
Faith Kandaba

AWID’s Tribute is an art exhibition honouring feminists, women’s rights and social justice activists from around the world who are no longer with us.
This year’s tribute tells stories and shares narratives about those who co-created feminist realities, have offered visions of alternatives to systems and actors that oppress us, and have proposed new ways of organising, mobilising, fighting, working, living, and learning.
49 new portraits of feminists and Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) are added to the gallery. While many of those we honour have passed away due to old age or illness, too many have been killed as a result of their work and who they are.
This increasing violence (by states, corporations, organized crime, unknown gunmen...) is not only aimed at individual activists but at our joint work and feminist realities.
The portraits of the 2020 edition are designed by award winning illustrator and animator, Louisa Bertman.
AWID would like to thank the families and organizations who shared their personal stories and contributed to this memorial. We join them in continuing the remarkable work of these activists and WHRDs and forging efforts to ensure justice is achieved in cases that remain in impunity.
“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.” - Mexican Proverb
It took shape with a physical exhibit of portraits and biographies of feminists and activists who passed away at AWID’s 12th International Forum, in Turkey. It now lives as an online gallery, updated every year.
To date, 467 feminists and WHRDs are featured.
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.
تشينيلو أونوالو، مستشارة في الشؤون التحرِيرية، مع 10 سنوات من الخبرة في صياغة الاتصالات الاستراتيجية للمنظمات غير الربحية في جميع أنحاء العالم. من بين عملائها منظمة ActionAid Nigeria و BBC World Trust و Open Society Initiative for West Africa و AWID. حائزة على درجة الماجستير في الصحافة من جامعة سيراكيوز. عملت كاتبة ومحررة وباحثة في نيجيريا وكندا والولايات المتحدة. وهي أيضًا محررة في مجلة Anathema والمؤسس المشارك في Omenana، وهي مجلة من قصص الخيال الأفريقي. ظهرت قصصها القصيرة في العديد من المختارات الحائزة على جوائز، ورُشّحت لجوائز الخيال العلمي البريطانية، وجوائز نومو للخيال الأفريقي المضارب، وجائزة يوم القصة الافريقية القصيرة. تشينيلو من نيجيريا لكنها تعيش في تورنتو مع شريكها وطفلها.
Abby était une féministe pionnière, militante des droits humains.
Ancienne épidémiologiste de l'Université McGill, Abby était réputée pour défendre les causes sociales et pour ses critiques perspicaces concernant les technologies de procréation humaine assistée et d'autres sujets médicaux. Plus précisément, elle a fait campagne contre ce qu'elle a appelé la « généticisation » des technologies de procréation, contre l'hormonothérapie substitutive et pour des recherches plus qualitatives et plus longues avant l'approbation de nouveaux vaccins comme celui contre le papillomavirus humain.
À la nouvelle de son décès, ses ami-e-s et collègues l'ont décrite avec affection comme une « ardente défenseure » de la santé des femmes.
Claudia es Maestra en Igualdad y Equidad para el Desarrollo, psicóloga feminista, activista por la defensa de los derechos humanos desde hace 30 años y por los derechos de las mujeres desde hace 24 años.
Trabajando en El Salvador, Claudia está cofundadora y directora Ejecutiva de la Asociación Mujeres Transformando, desde hace 16 años es defensora de derechos laborales de las trabajadoras del sector maquila textil y confecciones. Ha colaborado en la formulación de iniciativas de Ley, propuestas de políticas públicas e investigaciones tendientes a mejorar la calidad del empleo para las trabajadoras de este sector, además de trabajar incansablemente en el fortalecimiento organizativo y empoderamiento de las obreras de la maquila textil y bordadoras a domicilio.
Participa activamente en acciones de incidencia a nivel nacional, regional e internacional por la defensa y reivindicación de los derechos laborales de la clase trabajadora del Sur Global desde una perspectiva, feminista, anticapitalista, antipatriarcal y desde la toma de conciencia de clase y de género. Es parte del Consejo Directivo de la Iniciativa Spootlithg y del Grupo Nacional de Referencia de la minsma. Tambien es parte del Grupo Asesor de la Sociedad Civil de ONUMujeres.
#MeToo in China Exhibition was first held in 2019 and toured in 5 cities. The aim of the exhibition is to bring the personal experiences of the victims and activists to greater prominence and, through engagement with these stories, to inspire our audience to join in the fight. The exhibition has itself become a part of the #MeToo struggle—the exhibition has been beset by challenges on its tour throughout China, on more than one occasion even facing closure.
Winnie has been described as a “militant firebrand activist” who fought the apartheid regime in South Africa.
She was imprisoned multiple times, and on many occasions placed in solitary confinement.
Ma’Winnie, as she is affectionately remembered, was known for being outspoken about the challenges Black women faced during and after apartheid, having been on the receiving end of these brutalities herself as a mother, wife and activist during the struggle. She transcended the misconception that leadership is gender, class or race-based. Despite being a controversial figure, she is remembered by many by her Xhosa name, “ Nomzamo”, which means "She who endures trials".
Ma’Winnie continues to be an inspiration to many, particularly young South African women for whom her death has spurred a burgeoning movement, with the mantra: "She didn't die, she multiplied."
Gopika est une activiste et campaigner féministe indienne du secteur de la justice de genre et des droits humains. Son expérience s’ancre dans le travail auprès de femmes et d’une diversité de jeunes sur des questions telles que l'accès à la justice, la violence sexuelle basée sur le genre, le genre et la sexualité, le financement de l'activisme féministe et les droits du travail. Gopika a fourni des conseils dans le financement des mouvements féministes, notamment à FRIDA | Le Fonds de Jeunes Féministes et au Fond Mondial pour la Résilience. Auparavant, elle a également dirigé le programme Ressources des Mouvements Féministes à l'AWID. Elle est passionnée par l'intersection de l'activisme féministe et de la pratique créative, et a été rédactrice et responsable des pratiques équitables pour « Bystander Anthology », un groupe de narration graphique sud-asiatique du collectif Kadak. Elle s’est récemment découverte un profond amour pour l’escalade en plein air et continue d’apprendre et de grandir tout au long de cette aventure. Gopika est basée à Bangalore, en Inde.
Ika Vantiani es una artista, curadora y artesana de Yakarta, Indonesia. Su obra explora la idea de ser mujer en la sociedad actual, en la cual los medios de comunicación y el consumo están entretejidos. Ika usa la disciplina del collage, y la expande al arte callejero, a talleres e instalaciones. Integra colectivos artísticos tales como Micro Galleries, The Collage Club y It’s In Your Hands Collective.
Barin integraba la unidad de batalla formada íntegramente por mujeres de la Unidad de Protección del Pueblo Kurdo (YPG).
La mataron cuando estaba en servicio activo.
La periodista libanesa Hifaa Zuaiter escribió: «Barin representa todo lo que hemos oído acerca del coraje de las combatientes kurdas, y su muerte es mucho más que el matar a un rival o el resultado de una lucha política o étnica. El horror de exhibir su cuerpo sólo porque es una mujer surge del hecho de que ella se atrevió a amenazar la hegemonía masculina al convertirse en una combatiente en un campo de batalla que se suponía era solo para hombres».
Veena Singh is a Fiji Islander, a feminist and a woman of colour. Veena was born and raised in a small rural town in Fiji and is of mixed ethnicity (her mum is an Indigenous Fijian woman and dad is Fijian of Indian descent). She is a feminist development practitioner and is a strong advocate of ‘shifting powers to create positive change’ and in ‘building an economy of kindness’. Her work experience has largely been in the areas of Human Rights, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion and she has more than 18 years of professional experience working specifically in women and children’s rights, Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325), Human Security, Community Development and Community Media. Veena has worked and volunteered for several Fiji-based NGOs before joining SPC- Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, FemLINKPacific, Fiji Red Cross and Save the Children (Fiji).
Additionally, Veena has worked on a wide range of development areas and issues, including Access to Justice, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Women’s Political Participation, Leadership and in Decision Making, and more recently in the area of Gender Statistics. Her work has enabled her to work very closely with development practitioners, feminists, activists, government representatives, and peace practitioners across the Pacific, Asia, Europe, and African Region. Outside of the office, she likes to work on promoting and protecting the environment; raising awareness on positive mental health and wellbeing; and spending time on writing.
She is a mum to 11 cats, proud wearer of sarees and a collector of postcards. Veena is a thoughtful observer on the direction of feminist activities in Fiji and the Pacific region, and in her own organisations, and seeks, as she describes it, "to decolonise her mind and the ‘self’ through radical self-reflection" but more importantly for her, she cares about putting out more relatable writing that will connect her with the Pacific diaspora. Veena holds a Degree in Community Development with Murdoch University (Australia) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy with the Fiji National University
Découvrez ces projets élaborés par les équipes de l'AWID pour promouvoir le plaidoyer et les perspectives féministes.
Jacqueline était une éducatrice malienne pionnière de la cause féministe et nationaliste.
Elle a d’abord enseigné l'anglais au Sénégal avant d'être recrutée en 1961 par le Lycée Philippe Zinda Kaboré à Ouagadougou, au Burkina Faso. Etant donné son engagement militant, elle a pris part au soulèvement populaire du 3 janvier 1966. Entre 1961 et 1966, Jacqueline était par ailleurs responsable de la presse syndicale, La voix des enseignants. Elle a été nommée directrice du Cours normal des jeunes filles (aujourd’hui connu sous le nom de lycée Nelson Mandela) jusqu'en 1974 et s'est consacrée à l'éducation des filles et à la promotion des droits des femmes.
En 1984, elle a reçu le prix Paul G. Hoffmann pour sa contribution remarquable en matière de développement national et international.
Con más de 30 años de experiencia en finanzas, Christine ha dedicado su carrera a fomentar misiones sin fines de lucro en todo el mundo. Sus contribuciones incluyen desempeñarse como tesorera en la junta de una ONG . Se sumó a AWID en 2007 como Fiscalizadora y, en 2023, asumió el rol de Directora de Finanzas. En su tiempo libre, disfruta de viajar, la jardinería y el senderismo.
Manal Tamimi Palestine
Bubulina Moreno, Colombia
Karolina Więckiewicz, Poland
Anwulika Ngozi Okonjo, Nigeria