This report calls for a fundamental shift in how we protect human rights defenders and other activists under serious threat, advocating for sustainable in-country solutions while emphasising the need for comprehensive support when relocation is the only option.
International relocation has been a critical tool in saving lives, yet over-reliance on it can have unintended consequences. As the report warns, “We risk undermining social movements and creating whole civil societies in exile by relying too heavily on international relocation.” By uprooting defenders, we may inadvertently weaken the very movements they champion, leaving them isolated from the communities they seek to empower.
The report introduces the protection continuum. This framework prioritises holistic security risk management, collective protection, protective accompaniment, and other strategies to mitigate threats and keep activists in their communities for as long as safely possible. The continuum recognises international relocation as a vital tool, but places it as a measure of last resort.
When relocation becomes unavoidable, Open Briefing argues it is only the beginning of the journey. The focus must shift beyond the immediate crisis to address ongoing physical, digital, and psychosocial risks.
Rethinking International Relocation is not just a report – it is a call to action for donors, protection organisations, and other international partners to rethink how we protect those fighting for human rights and social justice. Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #RethinkRelocation and help us create a future where activists and movements can thrive, wherever they are.