What Conectas Direitos Humanos does

Conectas Direitos Humanos is a Brazilian non-profit human rights organization founded in 2001, legally registered as Associação Direitos Humanos em Rede and headquartered in São Paulo with additional offices in Brasília (Brazil) and Geneva (Switzerland). According to firmographics, the organization employs 61 people; its own materials describe a team of more than 30 working across these three locations. Conectas pursues a dual-track model of strategic litigation before Brazilian and international courts and tribunals (notably the Brazilian Supreme Court, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and UN bodies), combined with a publishing and convening platform: the SUR – International Journal on Human Rights (celebrating its 20th anniversary and distributed to more than 100 countries), the annual International Human Rights Colloquium for Global South defenders, and three programmatic initiatives covering democracy and the human rights movement, socioenvironmental rights defense, and fighting institutional violence.

The organization's core "products" are non-software and consist of (1) litigation services — including amicus curiae participation and co-petitioner filings in cases such as ADPF 635 (police violence in Rio de Janeiro), ADI 7919 (environmental licensing), the Crimes of Maio forced disappearance matter, and the Marco Temporal indigenous rights case; (2) publications, led by the SUR academic journal and ad hoc reports; and (3) convenings via the Colloquium. Conectas operates through extensive coalition partnerships with social movements (e.g., Redes da Maré, Movimento Negro Unificado, Mães de Manguinhos), community collectives, academic centers such as GENI/UFF, and international organizations including WOLA, ISHR, and AJPD.

Conectas does not have commercial customers and does not charge for services. Its revenue model is grant-based, drawing on private Brazilian and international foundations and development agencies; the organization explicitly declines funding from the Brazilian government to preserve operational autonomy, and maintains that all financial transactions are independently audited. Donor organizations do not participate in planning or validation, and the entity is governed by a 12-member Deliberative Council and 5-person Executive Committee. End beneficiaries are victims of institutional and police violence, migrants, Indigenous and Quilombola communities, and broader civil society in Brazil and the Global South.

Name

Conectas Direitos Humanos

Legal name

Associação Direitos Humanos em Rede

Website

https://conectas.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Conectas Direitos Humanos is a Brazilian non-profit founded in 2001 that pursues strategic litigation, publications, and convenings to defend human rights, democracy, and socioenvironmental rights in Brazil and the Global South, serving victims of police violence, migrants, Indigenous communities, and civil-society partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Advocacy and Strategic Litigation

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy (BPADAGAK)

Keywords

• Human rights advocacy
• Strategic litigation
• Socioenvironmental rights
• International human rights mechanisms
• Civil society organization

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Development Agency Funding: Conectas is funded by private Brazilian and international foundations and development agencies. The organization does not accept donations from the Brazilian government. All financial transactions are audited independently.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Conectas Direitos Humanos is a Brazilian non-profit human rights organization that conducts strategic litigation before the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) and international bodies, publishes the SUR International Journal on Human Rights distributed to over 100 countries, organizes the annual International Human Rights Colloquium for Global South human rights defenders, and runs programs on democracy, socioenvironmental rights, and fighting institutional violence. Its work is delivered free of charge as a public interest activity, funded by private foundations and development agencies, with a 30+ person team based in São Paulo, Brasília, and Geneva.

Product overview

Conectas Direitos Humanos is a human rights NGO that operates as a portfolio of programs and publications rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include: (1) SUR International Journal on Human Rights - an academic publication distributed globally; (2) the International Human Rights Colloquium - an annual convening of Global South human rights defenders; (3) Strategic Litigation - legal advocacy services before Brazilian and international courts; and (4) three programmatic initiatives covering democracy/human rights movement, socioenvironmental rights defense, and fighting institutional violence. The organization also publishes news, public statements, and maintains a newsletter subscription service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SUR – International Journal on Human Rights: An international journal on human rights published by Conectas, distributed to more than 100 countries, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026.
• Colóquio Internacional de Direitos Humanos

Products and services

• SUR – International Journal on Human Rights An academic journal publishing articles on human rights topics, distributed to more than 100 countries. The journal celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2026 with a special edition on authoritarianism and human rights in the Global South, serving academics, researchers, and human rights advocates worldwide.
• International Human Rights Colloquium An annual international event that brings together human rights defenders from Africa, Latin America, and Asia to discuss UN effectiveness and regional human rights mechanisms. It is organized by Conectas as a convening platform for Global South civil society.
• Strategic Litigation Legal advocacy before the Brazilian judiciary and international human rights bodies, including strategic litigation and amicus curiae submissions on cases before the Supreme Court (STF) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH). Service is provided free of charge as a public interest activity.
• Democracy and Human Rights Movement Program Program focused on defending democracy, civil liberties, and political rights in Brazil and internationally. It encompasses Conectas's work on freedom of expression, anti-racism instruments, and protection of the Inter-American human rights system.
• Defense of Socioenvironmental Rights Program Program addressing environmental justice, protection of traditional peoples, indigenous rights (including the marco temporal case), and socioenvironmental rights violations in Brazil. Engages in amicus curiae litigation on environmental licensing and rights of quilombola and indigenous communities.
• Fighting Institutional Violence Program Program focused on police violence, prison system reform, juvenile justice, and combating state-sponsored human rights violations in Brazil. Key cases include ADPF 635 (Favelas), the Crimes of Maio forced disappearance litigation, and protection of children and adolescents from violence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Police operations suspended during COVID-19 pandemic resulting in 70% reduction in deaths and 50% reduction in injuries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.

• EducafrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-petitioner in ADPF 635 (Favelas Case) challenging police violence in Rio de Janeiro. Partnership involves strategic litigation before Brazilian Supreme Court.
• Justiça GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman rights organization co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case against police violence. Works on justice and human rights in Brazil.
• Redes da MarécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization from Complexo da Maré in Rio. Co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case and amicus curiae partner with Conectas on police violence litigation.
• Movimento Negro UnificadocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack movement organization co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case addressing police violence and genocide of Black population.
• GENI/UFF (Grupo de Estudos dos Novos Ilegalismos)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch group from Fluminense Federal University providing data and analysis on police lethality for ADPF 635 case.
• WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based Latin America policy organization. Joint statements on democracy and human rights, including opposition to external interference in Brazil's judicial processes.
• Observatório de FavelassupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFavelas research organization amicus curiae in ADPF 635 case on police violence in Rio de Janeiro.
• Instituto Marielle FrancosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman rights institute named after Marielle Franco, amicus curiae in ADPF 635 case.
• Conselho Nacional de Direitos HumanossupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Human Rights Council, amicus curiae in ADPF 635 case.
• ISHR (International Service for Human Rights)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on engagement with African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
• AJPD (Associação Juízes para a Democracia)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian judges association, partnership on engagement with African Commission.
• Coletivo Papo RetocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth collective from Manguinhos, co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case on police violence.
• Coletivo Fala AkaricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity collective, co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case.
• Rede de Comunidades e Movimento contra a ViolênciacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity network against violence, co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case.
• Mães de ManguinhoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMothers of victims group from Manguinhos, co-petitioner in ADPF 635 case.
• Mães de MaiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMothers of victims movement from Crimes of Maios 2006, amicus curiae in litigation for recognition as severe human rights violations.
• Greenpeace BrasilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization, amicus curiae in ADI 7919 on environmental licensing.
• Instituto Socioambiental (ISA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental NGO, amicus curiae in ADI 7919 challenging environmental licensing dismantlement at STF.
• WWF-BrasilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization, amicus curiae in ADI 7919 on environmental licensing.
• SOS Mata AtlânticasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlantic Forest protection organization, amicus curiae in ADI 7919.
• Conaq (Coordenação Nacional de Articulação das Comunidades Negras Rurais Quilombolas)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuilombola communities coordination, amicus curiae in ADI 7919 on environmental licensing.
• Instituto AlanasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild-focused NGO, amicus curiae in ADI 7919.
• Observatório do ClimasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate observatory, amicus curiae in ADI 7919 on environmental licensing.
• Public Defender's Office of Rio de JaneirocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in ADPF 635 case, filed the main petition challenging Rio de Janeiro security policy.
• Defensoria Pública da União (DPU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Public Defender, co-litigant in Boa Vista migrant health case and Crimes of Maio litigation.
• CMDH (Centro de Migrações e Direitos Humanos)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMigration and human rights center, partner in Boa Vista migrant rights litigation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch: Largest international human rights research and advocacy organization. Highly comparable because of its combination of investigation, country-focused advocacy, and engagement with UN and regional human rights bodies, though it operates at materially greater scale and scope than Conectas.
• Amnesty International: Global human rights movement combining research, campaigns, urgent action networks, and engagement with international mechanisms. Directly comparable to Conectas's model of combining documentation (analogous to SUR/journal work) with international advocacy and litigation support.
• FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights): Federation of 192 national human rights organizations engaged in international advocacy, litigation, and fact-finding. Comparable to Conectas as a coordinating node that channels local cases into UN and regional mechanisms, and a frequent co-litigant in Inter-American system cases.

Direct peers

• Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL): Latin American–headquartered human rights NGO that litigates strategically before the Inter-American system. Closely comparable to Conectas in mission, geographic focus on Latin America, and use of OAS/Inter-American Court as core advocacy venues.
• ARTICLE 19: International organization defending freedom of expression and information. Comparable because it engages in strategic litigation before domestic and international courts, operates a regional Brazil office, and works on cases such as the Porta dos Fundos censorship matter that Conectas has also addressed.
• WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America): US-based research and advocacy organization focused on human rights and democracy in Latin America. Comparable to Conectas for joint statements on democracy issues, cross-border convening of civil society, and policy advocacy around Brazilian human rights.
• Dejusticia: Colombia-based human rights organization focused on strategic litigation, research, and policy advocacy in Latin America. Closely comparable to Conectas for combining academic-style research outputs with high-impact constitutional and international litigation.
• International Service for Human Rights (ISHR): Geneva-based NGO supporting human rights defenders' engagement with UN mechanisms. Highly comparable because ISHR is an active partner of Conectas (e.g., African Commission engagement) and shares the same Geneva-based international-advocacy profile.

Regional players

• Instituto Vladimir Herzog: Brazilian human rights organization that awards the Vladimir Herzog prize and co-organizes the recognition that Conectas received. Comparable as a fellow Brazilian human rights NGO with overlapping advocacy and convening work.
• Terra de Direitos: Brazilian human rights NGO working on socioenvironmental rights, land rights, and access to justice. Comparable to Conectas for overlap on ADI 7919 environmental licensing litigation and the broader socioenvironmental rights defense program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conectasdh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Conectas Direitos Humanos