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.
Women Human Rights Defenders
About this Initiative
Image from the publication Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice: A Guidebook on Women Human Rights Defenders created by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
Violence against Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) is increasing around the world. As human rights defenders, WHRDs face the same types of risks faced by all defenders who work to uphold the rights of people, communities and the environment; as women, they are also exposed to gender-specific risks and are targets of gender-based violence. AWID is responding to the context of increasing violence against activists through the WHRD Strategic Initiative, based on our mission and key constituency of women’s rights advocates working across issues, in all regions and sectors.
AWID’s WHRD Strategic Initiative aims to raise awareness of violations of the rights of WHRDs; strengthen mechanisms for their protection; and contribute to more gender-responsive and effective responses to WHRDs at risk. AWID works with allied organizations within the WHRD International Coalition to increase visibility around violence against WHRDs globally, and improve responses to WHRDs at risk through increased coordination among human rights and women’s rights organizations. The WHRD Strategic Initiative mobilizes AWID’s members and broader constituency to take urgent action to protect WHRDs at risk and develops resource materials for WHRDs around the world.
AWID also supports regional initiatives led by women’s and human rights organizations to document incidents of violence against WHRDs; develop support and protection networks; and promote joint strategies. Currently this work is taking place in Mexico and Central America (Meso America) through the Meso American Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders, which seeks to contribute to the protection of WHRDs in the region and to document their experiences so that these can be shared with other regions of the world. AWID is a member of this Initiative’s Steering Group along with Just Associates (JASS), the Oaxaca Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equity from Mexico (Consorcio Oaxaca), the Guatemala Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (UDEFEGUA), the Central American Women’s Fund (FCAM), and the Feminist Collective for Local Development from El Salvador (Colectiva Feminista). These efforts contribute towards building the collective power of women activists and their allies to address violence against WHRDs, since movement building across diverse, organized women is a key dimension of the response strategy.
To learn more about AWID’s work to Support and Protect Women Human Rights Defenders please click here
What's new from this initiative
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Are Central to the Work of Women Human Rights Defenders
FRIDAY FILE - Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) work under precarious conditions, often putting their lives in danger as they defend and protect women’s economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) across the globe.
Defending Ancestral Lands: Indigenous Women Human Rights Defenders in the Philippines
FRIDAY FILE - Murders of indigenous women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in the Philippines have caused worldwide condemnation. Defending indigenous communities’ rights to sustainable livelihoods, and protecting ancestral lands from mining interests has become an increasingly dangerous struggle.
Human Rights Abuses In Honduras Pose An Ongoing Threat To Women’s Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs)
FRIDAY FILE - Since the coup d’état in Honduras in June 2009, there has been an on-going and worsening situation of systemic violence and assassinations of human rights defenders. This is particularly serious for women human rights defenders (WHRDs).
When States Use Legislation Against Women Human Rights Defenders
FRIDAY FILE - With the upsurge in the criminalization of civil society, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders’ 2012 report discusses how States use legislation to regulate the activities of human rights defenders (HRDs).
Grave human rights abuses in Honduras prompt an International Call to Action
Honduras, considered to be one of the world's most dangerous countries, is plagued by assassinations of journalists, lawyers and activists.
Message of solidarity with the victims of repression in Totonicapán, Guatemala from networks, organizations and women human rights defenders
With indignation and grief at the repression of the Government of Guatemala against its people on October 4th, 2012, alliances, organizations and women human rights defenders in Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Holland, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama and other countries offer our solidarity and support.
We Stand in Solidarity with Honduras
To stop the repression and violence that has been directed against Women Human Rights Defenders and communities fighting for their rights, the Meso-American Initiative of WHRDs and allied organizations convened the 11 October Day in Solidarity with Honduras. See below for the Call to Action, a report on the actions, the Honduras Statement, and news coverage.
Key Resources
- Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice (in English, French, and Spanish, available from Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition)
- Insiste Persiste Resiste Existe - Women human rights defenders' Security Strategies (Resiste) (in English, French and Spanish, available from Front Line)
Who is a WHRD?
As a member of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition, AWID understands WHRDs as “women active in human rights defense who are targeted for who they are as well as all those active in the defense of women’s rights who are targeted for what they do. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists participate in many human rights struggles, including the advocacy for sexual rights. They become vulnerable to violence because of who they are and the work they do, especially when that work is directly related to sexuality. We refer to them as women human rights defenders, too.”
Urgent Actions
Read the latest urgent actions
- India: Arbitrary arrest and judicial harassment of 13 women human rights defenders in Kolkata
- Saudi Arabia: Women human rights defenders sentenced to imprisonment and receive travel bans
- Turkey: End violent repression of protests
- Urgent Action: State Violence in Turkey
- Honduras: Call to Action for the Freedom of Berta Cáceres
Latest Information
Read the latest content on Women Human Rights Defenders
- Urgent need to implement the UN recommendations in Honduras
- Council must denounce rape and other forms of sexual violence against women defenders
- Civil Society Organizations Call for New Security Model, Demilitarization, Human Rights
- Voices in Danger: In Honduras, they come after your family too
- Human Rights Council discusses causes of violence and discrimination against women
- For Peace, Democracy and Freedom in Turkey and Throughout the World