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Recent Victories for Human Rights Defenders

Around the world, human rights defenders are making significant strides in their pursuit of justice—for themselves, their communities and the planet. The protective accompaniment and multi-level advocacy of PBI can help to provide the security these defenders need to do their work, to catalyze meaningful progress, and to contribute to a more just world. Here’s a brief look at some inspiring recent wins from those we accompany.

Empowering Women Defenders to Win Landmark Cases on Sexual Violence

PBI-USA NCC Continues to Grow

In our annual report “Peace in Action,” we announced the recruitment of Bill Eisenstein to the PBI-USA National Coordinating Committee (NCC), which serves as our board of directors. Within just a few months of Bill’s recruitment, two additional members joined our team. Read below to learn more about PBI-USA’s new board members and how you too can join our team to help support threatened human rights defenders around the world.

Ellen Furnari

PBI-USA National Gathering Recap

At the end of May, PBI-USA held a National Gathering, bringing together PBI field volunteers and staff (current and former), members of our growing National Coordinating Committee, multiple colleagues from PBI Canada, as well as PBI supporters for a weekend of reconnecting, reimagining, and recommitting to the work of PBI-USA.

Lessons in courage, care and collective action from the international accompaniment movement

On June 24, 2025, former PBI Colombia staffers Moira Birss and Zia Candler linked up to produce a very timely article on the power of international protective accompaniment.

Developed in Central America during the civil wars of the 1980s, accompaniment strategies show how movements can reduce authoritarian attacks and resist state repression.

We are not asking for privileges - Report prepared for the UPR 2025 of Honduras

In this report, the Sexual Diversity Committee of Honduras (CDSH) and Peace Brigades International (PBI) seek to both evaluate the implementation of the 2020 UPR recommendations and shed light on the violence faced by LGBTIQ+ people in Honduras due to the absence of laws and measures to ensure comprehensive protection for them.

PBI-Nicaragua accompanies vigil in San Jose, Costa Rica following the arrest and disappearance of Anibal Rivas Reed

On May 26, PBI-Nicaragua posted:

“Last Friday [May 23], Nicaraguan human rights defenders in exile in San Jose organized an Emergency Vigil to demand the immediate release of people arbitrarily detained and in a condition of enforced disappearance.

Trans Rights Under Attack: Honduras and the USA

As Pride month begins in the United States, we share updates from Honduras where PBI provides accompaniment to multiple LGBTQ organizations and the United States, where we continue to see alarming rates of murders and governmental actions targeting members of the LGBTQ community, particularly trans individuals and youth.

TRANS RIGHTS IN HONDURAS

On March 31st, the International Trans Day of Visibility, PBI Honduras shared: