Cartoonists Rights Network International

CRNI envisions a world where cartoonists are free from persecution and able to use their creativity as a powerful tool for communication.

Our mission: strengthen the interconnectedness of cartoonists around the world, campaign to protect their human rights and defend those threatened as a result of their work.

We believe cartoonists occupy a unique role requiring specialised campaigning and defence.

Cartoonists are among those on the front lines of free speech. We monitor and verify threats in order to provide direct support to those who need it most.

Our approach is always about the person – we do not distinguish on the basis of career level, fame or reputation, preferred format, platform or methodology.

Our client base ranges from internationally celebrated cartoonists to newcomers persecuted simply for putting a drawing on their social media.

Collaborative working is at the core of what CRNI does. We work with cartoonists’ organisations as well as human rights and freedom of expression NGOs all over the world.

We seek to form lasting relationships with cartoonists and gather support from the wider global community.

We are the only cartoonists' FOE organisation with an explicit human rights-based remit.

We are neither a publishing platform nor an education/pedagogy organisation. We put cartoonists, the people, before cartoons, the artwork, and therefore are more vociferous in our defensive posture than others with a "softer" mission.

Nor are we concerned with what might be termed professional rights, which separates us from existing associations, unions etcetera.

Our independence is vital, and that is safeguarded by support from individual donors.