An introduction for human rights defenders and allies
Collective protection is a way of approaching risk analysis and protection planning through the lens of a community, rather than through that of an individual defender. Collective protection recognises that the security of human rights defenders is interconnected with the security of those in their network, be it family, friends, colleagues, or neighbours. This main tenet is central to any collective protection strategy; however, the way that any individual strategy is developed will vary, and depend on the mission, profile, context, and needs of the particular defender and their network.
Collective protection is most-often associated with rural and indigenous communities in the Americas seeking to create and implement protection strategies adapted to their complex security needs. While it is true that many resources and studies on collective protection have come out of the Americas, and from land and water defenders in particular, diverse communities around the world have used similar strategies under different names. A common theme is that these strategies are designed to fit the needs of groups or communities at certain times and in response to threats that are not static. This means that collective protection measures regularly evolve to incorporate changes in communities or environments.
No one model of collective protection can be applied as a blanket solution. But by examining diverse examples, it is clear that there are common elements that can be used to structure thinking and planning around collective protection for any group. These include:
Identifying the members of the collective who will contribute to and be integrated into the collective protection efforts is an essential first step. Organising collective protection efforts requires community consultation and consensus building to evaluate the threat landscape, determine needs, and identify how the collective can plan for their protection. Collective protection will not be effective without a clear delineation of the community, group, or organisation. In a rural setting, the community might be evident based on defined geographic or familial boundaries; in urban settings, defining the collective might be more complex.
Collective protection requires evaluating the social and power dynamics at play within the collective in order to address existing inequalities and prejudices. Such inequalities can weaken collective protection efforts from the inside out and undermine agreed protection plans.
Intentional consultation efforts within communities are essential to determine if and how discrimination based on gender, sex, age or any other factors plays a role in community dynamics. With this information, the collective can agree how to create a more equitable environment and then move forward to identify the issues at hand and address them together. For example, creating the conditions for the equal participation of women in the process may require addressing violence in their families, communities, and organisations and easing the burdens of domestic work and childcare.
Although it is frequently difficult to confront internal power dynamics and discrimination, if collectives do not dedicate enough time to this step in the process, collective protection efforts could fall apart or adversaries could exploit internal divisions to their advantage.
Collective protection is relational. Strengthening social ties is an essential component to building sustainable approaches. Without strong relationships built on mutual trust and common goals and understanding, collective protection work will lack the solid foundation required for successful implementation. Fostering durable connections within collectives contributes to an increased sense of community and togetherness.
There are many activities that can strengthen relationships, and collectives are best placed to determine what their community would be comfortable with. Examples include collective singing, facilitated discussions about difficult topics, or cooking together and enjoying group meals. Often, collectives have activities that strengthen group cohesion integrated into their regular routines, and collective protection work can build on those existing traditions.
Collective protection goes beyond the protection of leaders or spokespersons. Individuals are protected through collective protection efforts, but individual protection is not the focus of the strategies or measures being developed. In some instances, individualised security analysis and planning can be counterproductive, as it raises up individual defenders and risks separating them from or even creating conflict with their organisation or community. As very few human rights defenders work alone, collective protection provides a way to envision sustainable protection that allows them to remain solidly anchored in their communities.
Analysis must focus on the collective threats that the community, group, or organisation faces in order to determine what collective protection efforts are needed. Furthermore, conducting effective analysis as part of collective protection means assessing the root causes of insecurity, not just the impacts of that insecurity.
The diverse possibilities for designing collective protection efforts offer human rights defenders the flexibility to adopt protection approaches that are adapted to their collectives. Ideas for different strategies will come to the fore during the consultation and analysis phases of the process. Collectives are often already using many strategies, and these should be built upon not replaced. Some example strategies are included in the case studies provided below.
As with the previous steps in the process, the development of a collective protection strategy must be an inclusive process that acknowledges existing inequalities due to sexism, racism, or socioeconomic status in order to define protection approaches that work for the whole community.
Once implemented, collective protection approaches should be regularly monitored and refined to meet evolving needs or contexts. Additionally, when a collective becomes aware of new threats or threat actors, it is important for the collective to revisit their approach, and determine whether any changes need to be made.
Extractive industries, and the governments that support them, are a main source of violence and repression against human rights defenders in Latin America. In Guatemala, human rights defenders resisting the polluting activities of extractive industries face a variety of threats from both state and non-state actors. In order to create sustainable collective protection strategies to protect their land and communities, human rights defenders are developing creative ways of working. As part of their approach, a group known as Peaceful Resistance La Puya has established a community protocol with criteria that guide their individual and collective resistance efforts. Their work locally includes direct action, legal battles, information sharing, and training; internationally, they build alliances and conduct advocacy. Through this, they have won protections and the suspension – at least for now – of mining operations.
The principles of their community protocol include:
Not entering into dialogue with the companies operating in their area, but to demand that public institutions fulfil their functions and support the community.
Ensuring inclusion and working to reduce internal inequalities linked to unbalanced power dynamics in their community.
Developing collective processes where there is no single leader or spokesperson, so that all decisions are made with community input and no one person is distinguished from the rest.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, human rights defenders defending the rights of LGBTQIA+ people and sex workers in Zanzibar, Tanzania, faced police threats, social stigmatisation, and financial insecurity. As the pandemic changed how people interacted, many sex workers could not find work and were unable to pay rent and other bills, which forced them onto the street. LGBTQIA+ persons were increasingly stigmatised, and sometimes even blamed for spreading the virus, and some found themselves pushed out of their homes. Defenders ran emergency shelters to meet the needs of sex workers and LGBTQIA+ persons during this critical period. They were targeted by raids, arrests, and police violence as well as by animosity and violence from neighbours who were hostile to their activities.
In the face of these threats, the defenders organised collective security plans, including:
Emergency communication plans to alert fellow human rights defenders to upcoming police raids.
Emergency alert procedures to flag arrests and detentions and to organise support for those targeted in this way.
Relocation plans for targeted human rights defenders and updated shelter information for LGBTQIA+ people and sex workers in order to ensure the physical safety and security of as many vulnerable people as possible.
Solidarity activities to ensure all human rights defenders and the people they work with had their basic needs met when relocated.
The Pacos Trust works with indigenous communities in Sabah State, Malaysia, to help them protect their lands through creative community protocols. These protocols map the resources and customs that make up the fabric of the communities in this state and help identify the actors – both allies and adversaries – that are operating in community areas. In the Tongod District of Sabah State, seven villages came together to establish a joint committee with the goal of protecting their customary land from land-grabbing by a company with links to the Malaysian government. After creating their joint committee, they started a campaign against the land-grabbing activities that resulted in a court case being opened over a decade ago. The joint committee has provided a framework for the seven villages and individual community members to create a protocol that has helped them face external and internal threats.
Their protocol:
Establishes responsibilities and decision-making procedures.
Provides terms for managing conflicts and expectations.
Lays out the plan for distribution of resources should the communities’ class action lawsuit have a favourable outcome.
Collective protection is a living concept. Its main principles can be used to develop protection approaches for communities, organisations, and groups around the world. As human rights defenders often conduct their work in complex environments, with many different allies and adversaries, collective protection offers a way of working that addresses the root causes of human rights violations and offers ways to build more just and sustainable environments.
The main principles and examples outlined here offer stepping stones for those organisations and collectives seeking to develop a collective protection approach. Many more examples from across the world are available in the resources section, and the diversity of collective protection approaches serves to demonstrate how any collective can begin to reflect on and design their own plan.
