With the political landscape shifting, more human rights defenders (HRDs) are being forced to find safe, alternative ways to continue their work. Access to financial services is critical - allowing defenders on the move not only to sustain their efforts but also to manage everyday expenses as they relocate. Unfortunately, challenges with opening bank accounts, receiving and transferring funds are very frequent, with over 50% of organisations and over 20% of individuals reporting issues with accessing banking services, as revealed by a survey run by ECNL.
After analysing the results of the survey (available in the report on activists and the report on CSOs separately), we have now prepared a paper with policy recommendations that target the European Union, competent national institutions or governments, and financial institutions in the EU - as the EU Member States are typically the safe places that HRDs relocate to.
ECNL has also contributed to a broader initiative, spearheaded by the Economic Inclusion group and the European Endowment on Democracy, which looks into the financial exclusion of groups in the EU and advocates urgent regulatory reforms. Read more in the paper Financial Exclusion, a Hidden Crisis: How EU Banking Regulations are Leaving Paper Behind.
Exiled CSOs and activists are on the front lines of defending human rights and democracy. Ensuring they have reliable access to funding within the EU is essential so they can continue this important work. Read our in-depth analysis in the policy paper below.
The authors would like to thank Sangeeta Goswami (Human Security Collective) and Nelleke Hoffs for their review of this policy paper. We are also grateful for the support of Francesco Zatelli (Pro Publico).