Press Release
Published on August 26, 2026
Ukraine’s public increasingly regards local Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine as trusted leaders of society for their work in laying the foundations of a post-war society built on human rights. Human Rights Defenders are doing that work while facing criminal investigations, searches, discreditation campaigns, and steep cuts to their funding.
In a report released today, Investing in Ukraine’s Future: Protecting Its Civil Society, Human Rights First highlights the trust Ukrainians now place in civil society.
"Four years ago, many of these people had never done human rights or humanitarian work in their lives," said Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First and co-author of the report. "They learned it under bombardment, built organizations from scratch, and have adapted every time the war changed. They are now trusted by the public more than parliament, the political parties, or the courts."
Human Rights First has been working alongside Human Rights Defenders in Ukraine since the Russian invasion of 2014. Since the 2022 invasion, it has focused its work on the eastern front of the war, in and around the northeastern region of Kharkiv. It has made dozens of visits to Ukraine, documenting war crimes, evacuating vulnerable civilians from communities under fire, and reporting on the efforts of local human rights activists providing humanitarian aid, fighting corruption and discrimination, and addressing the mental health crisis.
While activists are working on many vital human rights issues, this report focuses on three challenges which will outlast the war: corruption, Russian disinformation, and the treatment of people suspected of collaborating with Russia. Ukrainian civil society is already working intensively on each of these challenges, and none will disappear after a peace deal.
"For any of this to hold, the people doing the work have to stay alive, stay well, and stay funded," said Suchita Uppal, co-author of today's report, and a Consultant with Human Rights Firsts' Human Rights Defenders program. "That means protection from all forms of targeting, harassment and prosecution, access to mental health support, and consistent, reliable funding to carry on their work."
