Jean-Marc Ferré | Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
A general view of participants at the 16th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Special Focus

AWID is an international, feminist, membership organisation committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women’s human rights

Human Rights Council (HRC)

The Human Rights Council (HRC) is the key intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe. It holds three regular sessions a year: in March, June and September. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the secretariat for the HRC.

The HRC works by:

  • Debating and passing resolutions on global human rights issues and human rights situations in particular countries

  • Examining complaints from victims of human rights violations or activist organizations on behalf of victims of human rights violations

  • Appointing independent experts (known as “Special Procedures”) to review human rights violations in specific countries and examine and further global human rights issues

  • Engaging in discussions with experts and governments on human rights issues

  • Assessing the human rights records of all UN Member States every four and a half years through the Universal Periodic Review

Learn more about the HRC


AWID works with feminist, progressive and human rights partners to share key knowledge, convene civil society dialogues and events, and influence negotiations and outcomes of the session.

With our partners, our work will:

◾️ Monitor, track and analyze anti-rights actors, discourses and strategies and their impact on resolutions

◾️ Raise awareness of the findings of the 2017 and 2021 OURs Trends Reports.

◾️Support the work of feminist UN experts in the face of backlash and pressure

◾️Advocate for state accountability
 
◾️ Work with feminist movements and civil society organizations to advance rights related to gender and sexuality.
 

Related Content

Por que devo considerar responder ao inquérito?

Existem várias razões pelas quais a sua resposta ao inquérito WITM é importante. Por exemplo, tem a oportunidade de partilhar a sua experiência vivida com a mobilização de financiamento para apoiar a sua organização; de reivindicar o seu poder como especialista sobre como o dinheiro circula e os bolsos em que entra; e de contribuir para a defesa coletiva e consistente junto de financiadores para mover mais recursos de maior qualidade. Ao longo das últimas duas décadas, o inquérito WITM da AWID tem-se revelado um recurso fundamental para ativistas e financiadores. Convidamo-lo a juntar-se a nós na sua terceira edição para destacar o estado efetivo do financiamento, desafiar soluções falsas e apontar a forma como o financiamento precisa de mudar para que os movimentos prosperem e enfrentem os desafios complexos do nosso tempo.

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Compilación de noticias sobre la organización y/o el trabajo de AWID


 

 


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Zita Kavungirwa Kayange

Zita was a women’s rights activist who defended the rights of rural women in Greater Kivu.

She was the first Executive Director of UWAKI - a well known women’s organisation. Through her work with Women's Network for Rights and Peace (RFDP), and the Women's Caucus of South Kivu for Peace, she committed her life to helping to restore peace in the Eastern DRC. She spoke out strongly against the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.

In 2006, she put herself forward as a candidate in the first democratic elections in the DRC. Although she did not win, she continued to advocate for women’s rights and the South Kivu community remembers her fondly. 


 

Zita Kavungirwa Kayange, Republic Democratic of Congo

Rapport Annuel 2011

Pour réaliser sa mission, l’AWID travaille par la voie de programmes pluriannuels et interreliés. 

Chaque programme comporte plusieurs volets, y compris le développement et la diffusion de connaissances, la recherche-action, les plaidoyers, l’établissement d’alliances et l’organisation de dialogues stratégiques.

Notre Rapport Annuel 2011 vous proposent un sommaire des principales réalisations pendant l'année, dans le cadre de chacune des programmes de l’AWID.  

Snippet FEA Unfair Policies (ES)

Escalas de justicia rosa

POLÍTICAS INJUSTAS

نحن نعيد إعطاء المال لشركائنا/شريكاتنا ونعرّف عن أنفسنا كنسويات و\ أو صندوق نسائي. هل علينا تعبئة الاستطلاع؟

كلا. نقدّر عملكم/ن لكننا لا نطلب في هذه المرحلة من الصناديق النسوية والنسائية تعبئة الاستطلاع. نشجعكم/ن على مشاركة الاستطلاع مع شركائكم/ن و شبكاتكم/ن النسوية.

Here are your report and infographics: Toward a feminist funding ecosystem

Become a member - Spanish (homepage block)

Afíliate

Al unirte a AWID, te sumas a un proceso organizativo feminista mundial, un poder colectivo surgido del trabajo entre movimientos y basado en la solidaridad.

Afíliate hoy mismo

Bessy Ferrera

Bessy Ferrera was a lifelong defender of the human rights of trans people, sex workers and HIV positive people in Honduras.

Bessy was also a member of Arcoíris, an organisation which supports the LGBTI+ community. She was also a focal point person for the Right Here, Right Now (Derechos aquí y Ahora) Platform of Honduras, and advocated strongly for full citizenship of trans people, and the passing of a gender identity law that would allow trans people to change their gender identity legally.

"Since the beginning of the year [2019] the trans community has been suffering a series of attacks, for defending, for demanding rights." - Rihanna Ferrera (Bessy’s sister)

Bessy was a sex worker, and in early July 2019, was shot to death by two men while working in the streets of Comayagüela. Her assailants were subsequently arrested. 

Bessy is one of many LGBTI+ rights defenders in Honduras, who were murdered because of their identities and work. Other companeras include: Cynthia Nicole, Angy Ferreira, Estefania "Nia" Zuniga, Gloria Carolina Hernandez Vasquez, Paola Barraza, Violeta Rivas, and Sherly Montoya.

Bessy’s case is emblematic of injustice and a much larger problem of the systematic violence the LGBTI+ community faces in Honduras as the state fails to guarantee rights offer and fails to offer protection. This has created a culture of impunity.

Despite the risks LGBTI+ defenders in Honduras face, they continue their work to challenge and resist violence, and fight stigma and discrimination on a daily basis. 

“If I die, let it be for something good not for something futile. I don’t want to die running away, being a coward. If I die, I want people to say that I died fighting for what is mine.” - member of Arcoíris 

AWID in 2016: Co-Creating Feminist Futures

AWID is pleased to share our 2016 Annual Report.

2016 was an incredible year for AWID, we convened the 13th International AWID Forum in Bahia, Brazil, a space for strategizing and alliance building with feminists and other justice movements, which was attended by over 1800 participants from 120 countries and territories across the globe.

We know that women’s rights and feminist movements are key actors in creating sustainable transformative change. Within our movements, organizing, resisting and responding to the challenging context is sharpening, and in our increasingly connected world, the potential for collective action across diverse movements has dramatically grown.

This is the crucial work that AWID seeks to amplify and support every day.


What we achieved in 2016

We expanded solidarity and joint action across diverse movements

A highlight of 2016 was our ground-breaking 13th International Forum with the theme: “Feminist Futures: Building Collective Power for Rights and Justice”, where we harnessed the thinking and energy of nearly 500 partners, presenters, panelists, moderators, artivists, writers, facilitators, IT innovators, and performers, many of them leaders in their movements. We also supported the convening of the first and historical Black Feminisms Forum (BFF) organised by a working group of Black Feminists from across the world.

We strengthened knowledge of issues and strategies

We contributed to collective advocacy

AWID, in partnership with other feminist and women’s rights organisations, engaged in advocacy and dialogue to explore better solutions for women’s rights agendas including our work with the Count Me In! consortium .

We increased the visibility of movements

The experiences of women with disabilities, Black and Afro-descendant women, sex workers, Indigenous women, trans and intersex people, domestic workers and how their lives are impacted by multiple oppressions and violence were placed front and center of the Forum process.

We also launched the 2016 WHRD Tribute to commemorate defenders who are no longer with us, during the 16 Days of activism, and thanks to the contributions from our members,

We drove attention to groups and issues that do not usually receive adequate mainstream media coverage through our partnership with The Guardian and Mama Cash.


Our members

 

Snippet FEA Sopo Japaridze (FR)

Nous avons le plaisir de vous présenter Sopo Japaridze, féministe féroce, dirigeante syndicale et présidente du syndicat de service indépendant Réseau de Solidarité.

Elle a quitté le pays très jeune pour les États-Unis, où elle est devenue politiquement active en tant qu'organisatrice syndicale. Elle a toujours gardé la Géorgie à l'esprit pendant tout ce temps, jusqu'au jour où, 20 ans plus tard, elle a décidé de revenir.

La confédération syndicale géorgienne existante à cette époque était loin d'être idéale. C’est pourquoi, armée de ses compétences, de ses connaissances et de son expérience en matière de syndicalisation, Sopo est retournée en Géorgie et a formé son propre syndicat.

Elle est aussi une chercheuse passionnée et une écrivaine. Elle étudie les relations de travail et les relations sociales, écrit pour diverses publications et est co-éditrice de Left East, une plate-forme analytique d'Europe de l'Est. Elle a également cofondé l'initiative et le podcast d'histoire politique, Réimaginer la Géorgie Soviétique, où elle explore les complexités et les nuances des expériences du pays sous l'Union soviétique, pour mieux comprendre son passé et construire un avenir meilleur.

На каких языках проводится опрос?

На данный момент опрос в KOBO доступен на арабском, английском, французском, португальском, русском и испанском языках. В начале опроса у вас будет возможность выбрать нужный вам язык.

Cláusula de exención de responsabilidad: Comunicaciones con el equipo de AWID

Si has recibido correos electrónicos de integrantes del equipo de AWID, nos gustaría que tengas presente lo siguiente:

  • La información contenida en esta comunicación es confidencial y está destinada exclusivamente la persona que lo recibe.

  • Esta comunicación podría contener información que es propiedad de la Asociación para los Derechos de las Mujeres y el Desarrollo (AWID, por sus siglas en inglés). Esta información no puede reproducirse ni diseminarse  ni parcialmente ni  en su totalidad sin el consentimiento escrito de AWID.

  • AWID no garantiza que la información aquí contenida sea completa o correcta. Esta comunicación no es una oferta para elaborar ningún tipo de acuerdo y no es una confirmación de ningún acuerdo descrito en este documento, a menos que el contexto indique claramente lo contrario.

  • AWID no está actuando en calidad de asesora de ningún acuerdo que pueda surgir de este documento, y esta comunicación no constituye una recomendación, guía o propuesta para elaborar un acuerdo.

  • AWID no garantiza o asegura los resultados esperados de cualquier acuerdo. Esta comunicación puede contener puntos de vista y opiniones que pueden no corresponderse con aquellos de AWID.

  • No tendrá derecho a utilizar la información contenida en esta comunicación con fines de llegar a cualquier tipo de propuesta de acuerdo u otro. 

Reason to join 4

Voyez grand ! Notre rayonnement international nous permet de combiner notre travail analytique avec des outils politiques et pratiques de plaidoyer et de transformation afin de faire avancer la cause des mouvements féministes à tous les niveaux.

Yelena Grigoriyeva

Yelena Grigoriyeva, a menudo conocida entre sus amigxs como Lena, fue una destacada defensora de los derechos LGBT en Rusia.

Formó parte de movimientos democráticos, anti-guerra y LGBT. En su activismo, fue una crítica feroz del Presidente Vladimir Putin y su administración, y expresó su oposición a la anexión por parte de Rusia de la península de Crimea de Ucrania y al maltrato de prisionerxs.

Yelena se declaró bisexual a principios de 2019. "Su salida del armario fue una sorpresa para mí, y no la aprobé. Le dije: ‘Escucha, Lena, ya estás en la mira por tu actividad política. Te acabas de clavar otro blanco en el pecho’". - Olga Smirnova

Yelena, de hecho, recibió múltiples amenazas de muerte y, según algunxs de sus conocidxs, figuraba en un sitio web homofóbico que instaba a sus visitantes a que persiguieran a las personas LGBT. Yelena denunció las amenazas a la policía, pero el Estado ruso no le proporcionó ningún tipo de protección.

Sin embargo, Yelena, a pesar de vivir en una sociedad en la que la oposición política, así como lxs integrantes de la comunidad LGBT y lxs defensores de sus derechos, se enfrentan a una violencia continua y creciente, siguió haciendo campaña por la justicia social y la igualdad.

"No se perdió ni una sola acción. Y la detuvieron tantas veces que hasta perdí la cuenta", Olga Smirnova (compañera activista de la oposición y amiga).

Yelena fue asesinada el 21 de julio de 2019, cerca de su casa. Las autoridades detuvieron a una persona sospechosa pero, según algunas fuentes, muchxs amigxs y compañerxs activistas creen que es un chivo expiatorio y que, en realidad, se trata de un asesinato político deliberado.

Para los familiares y amigxs de Yelena, su caso sigue sin resolverse aunque la persona sospechosa haya confesado.

En 2013, Rusia aprobó una ley que prohíbe la difusión de lo que describió como "propaganda gay". En 2014, Human Rights Watch publicó un informe al respecto.

2021: Feminist Power in Action

In 2021, AWID, along with many other organizations, was coming to grips with the implications of the on-going global pandemic for how we work and our role in this particular time. The year taught us three critical lessons about navigating this moment as a global feminist movement-support organization.

Download the full 2021 Annual review


English language cover for the 2021 AWID Annual Report. It shows a collage of protests fists raised, along with flowers and a silhouette of a person with short hair in the back.

Through dialogue and exchanges critical to their work, AWID connected thousands to feminists from around the world.

Our experience in 2021 reaffirmed the importance of building and sustaining a global feminist community, and AWID’s core mission to support feminist movements as a whole. We believe that at this moment, a strong community bound by a shared vision and collective care is the foundation of all social change and transformation.

Download the full 2021 Annual review

Snippet FEA Union Otras (EN)

UNION OTRAS

The Sex Workers' Trade Union Organisation (Organización de Trabajo Sexual, OTRAS) is the first union of sex workers in the history of Spain. It was born out of the need to ensure social, legal and political rights for sex workers in a country where far-right movements are on the rise.

After years of struggles against the Spanish legal system and anti-sex workers groups who petitioned to shut it down, OTRAS finally obtained its legal status as a union in 2021.

Its goal? To decriminalize sex work and to ensure decent working conditions and environments for all sex workers.

The union represents over 600 professional sex workers, many of whom are migrant, trans, queer and gender-diverse.