Day in and day out, Ismail Jumale–a prominent human rights lawyer–stood before Somalia’s National Security Court in defense of persecuted activists.

At the time, Somalia was under a brutal military dictatorship. Jumale himself became a prisoner of conscience three times. But he never stopped fighting for his vision of a peaceful and democratic Somalia.

“Despite the challenges he was facing, he continued to represent youth, political prisoners, and others in court,” said his nephew, Hassan Shire.

When Ismail Jumale passed away, Shire continued the fight.

“That was the initial kick,” Shire said. “We formed the Dr. Ismail Jumale Human Rights Centre in 1996.”

Much like his uncle, Shire has faced immense personal challenges throughout his human rights career. He became a target of warlords and corrupt officials controlling Somalia, and in 2001, he was forced to flee the country, settling temporarily in Canada. Despite being thousands of miles away, he never stopped thinking about what he could do for fellow human rights defenders (HRDs) back in Somalia and the rest of Africa.

“I started researching why all the mechanisms that existed at the time could not be used to protect human rights defenders in their own countries,” Shire said. “That missing link in the chain of protection of human rights defenders had to be established.”

Upon his return to Africa in 2005, Shire managed to get a small grant to establish DefendDefenders in Uganda – a civil society organization that seeks to support, protect, and build the capacities of human rights defenders across the East and Horn of Africa. “This was the first time where HRDs, collectively as a network, could protect themselves and their members in their own countries.”

According to Shire, the challenges for human rights defenders in Africa have grown increasingly complex over the past few decades, with environmental defenders, women human rights defenders, and youth leaders facing heightened risks. “We seek to be resilient in the face of repression,” Shire said. “That is what engages us every day.”

Shire firmly believes in the power of solidarity networks to mobilize support for human rights defenders and democracy advocates. He has been part of the World Movement for Democracy’s community since 2000, when he attended the Second Global Assembly in São Paulo, Brazil.

“It offers light, solidarity, and a platform for activists who might otherwise remain isolated in their corners of the world,” Shire said. Over the years, he has witnessed the World Movement empower young activists through leadership development, meaningful connections, and opportunities for accelerated learning.

“It supports many young African activists—from Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Congo, to Liberia,” he said. “You’ll find that some of these activists eventually step into political leadership in their own countries.”

Once you’re part of the World Movement, Shire added, it’s for life. “I’m living proof of the impact it can create,” he said.