Funding the programme
Support for hosting human rights defenders is attractive to a range of funders, from university alumni to foundations, who value the extraordinary work the defenders do. There are also a variety of ways in which such support can be offered. Donors can fund visiting fellowships, residencies, temporary relocation schemes, or scholarships, for example; they can focus their funding on particular categories of defender or certain parts of the world. In short, protecting activists to enable them to do their vital work is a space in which many donors are active.
“I regard the human rights activists as being on the front line of the effort to create a world where we can all live in dignity, equality, respect and peace. Donating money to support them spending time on a protective fellowship scheme is both a morally urgent imperative and an act of self-interest. What they do protects us all. ”
The following section outlines the costs to factor in when budgeting for a programme, as well as how support from the university, external organisations, and volunteers could mitigate some of these expenses. Examples are provided of how current programmes have been costed, and also funded, and the importance of budgeting for sufficient staff time is emphasised.