PBI UK launches new strategy
Strategy refocus accompanied by 4-page explainer and infographic summarising work in support of human rights defenders
Following an external evaluation and strategic review last year, Peace Brigades International’s UK Section (PBI UK) has launched a new summary paper outlining its strategic approach to protecting, supporting and empowering human rights defenders at risk.
From the UK, PBI campaigns alongside defenders for policy change so that governments and business respect rights and protect defenders proactively, while also mobilising resources & action from a range of UK stakeholders to enhance the safety and impact of these activists. PBI also facilitates capacity and strategy exchange between defenders across regions and campaigns to improve resilience, innovation and impact throughout the global human rights movement.
PBI’s UK section is an integral cog in the holistic protective accompaniment model unique to PBI. We mobilise human and financial resources for PBI’s field projects in Latin America, Africa and Asia, where diverse teams of international volunteers stand alongside threatened human rights activists. Wearing the distinctive PBI vest, they monitor the situation and stand ready to act when threats and emergencies arise. However, the principal focus of their work is preventative, with widespread advocacy at all levels: from local soldiers and politicians, to UN leaders. These activities help create the security, policy and political environments in which human rights activists can carry out their work safely and effectively. PBI UK maintains a network of governmental and civil society representatives who are part of this strategy, and who we activate to take action in support of defenders at risk.
“What makes PBI unique remains the same, and PBI UK is more committed than ever to getting life-saving resources to our field projects for the protection of threatened activists”, said PBI UK Director Ben Leather. Under their new strategy, PBI UK will continue to match legal and research capacity in the UK with the needs of human rights defenders globally, but has added an emphasis on facilitating peer-to-peer strategy and capacity exchanges for brave and innovative human rights leaders across the different regions where PBI works.
One thing that is changing, however, is a scaling up of PBI UK’s policy advocacy. “Our strategic review demonstrated that PBI can do more to change the policies and practices of governmental and business actors who have the power to alter the context for human rights and environmental defence in the medium term”, said Leather. “We will bring the voices from communities on the front line to policy spaces so that, together, we can advocate for lasting environmental and human rights change”. Joint advocacy by PBI and human rights defenders from Latin America has already led to UK policymakers getting behind civil society’s call for a Business, Human Rights and Environment Act.
PBI UK has a range of strategic activities planned for the coming months, including:
Organising a legal fact-finding mission by international lawyers to catalyse support for criminalised environmental defenders in Latin America.
Increasing our recruitment and training activities for volunteers wishing to join PBI’s field teams. Sign up for our next webinar here!
Ramping up advocacy activities with all UK political parties ahead of the next general election, to ensure stronger policy commitments on support for human rights defenders, and on the need for human rights and environmental due diligence to be made mandatory for UK companies and investors.
Arranging advocacy tours for human rights defenders from Kenya, Colombia and Guatemala to mobilise support for their causes in the UK and beyond.
Fundraising for PBI’s field projects in Honduras and Kenya to expand their protective presence in response to requests from local human rights organisations.
“As well as pushing the Government to support human rights defenders globally, we’ll also be pushing back against the attack on rights here in the UK ”, added Leather. “We are working alongside NGOs and social movements to oppose undue restrictions on protest in the UK and protect the Human Rights Act”.
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PBI UK advertises job, Trustee and intern vacancies on our recruitment page, but you can always just drop us a line if you are keen to volunteer in the UK or elsewhere.
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