Human rights at borders: Advocacy strategies in hostile contexts and countering anti-migrant narratives

In a nutshell

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is inviting applications for a training course for human rights defenders from migrant-led and grassroots organisations working on human rights advocacy at borders.

The course is open to human rights defenders working in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye. 

*All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

What

The objective of the three-day training course is to strengthen the capacity of HRDs to adapt their advocacy strategies and enhance their ability to counter harsh anti-migration narratives, while also prioritizing their own mental health, essential for both personal and professional sustainability. This event will provide a vital space for reflection, empowerment and well-being for HRDs, who have played and will continue to play, a crucial role in promoting the human rights of migrants through advocacy work.

Topics addressed during the training include: 

• Strengthening advocacy skills of HRDs through strategic messaging, policy engagement and stakeholder collaboration.
• Countering anti-migration narratives by developing rights-based messaging, identifying hate speech and shifting public discourse.
• Protecting mental well-being while working in hostile contexts, by addressing burn-out and stress, and by fostering self-care practices and peer-support.

How

The training is based on interactive learning methods and requires all trainees' full-time presence and a high level of active participation. Applicants should consider that if their application is accepted, they cannot carry out their other work-related activities during the training sessions. The course is conducted in English by experienced trainers with proven gender and cultural sensitivity. ODIHR covers training materials, travel costs and accommodation.

Who

Twenty-five participants will be selected in a competitive process according to the following criteria:

• Working in one of the following OSCE participating States: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye. Citizenship of the applicant is not decisive
• Working for a migrant-led organisation and/or a grassroots organisation focused on human rights at borders
• Proven experience and high motivation to carry out human rights-related activities in the migration and refugee context
• Proven experience working on advocacy or communication on human rights at borders or the rights of migrants and refugees in general
• Priority will be given to applicants with proven experience of working in hostile environments, analysing human rights implications of hate speech or countering anti-migrant narratives
• Relevance of the training for applicants’ current and potential future human rights activities in the region and readiness to put the obtained knowledge into practice
• Ability to actively participate in English
• Availability to attend the training for its full duration and readiness to set aside other work activities during the three days

ODIHR recognizes as a human rights defender any person promoting and striving for the realization of human rights regardless of profession, age or other status. Human rights defenders carry out their human rights activities individually or jointly with others as part of an informal group or as a non-governmental organization and act in a voluntary capacity or professionally. The key characteristic that defines human rights defenders is not who they are, but what they do and the principles they stand for.

Migrant-led organisations are defined as organisations established and managed by individuals with direct lived experience of migration, including refugees and asylum seekers. Participants do not need to have a migrant background themselves, but must be employed by or actively working with migrant-led organisations. Grassroots organisations are defined as community-based, bottom-up initiatives that operate locally to support migrants and promote human rights at borders. Participants must be actively engaged in the organisation’s work on migration or border-related human rights issues. The rationale for selecting representatives from these organisations is that they have generally been under-represented in previous training courses, and as migrant-led or grassroots initiatives working at borders, they face distinctive challenges compared to other organisations, including limited access to resources, hostile contexts and restrictive policies. 

Application

Applicants should fill in this application form and upload their CV (PDF or DOC) by 8 March 2026. ODIHR will strive to ensure a geographical and gender balance among participants. Candidates will be informed of the selection process outcome by 18 March 2026.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the training content or the selection procedure, please contact ignacio.garciamartinez@odihr.pl.