The Fund is open to Indigenous Human Rights Defenders, members of Indigenous organizations, institutions and communities,  experiencing   serious   threats to their individual and or collective rights. These threats are those particularly related to acts of criminalization, which include illegal detention and filing of trumped-up criminal charges, possible assassination, imputation of criminal acts against persons, among others, which are meant to stop them from asserting their human rights. This Fund provides  financial  assistance  for  their  protection and security such as the provision of resources for legal assistance to those who face false charges, to those who are under detention while hearings are taking place and those already convicted and detained on false or trumped up charges.

The Fund will also assist Indigenous   peoples who are evicted/displaced   from   their   territories or   are   threatened  to  be evicted. The eviction or displacement, or threat of it, is supported by a law or policy that contravenes Indigenous Peoples rights to their lands, territories and resources, or is implemented by State agents. The Indigenous Peoples concerned are ,in  immediate  need  of  legal, or  financial  support   for their security and wellbeing.              

The Fund will also assist  Indigenous  women  HRDs  who  are  especially  targeted  because  of
 their  gender  or  have  become  victims  of  gender-based violence  by  members  of  military or State forces including security forces in national parks or protected areas, para-militaries, private company guards such as mining companies, etc.