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

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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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CREDITS | Content Snippet AR

شكر وتقدير

ترجمة عربية
لينا يحيى
مارينا سمير
مايا زبداوي
نضال مجيد
رانيا الغزال
رولا علاء الدين
فيفيان عقيقي

النسخة الإسبانية
ترجمة
ڤيرونيكا تورّيسيّس
غابرييلا أدلستين
ماريا لويزا بيرالتا
أليخاندرا سردا
غابي دي سيكو

تدقيق لغوي
أليخاندرا سردا
غابي دي سيكو
ماريا يوجينيا مارتي

النسخة الفرنسية
ترجمة
كميّ دوفور
مورغان بوديك

تدقيق لغوي
ناتالي تيريو

من البرتغالية إلى الإنجليزية
ترجمة
لويز مارتيلو

تدقيق لغوي
شاينا غريف

فريق التحرير
المحررات
تشينيلو أونوالو
غوى صايغ (كحل)

 

تصميم ورسم
صوفيا أندرياتزا

 

مسؤولة استراتيجيات التواصل
زهور محمود (كحل)

 

محرّرة النسخة العربية
صباح أيوب (كحل)

 

مديرة الترجمة
مايا زبداوي (كحل)


 

فريق AWID
نانا داركوا سيكياما
لولا سيلڤا
كامي أبرهميان
تانيا لالمون
ماريا أوليڤو
مريان أسفاو
آنا أبليندا

 

Snippet - COP30 - Feminist Demands for COP30 Col 1

What We Reject:

  • Market-based false solutions
  • Ecosystem service trading
  • Green neoliberal economies mining
  • Geo-engineering
  • Fossil fuels
  • Military spending over climate funds
  • Climate finance as loans

Intro to tweets snippet | AR

يتبيّن من هذه التويتات الفكاهة المقرونة بالإثارة والاهتياج الجنسيّ، التي تتّسم بها المقاربة النسوية لكتابة الرسائل ذات المضامين الجنسية، دون أن تُسقط عن نفسها الالتزام بالمساواة والعدالة.

Protection of the Family

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The Issue

Over the past few years, a troubling new trend at the international human rights level is being observed, where discourses on ‘protecting the family’ are being employed to defend violations committed against family members, to bolster and justify impunity, and to restrict equal rights within and to family life.

The campaign to "Protect the Family" is driven by ultra-conservative efforts to impose "traditional" and patriarchal interpretations of the family, and to move rights out of the hands of family members and into the institution of ‘the family’.

“Protection of the Family” efforts stem from:

  • rising traditionalism,
  • rising cultural, social and religious conservatism and
  • sentiment hostile to women’s human rights, sexual rights, child rights and the rights of persons with non-normative gender identities and sexual orientations.

Since 2014, a group of states have been operating as a bloc in human rights spaces under the name “Group of Friends of the Family”, and resolutions on “Protection of the Family” have been successfully passed every year since 2014.

This agenda has spread beyond the Human Rights Council. We have seen regressive language on “the family” being introduced at the Commission on the Status of Women, and attempts made to introduce it in negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Our Approach

AWID works with partners and allies to jointly resist “Protection of the Family” and other regressive agendas, and to uphold the universality of human rights.

In response to the increased influence of regressive actors in human rights spaces, AWID joined allies to form the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs).  OURs is a collaborative project that monitors, analyzes, and shares information on anti-rights initiatives like  “Protection of the Family”.

Rights at Risk, the first OURs report, charts a map of the actors making up the global anti-rights lobby, identifies their key discourses and strategies, and the effect they are having on our human rights.   

The report outlines “Protection of the Family” as an agenda that has fostered collaboration across a broad range of regressive actors at the UN.  It describes it as: “a strategic framework that houses “multiple patriarchal and anti-rights positions, where the framework, in turn, aims to justify and institutionalize these positions.”

 

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Astitva Trust defiende los derechos de los grupos de las minorías sexuales

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Astitva Trust defiende los derechos de los grupos de las minorías sexuales

En abril de 2014, el Astitva Trust y su Presidenta Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, destacada activista por los derechos de las personas trans*, presentaron una petición apoyando el reconocimiento de un tercer género por parte de la Corte Suprema de la India. Fue una decisión histórica y a través de ella la Corte reconoció todos los derechos constitucionales a las personas trans*, afirmando que: «Todo ser humano tiene derecho a elegir su género».

Pero aunque para la ley las personas trans* son ciudadanas en pie de igualdad, todavía se enfrentan a una discriminación social extrema. Astitva Trust es una organización comunitaria de minorías sexuales (en su mayoría hijras[1]) cuyo objetivo es erradicar el estima y la discriminación contra las personas LGBTQ* y particularmente contra la comunidad trans*. Trabaja con grupos de las minorías sexuales, defiende sus derechos, promueve su salud y su bienestar integral, y ayuda a mejorar su calidad y sus estándares de vida.

Entre los objetivos de Astitva se cuentan generar conciencia y difundir conocimientos acerca del VIH, el SIDA y otras enfermedades de transmisión sexual entre las minorías sexuales, promover el sexo más seguro, e incrementar el acceso a servicios de salud sexual comunitaria amigables. Hasta el momento, hay 4652 personas trans* registradas en Astitva y la organización mantiene contacto con 56 organizaciones trans* de la India, a las que apoya en numerosos aspectos.

Astitva es una de las fundadoras de la Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities [Red Integrada de Minorías Sexuales] cuyo consejo directivo integra; también es fundadora del Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board [Comité para el Bienestar de la Población Trans* en Maharashtra], e integrante de su grupo de trabajo; y forma parte de la Asia - Pacific Transgender Network [Red Trans* de Asia y el Pacífico], y de la Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers [Red de Trabajadoras/es Sexuales de Asia y el Pacífico].

En abril de 2015 y junto con el parlamentario Trichy Shiva, Astitva trabajó para lograr una histórica aprobación unánime del Proyecto de Ley por los Derechos de las Personas Trans* en la Rajya Sabha,[2] que reconoce la igualdad de derechos para las personas tras*. El paso siguiente es lograr su aprobación por parte de la Lok Sabha[3], para que se convierta en ley.

Escucha la charla de TEDx de Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (en inglés)

[1] Hijra es un término que se utiliza particularmente en la India para referirse a una persona trans*
[2] Cámara Alta del Parlamento de la India
[3] Cámara Baja del Parlamento de la India
Region
Asia
Asia del Sur
Topics
Derechos civiles y políticos
Derechos LGBTQI
Source
AWID

Astitva Trust travaille avec des groupes représentant diverses minorités sexuelles

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Astitva Trust travaille avec des groupes représentant diverses minorités sexuelles

En avril 2014, l’Astitva Trust et son présidente Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, une éminente activiste des droits des personnes transgenres, ont lancé une pétition pour soutenir un jugement rendu par la Cour suprême de l’Inde qui reconnaissait l’existence d’un troisième genre. Cette décision est historique,  elle prouve que la Cour a accordé l’intégralité des droits constitutionnels à des personnes transgenres. Par ce décret, la Cour affirme ainsi que « tout être humain a le droit de choisir son genre ».

Si la loi leur confère le même statut qu’aux autres citoyen-ne-s, les personnes transgenres sont encore confrontées à une discrimination extrêmement forte dans la société indienne dominante. L’Astitva Trust, une organisation communautaire qui rassemble différentes minorités sexuelles (principalement des hijras[1]), vise à supprimer la stigmatisation et la discrimination qui frappe les LGBTQ* et tout particulièrement la communauté transgenre. L’organisation travaille avec des groupes représentant diverses minorités sexuelles pour mener des campagnes en faveur de leurs droits, de leur santé et de leur bien-être au sens large. Elle contribue également à l’amélioration de la qualité de leur niveau de vie.

Parmi les objectifs du Trust figurent notamment la sensibilisation des minorités sexuelles au VIH/SIDA et aux autres maladies sexuellement transmissibles et la diffusion des connaissances sur ce thème, la promotion de pratiques sexuelles plus sûres et la transformation des services de santé sexuelle pour la communauté en services plus accueillants. Pour l’instant, Astitva compte 4 652 membres transgenres et travaille en réseau avec 56 organisations transgenres indiennes qu’elle aide dans de nombreux domaines.

L’organisation est co-fondatrice et membre du conseil d’administration de l’Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities (réseau intégré pour les minorités sexuelles). Elle a également fondé le Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board (conseil de la protection sociale des personnes transgenres du Maharashtra), auquel elle participe au titre de membre du groupe de travail. Enfin, le Trust est membre du Réseau transgenre d'Asie-Pacifique (site en anglais) et du Réseau des professionnel-le-s du sexe d’Asie-Pacifique (site en anglais).

En avril 2015, Astitva (avec l’appui du parlementaire Trichy Shiva) a plaidé en faveur de l’adoption historique et unanime du « Rights of Transgender Persons Bill » (« projet de loi sur les droits des personnes transgenres ») à la Rajya Sabha[2], appelant ainsi à l’égalité des droits des personnes transgenres. L’étape suivante consiste désormais à faire adopter ce projet de loi par la Lok Sabha[3] pour qu’il devienne une véritable loi.

Écouter le discours de Laxmi Narayan Tripathi sur TEDx (en anglais)

[1] Le terme Hijra est utilisé, particulièrement en Inde, pour faire référence aux personnes transgenres
[2] La Chambre haute du Parlement indien
[3] La Chambre basse du Parlement indien
Region
Asie
Asie du Sud
Topics
Droits civils et politiques
Droits des LGBTQI
Source
AWID

Astitva Trust defends the rights of sexual minorities groups

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Astitva Trust defends the rights of sexual minorities groups

In April 2014, the Astitva Trust along with its President Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a prominent transgender rights activist, petitioned in support of an Indian Supreme Court judgement that would recognize a third gender. It was a landmark ruling, the Court granting all constitutional rights to transgender persons. "It is the right of every human being to choose their gender,” the Court stated.

Yet even though legally transgenders are equal citizens, they still face extreme discrimination in mainstream society. The Astitva Trust, a community-based organisation of sexual minorities (mainly hijras[1]), aims to eradicate stigma and discrimination of LGBTQ* and especially the transgender community. The organisation works with sexual minority groups, campaigning for their rights, promoting their health and general well-being, helping to improve their living standards and quality of life.

Some of the objectives of the Trust include raising awareness and increasing knowledge of HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections among sexual minorities; promoting safer sex; and increasing access to community friendly sexual health services. Astitva has so far registered 4652 transgender persons and has networked with 56 transgender organisations in India, providing support in numerous areas.

The organisation is a co-founder and part of the governing board of the Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities, a founder and working group member of Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board, and a member of both the Asia - Pacific Transgender Network and the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers.

In April 2015, Astitva (along with Member of Parliament Trichy Shiva) pushed for a historical unanimous passing of the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill in Rajya Sabha,[2] calling for equal rights of transgender people. Next step is to have it passed in Lok Sabha[3] so the Bill can become law.

Listen to Laxmi Narayan Tripathi TEDx Talk

[1] Hijra is a term used particularly in India to refer to a transgender individual
[2] Upper House of Parliament of India
[3] Lower House of Parliament of India
Region
Asia
South Asia
Topics
Civil & political rights
LGBTQI Rights
Source
AWID

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Upasana Agarwal Snippet EN

Upasana Agarwal

Upasana is a non binary illustrator and artist based out of Kolkata, India. Their work explores identity and personal narratives by using a visual remnant or evidence of the contexts they work with. They are especially drawn to patterns which to them communicate complex truths about the past, present and future. When Upasana is not illustrating they organise and run a queer and trans community art centre in the city. 

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Tonya Haynes, CAISO
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Annual Report 2010

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AWID 2010 Annual Report Cover

Our 2010 Annual Report highlights the major accomplishments of each of our strategic initiatives during the year.

Along with activity highlights, we include a brief analysis of the impact of our initiatives as well as reflections from our members and partners that further illustrate the relevance of AWID’s work and its connection to broader women’s rights movements. 

This interactive document is complete with links to our websites and recent publications with in-depth information on the issues we address in the report.

Read online

Margo Okazawa-Rey

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Biography

Margo Okazawa-Rey is an activist-educator and transnational feminist working on issues of militarism for nearly 30 years. She is a founder member of the International Women’s Network against Militarism and Women for Genuine Security, the US group of the Network. She has long-standing activist commitments with Du Re Bang/My Sisters Place in South Korea and Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling in Palestine. She also serves on the International Board of PeaceWomen Across the Globe in Bern, Switzerland and is President of the Board of Directors of Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID). Her foundational activist/life principle is that love is a radical act. She is also known as DJ MOR Love and Joy.

Position
President
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Eni Lestari

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Biography

Eni Lestari is an Indonesian domestic worker in Hong Kong and a migrant rights activist. After escaping her abusive employer, she transformed herself from a victim into an organizer for domestic workers in particular, and migrant workers in general. In 2000, she founded the Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers (ATKI-Hong Kong) which later expanded to Macau, Taiwan, and Indonesia. She was the coordinator and the one of the spokesperson of the Asia Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB) - an alliance of grassroots migrants organisations in Hong Kong coming from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Nepal and Sri Lanka. She is also the current chairperson of International Migrants Alliance, the first-ever global alliance of grassroots migrants, immigrants, refugees, and other displaced people.

She has held important positions in various organizations including and current Regional Council member of Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), former Board Member of Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), spokesperson for Network of Indonesian Migrant Workers (JBMI), advisor for ATKI-Hong Kong and Macau as well as the Association of Returned Migrants and Families in Indonesia (KABAR BUMI). She has been an active resource person in forums organized by academics, interfaith groups, civil societies, trade unions and many others at national, regional, and international arenas.

She has actively participated in United Nations assemblies/conferences on development and migrants’ rights and was chosen as a speaker at the opening of the UN General Assembly on Large Movement of Migrants and Refugees in 2016 in New York City, USA. She received nominations and awards such as Inspirational Women by BBC 100 Women, Public Hero Award by RCTI, Indonesian Club Award, and Non-Profit Leader of Women of Influence by American Chamber Hong Kong, and Changemaker of Cathay Pacific.

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Rachel Mabaudi

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Biography

Rachel is a financial professional with over two decades of experience. She has overseen financial affairs and projects for private and public entities, non-profits, and international non-governmental organizations. A Chartered Accountant with a Global Master’s in Business Administration, she is also a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. In her spare time, Rachel designs typography art, enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends over a bottle of wine.

Position
Finance Manager
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What is the AWID International Forum?

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The AWID international Forum is a gathering of 2,000 women’s rights leaders and activists from around the world. The AWID Forum is the largest recurring event of its kind, and every Forum takes place in a different country in the global South.

The AWID International Forum is both a global community event and a space of radical personal transformation. A one-of-a-kind convening, the Forum brings together feminist, women’s rights, gender justice, LBTQI+ and allied movements, in all our diversity and humanity, to connect, heal and thrive.

When people come together on a global scale, as individuals and movements, we generate a sweeping force.

Join us in Bangkok, Thailand and online in December 2024.

Register now!