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Special Focus

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

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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Anna Campbell (şehid Hêlîn Qerecox)

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Derechos civiles y políticos
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Europa
Europa Occidental
Date of death / disappearance
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Alcanzada 

Anna creció en Lewes, Sussex (Reino Unido) y se mudó a Bristol, donde se hizo plomera, luego de decidir que no iba a continuar con su carrera de Inglés en la Universidad de Sheffield.

Dedicó mucho de su tiempo a defender a las personas marginadas y sin privilegios, a participar de marchas antifascistas y a ofrecer apoyo a las mujeres de la Granja Dale cuando estuvieron bajo amenaza de desalojo. Vegana y amante de los animales, participó en sabotajes a partidas de caza y su nombre es honrado en el Monumento «Árbol de la vida», de PETA. En mayo de 2017, Anna se trasladó a Rojava llevada por su fuerte compromiso con el empoderamiento de las mujeres, la plena representación de todas las identidades étnicas y la protección del ambiente.

Murió el 15 de marzo de 2018, al ser alcanzada durante un bombardeo aéreo de fuerzas turcas a la ciudad de Afrin, en el norte de Siria. Anna cayó combatiendo junto a las Unidades de Protección de las Mujeres (YPJ).

 

Anna Campbell (şehid Hêlîn Qerecox), UK

Events

Celebrating the Legacy of our Feminist Ancestors

Snippet FEA Travesti (ES)

TRAVESTI:

Una identidad de género latinoamericana

El término travesti se trata de una identidad de género latinoamericana sin equivalente en otros idiomas, y exclusivamente femenina. Es una persona designada varón al nacer que se identifica como mujer, y siempre deben abordarse con el pronombre “ella”.

Travesti no es solo una identidad de género ubicada fuera del binarismo de género, también es una identidad cultural arraigada en los movimientos latinoamericanos. El término inicialmente fue peyorativo, pero luego fue re-apropiado como símbolo de resistencia y dignidad. Toda travesti es trans porque no se identifica con el género asignado al nacer, sin embargo no toda travesti se considera mujer trans, ya que travesti ya es una identidad de género en sí misma.

Referencia: Berkins, Lohana. (2006). Travestis: una Identidad Política . Trabajo presentado en el Panel Sexualidades contemporáneas en las VIII Jornadas Nacionales de Historia de las Mujeres/ III Congreso Iberoamericano de Estudios de Género Diferencia Desigualdad. Construirnos en la diversidad, Villa Giardino, Córdoba, 25 al 28 de octubre de 2006.

How many survey responses are you looking to collect?

Our aim is to reach a total of 2,000 responses, almost double the number from the last WITM survey in 2011.

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.

Annaliza Dinopol Gallardo Capinpin

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Environnement
Region
Pacifique
Date of death / disappearance
Cause of death / disappearance

Tuée par balle

Annaliza était la présidente du Conseil de réforme agraire des pionniers de Mindanao, un groupe de coordination de la ville de Tacurong, aux Philippines.

Mère aimée de quatre enfants, sa communauté se souvient d’Annaliza comme de « celle qui dirige quand personne ne veut diriger, qui parle quand personne ne veut parler, qui a eu le courage d'aider les bénéficiaires de la réforme agraire à acquérir des terres ».

Annaliza a été abattue par des assaillants inconnus devant l'Université d'État de Sultan Kudarat (SKSU) alors qu'elle se rendait au lycée national Salabaca à Esperanza.

Sa famille a déclaré : « Naghihintay pa rin kami ng hustisya para sa kanya » (nous attendons toujours que justice lui soit rendue).

 

Jobs Board

Closed | Parental Cover - Information, Communication and Media (ICM) Coordinator

Snippet FEA Lohana Berkins (FR)

L'une des dirigeantes fondatrices de la coopérative était Lohana Berkins, une militante, défenseuse et promotrice de l'identité trans. Lohana a joué un rôle crucial dans la lutte pour les droits des personnes trans et travestis.

Grâce à sa lutte, entre autres choses, l'approbation de la loi sur l'identité de genre a été obtenue. C'est l'une des lois les plus progressistes au monde, garantissant les droits fondamentaux des personnes trans et des travestis. Désormais, les personnes peuvent changer de nom et de sexe avec un affidavit et ont accès à des soins de santé complets sans intervention/approbation judiciaire ou médicale (Outright International, 2012).

Snippet - WITM FAQ - ES

Preguntas frecuentes

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

Read the full report

Benoîte Groult

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Category
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
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Europe
Date of birth
Date of death / disappearance
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Natural

Benoîte was a French journalist, writer, and feminist activist.

She published more than 20 novels as well as many essays on feminism.

Her first book “Ainsi Soit-Elle” (loosely translated as “As She Is”) was published in 1975. The book explored the history of women’s rights as well as misogyny and violence against women.

Her last book, “Ainsi Soit Olympe de Gouges,” explored women’s rights during the French Revolution, centering on the early French feminist Olympe de Gouges. De Gouges was guillotined in 1793 for challenging male authority and publishing a declaration of women’s rights (“Déclaration Des droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne”) two years earlier. 

 

Benoïte Groult, France
Body

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 - RU

Чтобы заявить о себе как об эксперте по вопросам ресурсного обеспечения феминистских движений

Defendiendo nuestra tierra del poder corporativo

Estas industrias 'extraen' materias primas de la tierra: minería, gas, petróleo y madera son algunos ejemplos.

Este modelo económico explota desenfrenadamente la naturaleza e intensifica las desigualdades norte, donde sus grandes corporaciones se benefician y sur, de donde extraen los recursos.

Contaminación del agua, daño irreparable al medioambiente, comunidades forzadas a desplazarse son algunas de las consecuencias inmediatas.

Lee nuestro reporte de INDUSTRIAS EXTRACTIVAS

Hay alternativas sostenibles para el medioambiente y los derechos humanos de la mujer.

 

 

Descubre además cómo nos afecta económicamente

El impacto de los flujos financieros ilícitos en los derechos de las mujeres y la justicia de género a nivel global

Conoce qué son los FLUJOS FINANCIEROS ILÍCITOS

Shireen Lateef

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Category
Derechos civiles y políticos
Region
El Pacifico
Date of death / disappearance
Cause of death / disappearance

Natural

Shireen fue una inspiración para muchas feministas en Fiyi y una aliada poderosa del movimiento de mujeres.

Abogó incansablemente por la igualdad de género tanto a nivel local como regional. Comenzó su carrera como especialista junior en género en el Banco de Desarrollo Asiático e introdujo profundos cambios en las políticas de género de la institución. Su investigación «Gobernar mediante lxs danda: violencia doméstica entre lxs indo-fiyianxs» fue uno de los primeros trabajos de investigación sobre violencia doméstica, matrimonio y mujeres en Fiyi. Este trabajo fundacional ha sido un catalizador para el trabajo feminista en esta área.

El legado de Shireen sigue vivo porque son muchxs lxs que recuerdan su influencia, su compromiso y su apoyo al movimiento de mujeres de Fiyi y del Pacífico. 

 

Shireen Lateef, Fiji