In a world marked by growing instability and democratic erosion, the defense of human rights remains the most urgent global responsibility. Across continents, courageous individuals and civil society organizations stand up every day against repression and violence. Their commitment shows us that the universal values of human dignity, freedom, and justice are most powerful when translated into action.

The Liberal Human Rights Work 2025 of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) reflects the breadth and depth of that action. It showcases the work of partners and activists from Bangkok to Abidjan, from Tunis to Taipei, and from Kyiv to Lima. Despite vastly different contexts, their struggles are connected by a common goal: ensuring that human rights are lived realities rather than distant promises.

For this common goal, justice and accountability are indispensable foundations of democratic societies. Whether documenting torture in Russian prisons, protecting protesters’ rights in Sub‑Sahara Africa, supporting women leaders in Ukraine, or advocating for LGBTIQ+ equality in Eastern Europe and Latin America, these initiatives demonstrate that accountability is not a legal abstraction but a safeguard for every individual whose rights are threatened.

Freedom of expression, too, faces unprecedented challenges. Digital manipulation, foreign interference, and the misuse of so-called foreign agent laws undermine open societies and restrict access to truth. Yet journalists, researchers, and citizen reporters continue to expose abuses, remind us of our responsibilities, and defend the integrity of public discourse. Around the world, minorities continue to face political instrumentalization, social exclusion, and targeted hatred.

The projects highlighted in this publication show that liberal values thrive when societies treat every person with respect and openness. Nevertheless, some rights, like women’s rights, remain a litmus test and major task worldwide. Therefore, it is immensely significant to honour those who confront systemic discrimination and gender‑based violence with unshakable determination.

Considering these challenges, FNF is committed to its continuous engagement: to strengthening the rule of law, empowering civil society, supporting democratic movements, and defending individual freedoms wherever they are threatened. The FNF Agenda 2030 particularly fits this continuous engagement to meet the pressing challenges –also serving as a foundation for this report.

I invite you to explore the reports, analyses, and initiatives presented in the Liberal Human Rights work 2025. May they inspire your own engagement and reaffirm our shared conviction that, even in challenging times, freedom and human dignity remain worth defending, everywhere and for everyone.

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
Deputy Chair of the Board of Directors of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and former German Minister of Justice