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
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:
◾️ 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
Gracias por participar en la creación de nuestros Futuros Feministas
¡Gracias por haber sido parte del Foro AWID 2016!
AWID agradece enormemente a todxs ustedes que han compartido con nosotrxs estos últimos cuatro días de aprendizaje, celebraciones, ideaciones, sueños y la construcción conjunta de nuestros futuros feministas en el Foro AWID 2016.
Nos sentimos muy inspiradxs, maravilladxs y llenxs de energía con todo el trabajo colectivo que hemos hecho para crear nuestros diversos futuros feministas.

Para más imagen, blogues y recursos:
Snippet FEA Bauen Hotel (EN)
Only a year after it was founded, the members of Nadia Echazú started to work in haute couture and organized a fashion show in the historic Bauen Hotel.
They showcased five models and some workers of the textile cooperative walked down the runway with their own designs.
This was revolutionary not only because they were designing alternatives to mainstream fashion, but also because they were creating accessible, inclusive clothes for all trans and travesti bodies.
Feminist economies should also be about feeling amazing and comfortable in the clothes we are wearing.
Snippet - WITM to claim - AR

لتجسيد قوتكم/ن كخبيرات عن وضع التمويل للحركات النسوية
L’économie solidaire
Définition
L'économie solidaire (qui inclut l'économie coopérative et l’économie du don) est un cadre alternatif qui adopte différentes formes dans divers contextes et qui est ouvert au changement continuel.
Ce cadre est fondé sur les principes suivants :
- la solidarité, l’entraide et la coopération
- l'équité dans toutes les dimensions
- le bien-être social
- la durabilité
- la démocratie sociale et économique
- le pluralisme
Dans une économie solidaire, les producteurs mettent en place des processus économiques qui sont intimement liés à leurs réalités, à la préservation de l'environnement et à la coopération mutuelle.
Le contexte
Selon la géographe féministe Yvonne Underhill-Sem, l'économie du don est un système économique dans lequel les biens et les services circulent entre les personnes sans accord explicite de leur valeur, ou sans impliquer de réciprocité ultérieure.
Derrière le don il y a la relation humaine, la bienveillance et l'attention portée à la nurturance* de toute la société, non seulement limitée à soi-même et aux proches. Il s’agit ici de la notion du collectif.
Par exemple, dans la région du Pacifique, cette approche comprend la collecte, la préparation et le tissage de ressources terrestres et marines pour fabriquer des tapis, des ventilateurs, des guirlandes et des objets de cérémonie. Elle comprend également l'élevage du bétail et le stockage des récoltes saisonnières.
Perspective féministe
Pour les femmes, les incitations à s’engager dans des activités économiques sont diverses et multiples, allant de la réalisation d’aspirations de carrière afin de gagner de l'argent pour une vie confortable à long terme, à gagner de l'argent pour joindre les deux bouts, à rembourser une dette ou encore à échapper aux corvées de la vie courante.
Pour s’adapter aux divers environnements au sein desquels les femmes travaillent, le concept d'économie solidaire est en développement permanent et est continuellement discuté et débattu.

Pour en savoir plus sur cette proposition :
- Les réseaux d'organisations réunis au sein du Réseau intercontinental de promotion de l'économie sociale solidaire(RIPESS) ont émis une série de recommandations (en anglais) relatives au programme de développement post-2015, qui résume les principales exigences pour une économie solidaire.
- Le document publié par le RIPESS en 2015, Vision globale de l’économie sociale solidaire : convergences et différences entre les concepts, définitions et cadres de référence, fait partie d'un processus de dialogue dans lequel le réseau s’est engagé. Le document énonce les principaux points de discussions et identifie les domaines à explorer plus avant.
Glossaire :
Nurturance : Nourriture et soins émotionnels et physiques donnés à quelqu'un.
Snippet FEA Audio Story 3 (ES)
Escucha la historia aquí:
Mary Assaad
Experte en développement social et anthropologue de formation, Mary était surtout connue pour être une pionnière de la lutte contre les mutilations génitales féminines (MGF).
Née au Caire en 1922, les travaux de Mary en matière de développement ont commencé tôt, dès son adhésion à la YWCA (Association chrétienne des jeunes femmes). Mary était membre du Conseil œcuménique des Églises et s'est progressivement intéressée aux questions relatives à la santé des femmes. Sa longue lutte contre les MGF a porté ses fruits en 2008, lorsque l'Egypte a finalement criminalisé cette pratique.
On se souvient d'elle comme d'une mentor pour de nombreuses féministes et militant-e-s égyptien-ne-s
Snippet - WITM Survey will remain open - RU
Опрос будет открыт до 31 июля 2024 года
Пожалуйста выберите язык, на котором вы хотите отвечать на вопросы в правом верхнем углу страницы
Если вы хотите узнать больше, присоединяйтесь к нашей встрече участников исследования «Где деньги?», которая пройдет 27 мая, понедельник, в 9:00 UTC – с синхронным переводом на французский и английский языки. 14:00 UTC – с синхронным переводом на испанский и английский языки.
Становиться участником (in English).
Feminist propositions: Glossary of terms
Capitalism:
An economic system in which production and consumption patterns are based on profit using privately owned capital goods and wage labour. The system builds on individual wealth and capital accumulation at the lowest cost to the investor, with little regard for the societal costs and exploitation of the workforce - both paid and unpaid.
Commodification of land:
The conversion of land and activities related to it (like agriculture) into commodities that can be bought or sold for profit.
International Financial Institutions (IFIs):
Institutions (like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, or regional development banks) that provide loans to countries lacking sufficient money to cover funding shortfalls or to finance development projects. Historically, the lending policies of these institutions have been determined by economically powerful Western countries and private enterprises. Loans to low-income countries in particular typically include conditionalities that prompt economic reforms in these countries to support neo-liberalism.
Neoliberalism:
A set of economic and political theories in which market forces, rather than governments, determine key aspects of the economy with governments acting to support globalized markets and the interests of capital. Neo-liberal economic policies typically include promotion of free trade, privatisation, reduced government spending on social programs, subsidies and tax exemptions for business, deregulation of financial sector and foreign investments, low taxes on the wealthy and corporations, flexible labour and weak environmental protection.
Patriarchy:
Refers to systemic and institutionalized male domination embedded in and perpetuated by cultural, political, economic and social structures and ideologies. Hetero-patriarchy in addition, is a patriarchal system that is also based on the belief that heterosexuality is the only normal and acceptable sexual orientation.
Snippet FEA how important essential workers are (FR)
La pandémie de COVID-19 a montré au monde l'importance des travailleur·euses essentiel·les. Nous parlons des personnes qui font le ménage, les travailleur·euses domestiques, les infirmier·ères, les d'ambulancier·ères, les personnes travaillant dans les transports, les supermarchés et autres. Leur travail consiste à prendre soin et à garantir le bien-être des autres et à faire fonctionner nos économies.
Mais pendant qu'iels prennent soin de nous..
Angelica Bello
Peni Moore
Peni was a radical feminist philosopher, poet, writer, playwright and songwriter.
As the first coordinator for the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, she left a legacy that was infused with her deep concern for women’s human rights, justice and peace. Peni’s commitment to social, economic and ecological justice and her outstanding work gained local and international respect. She was one of the first in mainstream feminist movements in Fiji to work with, and beside LGBTQI people as a real accomplice, and provided practical assistance to the early Fiji sex worker movement.
Her colleagues described her as a formidable individual and visionary leader for change. She inspired many by her creativity and courage. Her work provided platforms for people to be heard, attain new skills and forge new pathways both at the personal and community level.
Snippet - WITM Acknowledgements - PT
Agradecimentos
A AWID agradece sinceramente às várias pessoas cujas ideias, análises e contribuições moldaram a pesquisa e a defesa do “Onde está o dinheiro” ao longo dos anos.
Em primeiro lugar, os nossos mais sinceros agradecimentos aos membres da AWID e às ativistas que participaram nas colaborações com o WITM e testaram este questionário connosco, ao partilhar tão generosamente o seu tempo, análise e espírito.
Agradecemos aos movimentos feministas, aos aliados e aos fundos feministas, incluindo, mas não se limitando ao Black Feminist Fund, Pacific Feminist Fund, ASTREA, FRIDA Young Feminist Fund, Purposeful, Kosovo Women's Network, Human Rights Funders Network, CEECCNA Feminist Fund e PROSPERA, pelas suas investigações rigorosas sobre o estado de financiamento, pela análise perspicaz e pela defesa contínua de mais recursos de melhor qualidade e poder para a organização feminista e de justiça de género em todos os contextos.
Junte-se à comunidade global de feministas que se manifestam sobre o estado de financiamento, e exigem mais recursos de melhor qualidade e poder para feministas globalmente.
Key opposition actors
We are witnessing an unprecedented level of engagement of anti-rights actors in international human rights spaces. To bolster their impact and amplify their voices, anti-rights actors increasingly engage in tactical alliance building across sectors, regional and national borders, and faiths.
This “unholy alliance” of traditionalist actors from Catholic, Evangelical, Mormon, Russian Orthodox and Muslim faith backgrounds have found common cause in a number of shared talking points and advocacy efforts attempting to push back against feminist and sexual rights gains at the international level.
Holy See
-
Key activities: As the government of the Roman Catholic Church, the “Holy See” uses its unique status as Permanent Observer state at the UN to lobby for conservative, patriarchal, and heteronormative notions of womanhood, gender identities and “the family”, and to propagate policies that are anti-abortion and -contraception
-
Based in: Vatican City, Rome, Italy.
-
Religious affiliations: Catholic
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: US Christian Right groups; interfaith orthodox alliances; Catholic CSOs
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
-
Key activities: Self-described as the “collective voice of the Muslim world”, the OIC acts as a bloc of states in UN spaces. The OIC attempts to create loopholes in human rights protection through references to religion, culture, or national sovereignty; propagates the concept of the “traditional family”; and contributes to a parallel but restrictive human rights regime (e.g. the 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam).
-
Based in: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
-
Religious affiliations: Muslim
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: Ultra conservative State missions to the UN, such as Russia
World Congress of Families
-
Key activities: International and regional conferences; research and knowledge-production and dissemination; lobbying at the United Nations “to defend life, faith and family”
-
Based in: Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
-
Religious affiliation: Predominantly Catholic and Christian Evangelical
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: Sutherland Institute, a conservative think-tank; the Church of Latter-Day Saints; the Russian Orthodox Church’s Department of Family and Life; the anti-abortion Catholic Priests for Life; the Foundation for African Culture and Heritage; the Polish Federation of Pro-Life Movements; the European Federation of Catholic Family Associations; the UN NGO Committee on the Family; and the Political Network for Values; the Georgian Demographic Society; parliamentarians from Poland and Moldova, etc; FamilyPolicy; the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies; and HatzeOir; C-Fam; among others
Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam)
-
Key activities: Lobbying at the United Nations, particularly the Commission of the Status of Women to “defend life and family”; media and information-dissemination (Friday Fax newsletter); movement building; trainings for conservative activists
-
Based in: New York and Washington D.C., U.S.
-
Religious affiliations: Catholic
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: International Youth Coalition; World Youth Alliance; Human Life International; the Holy See; coordinates the Civil Society for the Family; the Family Research Council (U.S.) and other Christian/Catholic anti-rights CSOs; United States CSW delegation
Family Watch International
-
Key activities: Lobbying in international human rights spaces for “the family” and anti-LGBTQ and anti-CSE policies; training of civil society and state delegates (for example, ‘The Resource Guide to UN Consensus Language on Family Issues’); information dissemination; knowledge production and analysis; online campaigns
-
Based in: Gilbert, Arizona, U.S.
-
Religious affiliations: Mormon
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: leader of the UN Family Rights Caucus; C-Fam; Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (JONAH); the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH); World Congress of Families; CitizenGo; Magdalen Institute; Asociación La Familia Importa; Group of Friends of the Family (25 state bloc)
World Youth Alliance
-
Key activities: Advocacy in international policy spaces including the United Nations, the European Union, and the Organization of American States for “the family”, against sexual and reproductive rights; training youth members in the use of diplomacy and negotiation, international relations, grassroots activities and message development; internship program to encourage youth participation in its work; regular Emerging Leaders Conference; knowledge production and dissemination
-
Based in: New York City (U.S.) with regional chapter offices in Nairobi (Kenya), Quezon City (The Philippines), Brussels (Belgium), Mexico City (Mexico), and Beirut (Lebanon)
-
Religious affiliations: primarily Catholic but aims for interfaith membership
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: C-Fam; Human Life International; the Holy See; Campaign Life coalition
Russian Orthodox Church
-
Key Activities: The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), capitalizing on its close links to the Russian state, has operated as a “norm entrepreneur” in human rights debates. Russia and the ROC have co-opted rights language to push for a focus on “morality” and “traditional values” as supposed key sources of human rights. Russia led a series of “traditional values” resolutions at the Human Rights Council and has been at the forefront of putting forward hostile amendments to progressive resolutions in areas including maternal mortality, protection of civil society space, and the right to peaceful protest.
-
Connections to other anti-rights actors: Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Eastern European and Caucasus Orthodox churches, e.g. Georgian Orthodox Church; U.S. Christian Right including U.S. Evangelicals; World Congress of Families; Group of Friends of the Family (state bloc)
Other Chapters
Snippet FEA collaborator and allies Photo 4 (EN)
