Tuesday November 11, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Hassan Shire, the Somali-born Executive
Director of DefendDefenders and Chairperson of AfricanDefenders, has been
honored with the Shield Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades-long
dedication to protecting and empowering human rights defenders across Africa.
The award was presented during a landmark gathering at Speke
Resort Munyonyo, which brought together more than 200 human rights defenders,
regional experts, and global advocates to celebrate two decades of resilience
and reflection on the future of human rights work.
The event showcased the transformative impact of defenders’
work through exhibitions and storytelling, while also honoring those who lost
their lives in the struggle for justice and freedom.
Hassan’s own journey began in exile two decades ago when he
fled persecution in Somalia. Out of that hardship, he built one of Africa’s
strongest human rights networks a continental movement now known for defending
the defenders. Under his leadership, DefendDefenders and AfricanDefenders have
become pillars of advocacy, protection, and solidarity for activists working
under threat across the continent.
“We would not have come this far without the strategic
partnership of our development partners, who have invested heavily in our work
over the past 20 years,” Hassan said during the celebration. “But beyond the
numbers are human faces and stories of resilience that sustain our resolve.”
“While constitutions and treaties are designed to protect
defenders, real progress does not occur automatically,” he said. “Inconsistent
practices within countries and across regions continue to undermine the
universality of human rights.”
DefendDefenders also recognised its Board members, for their
oversight and strategic guidance in ensuring DefendDefenders effectively
delivers on its mandate, as well as recognising founding members with
certificates.
Since its founding in 2005, DefendDefenders has provided
emergency protection grants to 10,315 human rights defenders, benefiting 9,433
family members. Through its Ubuntu Hub Cities relocation program, the
organization has relocated 657 defenders, trained more than 10,000 activists,
and delivered nearly 5,000 sessions on digital and physical security. It has
also spearheaded 201 high-level advocacy initiatives at regional and
international levels and published 67 research reports advancing the
protection of human rights defenders.