Budget
€100 — €0
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
3
3 FTE
EU Grants
None
Mission & Goals
HanVoice is a national Canadian non-profit organisation dedicated to improving human rights in North Korea through education, advocacy, and resettlement. Founded in 2007 by law students, HanVoice has grown into Canada’s leading civil society advocate for the North Korean people, supported by a grassroots network of over 300 volunteers across 17 university chapters. Its mission is to develop Made in Canada solutions—approaches that leverage Canada’s strengths as a trusted middle power, a humanitarian leader, and a champion of human rights—to promote a free and prosperous Korean Peninsula. HanVoice pursues this vision through three key programmatic areas: awareness and education, policy development, coordination, and advocacy, and refugee resettlement.
EU Legislative Interests
HanVoice’s advocacy within the European Union focuses primarily on advancing and strengthening the EU’s human rights and accountability mechanisms with respect to North Korea. The main legislative proposals and policy frameworks targeted include: European Union Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy – to ensure the integration of North Korean human rights concerns within the EU’s global human rights strategy. EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (Council Decision 2020/1999) – to promote the inclusion of North Korean individuals and entities responsible for grave human rights abuses. EU Annual Human Rights Report and Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders – to ensure that the plight of North Korean defectors and civil society actors is reflected in EU reporting and protection frameworks. These initiatives align with HanVoice’s broader advocacy to strengthen the UN Human Rights Council’s resolutions and mechanisms for investigating ongoing violations in North Korea.
Communication Activities
HanVoice carries out a comprehensive range of communication and public engagement activities designed to inform EU policymakers, civil society partners, and the wider public about North Korea’s human rights situation and to support the EU’s role in advancing accountability and rights-based engagement. Key activities include: International Advocacy Campaigns and Briefings: Coordinating coalition briefings for member states in Geneva and Brussels, ahead of Human Rights Council sessions, to advocate for stronger resolutions and the appointment of a senior expert on human rights and weapons development in North Korea. Submitting joint letters and policy proposals to EU missions and permanent representatives at the UN to influence resolution language and accountability measures. Media and Publications: Producing policy briefs and op-eds amplifying North Korean defector voices and promoting human rights-centred policy engagement. Leveraging social media outreach across Canada, Europe, and South Korea to mobilise public support and generate over 3 million digital impressions annually.
Interests Represented
Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members
Member Of
We are not a member of any associations, federations, networks, or other bodies.
Organisation Members
Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (https://en.nkdb.org/) Stimson Center (https://www.stimson.org/)
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.