Toolkit by International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) aims to foster positive engagement between human rights defenders and business. ISHR has published a manual for human rights defenders concerning business respect for human rights. ISHR is an independent, international non-governmental organization, which protects and promotes human rights by supporting human rights defenders and strengthening human […]
A key human rights NGO, Odhikar, was subject to accusations of money laundering by the authorities of Bangladesh. The NGO has been under attack by the government especially since 2013. In May, the authorities of Bangladesh questioned the Secretary of Odhikar, Adilur Rahman Khan. The questioning concentrated on the remittances received by Odhikar and the […]
Funds collected in Voluntary Work Day Campaign are being channeled for three local schools in Nepal. In cooperation with KIOS and its partner INSEC, the funds are used, for example, to build separate toilets for female pupils. The Helsinki Media Arts Upper Secondary School decided to donate the funds collected in Voluntray Work Day Campaigns […]
KIOS participated in the annual World Village festival in the Market of Possibilities Tent. Among other things, we presented a quiz, asking the audience, which human rights convention was ratified by Finland in May 2016. The right answer to the quiz is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was ratified by […]
Burundi has undergone a year of violent crisis. So far no end have been seen for grave human rights violations. KIOS’ Burundi-crowdfunding campaign continues until May 9th. Burundi, in East Africa, descended into chaos a year ago. The political crisis started as the country’s president Nkurunziza, announced to bid for a third term. The constitution […]
Burundi is in danger of facing another civil war. The crisis began as the country’s president clung on power. KIOS’ Burundi campaign raises funds for the human rights defenders of the country. The crisis in Burundi, located in East Africa, started in spring 2015 as the president Pierre Nkurunziza continued for a third term. This […]
Awarded Honduran human rights defender Berta Cáceres has been murdered. Cáceres was one of the leading opposing figures of the Agua Zarcan hydroelectric plant project, which is partly financed by the Finnish development finance company Finnfund. KIOS expresses its concern about the incident and emphasizes the importance of a thorough investigation. The news was reported […]
The former president of Finland, Tarja Halonen, emphasized the importance of civil society in the launch event of the KIOS seminar report. The event brought together Finnish experts of human rights and development, to reflect on ways to stop the space for civil society from shrinking further. The report, Perspectives on the Shrinking Space for […]
KIOS publishes its seminar report on February 16th. The launch event is titled Closing Space – The Growing Global Challenges of Human Rights Work. During the last three years, over 60 states have drafted laws that limit the space for human rights defenders and civil society. Defending human rights in 2015 was even more dangerous […]
The government of Burundi has suspended the activities of ten non-governmental organizations in the country, including six major human rights organizations. The bank accounts of the organizations, and of their leaders, have been frozen and their account histories asked to be revealed. The measures also concern two human rights organizations KIOS is supporting, namely Association […]
Burundi has fallen into a domestic political chaos over the past year after the current President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his decision to run for a third term. Burundi’s civil society, opposition parties and the international community considered the decision unconstitutional and in breach of the Arusha peace agreement. Demonstrations that began peacefully turned violent after […]
Maailma.net writes about the challenges of human rights defenders, interviewing bangladeshi human rights defender Adilur Rahman Khan. Read the story here
KIOS congratulates Ugandan Kasha Jacqueline Nabasegera, who has received the Right Livelihood Award for persistent work for the rights of the LGBTI-community in Uganda. Read more
The Government of Finland cuts the development cooperation funds received by KIOS with 41% in the beginning of 2016. As majority of KIOS’ funding is channeled to human rights organizations in East Africa and South Asia, the support for these organizations is going to be cut accordingly. The board of KIOS has decided on severe […]
Kenyan TV channel KTN (Kenya Television Network) has produced a documentary film on human rights work directed by Phyllis Omido. CJGEA, an organization founded by Phyllis Omido, is fighting to close the industry that has seriously contaminated living environments. The documentary presents how metal foundries have contaminated living environments in the city of Mombasa on […]
The Government of Finland is planning to cut the development cooperation funds with 41 % in the beginning of 2016. You still have time to sign the petition for development cooperation! “The cuts will directly affect the lives of millions. There is a risk that Finnish involvement in development cooperation could end completely in some […]
The new government of Finland has planned to cut 300 million euros from the development cooperation budget of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Such a large cut will weaken Finnish development cooperation dramatically. Ulla Anttila, the Executive Director of KIOS, expresses her concern: ”On the contrary, it would be important to strengthen the long term […]
Tasi Lama, the director of KIOS’ partner organisation in Kenya, visited Helsinki in January. In connection to his visit Maailma.net, a Finnish news service on sustainable development, change and human rights interviewed him on the work of Nepal’s linguistic and cultural minorities for a more equal society. Lama is a part of the Tamang minority. […]
Two human rights defenders visiting KIOS’ Autumn Seminar 2014 were interviewed on human rights work conducted by civil society. The interview was done by YLE, a Finnish broadcasting Company
United Nations Commission on Human Rights is evaluating Burundi’s situation in regard of civil and political rights. Burundi is one of KIOS’ focus contries. The hearing was organized in Geneve from 8th to 9th October 2015. Armely Niyongere, executive director of ACAT-Burundi, participated in the hearing as a representative of the alliance of civil society […]
