The Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDF) is the legal safety net for individuals, grassroots movements, and marginalized communities advocating for their rights in Israel, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank.

We are the only organization in the region that is dedicated solely to protecting human rights defenders (HRDs) as a target group, and the only organization that provides expert legal services in both civil and criminal cases free of charge to all human rights defenders.

We are the only organization working on both sides of the Green Line in both Israeli civil courts and IDF military courts, and we are able to utilize this unique position to leverage Israeli law against the inequities of military law on behalf of Palestinians living under military occupation.

We strive to enable human rights defenders on the ground to carry out their peaceful and legitimate activities freely and with minimal restriction, and we are dedicated to ensuring the resilience of human communities in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Through 1) direct legal aid, 2) capacity-building trainings, and 3) international advocacy and 4) media interventions, HRDF supports over a thousand human rights defenders every year.

No one should face prison for fighting to protect human rights. We believe that that the courageous people who fight for equality should be out building the world we want to see – not sitting in a jail cell. Since 2011, it has been our job to protect them, and make sure they are free to continue their work.