Notes from the Faultline

@faultlinenotes.bsky.social

312 Followers 400 Following

We post from the faultlines: where human rights, power, and principles collide ⚡️ We track the loud cracks and the quiet shifts, and what they mean. https://progresschange.org

The Sudanese flag flutters above a domed clock tower in Omdurman, part of greater Khartoum, against a bright blue sky with the sun's glare visible, 13 December 2025. Photo by Ebrahim Hamid/AFP.
Illustration by the Campaign End Repression in Azerbaijan. Lady Justice stands blindfolded, holding four scales. Left scales bear the labels "Energy" and "Trade"; right scales bear "Human Rights" and "Rule of Law". An arrow points from the European Union flag toward Lady Justice. The scales are unbalanced. Title: "The European Union is Trading Away Principles." https://www.endrepression-az.org/report-eu-azerbaijan/
Human Rights Compass Database graphic. 150 plus human rights defenders and experts for joint real-time policy analysis and action. Contains 50 recommendations across 61 human rights themes in one database. Access at progresschange.org/human-rights-compass-database.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chairs a meeting of the Business Council under the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow on 30 June 2026. He sits at the head of a long conference table with Russian officials and business representatives on both sides, papers and water glasses in front of them, discussing trade and investment cooperation with Africa ahead of the October Russia-Africa summit.
A bronze statue of Lady Justice, blindfolded and holding aloft a set of balanced scales, stands against the blue flag of the European Union with its circle of yellow stars. Photograph by respiro888 via Adobe Stock.
Cyan graphic with dark blue text featuring quote: "Given the decline of democracy, the Council of Europe must do everything in its power to stand up for those persecuted because of their commitment to democracy." Headshot of Florian Irminger, Progress & Change Partnerships, speaking in navy blazer and light blue checkered shirt. The quote is from an article published in La Liberté on 29 June 2026.
The Progress and Change pentagon logo, recoloured in the colours of the Pride flag. The shape is filled with six horizontal stripes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. A five-colour chevron in white, pink, light blue, brown and black points inwards from the left edge, representing transgender people and LGBTQ people of colour.
The Progress and Change pentagon logo, recoloured in the colours of the Pride flag. The shape is filled with six horizontal stripes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. A five-colour chevron in white, pink, light blue, brown and black points inwards from the left edge, representing transgender people and LGBTQ people of colour.
Vladimir Putin (left) and Donald Trump (right) seated in bilateral meeting at G20 leaders summit, Osaka, Japan, 28 June 2019. Russian and United States flags visible in background. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
"Campaign poster with bold white and red text reading 'URGENT: HELP FREE IBTISSAME BETTY LACHGAR' overlaid on a cityscape. Text states: 'Since Aug 10, Morocco has imprisoned Human Rights activist Betty Lachgar. She has been denied her basic human rights and requires urgent medical treatment. We must act now.' Free Betty Coalition logo in lower left, freebetty.org at bottom."
Front cover of Our Rights, Our Planet, Human Rights Compass Policy Brief No 8, June 2026, subtitled Recommendations to Reinforce Human Rights Through Planetary Justice. Beneath the title, a photograph from a climate march shows people holding hand-painted placards, one reading Climate Action equals Human Rights and another reading Love Thy Mother above a drawing of the Earth.
Human Rights Compass banner on a dark blue background. White text reads Our Rights, Our Planet, with green text reading To Reinforce Human Rights Through Planetary Justice and the address www.humanrightscompass.org.
Formal group photograph from the Annual Meeting of the Strategic Vision Group "Russia–Islamic World" at Kazan Forum 2026, showing approximately 75 officials and dignitaries from multiple countries standing on a stage. Participants wear business suits, traditional Islamic dress in beige and brown tones, and official attire. The backdrop displays Kazan Forum 2026 branding and text in Russian and Arabic. Professional stage lighting and formal setting indicate a high-level diplomatic meeting. The group is significantly male-dominated, with approximately 6–8 women among the roughly 75 participants visible.
Document cover with Progress & Change Partnerships and GRASH logos; French-language title “Contribution to the draft Declaration on the promotion of the role of human rights defenders and their protection in Africa”; May 2026​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Left: A diverse group of approximately eight people sit in a circle during an interactive workshop, with sticky notes and a screen visible on the walls behind them. Right: Equitas branding and promotional text announcing the 43rd edition of the International Human Rights Training Program, with "Call for Applications is Open!" highlighted in yellow, and an application deadline of June 8, 2026 displayed in a yellow box.
State mining company Gecamines headquarters.
Nelson Mandela, wearing a cream-coloured shirt, smiles broadly as he places a folded ballot paper into a white ballot box marked IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) during South Africa's first all-race election. He is surrounded by election observers, supporters, and ANC flag-bearers. Oshlange township near Durban, 27 April 1994. Photograph: Walter Dhladhla/AFP/Getty.
Filipino climate campaigners hold a large banner reading "No Climate Justice Without Human Rights" during the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on 9 December 2023, part of over 300 mobilisations worldwide demanding urgent action at COP28 in Dubai. Smaller placards visible include "Act now for climate justice" and "Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor". © Ezra Acayan / Getty Images.
Cover slide of the Global Rupture carousel. Green background with the title "GLOBAL RUPTURE" in large dark blue bold text, and the subtitle "TO MOVE FROM RUPTURE TO RESPONSE" below it. The lower half shows a night-time photograph of a large crowd holding Hungarian and European Union flags and torches, gathered in front of the illuminated Hungarian Parliament building across the Danube in Budapest. Chevron arrows at the bottom right indicate the carousel continues.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance shake hands and hug at the end of a pre-election rally in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
A large crowd fills Heroes' Square (Hősök tere) in Budapest at dusk, holding lit torches and Hungarian flags. At the centre, a lone figure stands at a podium on a raised stage — Tisza party leader Péter Magyar, addressing the National March demonstration on 23 October 2025, Hungary's national holiday marking the 1956 revolution. A large EU flag is prominently displayed on a flagpole in the foreground left. Behind the stage, Budapest's iconic Heroes' Square colonnade is visible, including the Millennium Monument with its bronze statues on horseback. A large video screen to the left of the stage shows crowd footage. The overcast sky and torchlight give the scene a dramatic, charged atmosphere. (Janos Kummer · Getty)
Betty Lachgar holding her One Law For All award at the Secular Conference 2018 in London.
Infographic titled "Global Realignment in 2025," produced by Progress & Change Partnerships. The upper section, marked with a warning triangle, identifies five threats: defunding aid and civil society; growing authoritarian influence; undermining multilateralism and international cooperation; the global human rights order imperilled; rising homophobia, racism, and gender backlash. An arrow points down to a second section, "Responding with Purpose: Our Path Forward," which sets out six strategic responses illustrated with icons: build up a cross-regional coalition for human rights; integrate human rights in defence and security; link rights with economic justice, climate and dignity; elevate feminist leadership and gender equality; prioritise protection and expansion of civic space; revitalise engagement with human rights institutions.
Estefany Rodríguez reporting on location in Davidson County, Nashville, holding a microphone. On-screen lower third identifies her as “Estefany Rodriguez – Reportera” for Univision 42 Nashville.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Countdown banner for the CIVICUS 2026 State of Civil Society Report. White text on a red background reads "Launching Soon!" with a digital countdown timer showing 0 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds remaining. Timer digits are displayed in blue boxes.
Infographic titled “Strengthen and Support Human Rights Defenders” on a green background, with icon tiles listing practical actions: appoint an envoy; integrate human rights defenders in dialogues and policy development; include human rights defenders in delegations; issue public recognition and support statements; attend trials and monitor judicial proceedings; fast-track visas and asylum when risks rise; map and publicise protection resources; ease contacts with authorities; strengthen the role of embassies; report situations systematically; brief diplomats and officials; disseminate standards; nominate for awards; celebrate human rights defenders. Human Rights Compass logo at the bottom right.
Video still showing armed fighters from the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces standing in the East Nile district of greater Khartoum on 23 April. Credit: Rapid Support Forces (RSF) via AFP/Getty Images.
Donald Trump delivers remarks during the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace on 19 February 2026. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Infographic titled “Human Rights at Stake: Top 10 Human Rights Trends” on a green background. Ten white line icons with short labels: protracted wars and civilian harm; security first, human rights sidelined; multilateral legitimacy crisis; eroding human rights leadership; far-right normalisation and welfare capture; gender backlash and rollback of women’s and LGBTQ rights; closing civic space to consolidate power; defenders delegitimised, including in exile; environmental rights eroded, defenders targeted; information integrity under pressure: AI and disinformation. Human Rights Compass logo appears at the bottom right.
A tightly packed group of women, most wearing black hijabs, stand pressed together beside a rust-coloured metal gate. In the centre, a woman in a pale headscarf cries out as others hold her shoulders and hands, while faces around her look on with grief and fatigue. Photograph: Jehad Alshrafi/AP”
Leïla Shahid in Paris, 1994, pictured by Philippe Wojazer (Reuters)
Jesse Jackson shaking hands as he greets supporters from a podium during the US presidential campaign in Alabama, 1988. Photograph: Don McPhee/The Guardian
Square graphic on a bright turquoise background with rounded corners. Top left text: “Human Rights Compass Policy Papers”. Six white cover tiles are shown in a 3x2 grid. Titles: “Human Rights at Stake: Top 10 Global Human Rights Trends” (dated 19 February 2026), “Global Realignment” (April 2025), “Saving Lives, Upholding Rights” (May 2025), “Fractured Order” (June 2025), “Defending Defenders” (June 2025), and “Gender Backlash” (10 December 2025). Each tile has a green map icon with a blue location pin and a green band at the bottom. Bottom centre text: “www.humanrightscompass.org”.
Infographic with a blue border titled “Tackling the Global Gender Backlash”. At top left is a warning triangle with an exclamation mark. To the right is a list of drivers: “Instrumentalising ‘family values’ to weaken human rights”; “Attempts to erase gender from international law”; “Rising misogyny, homophobia and anti-LGBTQ mobilisation”; “Targeting women’s and LGBTQ organisations through repression and funding cuts”; “Covid-19 intensifying unpaid care burdens, violence and economic exclusion”; and “Fractured multilateral leadership and chronic underfunding of gender mandates”. A large downward arrow points to seven green action boxes with icons: “Strengthen accountability and strategic litigation”; “Resource women’s and LGBTQ organisations”; “Use regional organisations to defend standards”; “Promote women’s leadership in institutions”; “Establish a UN compact on gender equality”; “Engage men and boys”; and “Finance gender equality”. At the bottom is the Human Rights Compass logo.
Eleanor Roosevelt holding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Fotosearch/Getty Images)
Black-and-white photo of a sit-in at a lunch counter in Charlotte on 9 February 1960. Several Black protesters sit on stools along the counter while other customers and staff look on in a crowded store. Credit: Science History Images/Alamy
A formal letter on White House letterhead addressed to Alexander Lukashenko, inviting him to join the Board of Peace. The letter outlines the purpose of the Board, refers to its Charter, and is signed on behalf of US President Donald J. Trump. Page 1
A drone view shows widespread destruction in a residential neighbourhood in Gaza City. Collapsed buildings, rubble, and damaged streets stretch across the area, with a few surviving structures standing among the ruins. The image was taken during a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on 19 October 2025. (Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
Human Rights Compass Infographic titled “Global Realignment in 2025”. At the top, a warning symbol and bullet points listing challenges: defunding aid and civil society; growing authoritarian influence; undermining multilateralism and international cooperation; a global human rights order under threat; rising homophobia, racism, and gender backlash. An arrow points downward to the heading “Responding with Purpose: Our Path Forward”. Below are six green boxes outlining responses: building a cross-regional coalition for human rights; integrating human rights into defence and security; linking rights with economic justice, climate and dignity; elevating feminist leadership and gender equality; prioritising protection and expansion of civic space; and revitalising engagement with human rights institutions. www.humanrightscompass.org
Rohingya women and children crowded on the back of a truck during their flight from violence. Myanmar’s army launched an offensive in 2017, forcing at least 730,000 Rohingya from their homes, mostly into neighbouring Bangladesh, where they reported killings, mass rape and arson attacks. [File: Hotli Simanjuntak/EPA]
Close-up portrait of a young woman with dark curly hair and a nose ring. The word “IRAN” is written in black letters on her cheek. She looks to the side with a serious expression, suggesting determination and defiance during protests.
A UN peacekeeper stands with their back to the camera, wearing a blue helmet marked “UN,” facing a barbed-wire fence in a dusty environment. In the background, a military helicopter flies overhead, partially obscured by haze. The image conveys tension and militarisation around a UN deployment area. Photograph by Peter Macdiarmid/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
White background image with the logo of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect at the top. Below, a text excerpt states that the US operation in Venezuela constitutes a serious breach of the UN Charter, condemns the disregard for international law, and warns that pursuing narcoterrorism charges against Maduro denies victims truth, recognition, and reparations for crimes against humanity.
Shopkeepers and traders in Tehran protest against economic conditions and Iran's embattled currency. Photograph: Fars News Agency/AFP/Getty Images
Infographic titled “Tackling the Global Gender Backlash”. At the top, a warning symbol is shown next to a list of challenges: instrumentalisation of “family values”, attempts to erase gender from international law, rising misogyny and homophobia, repression and funding cuts against women’s and LGBTQ organisations, increased unpaid care burdens and violence during Covid-19, and chronic underfunding of gender mandates. A downward arrow points to seven green boxes with recommended actions: Strengthen accountability and strategic litigation; Resource women’s and LGBTQ organisations; Use regional organisations to defend standards; Promote women’s leadership in institutions; Establish a UN Compact on Gender Equality; Engage men and boys; Finance gender equality. At the bottom is the Human Rights Compass logo.