Nepal has made remarkable progress in recognising the rights of sexual and gender minorities, yet everyday realities often lag behind legal promises—especially for Dalit communities. When caste-based discrimination intersects with queer identity, vulnerability multiplies. To address this, Samari Utthan Sewa (SUS) brought together Dalit queer individuals from across Nepal, creating safe spaces, strengthening networks, and […]
A week ago, on November 28, Sri Lanka was struck by one of the worst natural disasters in its history. Cyclone Ditwah brought torrential rains, floods, and massive landslides. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, roads and bridges have collapsed, and entire regions have been cut off from communities – and from aid. President Anura […]
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which also is a start to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign that runs until December 10th (Human Rights Day), which has a focus of ending gender-based digital violence this year. We asked from our grantees to share […]
We are proud to share that KIOS grantee LAHURNIP (Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples) has been honored with the 2025 Human Rights and Business Award, announced today in Geneva during the United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights. This global recognition celebrates LAHURNIP’s tireless work over the past 30 years. […]
Across the world, millions of people are forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, and violence. In India, refugees and displaced persons face a unique challenge: there is no formal asylum framework, leaving them without legal status and vulnerable to exploitation, poverty, and uncertainty. Amid these systemic gaps, one women-led organisation is creating […]
For many LBQGNC (lesbian, bisexual, queer, and gender non-conforming) womxn* in Western Kenya, denied access to health care and justice has been a painful reality. Stigma and systemic exclusion have long stripped them of their right to health, safety, and dignity. Lake Region Womxn Health and Equal Rights (LARWHER), a community-based organisation supported by KIOS, is rewriting this narrative […]
Across Siaya, Homa Bay, and Kericho counties, the Haki Mashinani initiative sparked a grassroots movement that empowered youth, women, and marginalised communities to claim their rights and demand better governance. With support from the EU-funded Haki Ni Yetu project, the local organisation Siasa Place worked with youth groups to help young people transform informal networks […]
From September 17–19, 2025, the Environmental Rights Organizations Network (EROG) hosted the 9th Annual Land and Environmental Defenders Workshop in Mombasa, Kenya. With the theme of defending the defenders, the gathering brought together environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to share experiences, strengthen networks, and chart a path forward for environmental […]
Manoj Thushara is a Sri Lankan human rights defender who has dedicated his life to advancing the rights of sexual and gender minorities. He is the founder and director of the LGBTQIA+ organisation Équité. Équité has grown into one of the leading LGBTQIA+ organisations in Sri Lanka and now focuses on strengthening the LGBTQIA+ movement […]
Nepal is facing its gravest political crisis in decades. What began as peaceful, Gen Z-led protests against corruption, displays of wealth by government officials, and frustration over the government’s failure to respond to citizens’ needs, ignited by a government-imposed social media ban, spiralled into deadly unrest. More than 70 people have died, thousands have been […]
Kenya has witnessed many instances of torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and systemic human rights abuses. Fighting against these injustices are organisations such as IMLU, which has been at the forefront of advocating for a society free from torture since 1993. Despite the challenging socio-political and economic context, IMLU has achieved remarkable change in the […]
According to the 2021 population census report, Indigenous Peoples, also known as Adivasi Janajati, make up around 35.08% of Nepal’s total population of 29,164,578. However, Indigenous experts and organisations believe that the figure exceeds 50%. 60 Indigenous groups are officially recognised, while 19 more listed in the 2021 census still await legal recognition. For nearly […]
Since 2019, Équité, a grassroots LGBTQIA+ organisation in Sri Lanka, has been working to transform the experiences of young queer people across the country. Backed by KIOS from the start, Équité launched the Changemakers Project — an ambitious initiative designed to empower LGBTQIA+ youth, build safe spaces for connection and support, and increase the visibility […]
The KIOS Annual Report shows how, despite the world taking a turn from the perspective of human rights, our grantees keep defending democracy, fighting for corporate responsibility and ensuring equality and democracy through local actions. In 2024, KIOS funded 52 human rights projects or programmes in East Africa and South Asia. 2024 marked a year […]
The field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid is undergoing a profound transformation. The United States’ decision to freeze USAID funding is just one part of a larger global shift where long-term development, human rights, and support for civil societies are being sidelined. At the same time, increasingly visible anti-rights rhetoric—promoted by figures like Donald […]
In Uganda’s oil-rich Albertine Rift region, development has brought both opportunity and challenge. Large-scale infrastructure and agricultural projects promise economic growth, but they also raise serious concerns around displacement, environmental degradation, and land rights. For many rural and Indigenous communities, these developments have led to land grabs, forced evictions, and the erosion of traditional ways […]
Finnish President Alexander Stubb met with Kenyan civil society actors in Nairobi as part of his official state visit. Representatives of human rights organisations supported by KIOS, Executive Directors Wangechi Grace Kahuria (Independent Medico Legal Unit, IMLU) and Nerima Wako-Ojiwa (Siasa Place) were among the invited civil society actors. According to comments from the representatives […]
In the small town of Besisahar, Nepal, residents have been resisting a transmission line project funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for over eight years. According to a representative of the Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP), supported by KIOS, the green transition is being used as a justification for […]
This year, KIOS is involved in organising two discussion events. On Saturday, human rights defender Sherine Xavier, supported by KIOS, will speak about Sri Lanka’s journey toward just peace after a long civil war. On Sunday, the spotlight will be on brave individuals and actions in defense and promotion of LGBTIQ+ rights. The Sunday program […]
In a significant milestone for advancing governance, gender equality, and human rights at the grassroots level, the Haki Ni Yetu project has inaugurated the first Civic Action and Empowerment Grant (CACEG) recipients, from now on referred to as Small Grants, selected in the first pilot call. This transformative effort, supported by the European Union in […]
