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.  

 

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Curatorial Note by Rula Khoury

Feminist Art Walk

Curatorial Note by Rula Khoury

As part of our commitment to engage more deeply with artists and the practice of co-creating Feminist Realities, AWID collaborated with an Artist Working Group to advance and strengthen feminist agendas and realities in their communities and movements through their creative expression. Our intention here is to bring feminist creatives together in a powerful and brave space where they grow and live freely, and where they shatter toxic narratives to replace them with transformative alternatives.

This exhibition gathers the work of artists and collectives from across the globe, those who are actively creating the difference that we want to see in the world. These feminist creatives include Upasana Agarwal, Nicole Barakat, Siphumeze Khundayi, Katia Herrera, Ali Chavez Leeds, Colectivo Morivivi, Ika Vantiani, and the curators behind the #MeToo in China exhibition. Their voices stand strong in their refusal to accept the limitations imposed by patriarchy, and amplify their commitments to the communities they are working in and with. In their own way, each artwork represents daily acts of resistance, untold stories and identities, connections to land and ancestry, and most importantly, the solidarity that exists within and amongst feminist movements and struggles. These artists are both inspired by and inspire creative strategies of feminist resistance and initiatives that show us how we can all live in a more just world - a world that centers care and healing.

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Radical Democracy and Climate Justice - the missing debate of COP30

As the world struggles with multiple intersecting crises, local communities and collectives of various kinds are resisting as also creating constructive alternatives.

📅 Wednesday, November 12, 2025
📍 Seminario Mar Nossa Sra Da Assunção, Pará, Brazil

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Storytelling: From the Heart of the Commune

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🎯 Deckgame: Organize. Strategize. Mobilize.

A hands-on deckgame for collectives to explore feminist economic alternatives and systems of care as crisis response. This deckgame is for all movements navigating global climate crises through play and strategy based on real-life scenarios. A creative avenue to strategize in meetings, workshops, and community gatherings!

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Young Feminist Activism

Organizing creatively, facing an increasing threat

Young feminist activists play a critical role in women’s rights organizations and movements worldwide by bringing up new issues that feminists face today. Their strength, creativity and adaptability are vital to the sustainability of feminist organizing.

At the same time, they face specific impediments to their activism such as limited access to funding and support, lack of capacity-building opportunities, and a significant increase of attacks on young women human rights defenders. This creates a lack of visibility that makes more difficult their inclusion and effective participation within women’s rights movements.

A multigenerational approach

AWID’s young feminist activism program was created to make sure the voices of young women are heard and reflected in feminist discourse. We want to ensure that young feminists have better access to funding, capacity-building opportunities and international processes. In addition to supporting young feminists directly, we are also working with women’s rights activists of all ages on practical models and strategies for effective multigenerational organizing.

Our Actions

We want young feminist activists to play a role in decision-making affecting their rights by:

  • Fostering community and sharing information through the Young Feminist Wire. Recognizing the importance of online media for the work of young feminists, our team launched the Young Feminist Wire in May 2010 to share information, build capacity through online webinars and e-discussions, and encourage community building.

  • Researching and building knowledge on young feminist activism, to increase the visibility and impact of young feminist activism within and across women’s rights movements and other key actors such as donors.

  • Promoting more effective multigenerational organizing, exploring better ways to work together.

  • Supporting young feminists to engage in global development processes such as those within the United Nations

  • Collaboration across all of AWID’s priority areas, including the Forum, to ensure young feminists’ key contributions, perspectives, needs and activism are reflected in debates, policies and programs affecting them.

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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

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

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

Garantizar la seguridad para las/os defensoras/es de derechos humanos, proteger la libertad de expresión

Garantizar la seguridad para las/os defensoras/es de derechos humanos, proteger la libertad de expresión

Originaria de Pakistán, Javeria Ayaz Malik es activista de derechos humanos, así como experta en comunicaciones y seguridad. Vive en Johannesburgo, Sudáfrica, y trabaja como Asesora en Seguridad Internacional y jefa del Departamento de Seguridad del Personal en ActionAid International. En ese rol coordina la política de protección y seguridad de la organización y entabla vínculos externos con redes globales de seguridad. Javeria también asesora a líderes de ActionAid sobre estrategias apropiadas para gestión de la seguridad dirigidas a reducir los riesgos que puede enfrentar el personal en materia de protección y seguridad al cumplir con sus tareas.


Javeria tiene una trayectoria profesional en periodismo y comunicación masiva. Trabajó para la televisión nacional de Pakistán, investigando y escribiendo guiones además de ser presentadora tanto de televisión como de radio. Javeria cree fervientemente en los derechos humanos, la libertad de expresión y la igualdad, y considera que el periodismo y la comunicación fueron sus «primeros amores». Nos comparte sus ideas acerca de la relación entre el periodismo y la seguridad:

"El periodismo ético y objetivo puede influir sobre la sociedad, empoderar a las personas que viven en la pobreza y exigir rendición de cuentas a quienes son responsables de cumplir obligaciones. No es sorprendente que las/os periodistas continúen sufriendo amenazas por parte de regímenes opresores e intereses corporativos en todo el mundo. Por eso mis conocimientos sobre seguridad se tornan relevantes."

Como capacitadora certificada y con experiencia en materia de seguridad, Javeria ha desarrollado planes y metodologías de formación que incluyen módulos específicos dirigidos particularmente a mejorar las estrategias de protección para defensoras/es de derechos humanos y sobre todo para las mujeres defensoras. Javeria es una de las escasas mujeres del Sur Global que son expertas en seguridad y desde esa perspectiva dice:

"En esta época y este momento, ¡las mujeres estamos librando una batalla constante! Cada día enfrentamos estereotipos y acoso, pero todo eso solo nos ha hecho más fuertes y más decididas."

Javeria ha estado afiliada a AWID desde marzo de 2015. Cuenta que «me sumé a AWID para entrar en contacto con personas afines a mí y participar más en iniciativas por los derechos de las mujeres a nivel global».


Puedes contactarte con Javeria mediante el directorio en línea o enviando un correo electrónico a membership@awid.org

Region
Asia del Sur

Annual Report 2013

Our 2013 Annual Report provides key highlights of our work during the year to contribute to the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality worldwide.

2013 marked the beginning of our 2013-2016 Strategic Plan, developed in response to the current global context. This report provides highlights of our analysis of the global context, how we position ourselves as a global feminist membership organization in this context, the outcomes we seek to achieve, and how our work is organized to achieve these outcomes.

Ritu

Biography

Ritu is a feminist technologist who brings her experience in the non-profit sector, driven by a passion for utilizing innovative approaches to finding feminist technological solutions. Holding a Master's in Technology in Computer Applications from the Indian Institute of Technology, her role at AWID encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities. From overseeing digital security and server management to database administration, capacity building, technology evaluation, software implementation and cloud solutions, Ritu ensures that AWID's IT infrastructure is resilient and effective. Prior to joining AWID, she played a pivotal role in advancing technological initiatives in the Health Promotion and Environment sectors, fueled by her dedication to leveraging technology for social good.

Position
IT Manager
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Joanne Kobuthi-Kuria

Biography

Joanne is an African feminist who is passionate about dismantling gender inequalities on the African continent. Joanne has worked with a number of global organizations, media and think tanks including Amnesty International, Wrthy, Local Development Research Institute, BBC, East African Community (EAC) among others.She serves on a couple of boards including Freely in hope-an NGO based in Kenya and Zambia that seeks to equip survivors and advocates to lead in ending sexual violence and Msingi Trust-a movement of activists that meet at the confluence of faith and human rights. She has a Masters in Business Administration, Masters of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Laws. She is a book junkie with a penchant for fiction.

Position
Manager, Membership and Constituency Engagement
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Ekaete Judith Umoh

Biography

Ekaete Judith Umoh is an international disability rights advocate and inclusive development expert with astute analysis of issues regarding gender, disability and inclusive development. Her dream is to see increased visibility of women and girls with disabilities in the global feminist movement, as well as in all development efforts around the world.

Ekaete enjoys activism and politics, and went on to become the first elected female President of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Nigeria, where she led Organizations of Persons with disabilities in the struggle to sign the Nigerian Disability Bill into Law in 2019, after over 17 years of consistent advocacy. Thereafter, she joined CBM Global as a pioneer Country Director and led her team for about 3 years, contributing towards ending the circle of poverty and disability in Nigeria. Aside from disability activism, Ekaete has served as consultant to several development agencies, providing technical assistance on disability inclusion in program and project design.

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Can men be members of AWID?

Yes, AWID membership is open to anyone who shares our values.

A number of men who share our commitment to feminism and women’s human rights are members of AWID.

2008: The Doha International Conference takes place with limited achievements

Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development, Doha, Qatar