FRIDAY FILE - Sudanese people inspired by the Arab spring, and led by women and youth, took the streets of Sudan demanding regime change in 2011. Authorities violently cracked down on these demonstrations, detaining more than 150 women, who were sexually abused or tortured, injured and beaten in the protests. Since June 2012, new protests against the Sudanese regime have intensified violence against women human rights defenders (WHRDs).[1]
AWID's Friday Files
Illegal Detention of Women Human Rights Defenders in the Midst of the Border Conflict of Sudan
The First Arms Trade Treaty Recognises Gender-Based Violence
FRIDAY FILE - On April 2, 2013, a decades long campaign culminated in the signing of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the UN General Assembly. The ATT prohibits arms sales when there is a risk that weapons could be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law.
Some Advances in Legal Rights for Domestic Workers in Latin America
FRIDAY FILE - Long working hours, lack of rest time and poor treatment and compensation, in the absence of national legislation, often turns domestic work into a form of slavery in many countries. We reflect on some of the changes taking place in Latin America regarding decent work for domestic workers.
Urgent Actions
Amnesty International app for protecting activists up for technology award
A mobile alert app designed by Amnesty International to help protect human rights activists in danger is in the running for the prestigious Global Impact Award.
India: Arrest of human rights defender Ms Madhuri Ramakrishnasway on fabricated charges
On 16 May 2013, human rights defender and maternal health activist Ms Madhuri Ramakrishnasway was arrested outside the court in Barwani in Madhya Pradesh, in a case brought against her after a protest.
Sunila has given to the world, now it’s time to give to her
We are writing to ask you to join a solidarity effort for our dear friend Sunila Abeysekera, a leading women’s human rights defender, who is in a life struggle with cancer. AWID is joining this campaign in solidarity with Sunila, a dear friend and partner for many years. Please consider collaborating.
Resource and learning Hub: Transforming Economic Power to Advance Women’s Rights and Justice
Visit this new website from AWID to explore key issues and debates from the 2012 Forum and learn more about economic power and the connections with diverse women’s rights issues and agendas.
Women's Rights in the News
EU-wide protection for victims of domestic violence to become law
Victims of violence, in particular domestic violence, will soon be able to count on EU-wide protection, after the European Parliament voted with an overwhelming majority (602 votes in favour, 23 against, 63 abstentions) to endorse the European Commission's proposal for an EU-wide protection order.
Georgia: Homophobic violence mars Tbilisi Pride event
Police in the Georgian capital Tbilisi failed to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) activists as thousands of people violently attacked a Pride event today in what Amnesty International said was an ineffective response to organized and violent homophobia.
Brazil judicial decision paves the way for same sex marriage
Brazil has become the third and largest Latin American country to give a de facto green light to same-sex marriage.
Member Profiles
Each week we profile a different institutional and individual AWID member. This week we are featuring members: Laura Marcela Santos González and Sunya Ward Education and Training (SWEAT)! If you are an AWID member and would like to be profiled, please write to membership@awid.org
Read more Institutional member profiles here
Read more Individual member profiles here
Issues & Analysis
Bangladesh's garment workers face exploitation, but is it slavery?
It may be splitting hairs over what is and is not slavery, but mislabelling paid workers as slaves could harm their cause.
Political Statement of Networks and Organizations Gathered in Mexico "Deepening Democracy and Rules of Law that fultill Women's Human Rights. It is about Time Already"
Organizations and feminists, academics and human rights women networks from Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, here undersigned, participants of the international seminar “Incidence on the Network: The Challenge of States to Fulfill Women’s Human Rights”, held from May 7 to May 10, 2013 in Mexico City, express the following:
US Embassy in Tel Aviv excludes Palestinians from reception honoring the LGBT community in Israel
Aswat- Palestinian Gay Women was recently invited to attend a reception hosted by the US Embassy in honor of the LGBTQI community in Israel, planned for Thursday 16th May. Enquiring about speakers at the event, Aswat learned that no Palestinian LGBTQI activists had been approached to speak, and that only Jewish Israeli campaigners were invited to speak. Despite requests on our part to be included in the list of speakers, the Embassy repeatedly made the excuse that arrangements had been finalized and that there had not been room to include us in the list of speakers.
What's new at AWID?
New global development agenda must have human rights at its core
World leaders must reject an aid-based model of development and instead pursue an approach that puts human rights and justice at its core, 19 non-governmental organizations urged ahead of a High-Level Panel report to the UN on the future of sustainable development.
Getting at the roots: Reintegrating human rights & gender equality in post-2015 development agenda
The following paper was submitted by AWID to the UNICEF/UN Women Global Thematic Consultation on post-2015 agenda "Addressing Inequalities" (October 2012)
Primer 12: The United Nations Development Cooperation Forum Through a Women's Rights Lens
By Julia Miller and Anne Schoenstein
Primer 12 provides an overview of the UN Development Cooperation Forum (DCF). It focuses in on the DCF origins and strategic plans for the future, while emphasizing the importance of the DCF for women's rights and gender equality advocates.



