Across Europe, the Council of Europe (CoE) sets standards for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. But the heartbeat of these values lies with civil society: grassroots organisations and human rights defenders who work daily with communities on the ground. 

These organisations often see first-hand the challenges society faces daily: whether it’s shrinking civic space, rising authoritarianism, or vulnerable groups being silenced. Yet, many emerging advocates would still benefit from learning to navigate the Council of Europe’s structures and gaining knowledge on CoE tools. Without them, essential voices are left out of the conversation. This is why in 2025 the Council of Europe is allocating grants to 3 different organisations across Europe to help strengthen its ties with civil society in the field and to educate local organisations on the tools the Council of Europe provides to help defend democracy. The project has two main ambitions: to bring local voices closer to decision-makers, and to spread awareness of Council of Europe standards across the continent, particularly through the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy.

Building bridges through training and trust: That’s where the Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) steps in. With support from the Council of Europe through a 40,000€ grant, HRHF is leading a Capacity-Building Programme designed to equip emerging human rights defenders with the tools, knowledge, confidence, and connections they need to engage meaningfully with different actors.

It’s also about building a stronger Network: connecting defenders from different countries, sparking regional collaborations, and ensuring civil society can respond collectively to threats against democracy.

“With the support from the Council of Europe, Human Rights House Foundation has been working with a group of human rights defenders across the COE region to build their capacity to effectively engage with Council of Europe institutions, stakeholders and member states in order to advance their own domestic human rights goals and objectives” says Dave Elseroad, head of Advocacy and Geneva office at HRHF.

Why Human Rights House Foundation? Human Rights House Foundation’s project was one of three projects selected among 89 applications for this grant.  Stretching from the Balkans to the Caucasus, from Northern to Western Europe, the Network of Human Rights Houses - coalitions of local independent civil society organisations working to advance human rights - is rooted in local realities. As part of their broader mission, they also work with marginalized groups (young people, women, and the LGBTIQ+ community) ensuring that voices of ten excluded from formal institutions can help shape Europe’s democratic agenda.

What the programme looks like in practice: The programme created by HRHF is far from a dry training course—it’s designed as a journey. It started last March, when participants were selected through an open call and their needs were assessed. Then over the summer two knowledge-building webinars took place, with the objective of demystifying the Council of Europe, unpacking its mechanisms, standards, and advocacy tools. Over the last week, HRHF organised for the participants an immersive Study Visit to Strasbourg at the CoE headquarters, mixing advocacy training with real-life meetings and exchanges (including a meeting with Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General).

Next month, participants will meet again to plan advocacy initiatives, share lessons, and reinforce a peer-learning network.

But the perhaps most exciting part of the project is the Public Communication Campaign, where participants’ stories and project updates will be amplified across media and social platforms, helping to bring the Council of Europe closer to communities everywhere.

The expected impact? A civil society that is more confident, connected, and capable of influencing the future of human rights and democracy across Europe.

 You may read more about it in this article by HRHF