Simon Philipson

The  Natalia Project is named in honour of Natalia  Estemirova, a human rights defender who was abducted and murdered in Chechnya in 2009. While Natalia’s story  motivated  the establishment of the Natalia Project as a tool to prevent future attacks against human rights defenders, the support and protection that is provided through the project  continues to be  increasingly relevant in today’s global landscape where  civic space  is  shrinking and attacks against those  who defend civil and  political rights in their communities more and more common. Since the launch of the Natalia Project in 2013, the network has grown to include more than 200  human rights defenders from  all over the world.

The  Natalia Project is named in honour of Natalia  Estemirova, a human rights defender who was abducted and murdered in Chechnya in 2009. While Natalia’s story  motivated  the establishment of the Natalia Project as a tool to prevent future attacks against human rights defenders, the support and protection that is provided through the project  continues to be  increasingly relevant in today’s global landscape where  civic space  is  shrinking and attacks against those  who defend civil and  political rights in their communities more and more common. Since the launch of the Natalia Project in 2013, the network has grown to include more than 200  human rights defenders from  all over the world.

How it works

Natalia Project provides human rights defenders at risk with a personal assault alarm as well as action protocol.
In case of an assault the alarm is easily activated.
A message with the position of the assault is sent via GSM/GPRS to colleagues in close proximity.
The distress signal simultaniously alerts Civil Rights Defenders headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.
Natalia Project uses social media to notify people of any alarm from a human rights defender at risk. It brings the assault to the attention of the world and your involvement can save lives.