The objective of Finnish foreign policy is to promote the rule of law, democracy and human rights. Supporting and protecting human rights defenders is an important part of this objective. These guidelines for the implementation of the European Union Guidelines on HRDs have been prepared to further strengthen the work of the Foreign Ministry of Finland in supporting human rights defenders. These guidelines are based on the European Union Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and the priorities outlined in the Human Rights Strategy of the Foreign Service of Finland. These guidelines are intended to be used as a practical tool that supports these efforts.