Adolfo Lujan | Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Mass demonstration in Madrid on International Women's Day
Multitudinaria manifestación en Madrid en el día internacional de la mujer

Priority Areas

Supporting feminist, women’s rights and gender justice movements to thrive, to be a driving force in challenging systems of oppression, and to co-create feminist realities.

Advancing Universal Rights and Justice

Uprooting Fascisms and Fundamentalisms

Across the globe, feminist, women’s rights and gender justice defenders are challenging the agendas of fascist and fundamentalist actors. These oppressive forces target women, persons who are non-conforming in their gender identity, expression and/or sexual orientation, and other oppressed communities.


Discriminatory ideologies are undermining and co-opting our human rights systems and standards,  with the aim of making rights the preserve of only certain groups. In the face of this, the Advancing Universal Rights and Justice (AURJ) initiative promotes the universality of rights - the foundational principle that human rights belong to everyone, no matter who they are, without exception.

We create space for feminist, women’s rights and gender justice movements and allies to recognize, strategize and take collective action to counter the influence and impact of anti-rights actors. We also seek to advance women’s rights and feminist frameworks, norms and proposals, and to protect and promote the universality of rights.


Our actions

Through this initiative, we:

  • Build knowledge: We support feminist, women’s rights and gender justice movements by disseminating and popularizing knowledge and key messages about anti-rights actors, their strategies, and impact in the international human rights systems through AWID’s leadership role in the collaborative platform, the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs)*.
  • Advance feminist agendas: We ally ourselves with partners in international human rights spaces including, the Human Rights Council, the Commission on Population and Development, the Commission on the Status of Women and the UN General Assembly.
  • Create and amplify alternatives: We engage with our members to ensure that international commitments, resolutions and norms reflect and are fed back into organizing in other spaces locally, nationally and regionally.
  • Mobilize solidarity action: We take action alongside women human rights defenders (WHRDs) including trans and intersex defenders and young feminists, working to challenge fundamentalisms and fascisms and call attention to situations of risk.  

 

Related Content

Women Human Rights Defenders

WHRDs are self-identified women and lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LBTQI) people and others who defend rights and are subject to gender-specific risks and threats due to their human rights work and/or as a direct consequence of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

WHRDs are subject to systematic violence and discrimination due to their identities and unyielding struggles for rights, equality and justice.

The WHRD Program collaborates with international and regional partners as well as the AWID membership to raise awareness about these risks and threats, advocate for feminist and holistic measures of protection and safety, and actively promote a culture of self-care and collective well being in our movements.


Risks and threats targeting WHRDs  

WHRDs are exposed to the same types of risks that all other defenders who defend human rights, communities, and the environment face. However, they are also exposed to gender-based violence and gender-specific risks because they challenge existing gender norms within their communities and societies.

By defending rights, WHRDs are at risk of:

  • Physical assault and death
  • Intimidation and harassment, including in online spaces
  • Judicial harassment and criminalization
  • Burnout

A collaborative, holistic approach to safety

We work collaboratively with international and regional networks and our membership

  • to raise awareness about human rights abuses and violations against WHRDs and the systemic violence and discrimination they experience
  • to strengthen protection mechanisms and ensure more effective and timely responses to WHRDs at risk

We work to promote a holistic approach to protection which includes:

  • emphasizing the importance of self-care and collective well being, and recognizing that what care and wellbeing mean may differ across cultures
  • documenting the violations targeting WHRDs using a feminist intersectional perspective;
  • promoting the social recognition and celebration of the work and resilience of WHRDs ; and
  • building civic spaces that are conducive to dismantling structural inequalities without restrictions or obstacles

Our Actions

We aim to contribute to a safer world for WHRDs, their families and communities. We believe that action for rights and justice should not put WHRDs at risk; it should be appreciated and celebrated.

  • Promoting collaboration and coordination among human rights and women’s rights organizations at the international level to  strengthen  responses concerning safety and wellbeing of WHRDs.

  • Supporting regional networks of WHRDs and their organizations, such as the Mesoamerican Initiative for WHRDs and the WHRD Middle East and North Africa  Coalition, in promoting and strengthening collective action for protection - emphasizing the establishment of solidarity and protection networks, the promotion of self-care, and advocacy and mobilization for the safety of WHRDs;

  • Increasing the visibility and recognition of  WHRDs and their struggles, as well as the risks that they encounter by documenting the attacks that they face, and researching, producing, and disseminating information on their struggles, strategies, and challenges:

  • Mobilizing urgent responses of international solidarity for WHRDs at risk through our international and regional networks, and our active membership.

Related Content

Género y discapacidad: la lucha contra la discriminación en Senegal

Género y discapacidad: la lucha contra la discriminación en Senegal

La organización Vie Féminine et Handicap [vida femenina y discapacidad] se afilió a AWID en el año 2008. La Presidenta de la organización, Ndoye Kane, afirma que esto se hizo  « con el fin de defender mejor nuestras ideas, mejorar la concientización  sobre la discriminación experimentada por las mujeres que viven con discapacidad en África y para dar mayor visibilidad a nuestro trabajo». 


Tener en cuenta las necesidades específicas de las mujeres que viven con discapacidad

Vie Féminine et Handicap comenzó a operar en 2008 y su misión es luchar contra la pobreza que sufren las mujeres que viven con discapacidad en Senegal y en todo el mundo –aunque   especialmente en el continente africano. En su visión, la discapacidad dejar de ser una barrera para la dignidad o el bienestar de las mujeres. Los principales objetivos de la organización son la lucha contra la pobreza, las infecciones de transmisión sexual y el sida entre las mujeres que viven con diversidad funcional, fortaleciendo su acceso a las nuevas tecnologías de la información.

Vie Féminine et Handicap se creó para abordar cuestiones relevantes a las  mujeres con diversidad funcional — desde una perspectiva que toma en cuenta sus necesidades específicas como mujeres y personas que viven con una discapacidad —;   para garantizar que su situación económica evoluciona de manera positiva;  y para mejorar la sensibilidad social a temas relacionados con la discapacidad, eliminando los prejuicios negativos.

La organización cuenta con 15 integrantes y trabaja, principalmente,  en los departamentos de Pikine y Guédiawaye de la región de Dakar. Su tarea incluye crear conciencia y capacitar a mujeres que viven con diversidad funcional;  y también hacer incidencia con tomadores de decisión por los derechos humanos de las mujeres que viven con discapacidad, su empoderamiento económico y su salud sexual y reproductiva. «Creamos conciencia sobre el tema de la diversidad funcional en las comunidades, invitando a las autoridades, a la juventud y a las personas sin discapacidades, porque en Senegal y en el contexto africano hay, por lo general, muchos prejuicios negativos en torno a las capacidades diferentes. También participamos en conferencias regionales e internacionales para hablar de la situación de las mujeres discapacitadas en África y en el mundo; y para alinear mejor nuestras estrategias», subraya Kane.

«Sin solidaridad, sin una comprensión de que la lucha que nosotras lideramos no es para una sola organización de personas discapacitadas, sino para todas, nunca lograremos ningún resultado. Cada organización de personas con diversidad funcional debe comprender que la lucha que estamos librando es más importante que la competencia y que debemos avanzar juntas para seguir obteniendo resultados duraderos.», explicó Ndoya Kane,  en el 2010 en un informe de AWID.

Recursos combinados y el financiamiento autónomo de la membresía

En febrero de 2010, la organización creó un fondo de autofinanciamiento,  que combina los aportes de su membresía para que cada integrante financie pequeños proyectos personales y para iniciar actividades de generación de ingresos, particularmente bajo la forma de pequeños negocios. La idea de crear este fondo surgió de la propia membresía –un  grupo vulnerable con recursos económicos limitados y para  el que resulta casi imposible acceder al crédito.

Un ejemplo de este trabajo es la historia de Marétou Dio, quien vive en Guédiawaye: el fondo le permitió instalar un puesto en el mercado de su comunidad y vender productos alimenticios. «Ahora hay mujeres que se están sumando a nuestro fondo autofinanciado para obtener crédito y costear sus actividades», indica Ndoya Kane.

«Las conversaciones grupales son todavía más importantes porque  abren la oportunidad de reunirnos con otras mujeres que viven con discapacidad y  generar relaciones de confianza para hablar cómodamente sobre los problemas que nosotras enfrentamos. Decidimos colectivamente cuáles son los desafíos que afrontamos e intentamos traer especialistas para abordarlos», explica Kane.

Source
AWID

Vie Féminine et Handicap : lutter contre les discriminations au Sénégal

Vie Féminine et Handicap : lutter contre les discriminations au Sénégal

L’association Vie Féminine et Handicap est devenue membre de l’AWID en 2008 « pour mieux défendre nos idées, mieux sensibiliser sur les discriminations dont les femmes en situation de handicap sont victimes en Afrique et offrir une meilleure visibilité de nos actions », confie la Présidente de l’association, Ndoya Kane. 


Prendre en compte les besoins spécifiques des femmes en situation de handicap 

Créée en 2008, Vie Féminine et Handicap se donne pour mission de lutter contre la pauvreté des femmes en situation de handicap au Sénégal et de façon plus globale sur tout le continent africain. Dans le cadre d’une vision où le handicap ne devrait pas constituer un frein à la dignité et au bien-être des femmes, l’association se donne pour objectifs principaux de lutter contre la pauvreté, les Infections Sexuellement Transmissibles et le Sida chez les femmes en situation de handicap, tout en renforçant leur accès aux nouvelles technologies de l’information. 

Vie Féminine et Handicap a été créée pour que les problématiques des femmes handicapées soient gérées à partir d’une perspective qui prenne en compte leurs besoins spécifiques, liés à la fois à leurs statuts de femme et de personne handicapée, et pour que leur situation économique évolue de façon positive et que la société soit mieux sensibilisée aux questions du handicap sans préjugés négatifs. 
Constituée d’une cinquantaine de membres et agissant principalement sur les départements de Pikine et de Guédiawaye dans la région de Dakar, Vie Féminine et Handicap entreprend des activités de sensibilisation et de formation des femmes en situation de handicap ainsi que de plaidoyer envers les autorités, qui portent à la fois sur la question de l’exercice des droits humains des femmes handicapées, leur pouvoir économique et leur santé sexuelle et reproductive.  « Nous organisons des activités de sensibilisation sur le handicap dans les quartiers en y invitant les autorités communales, les jeunes et les personnes « valides » car le handicap est entouré de beaucoup de préjugés négatifs dans la culture sénégalaise et africaine en général. Nous participons aussi à des conférences aux niveaux africain et international pour débattre de la situation des femmes handicapées en Afrique et dans le monde pour une meilleure harmonisation de nos stratégies », souligne Ndoya Kane.

« Sans faire preuve de solidarité, sans comprendre que notre combat n’est pas mené pour défendre les intérêts d’une seule organisation de personnes handicapées, mais de tou-te-s, nous n’obtiendrons jamais de résultats. Toutes les organisations de personnes handicapées doivent comprendre que le combat que nous menons est plus important que les rivalités internes et que nous devons avancer ensemble pour réussir à obtenir des résultats durables », expliquait Ndoya Kane en 2010 dans un rapport de l'AWID.

Mutualisation des ressources et autofinancement des membres

L’association a mis en place depuis février 2010 une caisse d’autofinancement (CAF), qui consiste à mettre en commun les cotisations des membres pour permettre à chacune de disposer de financements de petits projets personnels et d’initier des activités génératrices de revenus pour ses membres, axées notamment autour du petit commerce. L’idée de créer cette CAF est née de la volonté des membres elles-mêmes, qui constituent un groupe très précaire disposant de faibles ressources économiques et dont l’accès aux crédits formels s’avère par conséquent impossible.

La CAF a par exemple permis à Marétou Diop, une habitante de Guédiawaye, d’ouvrir une boutique dans le marché de son quartier pour y vendre des denrées alimentaires. « Maintenant, les autres femmes viennent adhérer à notre Caisse d’Autofinancement pour trouver du crédit et financer leurs activités », souligne Ndoya Kane. 

« Les discussions de groupe sont d’autant plus importantes qu’elles permettent de nous retrouver entre femmes handicapées et renforcent la confiance chez certaines pour parler de leur condition de femme en toute aisance. Nous choisissons ensemble quel problème existe et essayons d’avoir recours à des spécialistes pour nous entretenir sur la question », raconte Ndoya Kane.

Source
AWID

Mobilizing for Women and Girl Victims of War Violence in the DRC

Mobilizing for Women and Girl Victims of War Violence in the DRC

The organization l’Initiatives des Femmes en Situations Difficiles pour le Développement Intégré (Initiatives of Women in Difficult Situations for Integrated Development, IFESIDI) became an AWID member in 2012, which they consider “a network through which IFESIDI could benefit from lots of experience in the area of promoting and protecting women’s rights.”


“Together in the fight for women’s and girls’ rights!” 

For over twenty years, the wars affecting eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been at the root of massive human rights violations – particularly the rights of women, girls and children – including rape and other forms of violence against women and girls.  The appropriation of their resources and their consequent impoverishment, as well as being placed in a vulnerable situations from displacement following attacks in their village, all contribute to a precarious situation for women and girls. Faced with this reality, IFESIDI was created in 2002 to improve the social conditions of women and girl victims of violence related to war, including those living in rural areas; and to promote and protect their rights. This non-denominational non-profit is composed of 35 members, its activities covering at least the whole of the South Kivu province in eastern DRC. With the slogan “Together in the fight for women’s and girls’ rights!” IFESIDI hopes that Congolese women and girls can one day live in dignity.

Strengthening the Economic and Educational Capacities of Women Victims of War

In addition to counselling services for women and girl victims of violence in different spheres – namely domestic, academic and professional – the organization is currently conducting an economic and educational capacity building program for women victims of war. The program includes job training, related to, among others, artisan soap making, fabric cutting and sewing.  

One of the beneficiaries of the program explains: “Before being invited by IFESIDI and being trained, I was carrying heavy bags of sand for construction workers in the city of Bukavu, going back and forth with these bags on my back all day long. The displaced woman that I am in this city, without financial resources, I was without any hope to continue to live and no one looked at me when I passed by… But today, thanks to IFESIDI, I can talk, I can pass by and people will know that it’s “mama” Ponga Musema who is passing by!”      

Mobilizing as part of the 16 Days of Activism

As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which begins on 25 November and ends 10 December, IFESIDI is organizing awareness raising activities, a panel discussion, advocacy strategies, exchanges and an evaluation with the women and girls that the organization targets.


Get connected

Source
IFESIDI

Movilización por las mujeres y las niñas víctimas de la violencia de la guerra en RDC

Movilización por las mujeres y las niñas víctimas de la violencia de la guerra en RDC

La organización Initiatives des Femmes en Situations Difficiles pour le Développement Intégré [Iniciativas de las mujeres en situaciones precarias por el desarrollo integrado] se afilió a AWID en 2012 porque consideraron que era «una red a través de la cual IFESIDI podía beneficiarse de la enorme experiencia acumulada en la promoción y la protección de los derechos de las mujeres».


«¡Juntas en la lucha por los derechos de las mujeres y las niñas!»

Durante más de veinte años, las guerras que afectaron a la República Democrática del Congo (RDC) han sido la causa de violaciones masivas a los derechos humanos —especialmente los derechos de las mujeres, las adolescentes y la niñez—, entre ellas la violación y otras formas de violencia contra mujeres y niñas. La apropiación de sus recursos y su consiguiente empobrecimiento, así como el estar en situaciones de vulnerabilidad como desplazadas tras ataques contra sus aldeas, son todos factores que contribuyen a la situación precaria en que viven las mujeres y las niñas. Frente a esa realidad, IFESIDI fue creada en 2002 para mejorar la situación social de las mujeres y niñas víctimas de la violencia relacionada con la guerra, incluidas aquellas que viven en zonas rurales, y para promover y proteger sus derechos. Esta organización no confesional y sin fines de lucro está formada por 35 integrantes; sus actividades cubren al menos la totalidad de la provincia de Kivu Sur, en el este de la RDC. Con el lema «¡Juntas en la lucha por los derechos de las mujeres y las niñas!», IFESIDI espera que las congoleñas de todas las edades puedan vivir con dignidad algún día.

Fortalecer las capacidades económicas y educativas de las mujeres víctimas de la guerra

Además de servicios de consejería para mujeres y niñas víctimas de violencia en diferentes esferas —doméstica, académica y profesional—, IFESIDI está implementando un programa de desarrollo de capacidades económicas y educativas para mujeres víctimas de la guerra. Este programa incluye capacitación laboral, como la fabricación artesanal de jabón, y corte y confección.

Una de las beneficiarias del programa explica: «Antes de que IFESIDI me invitara y me capacitara, yo acarreaba bolsas pesadas de arena para los trabajadores de la construcción en la ciudad de Bukavu y me pasaba el día entero yendo y viniendo con esas bolsas en la espalda. Como mujer desplazada que vivía sin recursos financieros en esta ciudad, no tenía esperanza de seguir viviendo y nadie me miraba al pasar a mi lado... Pero hoy, gracias a IFESIDI, puedo hablar, y cuando paso la gente sabe que «Ahí va la ‘'mamá’ Ponga Musema ».

Movilización como parte de los 16 Días de activismo

Como parte de la campaña «16 Días de activismo contra la violencia de género», que comienza el 25 de noviembre y termina el 10 de diciembre, IFESIDI está organizando actividades para crear conciencia, un panel de debate, estrategias de incidencia, intercambios y una evaluación con las mujeres y las niñas con las que trabaja la organización.


Conéctate:

Source
IFESIDI

Pour les femmes et les filles victimes de violences de guerre en RDC

Pour les femmes et les filles victimes de violences de guerre en RDC

L’association Initiatives des Femmes en Situations Difficiles pour le Développement Intégré (IFESIDI) est devenue membre de l’AWID en 2012, considérant cette dernière comme « un réseau à travers lequel l’IFESIDI pourrait bénéficier de beaucoup d’expériences dans le cadre de promotion et de protection des droits des femmes. »


« Ensemble dans la lutte pour les droits des femmes et des filles ! »

Depuis plus de vingt ans, les guerres frappant l’Est de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) sont à l’origine de violations massives de droits humains – notamment ceux des femmes, des filles et des enfants – incluant des viols et d’autres formes de violences faites aux femmes et aux filles. La situation précaire des femmes et des filles se trouve exacerbée par l’appropriation de leurs ressources, leur paupérisation conséquente ainsi que par leur mise en situation de vulnérabilité liée aux déplacements, suite aux attaques dans leur village. Face à cette réalité, IFEDISI s’est créée en 2002 pour améliorer les conditions sociales des femmes et des filles victimes de violences liées aux guerres, notamment de celles qui vivent en milieu rural, ainsi que pour promouvoir et protéger leurs droits. Cette association non confessionnelle et à but non lucratif est composée de 35 membres et ses activités couvrent au moins toute la province du Sud Kivu à l’Est de la RDC.  Porteuse du slogan « Ensemble dans la lutte pour les droits des femmes et des filles ! »,  IFEDISI souhaite que les femmes et les filles congolaises puissent vivre un jour dans la dignité.

Renforcement des capacités économiques et éducatives des femmes victimes de guerre

En plus de ses activités d’écoute des femmes et des filles victimes de violences dans divers milieux – notamment domestique, scolaire et professionnel –, l’association mène actuellement un programme de renforcement des capacités économiques et éducatives des femmes victimes de guerre. Ce programme comprend des activités d’apprentissage de métiers, liés entre autres à la savonnerie artisanale, la coupe de tissu et la couture.

L’une des bénéficiaires du programme raconte : « Avant d’être  invitée par l’IFESIDI et d’être formée, je transportais de lourds sacs de sable pour les constructeurs de bâtiments dans la ville de Bukavu et faisais des vas-et-viens avec ces sacs sur mon dos à longueur de journée.  Femme déplacée que je suis dans cette ville, sans ressources financières, j’étais sans aucun espoir de pouvoir continuer à vivre et personne ne me regardait quand je passais… Mais aujourd’hui, grâce à l’IFESIDI, je peux parler, je peux passer et les gens sauront que c’est  « mama » Ponga Musema qui passe ! »

Mobilisée dans le cadre des 16 jours d’activisme 

Dans le cadre de la Campagne des 16 jours d’activisme contre la violence basée sur le genre qui débute le 25 novembre et se termine le 10 décembre, l’IFESIDI organise cette année des activités de sensibilisation, conférence-débat, stratégies de plaidoyer, échanges et évaluation en présence des femmes et des filles ciblées par l’association.


Connectez-vous:

Source
IFESIDI

Assurer la sécurité des défenseur-e-s des droits humains, protéger la liberté d’expression

Assurer la sécurité des défenseur-e-s des droits humains, protéger la liberté d’expression

Javeria Ayaz Malik, originaire du Pakistan, est activiste des droits humains et experte en communication et en sécurité. Elle habite Johannesburg, en Afrique du Sud, où elle travaille en qualité d’International Security Advisor (conseillère en sécurité internationale) et responsable du Staff Security Department (département de sécurité du personnel) d’ActionAid International.


Dans cette fonction, elle coordonne les politiques de sécurité et de sûreté de l’organisation et noue des relations externes avec des réseaux de sécurité mondiaux. Javeria conseille aussi la direction d’ActionAid quant aux stratégies appropriées de gestion de la sécurité, visant à réduire les risques de sécurité et de sûreté auxquels le personnel peut être confronté dans l’exercice de ses fonctions.

Javeria a des antécédents professionnels en journalisme et communication de masse, elle a travaillé précédemment pour la télévision nationale du Pakistan, où elle a fait de la recherche et écrit des scripts pour la diffusion, sans oublier son travail d’animatrice de télévision et de présentatrice à la radio. Javeria, ardente défenseuse des droits humains, de la liberté d’expression et de l’égalité, considère le journalisme et la communication comme « son premier amour ». Elle partage avec nous ses réflexions sur le lien entre le journalisme et la sécurité :

Le journalisme éthique et objectif peut façonner une société, renforcer le pouvoir des personnes qui vivent dans la pauvreté et obliger les responsables à rendre des comptes. Il n’est pas étonnant que les journalistes continuent d’être menacés, dans le monde entier, par les régimes répressifs et les intérêts des entreprises. C’est là qu’interviennent mes compétences en matière de sécurité.

Les cours de formation et la méthodologie de Javeria, formatrice certifiée expérimentée en sécurité, comprennent des modules spécifiques particulièrement destinés à améliorer les stratégies de protection pour les défenseur-e-s des droits humains, en particulier pour les défenseuses des droits humains. Javeria, l’une des très rares femmes expertes en sécurité des pays du sud, déclare :

À notre époque, les femmes mènent un combat permanent ! Nous sommes confrontées et luttons contre les stéréotypes et le harcèlement au quotidien, mais cela nous a rendues plus fortes et plus déterminées.

Javeria est membre de l’AWID depuis mars 2015. Elle a adhéré à l’AWID pour « entrer en relation avec des personnes qui partagent les mêmes avis et pour s’impliquer davantage dans les initiatives en faveur des droits des femmes dans le monde. »


Contactez-la par le répertoire en ligne des membres de l’AWID ou en adressant un e-mail à membership@awid.org

Region
Asie du Sud

Ensuring Security for Human Rights Defenders, Protecting the Freedom of Expression

Ensuring Security for Human Rights Defenders, Protecting the Freedom of Expression

Originally from Pakistan, Javeria Ayaz Malik is a human rights activist, and a communications and security expert who lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa as the International Security Advisor and head of the Staff Security Department at ActionAid International. In this role she coordinates the organisation’s safety and security policy and establishes external relationships with global security networks.


Javeria also advises ActionAid’s leadership on appropriate security management strategies aimed at reducing safety and security risks that staff may face in the course of their duties.

Javeria has a professional background in journalism and mass communications and previously worked for Pakistan’s national television where she researched and wrote scripts for broadcasting, in addition to working as a television host and radio presenter. As an ardent believer in human rights, freedom of expression, and equality, Javeria considers journalism and communication “to be her first love”. She shares with us her thoughts on the connection between journalism and  security :

Ethical and objective journalism can shape a society, empower people living in poverty, and hold the duty bearers to account. No wonder journalists continue to be under threat at the hands of repressive regimes and corporate interests around the world. That’s where my security skills become relevant.

As a certified and experienced security trainer, Javeria’s training curriculums and methodologies include specific modules particularly aimed at enhancing protection strategies for human rights defenders, and especially for women human rights defenders. As one of the very few women security experts from the Global South, Javeria says:

Women in this age and time are in a constant combat! We face and fight stereotypes and mobbing on a daily basis, but this has only made us stronger and more determined.

Javeria has been an AWID members since March 2015. She joined AWID to “connect with like-minded people and to be more involved in women’s rights initiatives globally.”


Connect with her through the AWID members online directory or by emailing membership@awid.org

Region
South Asia

What is the United Nations Financing For Development Process?

The United Nations (UN) Financing for Development (FfD) process seeks to address different forms of development financing and cooperation. As per the Monterrey Consensus it focuses on six key areas:

  • Mobilizing domestic financial resources for development
  • Mobilizing international resources for development: foreign direct investment and other private flows
  • International trade as an engine for development
  • Increasing international financial and technical cooperation for development
  • External debt
  • Addressing systemic issues: enhancing the coherence and consistency of the international monetary, financial and trading systems in support of development. 

Will there be pre-Forum convenings this time around?

We have been contacted by global and regional partners about some ideas for pre-Forum convenings and we will share more information about these ideas soon.

If you plan to organize a meeting before the Forum please let us know!

Contact us


Many beautiful things emerged from the 2016 Black Feminisms Forum (BFF) that was organized by an Advisory Group and funded by AWID. Some of the independent organizing that arose from the BFF include Black feminist organizing in Brazil. While we won’t have another BFF this year, we remain committed to sharing some key learnings with anyone interested in continuing work around Black feminist organizing.

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Terms of Use Agreement

Last Updated Date: 25 April 2023

PLEASE READ THIS TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT (THE “TERMS OF USE”) CAREFULLY.  THIS WEBSITE AND ITS SUBDOMAINS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “WEBSITE”), THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, AND THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE OR ENABLED VIA THE WEBSITE (EACH A “SERVICE” AND COLLECTIVELY, THE “SERVICES”), ARE CONTROLLED BY ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN DEVELOPMENT (“AWID”). THESE TERMS OF USE ALONG WITH ALL SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS THAT MAY BE PRESENTED TO YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE (COLLECTIVELY, THE “AGREEMENT”), GOVERN YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SERVICES. BY COMPLETING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, BROWSING THE WEBSITE, OR OTHERWISE ACCESSING OR USING ANY OF THE SERVICES, YOU REPRESENT THAT (1) YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE AGREEMENT, (2) YOU ARE OF LEGAL AGE TO FORM A BINDING CONTRACT WITH AWID, AND (3) YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO THE AGREEMENT PERSONALLY OR ON BEHALF OF THE LEGAL ENTITY IDENTIFIED DURING THE ACCOUNT REGISTRATION PROCESS, AND TO BIND THAT LEGAL ENTITY TO THE AGREEMENT. THE TERM “YOU” REFERS TO THE INDIVIDUAL OR SUCH LEGAL ENTITY, AS APPLICABLE.  IF YOU, OR IF APPLICABLE, SUCH LEGAL ENTITY, DO NOT AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE AGREEMENT, YOU, AND IF APPLICABLE, SUCH LEGAL ENTITY, MAY NOT ACCESS OR USE ANY OF THE SERVICES.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SECTION 1.4 (AWID COMMUNICATIONS) OF THE AGREEMENT BELOW CONTAINS YOUR OPT-IN CONSENT TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS FROM US.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE AGREEMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY AWID IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION AT ANY TIME.  WHEN CHANGES ARE MADE, AWID WILL MAKE A COPY OF THE UPDATED AGREEMENT AVAILABLE AT THE WEBSITE AND UPDATE THE “LAST UPDATED DATE” AT THE TOP OF THESE TERMS OF USE.  IF WE MAKE ANY MATERIAL CHANGES TO THE AGREEMENT, WE WILL PROVIDE NOTICE OF SUCH MATERIAL CHANGES ON THE WEBSITE AND ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY YOU BY SENDING AN E-MAIL TO THE E-MAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED IN YOUR ACCOUNT REGISTRATION (IF WE HAVE ONE ON FILE).  ANY CHANGES TO THE AGREEMENT WILL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY FOR NEW USERS OF THE SERVICES AND WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR EXISTING REGISTERED USERS UPON THE EARLIER OF (A) THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE “LAST UPDATED DATE” AT THE TOP OF THESE TERMS OF USE, OR (B) YOUR CONSENT TO AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE UPDATED AGREEMENT IF AWID PROVIDES A MECHANISM FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ACCEPTANCE IN A SPECIFIED MANNER (SUCH AS A CLICK-THROUGH ACCEPTANCE), WHICH AWID MAY REQUIRE BEFORE FURTHER USE OF THE SERVICES IS PERMITTED.  IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE UPDATED AGREEMENT, YOU MUST STOP USING ALL SERVICES UPON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE UPDATED AGREEMENT.  OTHERWISE, YOUR CONTINUED USE OF ANY OF THE SERVICES AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE UPDATED AGREEMENT CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE UPDATED AGREEMENT.  PLEASE REGULARLY CHECK THE WEBSITE TO VIEW THE THEN-CURRENT AGREEMENT. YOU AGREE THAT AWID’S CONTINUED PROVISION OF THE SERVICES IS ADEQUATE CONSIDERATION FOR THE CHANGES IN THE UPDATED AGREEMENT. 

If AWID becomes aware of any possible violations by you of the Agreement, AWID reserves the right to investigate such violations.  If, as a result of the investigation, AWID believes that criminal activity has occurred, AWID reserves the right to refer the matter to, and to cooperate with, any and all applicable legal authorities.  AWID is entitled, except to the extent prohibited by applicable law, to disclose any information or materials on or in the Services,  in AWID’s possession in connection with your use of the Services, to (i) comply with applicable laws, legal process or governmental request; (iii) enforce the Agreement, (iv) respond to your requests for customer service, or (vi) protect the rights, property or personal safety of AWID, its Registered Users or the public, and all enforcement or other government officials, as AWID in its sole discretion believes to be necessary or appropriate. 

You may choose to have the arbitration conducted by telephone, based on written submissions, or in person at a mutually agreed location. Any judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Entire Agreement.  The Agreement is the final, complete and exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and merges all prior discussions between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

  1. USE OF THE SERVICES.  The Services, and the information and content available on them, are protected by applicable intellectual property laws.  Unless subject to a separate license between you and AWID, your right to use any and all Services is subject to the Agreement. 

1.1 License to the Services.  Subject to your compliance with the Agreement, AWID grants you a non-assignable, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable, non-exclusive license to use the Services in the manner permitted by the Agreement.  

1.2 Updates.  You understand that the Services are evolving. You acknowledge and agree that AWID may update the Services with or without notifying you.

1.3 Certain Restrictions.  The rights granted to you in the Agreement are subject to the following restrictions: (a) you shall not license, sell, rent, lease, transfer, assign, reproduce, distribute, host or otherwise commercially exploit any of the Services; (b) you shall not frame or utilize framing techniques to enclose any trademark, logo, or other parts of the Services (including images, text, page layout or form); (c) you shall not use any metatags or other “hidden text” using AWID’s name or trademarks; (d) you shall not modify, translate, adapt, merge, make derivative works of, disassemble, decompile, reverse compile or reverse engineer any part of the Services except to the extent the foregoing restrictions are expressly prohibited by applicable law; (e) you shall not use any manual or automated software, devices or other processes (including but not limited to spiders, robots, scrapers, crawlers, avatars, data mining tools or the like) to “scrape” or download data from any web pages contained in the Services (except that we grant the operators of public search engines revocable permission to use spiders to copy materials from the Website for the sole purpose of and solely to the extent necessary for creating publicly available searchable indices of the materials, but not caches or archives of such materials); (f) except as expressly stated herein, no part of the Services may be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means; and (h) you shall not remove or destroy any copyright notices or other proprietary markings contained on or in the Services. Any future release, update or other addition to the Services shall be subject to the Agreement.  AWID, its suppliers and service providers reserve all rights not granted in the Agreement.  

1.4 AWID Communications.  By entering into the Agreement or using the Services, you agree to receive communications from us, including via e-mail.  Communications from us and our affiliated companies may include but are not limited to operational communications concerning your use of the Services and promotional emails.  IF YOU WISH TO OPT OUT OF ANY PROMOTIONAL EMAILS, YOU CAN UNSUBSCRIBE FROM OUR PROMOTIONAL EMAIL LIST BY FOLLOWING THE UNSUBSCRIBE OPTIONS IN THE PROMOTIONAL EMAIL ITSELF.  

  1. REGISTRATION.

2.1 Registering Your Account.  In order to access certain features of the Services you may be required to become a Registered User.  For purposes of the Agreement, a “Registered User” is a user who has registered an account with AWID through the Services (“Account”).

2.2 Registration Data.  In registering an Account, you agree to (a) provide true, accurate, current and complete information about yourself as prompted by the registration form (the “Registration Data”); and (b) maintain and promptly update the Registration Data to keep it true, accurate, current and complete.  You represent that you are (i) at least eighteen (18) years old; (ii) of legal age to form a binding contract; and (iii) not a person barred from using the Services under the laws of the United States, Canada, your place of residence or any other applicable jurisdiction.  You are responsible for all activities that occur under your Account.  You agree that you shall monitor your Account to restrict use by any other persons, including minors, and you will accept full responsibility for any such unauthorized use.  You may not share your Account login or password with anyone, and you agree to (y) notify AWID immediately of any unauthorized use of your password or any other breach of security; and (z) exit from your Account at the end of each session.  If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, or AWID has reasonable grounds to suspect that any information you provide is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, AWID has the right to suspend or terminate your Account and refuse any and all current or future use of the Services (or any portion thereof).  You agree not to create an Account using a false identity or information, or on behalf of someone other than yourself.  You agree not to create an Account or use the Services if you have been previously removed by AWID, or if you have been previously banned from any of the Services.

2.3 Your Account. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, you acknowledge and agree that you shall have no ownership or other property interest in your Account, and you further acknowledge and agree that all rights in and to your Account are and shall forever be owned by and inure to the benefit of AWID. 

2.4 Necessary Equipment and Software.  You must provide all equipment and software necessary to connect to the Services.  You are solely responsible for any fees, including Internet connection or mobile fees, that you incur when accessing the Services.  

  1. OWNERSHIP.

3.1 Services.  AWID and its suppliers own all rights, title and interest in the Services, and that the Services are protected by intellectual property rights throughout the world. You agree not to remove, alter or obscure any copyright, trademark, service mark or other proprietary rights notices incorporated in or accompanying any Services.

3.2 Trademarks. AWID’s name and all related stylizations, graphics, logos, service marks and trade names used on or in connection with any Services are the trademarks of AWID and may not be used without permission in connection with your, or any third-party, products or services.  Third party trademarks, service marks and trade names that may appear on or in the Services are the property of their respective owners.

3.3 Feedback.  You agree that submission of any ideas, suggestions, documents, and/or proposals to AWID (“Feedback”) is at your own risk and that AWID has no obligations (including without limitation obligations of confidentiality) with respect to such Feedback.  You represent and warrant that you have all rights necessary to submit the Feedback.  You hereby grant to AWID a fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, and non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, perform, display, distribute, adapt, modify, re-format, create derivative works of, and otherwise commercially or non-commercially exploit in any manner, any and all Feedback, and to sublicense the foregoing rights, in connection with the operation and maintenance of the Services and/or AWID’s business.

  1. USER CONDUCT.  As a condition of use, you agree not to use any of the Services for any purpose that is prohibited by this Agreement or by applicable law. You shall not (and shall not permit any third party) take any action that: (i) infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any intellectual property right, right of publicity, right of privacy or other right of any person or entity; (ii) is unlawful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, deceptive, fraudulent, invasive of another’s privacy, tortious, obscene, offensive, or profane; (iii) constitutes unauthorized or unsolicited advertising, junk or bulk e-mail; (iv) involves commercial activities and/or sales, such as contests, sweepstakes, barter, advertising, or pyramid schemes without AWID’s prior written consent; (v) impersonates any person or entity, including any employee or representative of AWID; (vi) interferes with or attempt to interfere with the proper functioning of the Services or uses the Services in any way not expressly permitted by the Agreement; or (vii) attempts to engage in or engage in, any potentially harmful acts that are directed against the Services, including but not limited to violating or attempting to violate any security features of the Services, introducing viruses, worms, or similar harmful code into the Services, or interfering or attempting to interfere with use of the Services by any other user, host or network, including by means of overloading, “flooding,” “spamming,” “mail bombing,” or “crashing” the Services.
  2. DONATIONS.  AWID may collect donations from you through the Services.  You must provide AWID with a valid credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or any other issuer accepted by us) or PayPal account of a payment provider (each, a “Payment Provider”) in order for us to process the donation.  Your Payment Provider agreement governs your use of the designated credit card or PayPal account, and you must refer to that agreement, not this Agreement, to determine your rights and liabilities.  
  3. INDEMNIFICATIONYou agree to indemnify and hold AWID, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, employees, agents, partners, suppliers, and licensors (each, an “AWID Party” and collectively, the “AWID Parties”) harmless from any losses, costs, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) relating to or arising out of any and all of the following: (a) your use of any Service in violation of the Agreement; (b) your violation of any rights of another party, including any Registered Users; or (c) your violation of any applicable laws, rules or regulations.  AWID reserves the right, at its own cost, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which event you agree to fully cooperate with AWID in asserting any available defenses.  This provision does not require you to indemnify any of the AWID Parties for any unconscionable commercial practice by such party or for such party’s fraud, deception, false promise, misrepresentation or concealment, or suppression or omission of any material fact in connection with any Services provided hereunder.  You agree that the provisions in this section will survive any termination of your Account, the Agreement and/or your access to the Services.
  4. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS.

7.1 As Is. YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK, AND THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITH ALL FAULTS.  AWID EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT ARISING FROM USE OF THE SERVICES.  

  1. AWID MAKES NO WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION OR CONDITION THAT: (1) THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS; (2) YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE OR ERROR-FREE; OR (3) THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM USE OF THE SERVICES WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE.
  2. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED FROM AWID OR THROUGH THE SERVICES WILL CREATE ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY MADE HEREIN.

7.2 No Liability for Conduct of Third Parties.  YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT AWID PARTIES ARE NOT LIABLE, AND YOU AGREE NOT TO SEEK TO HOLD AWID PARTIES LIABLE, FOR THE CONDUCT OF THIRD PARTIES, INCLUDING OPERATORS OF EXTERNAL SITES AND OTHER USERS OF THE SERVICES.

7.3 Third-Party Materials.  As a part of the Services, you may have access to materials that are hosted by another party.  You agree that it is impossible for AWID to monitor such materials and that you access these materials at your own risk.

8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

8.1 Disclaimer of Certain Damages.  YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL AWID PARTIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE OR DATA, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OR COSTS DUE TO LOSS OF PRODUCTION OR USE, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, IN EACH CASE WHETHER OR NOT AWID HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE AGREEMENT OR ANY COMMUNICATIONS, INTERACTIONS OR MEETINGS WITH OTHER USERS OF THE SERVICES, ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY.  THE FOREGOING LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SHALL NOT APPLY TO LIABILITY OF AN AWID PARTY FOR (i) DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY AN AWID PARTY’S NEGLIGENCE; OR FOR (ii) ANY INJURY CAUSED BY AN AWID PARTY’S FRAUD OR FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION. 

8.2 Cap on Liability.  TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, AWID PARTIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR MORE THAN $100.  THE FOREGOING CAP ON LIABILITY SHALL NOT APPLY TO LIABILITY OF AN AWID PARTY FOR (i) DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY AN AWID PARTY’S NEGLIGENCE; OR FOR (ii) ANY INJURY CAUSED BY AN AWID PARTY’S FRAUD OR FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION.

8.3 Exclusion of Damages.  CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES.  IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS OR LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS.

8.4 Basis of the Bargain.  THE LIMITATIONS OF DAMAGES SET FORTH ABOVE ARE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF THE BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN AWID AND YOU.

9. PROCEDURE FOR MAKING CLAIMS OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT.  It is AWID’s policy to terminate membership privileges of any Registered User who repeatedly infringes copyright upon prompt notification to AWID by the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s legal agent.  Without limiting the foregoing, if you believe that your work has been copied and posted on the Services in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our Copyright Agent with the following information: (a) an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest; (b) a description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed; (c) a description of the location on the Services of the material that you claim is infringing; (d) your address, telephone number and e-mail address; (e) a written statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law; and (f) a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.  Contact information for AWID’s Copyright Agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement is as follows: Director of Operations, AWID, 192 Spadina Avenue #300, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2C2, Canada, dosr@awid.org.

10. MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT.  AWID reserves the right to: (a) take appropriate legal action, including without limitation, referral to law enforcement, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Services; and/or (b) terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Services for any or no reason, including without limitation, any violation of this Agreement.

11. TERM AND TERMINATION.  

11.1 Term.  The Agreement commences on the date when you accept them (as described in the preamble above) and remain in full force and effect while you use the Services, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the Agreement.

11.2 Prior Use.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, you hereby acknowledge and agree that the Agreement commenced on the earlier to occur of (a) the date you first used the Services or (b) the date you accepted the Agreement, and will remain in full force and effect while you use any Services, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the Agreement.

11.3 Termination of Services by AWID.  If you have materially breached any provision of the Agreement, or if AWID is required to do so by law (e.g., where the provision of the Services is, or becomes, unlawful), AWID has the right to, immediately and without notice, suspend or terminate any Services provided to you. You agree that all terminations for cause shall be made in AWID’s sole discretion and that AWID shall not be liable to you or any third party for any termination of your Account.

11.4 Termination of Services by You.  If you want to terminate the Services provided by AWID, you may do so by (a) notifying AWID at any time and (b) closing your Account for all of the Services that you use. Your notice should be sent, in writing, to AWID’s address set forth below. 

11.5 Effect of Termination.  Termination of any Service includes removal of access to such Service and barring of further use of the Service.  Upon termination of any Service, your right to use such Service will automatically terminate immediately. All provisions of the Agreement which by their nature should survive, shall survive termination of Services, including without limitation, ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, and limitation of liability.

11.6 No Subsequent Registration.  If your registration(s) with, or ability to access, the Services or any other AWID community, is discontinued by AWID due to your violation of any portion of the Agreement or for conduct otherwise inappropriate for the community, then you agree that you shall not attempt to re-register with or access the Services or any AWID community through use of a different member name or otherwise, and you acknowledge that you will not be entitled to receive a refund for fees related to those Services to which your access has been terminated.  In the event that you violate the immediately preceding sentence, AWID reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to immediately take any or all of the actions set forth herein without any notice or warning to you.

12. INTERNATIONAL USERS.  The Services can be accessed from countries around the world and may contain references to Services that are not available in your country.  These references do not imply that AWID intends to announce such Services in your country.  The Services are controlled and offered by AWID from its facilities in Canada. AWID makes no representations that the Services are appropriate or available for use in other locations.  Those who access or use the Services from other countries do so at their own volition and are responsible for compliance with local law.

13. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES. The Services may contain links to third-party websites (“Third-Party Websites”), applications (“Third-Party Applications”) and advertisements for third parties (“Third-Party Ads”).  When you click on a link to a Third-Party Website, Third-Party Application or Third-Party Ad, we will not warn you that you have left the Services and are subject to the terms and conditions (including privacy policies) of another website or destination.  Such Third-Party Websites, Third-Party Applications and Third-Party Ads are not under the control of AWID.  AWID is not responsible for any Third-Party Websites, Third-Party Applications or Third-Party Ads.  AWID provides these Third-Party Websites, Third-Party Applications and Third-Party Ads only as a convenience and does not review, approve, monitor, endorse, warrant, or make any representations with respect to Third-Party Websites, Third-Party Applications or Third-Party Ads, or any product or service provided in connection therewith.  You use all links in Third-Party Websites, Third-Party Applications and Third-Party Ads at your own risk. When you leave our Website, the Agreement and our policies no longer govern.  You should review applicable terms and policies, including privacy and data gathering practices, of any Third-Party Websites, Third-Party Applications, or Third-Party Ads, and make whatever investigation you feel necessary or appropriate before proceeding with any transaction with any third party. 

14. DISPUTE RESOLUTION.

14.1 Applicability of Arbitration Agreement. You agree that any dispute between you and us relating in any way to the Agreement, will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that (1) you and AWID may assert claims in small claims court if the claims qualify; and (2) you or AWID may seek equitable relief in court for infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights (such as trademarks, trade dress, domain names, trade secrets, copyrights, and patents). This Arbitration Agreement shall apply, without limitation, to all claims that arose or were asserted before the Effective Date of this Agreement or any prior version of this Agreement.

14.2 Arbitration Rules and Forum. The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this Arbitration Agreement. To begin an arbitration proceeding, you must send a letter requesting arbitration and describing your claim to us in writing in writing at 192 Spadina Avenue #300, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2C2, Canada. The arbitration will be conducted by JAMS, an established alternative dispute resolution provider. Disputes involving claims and counterclaims with an amount in controversy under $250,000, not inclusive of attorneys’ fees and interest, shall be subject to JAMS’ most current version of the Streamlined Arbitration Rules and procedures available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-streamlined-arbitration/; all other claims shall be subject to JAMS’s most current version of the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures, available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-comprehensive-arbitration/. JAMS’s rules are also available at www.jamsadr.comor by calling JAMS at 800-352-5267. If JAMS is not available to arbitrate, the parties will select an alternative arbitral forum. If the arbitrator finds that you cannot afford to pay JAMS’s filing, administrative, hearing and/or other fees and you cannot obtain a waiver from JAMS, AWID will pay them for you.

14.3 Authority of Arbitrator. Without limiting the scope of Section 14.1, the arbitrator shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute related to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability or formation of this Arbitration Agreement including, but not limited to any claim that all or any part of this Arbitration Agreement is void or voidable. The arbitrator will decide the rights and liabilities, if any, of you and AWID. The arbitration proceeding will not be consolidated with any other matters or joined with any other proceedings or parties. The arbitrator shall have the authority to grant motions dispositive of all or part of any claim or dispute. The arbitrator shall have the authority to award monetary damages and to grant any non-monetary remedy or relief available to an individual party under applicable law, the arbitral forum’s rules, and this Agreement (including the Arbitration Agreement). The arbitrator shall issue a written award and statement of decision describing the essential findings and conclusions on which any award (or decision not to render an award) is based, including the calculation of any damages awarded. The arbitrator shall follow the applicable law. The arbitrator has the same authority to award relief on an individual basis that a judge in a court of law would have. The award of the arbitrator is final and binding upon you and us.

14.4 Waiver of Jury Trial. YOU AND AWID HEREBY WAIVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS TO SUE IN COURT (OTHER THAN SMALL CLAIMS COURT AS PERMITTED HEREIN) AND HAVE A TRIAL IN FRONT OF A JUDGE OR A JURY. You and AWID are instead electing that all covered claims and disputes shall be resolved by arbitration under this Arbitration Agreement, except as specified in Section 14.1 above. An arbitrator can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court and must follow this Agreement as a court would. However, there is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is subject to very limited review.

14.5 Waiver of Class or Other Non-Individualized Relief. ALL CLAIMS AND DISPUTES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT MUST BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT ON A CLASS OR COLLECTIVE BASIS, ONLY INDIVIDUAL RELIEF IS AVAILABLE FOR CLAIMS COVERED BY THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT, AND CLAIMS BY OR AGAINST ONE USER CANNOT BE ARBITRATED OR CONSOLIDATED WITH THOSE OF OR AGAINST ANY OTHER USER OR PERSON. If a decision is issued stating that applicable law precludes enforcement of any of this Section 14.5’s limitations as to a given claim for relief, then the applicable claim, and only that applicable claim, must be severed from the arbitration and brought into the courts in the Province of Ontario or the federal courts of Canada (as applicable) in accordance with Section 15.1.  All other claims shall be arbitrated.

14.6 30-Day Right to Opt Out. You have the right to opt out of the provisions of this Arbitration Agreement by sending a timely written notice of your decision to opt out via email to info@awid.org or in writing to 192 Spadina Avenue #300, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2C2, Canada, within 30 days after first becoming subject to this Arbitration Agreement. Your notice must include your name and address and a clear statement that you want to opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. If you opt out of this Arbitration Agreement, all other parts of this Agreement will continue to apply to you. Opting out of this Arbitration Agreement has no effect on any other arbitration agreements that you may currently have with us, or may enter into in the future with us.

14.7 Severability. Except as provided in Section 14.5, if any part or parts of this Arbitration Agreement are found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable, then such specific part or parts shall be of no force and effect and shall be severed and the remainder of the Arbitration Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.

14.8 Survival of Agreement. This Arbitration Agreement will survive the termination or expiration of the Terms or your relationship with AWID.

14.9 Modification. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, we agree that if AWID makes any future material change to this Arbitration Agreement, you may reject that change within thirty (30) days of such change becoming effective by e-mailing AWID at the following address: info@awid.org or writing to AWID at 192 Spadina Avenue #300, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2C2, Canada.

15. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

15.1 Governing Law; Venue. ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM OR REQUEST FOR RELIEF RELATING IN ANY WAY TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES WILL BE GOVERNED AND INTERPRETED BY AND UNDER THE LAWS OF THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO OR THE FEDERAL LAWS OF CANADA (AS APPLICABLE), WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PRINCIPLES THAT PROVIDE FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.  To the extent permitted under this Agreement, both you and AWID agree that all claims and disputes arising out of or relating to the Agreement will be litigated exclusively in the courts of the Province of Ontario or the federal courts of Canada (as applicable), and the parties hereby expressly submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of such courts.

15.2 Electronic Communications.  The communications between you and AWID may take place via electronic means, whether you visit the Services or send AWID e-mails, or whether AWID posts notices on the Services or communicates with you via e-mail.  For contractual purposes, you (a) consent to receive communications from AWID in an electronic form; and (b) agree that all terms and conditions, agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that AWID provides to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications would satisfy if it were to be in writing.  The foregoing does not affect your statutory rights, including but not limited to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act at 15 U.S.C. §7001 et seq. (“E-Sign”).

15.3 Assignment.  The Agreement, and your rights and obligations hereunder, may not be assigned, subcontracted, delegated or otherwise transferred by you without AWID’s prior written consent, and any attempted assignment, subcontract, delegation, or transfer in violation of the foregoing will be null and void.

15.4 Force Majeure.  AWID shall not be liable for any delay or failure to perform resulting from causes outside its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, pandemics, war, terrorism, riots, embargos, acts of civil or military authorities, fire, floods, accidents, strikes or shortages of transportation facilities, fuel, energy, labor or materials. 

15.5 Questions, Complaints, Claims.  If you have any questions, complaints or claims with respect to the Services, please contact us via e-mail at info@awid.org or in writing at 192 Spadina Avenue #300, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2C2, Canada.  We will do our best to address your concerns.  If you feel that your concerns have been addressed incompletely, we invite you to let us know for further investigation.

15.6 Choice of Language.  It is the express wish of the parties that the Agreement and all related documents have been drawn up in English. 

15.7 Notice.  Where AWID requires that you provide an e-mail address, you are responsible for providing AWID with your most current e-mail address.  In the event that the last e-mail address you provided to AWID is not valid, or for any reason is not capable of delivering to you any notices required/ permitted by the Agreement, AWID’s dispatch of the e-mail containing such notice will nonetheless constitute effective notice.  You may give notice to AWID at the following address via e-mail at info@awid.org or in writing at 192 Spadina Avenue #300, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2C2, Canada.  Such notice shall be deemed given when received by AWID via e-mail, or by letter delivered by nationally recognized overnight delivery service or first class postage prepaid mail at the above address.

15.8 Waiver.  Any waiver or failure to enforce any provision of the Agreement on one occasion will not be deemed a waiver of any other provision or of such provision on any other occasion.

15.9 Severability.  If any portion of the Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, that portion shall be construed in a manner to reflect, as nearly as possible, the original intention of the parties, and the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect.

15.10 Export Control.  You may not use, export, import, or transfer any Services except as authorized by U.S. law, the laws of the jurisdiction in which you obtained the Services, and any other applicable laws.  In particular, but without limitation, the Services may not be exported or re-exported (a) into any United States embargoed countries, or (b) to anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Denied Person’s List or Entity List. By using the Services, you represent and warrant that (i) you are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country and (ii) you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties. You also will not use the Services for any purpose prohibited by U.S. law, including the development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.  You acknowledge and agree that products, services or technology provided by AWID are subject to the export control laws and regulations of the United States.  You shall comply with these laws and regulations and shall not, without prior U.S. government authorization, export, re-export, or transfer AWID products, services or technology, either directly or indirectly, to any country in violation of such laws and regulations.

15.11 Consumer Complaints.  In accordance with California Civil Code §1789.3, you may report complaints to the Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs by contacting them in writing at 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112, Sacramento, CA 95834, or by telephone at (800) 952-5210.

15.12 Entire Agreement.  The Agreement is the final, complete and exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and merges all prior discussions between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

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WHRDs from the Pacific Region

The 3 Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from the Pacific we are featuring in this year's Online Tribute have worked in the media, campaigned for disability rights and advocated for women’s rights. Their contributions are missed and we honor them in this Tribute. Please join AWID in commemorating these WHRDs, their work and legacy by sharing the memes below with your colleagues, networks and friends and by using the hashtags #WHRDTribute.


Please click on each image below to see a larger version and download as a file 

 

8. Finalize and format

Your comprehensive research product is now all organized and edited. You now want to ensure your findings are visually accessible and appealing to facilitate the dissemination.

In this section

Package your long report for public dissemination

Consider developing smaller products along with your long report.

As mentioned in the “Synthesize your research findings,” AWID often pulls smaller products from the lengthy research report. This allows for wider and easier distribution specialized for key audiences.

Always keep your targeted population in mind: who will read your report?

Examples of smaller products distilled from a larger report:

  • Infographics
  • Online gallery
  • An animation presenting your arguments

1. Think as your audience thinks

People are bombarded with information constantly. Your product will have to be visually compelling to maintain the interest of your audience. Again, having an idea of what you hope to accomplish and who you hope to reach, will allow the designer to create targeted products.

A lengthy written PDF report may seem the only way to present your research, but it could appear overwhelming to most people – especially online.

If you want to share your product with an online community, think about creating memes and infographics to use on social media, blogs and web platforms.

When deciding whether to create smaller products, consider dividing your results into several smaller products that you could share with targeted populations or at different times of the year to reactivate the interest on your product.

2. Work with a professional designer

If you have limited time and a little bit of budget, we recommend hiring a design firm.

It can be tempting for economic reasons to use in-house staff to package your report. However, a professional graphic designer can make a huge difference on how your final product looks and thus on how much impact it will have!

The designer (in-house or hired) must be able to:

  • Show you samples of their previous work that is similar to what you seek.

  • Provide you clear advice on how to present your research based on the content you provide and the audience you are targeting.

  • Suggest additional or different pieces to package your product.

What the designer will need from you:

  • A general idea on what you would like the lengthy report to highlight through visuals and graphics (what are the most important pieces of information, the key findings, for example) and some ideas on the types of smaller products you want to create (brochure, an infographic, a series of viral memes, for example). If possible, show the designer examples of similar documents developed by other organizations.
  • Your budget and time frame.
  • Your organization’s visual guidelines if you have any (logo, official colours, fonts, etc...).
  • A few photos copyright free or access to your photo bank if you have one.
  • Key visuals that need to be included – graphs, tables and other visual graphics drawn from your research.

The designer is a graphic expert. S/he is not necessarily familiar with women’s issues and does not know the results of your research, especially if you hire an external firm.

Communicate what elements of this report is important to you and who is your target. The designer will propose a way to highlight these elements and make the whole piece appealing to your users.

3. Make sure it's consistent

While creating a set of smaller information products, do not forget to link them all together:

  • A shorter version of the report that focuses only on your final results and recommendations should present a link to the final, full report
  • A visually compelling infographic that sends a message on the state of funding for your particular research can link to your website and the related section of the full report. It should be associated with a call to share on social media.
  • A short animation video that uses the data, findings and recommendations from your report should link back to your organization website and social media
  • A series of viral memes that can be distributed online should link back to your report, infographic, shorter report, etc.

It is also important to keep the research staff involved, so they can ensure any offshoot products stay true to the actual findings of the research.

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Control the quality of the translations

After the design and packaging of the final research report is complete, if any of the wording of content was changed, be sure to re-send to translators.

If you create smaller products, once designed and packaged, you will also need to get the copy translated for those pieces. The translations should be clear enough so the designer can apply to the design, even if she/he does not speak the language.

Once translated, make sure to have your design proofread by a native speaker before sharing it!

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Previous step

7. Synthesize your research findings

Next step

9. Advocate and tell the world


Estimated time:

• 2-3 months

People needed:

• 1 or more research person(s)
• 1 or more editor
• Design staff or hiring design firm
• Translator(s), if necessary

Resources needed:

• List of online spaces for dissemination


Previous step

7. Synthesize your research findings

Next step

9. Advocate and tell the world


Ready to Go? Worksheet

Download the toolkit in PDF