International Human Rights Grant Programme

_NOTE: Oak Foundation has an invitation-only application process. The majority of awards are made to our long-standing partners or are invited to apply based on fieldwork and research._

_Although we operate an invitation-only application process, we want to hear about ideas and work that fit within our programme strategies. Therefore, if an organisation believes that strong alignment exists with Oak Foundation’s funding priorities, we encourage the organisation to submit an unsolicited letter of enquiry. We will invite the organisation to apply for a grant if we also find alignment with our funding priorities and if there is available budge_

Protecting And Promoting The Human Rights of all People

Since 1948 the global community has developed an extensive body of international law and principles to protect human rights. But the development and implementation of these standards has always faced opposition. There remains a gulf between human rights rhetoric and the lived experience of so many people. We seek to close that gap.

We provide core, project, and seed funding in multi-year grants to organisations that work on five key priorities.

• justice for victims of international crimes;
• detention as a last resort and zero-tolerance for torture;
• full dignity for LGBTQI people;
• a healthy information sphere; and
• strong human rights movements.

Eligibility

_ You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's [website]().

Application Details

Protecting and promoting the human rights of all people

Oak Foundation / International Human Rights Programme / Our Strategy
principles to protect human rights. The laws
with access to justice. But, there remains a gulf necessary and proportionate response to
between human rights rhetoric and the lived concerns of public order and/or flight risk.
in multi-year grants to organisations that work
migrants” have become the new normal.
on five key priorities. We support efforts that
ensure:

• A growing detention estate (i.e., prisons and
• other punitive facilities) has been established
• (1) justice for victims of international crimes;
• where detainees sometimes suffer
• (2) detention as a last resort and zero-tolerance
• overcrowding and poor conditions in which
• for torture;
• torture and inhuman treatment can also thrive.
• (3) full dignity for LGBTQI people;
• (4) a healthy information sphere; and
• Our grant-making aims to:
• (5) strong human rights movements.
• • ensure independent and adequate oversight
• of detention regimes;
• • promote attitudinal change on the necessity
• Priorities
• of detention;
• • promote, develop, and implement
• Priority area 1 alternatives to detention;
• • uphold the due process rights of detainees
• Justice for victims of
• including their right to challenge their
• international crimes
• (indefinite) detention;
• Victims of gross human rights violations have • challenge the deployment of technology that
• the right to truth, justice, and reparations. renders individuals especially vulnerable to
• Efforts to secure accountability and redress detention; and
• are hindered by significant gaps in evidence • uphold the absolute prohibition on torture
• collection, legal capacity, and political and ensure victims can access justice.
• commitment.
• Our grant-making aims to:
• • place accountability for international crimes
• on the public and political agenda;
• • research, document, and collect evidence
• for the prosecution of international crimes;
• and
• • hold perpetrators to account either by
• prosecution, civil suits or sanctions, and
• ensuring reparations for victims.
• 2

Oak Foundation / International Human Rights Programme / Our Strategy
prosecution, persecution, and violence. Yet
digital information sphere.
and discrimination based on their sexual
orientation and gender identity/expression.
movements
(LGBTQI) people.
Human rights defenders stand up for rights and
Our grant-making aims to: hold power to account. A defender can be

• strengthen the legal framework that anyone – from a community leader, journalist,

guarantees freedom from criminalisation, lawyer, student, trade union official, cartoonist
hate, and violence; or peaceful demonstrator. All deserve

• end stigmatisation and build public consensus protection. Around the world many are at risk

in support of ending the persecution of from physical attack, imprisonment, legal
LGBTQI communities; harassment, and public stigmatisation. In

• provide legal, psychosocial, and protective addition, many defenders cannot operate freely;

services for LGBTQI victims of hate and organisations are denied registration, blocked
violence; and from receiving funds and subject to excessive,

• build the documentation, advocacy, and unjustified regulatory controls.

management skills of LGBTQI advocates. solidarity are imperative.
Our grant-making aims to:

• Priority area 4 • provide emergency support to human rights
• defenders at risk;
• A healthy information sphere
• • support an enabling environment for human
• rights activism including by equipping
• Everyone has a right to reliable, trustworthy,
• defenders with the necessary skills and
• and accurate information. But developments in
• technology to effectively pursue their work;
• information technology including the
• and
• algorithmic curation of news are amplifying
• • build a resilient human rights movement,
• conspiracy theories and hate speech, and
• supported by a broad public and supported
• enabling malign interference in electoral
• through diverse revenue streams.
• processes. These produce real harms and
• undermine trust in democratic institutions.
• Our grant-making aims to:
• • build an evidence base demonstrating the
• means and harms of disinformation;
• • reduce the commercial incentives which
• drive disinformation;
• 3

Oak Foundation / International Human Rights Programme / Our Strategy
and national levels. We remain committed to
the EU, USA, UK, and Brazil, and various Application process
will be project support or core support (i.e.,
is potential to advance specific lines of work.
flexible and unrestricted funding). We develop
the application in partnership.
Download this document to learn about the
grant-making timeline and process.
Our grant-making is underpinned by the
following:

• Communications
• Upholding the international legal framework
• The best relationships are built on trust.
• We support work that is based upon and
• We seek to share learning and impact.
• upholds, strengthens, and implements
• We value honest, open, and frank exchange
• international human rights law.
• and invite feedback on how we can be better
• grant-makers. We ask for formal reports on an
• Promoting systemic change
• annual basis. We strive to visit our partners in
• We prioritise initiatives that deliver concrete
• person when possible.
• systemic change beyond individual redress.
• Supporting activism Events and partner convenings
• We support initiatives that create change
• Where practical, we attend events organised by
• through activism (e.g., advocacy, campaigning,
• partners to listen and learn from their
• strategic litigation, citizen participation).
• experience. We also convene and consult
• partners to better inform our grant-making and
• Strengthening our partners
• foster joint learning and connections.
• Our grant-making is a partnership. We empower
• and build the capacity of our partners.
• Strengthening the global human rights Our budget and
• movement
• requests for support
• We support and mobilise diverse constituencies
• in support of human rights worldwide.
• Our annual budget is currently USD 30 million.
• Striving for justice, equity, diversity, and As a small team, we can only make up to 50
• inclusion grants per year. This means that we must turn
• We acknowledge the inherent power dynamic down many requests that come our way,
• within grant-making and seek to reduce it by despite alignment with our strategy.
• providing longer-term core support with Organisations that fit our current strategy can

flexibility. We seek to reflect a variety of voices submit an enquiry through our website:

• and experiences in our programme and https://oakfnd.org/submit-enquiry/

encourage partners to do the same. This is an We value and consider all submissions.
ongoing process.
4

Oak Foundation / International Human Rights Programme / Our Strategy
dedicated programme officers for each
priority area.
the work of our programmes. We want to
inspire hope and possibility.
We publish stories on a regular basis that
explain our grant-making approaches.

International Human Rights Programme
Programme Strategy
Protecting and promoting the human rights of all people

Oak Foundation / International Human Rights Programme / Our Strategy
Overview Priority area 2
Detention as a last resort and
Since 1948 the international community has zero-tolerance for torture
developed an extensive body of laws and
International law states that detention should
principles to protect human rights. The laws
provide all of us with the tools to live full lives only be used as a last resort: it should be a
with access to justice. But, there remains a gulf necessary and proportionate response to
between human rights rhetoric and the lived concerns of public order and/or flight risk.
experience of so many people. We seek to
close that gap. But in recent decades, prolonged pre-trial
detention for those awaiting criminal trial and
We provide core, project, and seed funding
indefinite administrative detention for “irregular
in multi-year grants to organisations that work
migrants” have become the new normal.
on five key priorities. We support efforts that
ensure:
A growing detention estate (i.e., prisons and
other punitive facilities) has been established
(1) justice for victims of international crimes;
where detainees sometimes suffer
(2) detention as a last resort and zero-tolerance
overcrowding and poor conditions in which
for torture;
torture and inhuman treatment can also thrive.
(3) full dignity for LGBTQI people;
(4) a healthy information sphere; and
Our grant-making aims to:
(5) strong human rights movements.