I Defend Rights
www.idefendrights.org
I Defend Rights is a joint initiative of Memria.org and the Norwegian Human Rights Fund in collaboration with individuals and partner organisations around the world. We are collecting stories from human rights defenders to create a global archive of audio recordings of their experiences working on defending the rights of others. Between the July 1 - 31, 2018 we are intensifying the collection of stories. Please find below a few examples of the recorded stories.
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My passion

Nana Namata Annette

Oct 03, 2019 10 mins story
DublinPlatform Uganda Africa
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Why I keep defending human rights in Burundi

Bernard Ntahiraja

Nov 12, 2021 2 mins story
Burundi Academic freedom human rights Burundi Norway
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Experience working with garment workers

Yashodha P H

Dec 24, 2020 4 mins story
India Women at Work Workers' rights Garment workers Women's rights WHRDs India South Asia
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
For Rights of Dalit Arunthathiyar-Spot Light Hero

V.Alamelu Bannan

Dec 13, 2020 8 mins story
India Dalit rights Dalit Women at Work Modern slavery Bonded labour Work against discrimination WHRDs India South Asia Tamil Nadu
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Why I defend Dalit Human Rights? Why I work towards elimination of Caste Based Discrimination?

Ritwajit Das

Sep 21, 2020 9 mins story
#India #SouthAsia #Dalit #CasteBasedDiscrimination #HumanRights #DalitLivesMatters #WorkAgainstDiscrimination India South Asia
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I Defend Rights
Defending human rights in digital age

Abdifatah Hassan Ali

Sep 22, 2019 6 mins story
Somalia
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I Defend Rights
My work and what inspires me

mushfiq Mohamed

Jan 05, 2019 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Bel's story

Bel luna

Oct 03, 2019 4 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
my human rights story

blaise chamango

Oct 02, 2019 10 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Shahidul Alam

Shahidul Alam

Oct 03, 2019 5 mins story
DublinPlatform Bangladesh
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
When WHRDs practise self-care, we can change the world

Latoya Nugent

Oct 02, 2019 7 mins story
Sisterhood Self-care Jamaica Women WHRDs
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My conviction

Gitahi Githuku

Oct 03, 2019 3 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My journey as an HRD is not very easy because I am facing death threats daily. I can't even walk freely because of the work I do but I won't stop. I will defend poor people until the end ...

Nomsa Sizani

Oct 04, 2019 3 mins story
DublinPlatform SouthAfrica
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Protecting Environmental Defenders

Michael Sutton

Oct 03, 2019 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Malawi LGBTIQ story

Eric Sambisa

Oct 03, 2019 10 mins story
DublinPlatform LGBTQ Malawi
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Struggling Muslim trans women

Shinta Ratri

Oct 02, 2019 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Speaking out

Colm O Cuanachain

Oct 02, 2019 6 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Peace Brigades International as a life saving motivation

Anonymous

Oct 02, 2019 2 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Why I defend rights...

Anonymous

Oct 02, 2019 5 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Working for the rights of people with albinism

Tumeliwa Mphepo

Oct 03, 2019 2 mins story
Malawi Albinism DublinPlatform Africa Malawi
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Personal, political, professional -- my feminist activism

Kellea Miller

Oct 02, 2019 8 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Amanzuru william leslie

Anonymous

Oct 02, 2019 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Sustaining human rights defenders and activism

Anonymous

Oct 04, 2019 4 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Contradictions of Philanthropy and Human Rights

Otto Saki

Oct 03, 2019 5 mins story
DublinPlatform
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Why i defend rights

Orla McBreen

Oct 02, 2019 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My rights, my story

Jennifer Gunter

Apr 22, 2019 4 mins story
Columbia South Carolina University of South Carolina
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Defending the rights of sexual gender minority or LGBTIQ community

David Rabuor

Jun 09, 2019 10 mins story
LGBTQ+ Kenya Homa-Bay Kenya
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
From HRD to victim of gross human rights violations

Jan Cappelle

Jan 22, 2019 7 mins story
Cameroon NHRI impunity human rights violations human rights defenders
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Predrag Miletic's thoughts from a first hand

Predrag Miletic

Feb 20, 2019 6 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Struggle for human rights in the most militarized region, Kashmir

Khurram Parvez

Aug 08, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Defender in the trench speaks out.

Hassan Shire

Oct 30, 2018 4 mins story
Uganda
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work defending human rights in Uganda

Vivian Agaba

Jun 07, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Afghans and our fight for human rights

Horia Mosadiq

Feb 05, 2018 11 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Struggling in Jerusalem

Sahar Vardi

Mar 20, 2018 9 mins story
Jerusalem District Palestine Jerusalem Jerusalem District Israel
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I Defend Rights
Cultivating gratitude and unloading the burden: my work maturing as a defender of rights

Fatimah Muhammad

Jun 25, 2018 9 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Human Rights Defender Under a Complicated Situation

Mahmoud Al Afranji

Jun 27, 2018 3 mins story
Human Rights defenders Self-determination Israeli Colonialism Occupation Human Rights Values and Principles Ramallah Palestine
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I Defend Rights
Thoughts on being an activist for human rights for four decades

Rela Mazali

Apr 25, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Protecting Human Rights Defenders in a Perilous World

Mary Lawlor

Jun 15, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
A Brief Summary of Why I Defend Rights

Anonymous

May 23, 2018 5 mins story
US/Mexico Border El Paso Ciudad Juarez human rights El Paso Texas United States Ciudad Juárez Chihuahua Chihuahua Mexico
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My life as a human rights activist

Marijana Toma

May 23, 2018 14 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Dalit Sujag Tehreek

Sufi Hussain Hussain

Apr 05, 2018 26 mins story
Pakistan
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Protecting Rights of Marginalized Groups

Murad Pandrani

Apr 18, 2018 2 mins story
Pakistan
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Human Rights Activism Defines My Life.

Gbenga Komolafe

May 30, 2018 10 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Even more successes, even more challenges and threats!

Mathieu Sake

Jun 04, 2018 7 mins story
Burundi
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Arnold's reflections on defending human rights

Arnold Tsunga

Oct 03, 2019 10 mins story
DublinPlatform Zimbabwe
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My path to human rights work

Annabel Hogg

Jun 18, 2018 6 mins story
business business and human rights anti-corruption rwanda
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Protecting Land Rights

agnes kharshiing

Jul 08, 2018 9 mins story
land human rights defender eviction
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work as human rights defender is to collect cases from the slums and advice promptly on the way forward

Dan Owalla

Jul 09, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Reflecting on ~20 years of HR activism

Naama Nagar

Apr 17, 2018 10 mins story
Human Rights Defenders Fund Israel Occupied Palestinian Territories
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work with Front Line Defenders to support human rights activists at risk around the world

Andrew Anderson

Jul 10, 2018 9 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Just Me

Vera Mshana

Oct 29, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Education for All!

Anonymous

Jul 10, 2018 10 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Defending the rights of mine and others

Rafique Muhammad

Apr 03, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work as a defender of human rights

Adam Montero

Jul 13, 2018 5 mins story
Education Special Education disability rights children's rights
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I Defend Rights
Listening to others is part of the change

Monica

Apr 06, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
David'story

David DUSABE

Jul 15, 2018 8 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Unbowed unafraid lawyer defend rights in Sindh, Pakistan

ali palh

Apr 11, 2018 11 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
I am an advocate and defend rights as a mother, daughter, neighbor, friend, and as a woman

Genoveva Simon

Jul 14, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Still inspired!

Louis Bickford-NYU

Apr 05, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Helping to Inform Human Rights at the Middle School Level

John Strohschein

Jul 13, 2018 9 mins story
Social Studies ELA Middle School Teacher Student Flushing Queens Flushing New York 11354 United States
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Defending Rights in the Every Day

Zachary Giesler

Jul 18, 2018 4 mins story
Bosnia and Herzegovina Mexico Israel Palestine Rights
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Working as a human rights activist - from faith and enthusiasm, to hopelessness and inertia

Anonymous

Jul 18, 2018 6 mins story
Israel Palestine
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
How I became a Human Rights Defender in Mexico

Jérémy Renaux

Jul 20, 2018 4 mins story
Mexico
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Human Rights Violation Is A Devastation To Our Nation

Pirbhu Satyani

Jul 22, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work as a leader of the Ford Foundation

Darren Walker

May 17, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Working with Selfless Individuals

Anonymous

Jul 16, 2018 6 mins story
Nigeria Colombia Palestine Indonesia United States El Salvador Davao Philippines Sri Lanka Bosnia and Herzegovina Syria Israel Kosovo Iraq South Sudan Afghanistan Pakistan South Africa Sierra Leone Democratic Republic of the Congo Uganda Ethiopia Papua Indonesia
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Anaïs - criminal lawyer fighting institutional violence and the right to civic protest in Catalonia

Anais Franquesa Griso

Jul 27, 2018 5 mins story
women's rights institutional violence right to protest civil rights strategic litigation Barcelona Barcelona Spain
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work as the human rights defender in IKOHI

Zaenal Muttaqin

Jul 26, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
South African Human Rights and Peace Activist-Saudi Arabia and Beyond

Thobeka Felicia

Jul 18, 2018 8 mins story
Saudi Aarabia South Africa Women Christian World
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Defending rights is defending justice

Anonymous

Jul 30, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
I picture their faces, and dig in my heels...

Lindsay W

Jul 21, 2018 4 mins story
criminal justice reform economic and social rights informal settlements human rights justice
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Humans rights, a day-to-day commitment

Anonymous

Jul 21, 2018 8 mins story
privilege civil rights
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Why I Resist

Anonymous

Jul 13, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work as human right defender

Niragira Eric

Aug 09, 2018 6 mins story
Burundi
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Equality is Possible

Alexa Weissman

Jul 11, 2018 3 mins story
New York New York United States
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My steps in human rights field

Nadejda Mazur

Aug 05, 2018 8 mins story
Rights of ethnic minorities; Environmental rights; Conflict resolution; peacebuilding Moldova
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My parents and teachers inspired me to defend rights

Tracy Dexter

Aug 06, 2018 8 mins story
Burundi Zambia Djibouti Nicaragua
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My activism

Tanya Rubinstein

Aug 20, 2018 4 mins story
palestine gaza feminism
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My political convictions and human rights work

Jameel Junejo

Aug 02, 2018 3 mins story
Pakistan
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Stories Are Powerful

Kaylee Dolen

Jul 31, 2018 8 mins story
Vietnam Southeast Asia Free expression Political prisoners
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I Defend Rights
Middle Eastern Feminism

Anonymous

May 21, 2018 3 mins story
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I Defend Rights
What Defending Human Rights is to Me

Anonymous

May 17, 2018 1 min story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Strength in Numbers

Anonymous

May 13, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Defensora de la Madre Naturaleza

Miriam Miranda

Oct 31, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Defending Human Rights in a Challenging World

Alpha Sesay

Aug 08, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
The Difficult Journey Towards a World Without Desaparecidos

Mary Aileen Bacalso

Aug 08, 2018 9 mins story
Philippines
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Human Rights, told by a case worker!

Jacklyn Lopez

Aug 08, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Life is a continuous struggle

Damith Chandimal

Jul 23, 2018 9 mins story
LGBT Right Sri Lanka human rights HRDs Colombo Sri Lanka
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Protecting human rights in Sri Lanka as a journalist and a lawyer

Viranjana Herath

Jul 23, 2018 9 mins story
Sri Lanka Lawyer journalist human rights
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My Journey

Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran

Aug 11, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My work as a Human Rights Activist

Margaret Sekaggya

Aug 13, 2018 7 mins story
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Human Rights Defenders: understanding the field
Mis inicios como defensor de derechos humanos a los 40 años de edad

Feliciano Reyna

Aug 13, 2018 8 mins story
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I Defend Rights
Digital Rights are Human Rights

Nighat Dad

Sep 04, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My fight in environmental injustice against women and children

Jull Takaliuang

Oct 14, 2018 6 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
From therapeutic practice to international work against torture

Nora Sveaass

Oct 16, 2018 10 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
The fight against torture matters and inspires

Gerald Staberock

Oct 29, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Sopheap Chak

Sopheap chak

Oct 29, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Just starting out

leanora howarth

Oct 29, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Free will

Marion Porry

Oct 29, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Joseph LGBT activist

Joseph Samuel aoun

Oct 29, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Laura Zambia

laura Miti

Oct 29, 2018 1 min story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Defending Human Rights in Nicaragua

Felix Maradiaga

Oct 29, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Commissioner JB Sibanyoni is inspired to continue defending human rights

JB Sibanyoni

Oct 29, 2018 10 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
defending human rights, the motivating factor ekakoro fredrick

fredrick etoori ekakoro

Oct 29, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
GULZADA SERZHAN AT HRD SUMMIT

Gulzada Serzhan

Oct 29, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Supporting Human Rights Defenders

adam shapiro

Oct 29, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
fight for freedom of association and freedom of expression in Somalia

Omar Faruk Osman

Oct 29, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
I was a member of a local Amnesty group then worked for the Irish section for 15 years then Front Line Defenders.

Jim Loughfran

Oct 29, 2018 5 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Story of WHRD from NE India

Bondita Acharya

Oct 29, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
why human rights defenders matters?

Johannes thoolen

Oct 29, 2018 1 min story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
shallah shaiq

shallah shaiq

Oct 30, 2018 7 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Not an easy job to be a HRD in MENA region

Khalid Ibrahim

Oct 30, 2018 6 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Geovani Krenak

geovani krenak

Oct 30, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
a quest for human rights

leila alikarami

Oct 30, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Why I defend rights Marianne.

Martin Jones

Oct 30, 2018 1 min story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
son of the closed windows

laila elmaghrbi

Oct 30, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
The son of the closed windows part 2

laila elmaghrbi

Oct 30, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
I believe

nawaf alhendal

Oct 30, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
thandiwe chidavarume

Thandiwe Chidavarume

Oct 30, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Lisa Amnesty Uk

Lisa Majumdar

Oct 30, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
defending the right of indigenous people

leitcio Datuwata

Oct 30, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
I work for our LGBTQIA Community in Myanmar

Saw Zin Maung Soe

Oct 30, 2018 9 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Intergenerational Transmission of Memory and History through Storytelling: Promoting and Defending Human Rights Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Carla De Ycaza

Aug 08, 2018 8 mins story
Historical Memory Civil Rights Panama Religious Freedom Human Rights Panamá Panama Panama New York New York United States Pennsylvania United States National Museum of Racing 191 Union Ave Saratoga Springs New York 12866 United States
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
I work for freedom of expression!

Elisabeth Dyvik

Oct 30, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My passion for human rights

Simphiwe Sidu

Oct 31, 2018 5 mins story
South Africa
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Our protecting work in Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan

Aida Baijumanova

Oct 31, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Defending Women, Defending Rights and Futures

Cristina Palabay

Oct 31, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Protect natural resources for sustain life and livelihoods of small scale food producers

Herman Kumara

Oct 31, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
My work advancing social justice

Noorain Khan

Apr 16, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
What inspired me to be part of the human rights struggle in Indonesia and beyond

Betty Yolanda

Oct 31, 2018 3 mins story
Indonesia
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
I have hope in our community of HRDs across the globe : the state cannot overcome us

Henri Tiphagne

Oct 31, 2018 6 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
here's my human rights story!

Preeti shekar

Oct 31, 2018 4 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Bravery

peris jones

Nov 13, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
if it goes against our existence, we will be resistance

Taina Garcia Maia

Nov 13, 2018 2 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Human Rights Education for Lawyers

Liudmila Ulyashyna

Dec 03, 2018 10 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Free Leonard Peltier Human Rights Defender

jean Roach

Oct 29, 2018 3 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights: Reporter
Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice

larry cox

May 07, 2018 8 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Wading in the Water: My human rights journey in Mississippi

Susan M Glisson

Aug 07, 2018 7 mins story
Augusta Georgia United States Mississippi United States Cape Town Western Cape South Africa
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Advancing Justice and Equality with the Global Justice Center

Akila Radhakrishnan

Jul 25, 2018 5 mins story
reproductive rights international law gender equality womens rights gender based violence
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
"Women hold up half the sky yet do not inherit the earth"

Geeta Menon

Nov 30, 2017 8 mins story
oppression injustice women change inclusion Karnataka India
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Through the eyes of a young ghetto activist

Stephen Mwangi

Aug 25, 2017 10 mins story
Kenya Nairobi Nairobi Kenya
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Of love and labour: my experience as human rights defender

Peter Jacob

Nov 16, 2017 9 mins story
Pakistan
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Reflections on human rights activism

Rukii Fernando

Jul 13, 2017 10 mins story
Sri Lanka Jaffna Yāpanaya Sri Lanka Kilinŏchchi Sri Lanka Mullaitivu Mulativ Sri Lanka Mannar Mannārama Sri Lanka Vavuniya Vavuniyāva Sri Lanka Batticaloa Maḍakalapuva Sri Lanka Trincomalee Trikuṇāmalaya Sri Lanka Kandy Mahanuvara Sri Lanka Galle Gālla Sri Lanka Philippines India South Korea South Africa York England United Kingdom Geneva Switzerland Bangkok Metropolis Thailand
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My journey as a Human Rights Defender

Mathews Philip

Jun 06, 2017 4 mins story
Bangalore East Bengaluru North Karnataka India
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
#dalitwomenfight : From silence to assertion. From victim-hood to power !!

Asha Kowtal

Jun 01, 2017 13 mins story
#dalit #caste #intersectionality #humanrights #india India
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Endless Struggle

Zulfiqar Shah

Jul 05, 2017 8 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
My story from pain to power

Manjula Pradeep

Jul 05, 2017 12 mins story
Gujarat India
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
Story of Afghanistan

Gaisu Yari

Nov 29, 2017 8 mins story
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights
The force behind starting Sancahya Nele

Yashoda P Yashoda P

May 12, 2017 2 mins story
Sanchaya Nele its origin Bengaluru Karnataka India
Submitted to:
I Defend Rights