Source description last updated: 16 July 2020

In brief: The International Federation for Human Rights (Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, FIDH) is an umbrella organization of human rights NGOs.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Reports and appeals for countries of priorities A-C.

Weekly coverage on ecoi.net.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) is an international human rights NGO federating 192 organisations from 117 countries. Since 1922, FIDH has been defending all civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. FIDH “acts at national, regional and international levels in support of its member and partner organisations to address human rights abuses and consolidate democratic processes. Its work is directed at States and those in power, such as armed opposition groups and multinational corporations. Its primary beneficiaries are national human rights organisations who are members of FIDH, and through them, the victims of human rights violations. FIDH also cooperates with other local partner organisations and actors of change.” (FIDH Website: International Federation for Human Rights, undated)

Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (ecoi.net uses the publishers FIDH and OMCT for the Observatory’s publications)

"In partnership with the FIDH, OMCT created the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in 1997. This unique collaboration is based on the complementarity of each organisation’s approach and is based on their respective NGO networks." (OMCT website: The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, undated)

"The Observatory is an action programme based on the belief that strengthened co-operation and solidarity among defenders and their organisations will contribute to break the isolation they are faced with. It is also based on the absolute necessity to establish a systematic response from NGOs and the international community to the repression against defenders." (FIDH website: The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders: An FIDH and OMCT Joint Programme, undated)

Funding:

FIDH’s activities are supported by various international and national institutions, foundations, associations and other institutions as well as corporations. In 2018, the total income exceeded € 8.5 million, 63 percent of which was from earmarked grants and donations and 28.2 percent from non-earmarked grants and donations. (FIDH Website: Our Funding, undated)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: All countries concerned by human rights violations.

Thematic focus: Human rights defenders, women’s rights, migrants’ rights, LGBTI rights, international justice, globalisation and human rights, death penalty.

Methodology:

“FIDH’s independence, expertise and objectivity are the hallmarks of its credibility. It maintains this by acting with complete transparency. [...] As a federal movement, FIDH operates on the basis of interaction with its member organisations. It ensures that FIDH merges on-the-ground experience and knowledge with expertise in international law, mechanisms of protection and intergovernmental bodies. This unique combination translates into joint actions between FIDH and its member organisations at national, regional and international levels to remedy human rights violations and consolidate processes of democratisation. [...] FIDH using [sic!] a wide range of methods that have proven successful: urgent responses, both public and confidential; investigative missions, judicial observation, and legal defence; political dialogue, advocacy, legal action, public awareness campaigns. The organisation relies on a network of international volunteer mission delegates and facilitates exchange among human rights defenders around the world in order to reinforce their expertise. It constantly evaluates its activities in view of becoming more efficient and regularly adjusts its short, medium and long term objectives as necessary.” (FIDH Website: International Federation for Human Rights, undated)

A report on the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, was “published in the framework of the international advocacy actions of FIDH and its member organisations [...] This advocacy aims to share information and analysis from our organisations with the [UN Security] Council and to ensure that greater and more consistent consideration is given to the protection and promotion of human rights in situations of conflict and crisis”. They are “based on research and literature reviews carried out by our organisations [...] as well as individual interviews conducted by email, telephone or in person, with representatives of [...] civil society, experts, journalists and other relevant actors within and outside the United Nations system.” (FIDH, Ligue des Electeurs, ASADHO, Groupe Lotus: MONUSCO, 20 Years in Democratic Republic of Congo. What Are the Priorities For Its New Mandate?; Analysis, December 2019, p. 9)

Interviews are “conducted using the PEACE Model of investigative interviewing. This methodology, considered as best practice in the international field, provides a framework to conduct interviews using a conversational rather than confrontational approach and facilitates the giving of a detailed account while reducing risks of re-traumatising the interviewee or missing important pieces of information. The person in charge of conducting the interview is required to follow the five steps defined in the methodology: plan and prepare the interview, including the location, duration, security, methods of recording the testimony, etc.; provide explanations to the witness about the conduct of the interview, the objectives, obtain his or her consent; listen to the witness’s account and ask simple and open questions, without guiding the account; close the interview by ensuring the accuracy and clarity of the testimony; evaluate the quality of her/his own performance and measure the achievement of the results set.” (FIDH, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies: Will There Be Justice for Darfur?; Persisting impunity in the face of political change; Fact-finding mission report, December 2019, p. 9)

Languages of publications:

FIDH website and publications are available in English, Arabic, Spanish, French and Farsi.

All links accessed 16 July 2020.