Human rights defenders are people who, individually or collectively, work peacefully on behalf of others to promote and defend internationally recognised human rights. They are defined by their actions rather than by their profession, job title or organization.
They can be community leaders, journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, students or members of human rights organizations. They can defend women's rights, environmental rights, indigenous peoples' rights, children's rights, minority rights, refugee rights or the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. In many countries they face considerable personal risk because they stand up for the rights of others against powerful interests.
