* Sharia'a means “path” or “pathway to be followed” in Arabic. The Shari'a law consists of legal commands recognised as Islamic law. The Islamic law implementation varies based on cultural, customary, historical, and political factors and, all as local interests. Source: Ahmad, Neven & Pinar Tank (2021) Shari’a Law and Women’s Rights. GPS Centre Gender and Mediation Backgrounder. Oslo: PRIO.
Oslo Breathing Space City
Oslo as a Breathing Space City for Human Rights Defenders is an initiative designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for human rights defenders at risk. The program offers a three-month stay in Oslo, giving participants the opportunity to step away from stressful and hostile environments, rest and recover, and strengthen their resilience. By the end of their stay, they return to their home countries with renewed energy, a broader and stronger network, and a deepened sense of solidarity and support.
Breathing Space City is rooted in Norwegian civil society and was initiated by five Norway-based organisations in 2023: The Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF), Amnesty International Norway, Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF), the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), and the Rafto Foundation. The NHRF acts as the secretariat. The funding for the project comes from the City of Oslo, Fritt Ord Foundation, Protectdefenders.eu, as well as other donors.
Please note that we do not have open calls for applications. In case a call for applications is opened, it will be posted on this website.
Purpose and programme elements
Through this initiative, human rights defenders from different parts of the world receive the opportunity to come to Oslo each semester for a stay of up to three months.
The programme is carefully tailored to meet each defender’s individual needs and aspirations. It offers psychosocial support and well-being elements, opportunities to strengthen support networks, training in areas of interest (such as English), and access to cultural and leisure activities. The participants are also encouraged to participate in activities for awareness-raising and advocacy. Together, these elements provide defenders with tools to remain resilient in their human rights work in the long term.
Furthermore, the programme seeks to create meaningful connections between human rights defenders and local civil society actors, organisations and institutions in Oslo. These exchanges foster mutual learning, solidarity, and international networks.
Finally, the programme also aims to strengthening social movements and communities in the home countries of the human rights defenders. By sharing the knowledge, skills, and networks gained through the programme, participants are able to empower and support their peers upon return.
The Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide, from the Conservative Party (Høyre), met with guests Davut and Ekaterine and talked about their work as human rights defenders and how the programme equipped them with tools to continue their work upon returning home.
Mayor of Oslo, Anne Lindboe, demonstrating the City of Oslo’s ongoing commitment to the programme by always meeting with the Breathing Space City guests. Here she met with Suren, guest during the Spring of 2024.
One of the Breathing Space City guests of autumn 2024, Vesna, had the opportunity to meet the Mayor of Bergen, Marit Warncke, at the Rafto Prize Award ceremony.
Why is a breathing space in Oslo needed?
Human rights defenders play a crucial role in the work for justice, equality and fundamental freedoms. However, their work is often associated with serious risks, including threats, violence and psychological distress. Many face harassment, imprisonment and violence because of their activism. According to Front Line Defenders' Global Analysis 2024/25, at least 324 human rights defenders were killed in 32 countries in 2024, exemplifying the danger many human rights defenders face worldwide. In addition, they are at risk of experiencing extreme burnout and psychological harm because of constant exposure to hazards and stressful situations. Finally, many human rights defenders lack access to international networks and resources, which increases their risk of isolation, makes them more vulnerable to persecution, and limits the impact of their work. In a world where civic space is shrinking and democracies are declining, international solidarity and continued support to those at the frontline of human rights are in more need than ever.
Our project aims to address the critical challenges faced by human rights defenders and contribute to their safety, well-being and resilience. To offer rest and respite for those in need can contribute to strengthening and sustaining social movements, as well as efficiently preventing burnout, health issues and other side-effects of human rights defenders’ challenging work situations. In other words, to let human rights defenders breathe is a key strategy in supporting human rights movements globally.
Past participants of the programme
Since its launch in 2023, the programme has successfully welcomed more than 10 defenders to Oslo. While some need to stay anonymous due to security reasons, others have shared about the impact that the programme has had on them. See their testimonies and profiles below:
Naghma Iqtidar, Pakistan
Spring 2023
“It was great experience both in terms of providing a space to reenergize and rethink and in terms of opportunities of exposure and networking. [...] I got the much-required space for reflection and planning and a lot of learning opportunities. Living 3 months in a different society itself was a learning experience.”
Naghma is a human rights activist from Karachi and currently the General Secretary of the Democratic Youth Front. She has also been General Secretary of the Democratic Students Federation (DSF), a progressive students’ organisation. She works closely with university students and regularly conducts study circles to promote progressive ideas among them. She supports activists and advocates for justice in cases of missing persons in Pakistan. She is part of the Steering Committee of Sindh Human Rights Defenders Network and supports the activities of the network. In addition, she is associated with the women’s movement in Pakistan and is an active member of Pakistan's Women's Working Group and other initiatives.
Intigam Aliyev, Azerbaijan
Spring 2023
"This Program allowed me to relax, recover, meet new interesting people and organizations."
Intigam is a renowned human rights lawyer who has worked for decades to increase respect for human rights and legal principles in his home country of Azerbaijan. He is the author of over a hundred complaints to the European Court of Human Rights and has served for a period as an independent expert for the Council of Europe. Intigam is a principled human rights defender who has been and continues to be a very important mentor and teacher for young lawyers and activists, not only in his home country but in the rest of the region.
Syahrul, Indonesia
Fall 2023
"Oslo is a free and peaceful city, people are caring and helpful. For me, Oslo is the face of a human rights-friendly city."
Syahrul is a human rights defender and lawyer from the Aceh province in Indonesia. He has been the director of Banda Aceh Legal Aid (LBH Banda Aceh) from 2019 to 2024. Syahrul joined the organization in 2014. Since then, he and LBH Banda Aceh have defended marginalised groups from various backgrounds. They include victims and survivors of past atrocities and armed conflicts (1976-2004), political prisoners, and religious minorities who were charged with defamation of religion and social persecution. The organisation also works to defend and protect the LGBTIQ communities, women who suffered from discrimination under the Shari’a Law* and victims of sexual violence and local indigenous communities facing land grabbing and encroachment from large palm oil plantations.
Suren Perera, Sri Lanka
Spring 2024
“This period of closer to three months was the best in my life due to the relaxation, knowledge, experiences, network, and time for self-reflection and planning I had. What a wonderful time!”
Suren is a human rights lawyer working with the Human Rights Office Kandy in Sri Lanka, a long-term grantee partner of the NHRF. He works in the legal team of the organisation, handling cases of victims of rape and torture, families of the disappeared and the family members of prisoners attending to their legal requirements, and others. Suren handles very sensitive cases of gross human rights violations, such as the case of the 2019 Easter attack. He is also a team member for mobile legal clinics, which makes it possible for civil society to be educated on human rights. The Human Rights Office provides holistic assistance to the victims, offering security, legal, and medical assistance and trauma counselling and rehabilitation of the prisoners and the families of the disappeared and all those who are victimised by serious human rights violations.
Stanislava Petlytsia, Ukraine
Autumn 2024
“I would summarize my programme experience as exactly what I needed to take a break from all my usual responsibilities and live my life differently. This space helped me not only to breathe, but to exhale first and realize that I cannot be effective when exhausted.”
Stanislava is an LGBTQI+ and women’s rights activist from Ukraine. She was the coordinator of the community centre "PrideHub '' for LGBTQI+ and friendly people. Moreover, she was a coordinator in the organisation Sphere. Stanislava organises events such as the Kharkiv Pride, the Women's Solidarity Weeks, and exhibitions and performance such the "Women and War" exhibition to raise visibility of women's contributions to the collective struggles. For the last 2 years, Stanislava has been working on projects aimed at countering gender-based violence and the issue of marriage inequality in Ukraine.
Vesna Malešević, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Autumn 2024
“The entire journey was a blend of new experiences and the development of existing knowledge and skills, allowing me to build personal capacities that will assist me in my future work. Besides the programme, which was both fulfilling and tailored to my needs, the stay in Oslo was an experience in itself – exploring the city and observing urban life is something that might happen only once in a lifetime.”
Vesna is a human rights defender from Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She works as a manager in the Association of Independent Creators and Activists “Geto” (Udruženje Nezavisnih Stvaralaca i Aktivista “Geto”), using art and culture as a method of democratisation and defending human rights. Geto has been at the forefront of advocating for LGBTIQ+ rights, women’s rights, and organising events to foster dialogue and understanding on the issue. They believe that using art as a means of communication allows them to reach a broader audience beyond traditional human rights activists. By presenting human rights cases through artistic expression, they aim to create a greater impact and raise awareness among diverse groups of people.
Davut Arslan, Türkiye
Spring 2025
“The programme offered me a much-needed break and a sense of safety, allowing me to step away from the very challenging and, at times, overwhelming environment I face in my home country. This distance not only gave me the chance to rest and restore my energy, but also provided relief from the stressful and rapidly shifting political and social realities back home.”
Davut is a human rights lawyer, and for over six years he has been actively engaged in human rights work both as a volunteer and a professional. His involvement in human rights began with the Prison Commission of the Human Rights Association (İHD) Istanbul Branch. He dedicated himself to addressing prison-related issues, and over time, he expanded his focus to cases of refugees, utilizing his legal expertise in migration law. In his role as a volunteer lawyer at İHD he has also been working extensively on LGBTQ+ rights through the İHD’s LGBTQ+ Rights Working Commission and as a volunteer lawyer for the Pride Committee. In 2021, he began working as the Regional Network Coordinator for the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) under the project "Protecting and Supporting Grassroots Human Rights Actors Post-Pandemic".
Ekaterine Aghdgomelashvili, Georgia
Spring 2025
“Overall, my experience in the Breathing Space City programme has been deeply meaningful and truly life-changing.(...) The opportunity to rethink my own resilience, to process difficult experiences, and to make new connections has been a great gift — one that I believe will positively shape both my personal wellbeing and my future work as a human rights defender.”
Ekaterine has been actively engaged in civil rights activism since 1996. In 2000, she co-founded the feminist organization WISG to address gender, sexuality, and women’s rights issues, serving as its director until 2014 and remaining an active board member. She also co-founded Georgia’s first LGBTQ-focused organization, “Inclusive Foundation,” and served as editor of the country’s first LGBTQ magazine. Her case, Aghdgomelashvili and Japaridze v Georgia (No. 7224/11), was the first homophobic case filed with the European Court of Human Rights. In 2013, she received the Women’s Rights Defender Award for supporting LGBTQ activists during a demonstration and for her long-term efforts to improve the situation for LGBTQ people in Georgia.
In this video, Syahrul from Indonesia talks in more detail about his experience in the programme.
In these articles by Global Citizen, you can read about the career development of our guests Suren and Ekaterine. From their first encounter with human rights to their participation in the Breathing Space City programme.