Review Report: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Support to Human Rights INGOs
The review assesses the support provided by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA) to International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) working in the field of human rights between 2022 and 2024. The review focuses on results achieved, progress made, and the added value of the funding portfolio.
The review finds the funded interventions highly relevant and effective. INGOs systematically monitored and analysed human rights situations at local, national, regional, and international levels, successfully linking grassroots realities with regional and global advocacy. Beyond financial support, the MFA was valued as a strategic partner through ongoing dialogue and information exchange.
The review concludes that sustained support to INGOs is essential for maintaining a strong, locally grounded global human rights system and for safeguarding Finland’s long-standing reputation as a principled and effective human rights actor. It recommends that Finland continue INGO funding while leveraging it more strategically. The support should safeguard independence of INGOs, reduce their administrative burden, strengthen localisation, and enhance structured policy dialogue. This would help maximise impact within existing resource constraints.