Front Line Defenders is the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.

Front Line Defenders was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line Defenders aims to address the protection needs identified by defenders themselves.

Front Line Defenders seeks to provide rapid and practical support to at-risk human rights defenders, including through:

• international advocacy on behalf of human rights defenders at immediate risk;

• grants to pay for the practical security needs of human rights defenders;

• training and resource materials on security and protection, including digital security;

• rest and respite, including the Front Line Fellowship;

• opportunities for networking and exchange between human rights defenders, including at the biennial Dublin Platform;

• the annual Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk;

• an emergency 24 hour phone line for human rights defenders operating in Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Russian.

In emergency situations Front Line Defenders can facilitate temporary relocation of human rights defenders.

Front Line Defenders promotes strengthened international and regional measures to protect human rights defenders including through support for the work of the UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders. Front Line Defenders seeks to promote respect for the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

Front Line Defenders has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Front Line Defenders has been awarded partnership status with the Council of Europe "in the light of its active cooperation with the Council of Europe in the field of human rights defenders, in particular with the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.

Front Line Defenders has Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Front Line Defenders is a legally registered Irish charity Charity Number CHY 14029

Front Line Defenders received the 2007 King Baudouin International Prize for Development.