Protect Defenders zw Trust is a Zimbabwe-based human rights organisation committed to safeguarding and empowering human rights defenders (HRDs) who operate in increasingly hostile and repressive environments. Guided by principles of dignity, justice, and equity, we provide holistic protection mechanisms to individuals and groups defending fundamental freedoms, particularly those at heightened risk due to their activism, identities, or location.
Our flagship initiative, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Monitors Platform (ZHRMP), leverages technology to document, expose, and respond to human rights violations in real-time. Through innovative digital tools, we bridge the accountability gap and extend the reach and impact of defenders working under threat.
We recognize that HRDs in Zimbabwe and beyond face intersecting threats—ranging from surveillance, stigmatization, and criminalization to abduction, torture, and extrajudicial killings. These attacks are often compounded by entrenched systems of structural violence, land dispossession, and patriarchal oppression. In response, our mission integrates advocacy, legal support, psychosocial assistance, and capacity-building, with a special emphasis on gender-specific and context-sensitive protection strategies.
Central to our work is the belief that security is not a privilege but a right, and that the primary responsibility for protecting HRDs lies with the State. Nonetheless, given the failures and limitations of state protection, we equip defenders with tools to assess and manage risk, strengthen their internal capacities, and develop adaptive and preventive security plans. Our approach is grounded in internationally recognised frameworks and employs methodologies such as stakeholder analysis, threat mapping, and context-specific risk modelling.
We promote a culture of safety and resilience within civil society organisations by mainstreaming security across all operational levels—from physical and digital security to emergency response protocols and organisational policies. Our work particularly prioritises vulnerable groups, including women, pro-democracy defenders, rural activists, environmental and land rights defenders, journalists, and those resisting extractive industries or working in isolation.
Our interventions are informed by a continuous process of monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Security is not a static checklist but an evolving process—demanding constant vigilance, adaptation, and collaboration. Through strategic partnerships, legal advocacy, public visibility campaigns, and survivor-centered support, Protect Defenders zw Trust strives to expand the civic space and fortify the right to defend rights in Zimbabwe.
