizations and individuals are crucial strategies for strengthening defenders’ resilience and increasing their capacity to respond to threats. This approach reinforces the participation of these organizations in the democratic process.

However, it should be highlighted that civil society’s protection and safety initiatives do not exempt the state from its responsibility. Implementing participation and information mechanisms is crucial to amplify the voices of human rights defenders and guarantee that their perspectives are considered in different policies that impact their well-being, including those related to their protection.

8. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT?

Proposals may be submitted from August 6, 2025 to September 1, 2025, by 6 p.m. (GMT-3). 

Projects to compete for Brazil Human Rights Fund grants must be submitted through the Project Portal. Please follow the instructions below, based on the status of your group/organization:

• If you have already submitted projects, access the portal through this link, insert your username and password. If you cannot remember your password, click “Esqueci a senha” and follow the instructions to create a new password. Access the detailed instructions here..
• If you are registering for the first time, access the portal, click “Primeiro Acesso” and fill in your group’s details.   Access the detailed instructions here..

Application must be done at once since the portal does not permit saving part of the completed form to finish it later.

Therefore, we provide an editable version of the draft application form (click here to access it). This version is for informational purposes only and is not valid as an application. In addition, we offer a budget template to be attached to the system (click here to download the template).

Don’t leave it to the last moment: create/update your password or register your organization, group, or collective now and send your project the earliest possible. Proposals can only be submitted online. We do not receive proposals by e-mail, nor do we accept projects delivered directly to the Brazil Fund’s headquarters.

We will not accept proposals sent after 6 p.m. (GMT-3) of September 1, 2025.

The Brazil Human Rights Fund will not extend the deadline for this call.

9. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PROJECT AFTER IT IS SENT TO THE BRAZIL FUND?

The Brazil Fund’s team carries out an initial assessment of all projects received and, afterwards, the projects are forwarded to an Evaluation Committee composed of independent experts, with no connection to the Foundation. The Committee will convene to recommend which projects will be supported and submitted to the Brazil Fund’s management for approval.

10. ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNING PROPOSALS

The results of the selection process will be released on Brazil Fund website as of November 12, 2025.

11. IN THE EVENT OF QUESTIONS

Questions will be answered only by email, please write to [email protected].

Questions about the application mechanisms will be answered through the e-mail [email protected].

Please note: before submitting your question, we suggest that you carefully read the full call for proposals, with the guidelines contained herein and the “Frequently Asked Questions” section. If you still have any questions, please write to us.

You can also download the call for proposal PDF, with all the information and links for the application, by clicking here.