Defend International

Founded	July 2007 (2007-07) Norway
Type	Non-profit NGO
Location	Global
Services	Lobbying, awareness raising, research, human rights campaigns, peace-building
Fields	Defending human rights, diplomacy, peace, justice
Co-Founder	Widad Akreyi
Website	www.defendinternational.org

Defend International (commonly known as DI) is a non-governmental organization focused on promoting and protecting human rights in the Middle East and North Africa.^[1] DI was founded in 2007 in Norway.

Structure

DI operates internationally, and is made up of a network of volunteers, representatives, and civic organisations working at national, regional, and sub-regional levels.^[2]

Partnerships

Defend International is a partner of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative led by the United Nations Foundation,^[3][4] and a member of the Peace One Day NGO Coalition^[5] and Peace Now.^[6]

Since its establishment, DI has collaborated with many civic and humanitarian organisations as well as various governmental agencies.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]}

Objectives

DI's mission does not target any particular demographic within its geographic area of focus, but its work often concerns minority groups like the Yazidi and Middle Eastern Christians.

A beach event was held by Defend International in memory of Alan Kurdi and other refugees, 4 September 2015^{[16][17][18][19][20][21]}

In collaboration with its partners, DI has advocated for and worked towards various humanitarian goals such as:

• Ending modern-day slavery^[22][23][24]
• Ending capital punishment^[25][26]
• Stopping torture^[27]
• Protecting the rights of prisoners of conscience and civil society activists^[28]
• Defending children's rights^[29]
• Defending women's rights^[30]
• Defending the rights of human rights defenders^[31]
• Defending the rights of refugees^[32]
• Reviewing healthcare policies and human rights legislation^[33]
• Safeguarding the environment^[34]
• Promoting disarmament and international security^[35]

Humanitarian Campaigns and Activities

Women and Children

Defend International provided humanitarian aid to Yazidi refugees in the Kurdistan region, Iraq, in December 2014^[36]

DI expressed that it has identified strategies to address violence against women and child marriages.^[37]

DI has called for an end to female genital mutilation^[38] and the elimination of all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls.^[39] In 2015, DI called on UN negotiators of the Arms Trade Treaty to include a legally-binding provision to prevent armed gender-based violence.^[40]

Defend International has endorsed the Every Woman Treaty on violence against women and girls worldwide and is a member of the Everywoman Everywhere Coalition.^[41]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to defend international.

• Defend International official site

References