Our Work
Founded as a Blog then Podcast in September 2021, Global Rights Defenders is committed to advocating for refugee and human rights worldwide. We deliver lasting impact by focusing our energy in supporting refugees to become self-reliant. Self-reliance means that an individual can rely on their own ability to provide for themselves and their families. It means that they do not have to rely on others, like aid or donations, to achieve their dreams. Achieving self-reliance takes many forms. It means attending full time education, gaining meaningful employment, and most importantly it means having the ability to function freely within one's society.
The Barrier
The term "Refugee" can be understood as an individual gaining a legal identity. Until it can be proven that an individual is eligible to obtain refugee status, an individual is considered to be a "Displaced Person". Forced displacement can take many forms such as War, Persecution, Climate Change Disasters like a flood, or extreme fires, among others. As a result, many flee to neighbouring countries to seek protection. Unfortunately, not all countries are welcoming to refugees, or have the resources to assist them. Because of this, refugees are stuck in limbo - they cannot return home, and they are not being fully integrated into their hosts' society. Global Rights Defenders understands this challenge, and we have made it our mission to assist vulnerable individuals which are left without basic legal protections, or resources.
The Refugee Crisis
The number of displaced people has grown to record numbers, where over 117 million people are currently displaced. That means 1% of the population are left without a place to call home. The length of time people are displaced has also increased, where most last over a decade, or sometimes, like in Burma (60 years of conflict) displacement can last longer. Other issues such as Climate Change or the COVID-19 pandemic has created ripple effects that will affect future generations to come.
"Thank you Global Rights Defenders. We have a long
way to go, I am confident to get to the destination."
KI4BLI, Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, Kenya
We would like to make the territorial acknowledgement for our head offices for what is now referred to as Vancouver, BC
Global Rights Defenders' head office is located on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations