News
Stories of Change: Towards a future free of torture through concrete action in Kenya
Kenya has witnessed many instances of torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and systemic human rights abuses. Fighting against these injustices are organisations such as IMLU, which…
Stories of Change: Legal Victories for Indigenous Voices in Nepal
According to the 2021 population census report, Indigenous Peoples, also known as Adivasi Janajati, make up around 35.08% of Nepal’s total population of 29,164,578. However, Indigenous…
Stories of Change: Building Queer Solidarity and Advocacy in Sri Lanka
Since 2019, Équité, a grassroots LGBTQIA+ organisation in Sri Lanka, has been working to transform the experiences of young queer people across the country. Backed by…
The KIOS 2024 Annual Report has been published
The KIOS Annual Report shows how, despite the world taking a turn from the perspective of human rights, our grantees keep defending democracy, fighting for corporate…
From Discrimination to Solidarity: How Boda Boda Riders Are Becoming Allies for LGBTQIA+ Safety in Coastal Kenya
In Kenya’s coastal counties, boda boda and matatu operators are not just transport providers—they are community gatekeepers, influencing norms and shaping public spaces. Once seen as…
Development Cooperation and Civil Societies Under the Squeeze of Funding Crisis and Political Change
The field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid is undergoing a profound transformation. The United States’ decision to freeze USAID funding is just one part of…
Stories of Change: From Protest to Progress — The Paten Clan’s Fight for Land Rights
In Uganda’s oil-rich Albertine Rift region, development has brought both opportunity and challenge. Large-scale infrastructure and agricultural projects promise economic growth, but they also raise serious…
President Stubb’s Meeting with Civil Society Organisations Also Included Human Rights Organisations Supported by KIOS: Focus on Human Rights and the State of Civil Society in Kenya
Finnish President Alexander Stubb met with Kenyan civil society actors in Nairobi as part of his official state visit. Representatives of human rights organisations supported by…
Visit to Besisahar: Human Rights Violations and Violence in the Name of the Green Transition in Nepal
In the small town of Besisahar, Nepal, residents have been resisting a transmission line project funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for over eight years.…
KIOS at the World Village Festival – Towards Just Peace and a Counterforce to the Anti-Gender Movement
This year, KIOS is involved in organising two discussion events. On Saturday, human rights defender Sherine Xavier, supported by KIOS, will speak about Sri Lanka’s journey…
Haki Ni Yetu: A New Dawn of Grassroots Transformation
In a significant milestone for advancing governance, gender equality, and human rights at the grassroots level, the Haki Ni Yetu project has inaugurated the first Civic…
Global South’s Concerns Over EU Omnibus Amendment: A Call for EU Member States to Prevent Backsliding on Corporate Accountability
By Joseph Byomuhangyi – Coordinator, Uganda Consortium on Corporate Accountability (UCCA) The European Union (EU) has long positioned itself as a global leader in corporate accountability…
Stories of Change: Dalit Women Are Reshaping Nepal’s Future
In a country where Dalit women face systemic discrimination and marginalisation, the work done by the Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO) has catalysed transformative changes for the…
KIOS Foundation Programme Evaluation Highlights the importance of KIOS work and grantee satisfaction with the support KIOS provides
The latest programme evaluation of the KIOS Foundation has shed light on its effectiveness in strengthening the capacities of human rights organisations, the impact of its…
The Scaling Down of USAID and Its Global Consequences
President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze the operations of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was shocking. It became clear during Trump’s first presidential term…
Open Call for Applications: Advancing Human Rights in Kenya
The Haki Ni Yetu Consortium is excited to announce a new funding opportunity for Kenyan grassroots organisations working on human rights, good governance and accountability. Deadline…
Promoting Education as a Human Right in Nepal
For the International Day of Education, KIOS contacted two of our grantee organisations working on promoting education as a human right in Nepal. We interviewed Gopal…
Stories of Change: Big Changes for the Future of Ariamawoi Village Through Community Empowerment
In the heart of Meru County, Kenya, lies the small but resilient village of Ariamawoi and its Turkana community. This community has long fought against isolation…
The Long Fight of a Human Rights Organization Supported by KIOS: Supreme Court Upholds Million-Dollar Compensation for Lead Poisoning Victims in Kenya
The Center for Justice Governance and Environmental Action (CJGEA), a human rights organization supported by KIOS, achieved a significant legal victory after a prolonged battle. The…
KIOS Is Announcing Open call for Proposals of the Civic Action and Community Empowerment Grants (CACEG) — Funding Available for Local Organizations in Busia, Embu, Kakamega, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kwale, Siaya and Taita-Taveta Counties in Kenya
We are thrilled to announce the opening of call for proposals as part of our Civic Action and Community Empowerment Grants (CACEG) in Kenya. This grant…
Strengthening Human Rights and Resilience in Kenya – The Haki Ni Yetu Project
Pauliina Savola, chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Haki Ni Yetu project, reflects on the role of the project in strengthening civil society’s ability to…
KIOS Is Announcing the Civic Action and Community Empowerment Grants (CACEG) — Funding Available for Local Organizations in Isiolo and Migori Counties in Kenya
We are thrilled to announce the opening of our Civic Action and Community Empowerment Grants (CACEG) in Kenya. This grant program is specifically designed to support…
Finland Must Uncompromisingly Defend LGBTIQ+ Rights in its Foreign and Development Policy
KIOS has been actively involved with other civil society organizations in raising the importance of LGBTIQ+ rights within the framework of Finnish foreign and development policy.…
Èquité brings LGBTIQ+ people together in Sri Lanka
What is it like to advance LGBTIQ+ rights in a country that is still recovering from political turmoil and civil war? This is a situation where…
From Rejection to Recognition: The Landmark Victory of NGLHRC in Kenya
The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) in Kenya won a decade-long battle as they were granted the right to register under their current…
KIOS Supports LGBTIQ+ Activists in Africa and Asia
KIOS is one of the few Finnish civil society actors providing direct support to the LGBTIQ+ movement in Africa and Asia. The alarming situation in East…
Police Assault and Arrest Protesters in Kenya – Villagers Oppose Construction of Nuclear Power Plant
Last week, police assaulted members of the Uyombo village community and arbitrarily arrested two community activists. The Center for Justice Governance & Environmental Action (CJGEA), funded…
When no one is listening: Reena Lama, advocate for the rights of sex workers in Nepal, is visiting Finland
Reena Lama is a Nepalese human rights defender who promotes the rights of sex workers in Nepal. We interviewed Reena about the situation of sex workers…
Interview with Reena Lama at the World Village Festival on sex workers’ rights in Nepal
Reena Lama from KIOS’s grantee organisation FAITH will be interviewed at the World Village Festival in Helsinki. The programme “Sex workers’ rights in Nepal” will be…
Business and human rights: Perspectives on the security of human rights defenders
The Executive Director of Business and Human Rights Resource Center (BHRRC) Phil Bloomer visited Finland at the end of March. KIOS had the pleasure of hosting…