Founded in 2013, the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (the Southern Defenders or the Network) is a non-profit sub-regional network consisting of representatives of civil society organisations from Southern Africa. The Network coordinates regional efforts to provide rapid, practical, comprehensive and inclusive protection support to human rights defenders (HRDs) at high risk, defend civic space, and empower HRDs to mitigate the effects of repression. To this end, the Network contributes to the respect and recognition of HRDs as legitimate actors and agents of social change with universally recognized and constitutionally guaranteed rights. The SAHRDN is registered as 211-513NPO in South Africa with a U.S. Equivalence Determination, making it the equivalent of a U.S. public charity. SAHRDN’s Program Areas: • Resilience and Capacity Building • Prevention, Protection, and Re-integration • Research, Advocacy, and Visibility Values: • Ubuntu • Integrity • Respect for diversity • Inclusion • Non-discrimination • Accountability Vision: Empowered HRDs in a safe Southern Africa Mission: To enhance the protective and safety mechanisms of HRDs in Southern Africa. Theory of Change: IF the resilience and capacities of HRDs to manage their own protection and security requirements against threats are increased; IF the HRDs capacity to appreciate and reduce their operational vulnerabilities is increased; IF HRDs capacity to fight injustice, promote human rights, push back against attempts at shrinking civic space, and leverage on changing civic space,; IF there is rapid, practical, comprehensive and inclusive preventive and reactive protection of HRDs at high and immediate risk, IF the visibility and legitimacy of HRDs and the impact of their work is increased, IF HRDs platforms at local level are more organized and effective, THEN HRDs will be more legitimate, protected and empowered.