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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

Women Human Rights Defenders

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WHRDs are self-identified women and lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LBTQI) people and others who defend rights and are subject to gender-specific risks and threats due to their human rights work and/or as a direct consequence of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

WHRDs are subject to systematic violence and discrimination due to their identities and unyielding struggles for rights, equality and justice.

The WHRD Program collaborates with international and regional partners as well as the AWID membership to raise awareness about these risks and threats, advocate for feminist and holistic measures of protection and safety, and actively promote a culture of self-care and collective well being in our movements.

Risks and threats targeting WHRDs  

WHRDs are exposed to the same types of risks that all other defenders who defend human rights, communities, and the environment face. However, they are also exposed to gender-based violence and gender-specific risks because they challenge existing gender norms within their communities and societies.

By defending rights, WHRDs are at risk of:

  • Physical assault and death
  • Intimidation and harassment, including in online spaces
  • Judicial harassment and criminalization
  • Burnout

A collaborative, holistic approach to safety

We work collaboratively with international and regional networks and our membership

  • to raise awareness about human rights abuses and violations against WHRDs and the systemic violence and discrimination they experience
  • to strengthen protection mechanisms and ensure more effective and timely responses to WHRDs at risk

We work to promote a holistic approach to protection which includes:

  • emphasizing the importance of self-care and collective well being, and recognizing that what care and wellbeing mean may differ across cultures
  • documenting the violations targeting WHRDs using a feminist intersectional perspective;
  • promoting the social recognition and celebration of the work and resilience of WHRDs ; and
  • building civic spaces that are conducive to dismantling structural inequalities without restrictions or obstacles

Our Actions

We aim to contribute to a safer world for WHRDs, their families and communities. We believe that action for rights and justice should not put WHRDs at risk; it should be appreciated and celebrated.

  • Promoting collaboration and coordination among human rights and women’s rights organizations at the international level to  strengthen  responses concerning safety and wellbeing of WHRDs.

  • Supporting regional networks of WHRDs and their organizations, such as the Mesoamerican Initiative for WHRDs and the WHRD Middle East and North Africa  Coalition, in promoting and strengthening collective action for protection - emphasizing the establishment of solidarity and protection networks, the promotion of self-care, and advocacy and mobilization for the safety of WHRDs;

  • Increasing the visibility and recognition of  WHRDs and their struggles, as well as the risks that they encounter by documenting the attacks that they face, and researching, producing, and disseminating information on their struggles, strategies, and challenges:

  • Mobilizing urgent responses of international solidarity for WHRDs at risk through our international and regional networks, and our active membership.

Related Content

Type

María Cecilia Alfaro Quesada

Read in: English French Spanish
Category
LGBTQI Rights
Region
Latin America
Cause of death / disappearance

Natural

Most of María’s life was devoted to incorporating a feminist and gender perspective in institutional and organizational work, and capacity building in Latin America. 

As a child, María had a strong interest in art, communication, nature, literature, and the achievement of justice, especially for women and marginalized groups.

María was committed to sexual and reproductive rights and was a member of the National Board for Integral Education in Sexuality. She is remembered by those who loved her as a “passionate and restless fighter” with a strong commitment to women’s and children’s rights.

 

María Cecilia Alfaro Quesada, Guatemala

لغتي ليست واحدة من لغات الاستطلاع الرسمية ولدي صعوبة بتعبئته. ماذا يمكن أن أفعل؟

تلتزم جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية بالعدالة اللغوية ونأسف على عدم توفر الاستطلاع بلغات أخرى في الوقت الحالي. إن كنتم/ن بحاجة لدعم من مترجم/ة أو أردتم/ن تعبئة الاستطلاع بأي لغة أخرى، الرجاء الكتابة لنا عبر البريد الالكتروني: witm@awid.org

Snippet FEA ASOM’s activists in encounters (FR)

 
Black woman in a white headscarf and gray t-shirt, she is smiling and is holding a vessel above her head
People demonstrating and holding a long blue poster
Black woman speaking in a mic, there is a black girl standing next to her and a man sitting at the table
Photo of five black women in the front on a demonstration, wearing facemasks and holding posters
Photo of three women sitting around the table and talking in mics.

Les militants de l'ASOM dans les rencontres, les défilés et les événements

¿En qué será diferente este Foro?

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Siempre hemos trabajado para garantizar que nuestros Foros sean desarrollados conjuntamente con nuestrxs afiliadxs, los movimientos, y nuestros colectivos prioritarios.

Para el Foro 2020 queremos profundizar y fortalecer este espíritu y esta práctica de creación conjunta y colaboración. También reconocemos la necesidad de mejorar el equilibrio entre la inclusión de muchas voces y experiencias y el espacio para que lxs participantes y el equipo respiren, se tomen una pausa, y disfruten de un poco de tiempo de inactividad.

Este Foro será diferente en cuanto a que:

  • Tendremos muchas menos actividades organizadas, porque queremos que la gente tenga tiempo para relacionarse y hablar entre sí, experimentar, procesar, etc. Es fundamental que sepas que puedes venir al Foro, participar y ser muy activx, y no facilitar ninguna actividad organizada (o «sesión»).
  • Tendremos Espacios Abiertos (al menos una tarde entera sin ninguna actividad organizada), y también espacios físicos disponibles durante todo el Foro para que la gente organice sus propias reuniones.
  • Tendremos un Comité de Contenido y Metodología compuesto por feministas de distintas regiones con experiencia en metodologías participativas, para apoyar al equipo de AWID y a quienes lideren actividades en el Foro en el uso de formatos creativos e interesantes para las actividades del Foro.

Research Reports

OURs Report 2021

Peni Moore

Read in: English French Spanish
Category
Derechos económicos, sociales y culturales
Region
El Pacifico
Cause of death / disappearance

Natural

Peni fue una filósofa feminista radical, poeta, escritora, dramaturga y compositora.

Como primera coordinadora del movimiento por los derechos de las mujeres de Fiji, dejó un legado atravesado por su profundo compromiso con los derechos humanos de las mujeres, la justicia y la paz. La dedicación de Peni a la justicia social, económica y ecológica y su sobresaliente trabajo le valieron el respeto local e internacional. Fue una de las primeras participantes de los movimientos feministas hegemónicos en Fiji en trabajar junto a las personas LGBTQI como una verdadera aliada y brindó asistencia práctica durante la creación del movimiento de trabajadorxs sexuales.

Sus colegas la describen como una persona formidable y una líder con visión para el cambio. Inspiró a muchxs con su creatividad y coraje. Su trabajo significó una plataforma para que las personas sean escuchadas, adquieran nuevas habilidades y abran nuevos caminos tanto personales como comunitarios.

 

Peni Moore, Fiji

Сколько времени занимает заполнение опроса?

Ориентировочное время для завершения опроса составляет 30 минут.

Snippet FEA Environments Of Shelter (EN)

Metzineres provides the following kinds of support, known as

Environments of Shelter:

Amal Bayou

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Category
Droits civils et politiques
Region
Afrique
Afrique du Nord
Cause of death / disappearance

Natural

Amal était une femme politique et une parlementaire de premier plan en Libye.

Membre du corps professoral de l'Université de Benghazi de 1995 jusqu’à sa mort en 2017, elle militait par ailleurs au sein de la société civile et était membre de diverses initiatives sociales et politiques. Elle a aidé les familles des martyrs et des disparus et a été l'une des membres fondateurs-trices d'une initiative de jeunesse intitulée « Jeunesse de Benghazi en Libye ».

Lors des élections législatives de 2014, Amal avait été élue à la Chambre des représentants avec plus de 14 000 voix (le plus grand nombre de voix jamais obtenues aux élections de 2014). Amal restera dans les mémoires de beaucoup comme une femme politique qui a œuvré pour assurer un avenir meilleur dans l'un des contextes les plus difficiles et les plus conflictuels de la région.

 

Amal Bayou, Libya

Porque é que são necessários o nome e as informações de contacto do grupo/organização e/ou movimento que preencher o inquérito?

Pedimos estes dados para facilitar a revisão das respostas, para evitar respostas duplicadas e para poder entrar em contacto com o seu grupo caso não tenha conseguido completar o inquérito e/ou tenha dúvidas ou perguntas adicionais. Para mais informações sobre como utilizamos as informações pessoais que recolhemos através do nosso trabalho, clique aqui.

Snippet FEA Get Involved 2 (ES)

Mientras estés en São Paulo, Brasil, puedes visitar la Ocupação 9 de Julho y pedir una comida colaborativa. También puedes comprar sus productos en su tienda online desde el extranjero.

Visita la tienda en línea de la Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes del Norte del Cauca (ASOM) donde puedes encontrar hermosos productos hechos a mano.

Hay varias formas de apoyar a Metzineres: puedes hacer una donación económica, donar materiales y servicios, o proponer una formación, un taller o una actividad (para más información, ¡ver aquí!)

Je ne suis pas en mesure d’assister au Forum en personne, de quelle autre façon puis-je participer?

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Plus qu’un simple évènement, le Forum de l’AWID s’inscrit dans notre voyage d’exploration des réalités féministes, qui offre de nombreux espaces où se réunir, en ligne et hors ligne, afin d’échanger, discuter, élaborer des stratégies et co-créer des réalités féministes.

Apprenez-en plus sur l’aventure des réalités féministes et sur tout ce qui se passera en amont du Forum. Et restez à l'écoute pour ne pas manquer les annonces post-Forum ! 

Nous explorons actuellement les possibilités de participer virtuellement au Forum et veillerons à vous partager l'information lorsque nous saurons ce que nous sommes en mesure de vous proposer.

Efua Dorkenoo

Read in: English French Spanish
Category
Sexual & Reproductive Rights
Region
Africa
Sub Sahara Africa
Cause of death / disappearance

Natural

Affectionately known as “Mama Efua”, her work to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) movement spanned three decades and helped bring international attention and action to end this harmful practice.

In 1983 Efua co-founded FORWARD (The Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development), which became a leading organisation in the battle to raise awareness about FGM. Her 1994 book, “Cutting the Rose: Female Genital Mutilation,” is considered the first on FGM and, featured in Columbia University’s “Africa’s 100 Best Books for the 20th Century”.

Originally from Ghana and a nurse by training, Efua joined the WHO in 1995 and successfully pushed for FGM to go on the agendas of WHO member states. She also worked closely with the Nigerian government in formulating a comprehensive National Policy that laid the groundwork for Nigeria’s anti-FGM laws, still in place today.

Her ground breaking work culminated in an Africa-led campaign, “The Girl Generation,” which is committed to ending FGM within a generation. Efua demonstrated how one person can become the unifying voice for a movement, and her wise words - “shared identity can help bring activists from different backgrounds together with a common sense of purpose” – are more relevant than ever.

 

Efua Dorkenoo, Ghana

إلى متى يمكن الإجابة على الاستطلاع؟

وسيكون التحقيق مفتوحًا حتى 31 أغسطس 2024. الرجاء تكملته خلال هذا الوقت للتأكد بأن تشمل ردودكم/ن في التحليل.

Our Companion Sites

The Young Feminist Wire

An online community for and by young feminists working on women’s human rights, gender equality and social justice around the world.

Visit the site

The Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs)

The platform is the go-to place for information and resources on safeguarding the universality of rights in international and regional human rights spaces.

Visit the site

The Young Feminist Fund-FRIDA

Provides funding for young feminist-led initiatives. It aims to strengthen the capacity of young feminist organizations to leverage resources for their work and to increase donors’ and allies’ commitments to resourcing young feminist activism.

Visit the site

Online Directory of Urgent Responses for WHRDs

A go-to site to learn about the urgent responses undertaken to protect women human rights defenders and to find tools and resources to support the work and wellness of WHRDs.

Visit the site

IM-Defensoras (Mesoamerican Initiative for Women Human Rights Defenders)

A regional initiative created to prevent, respond, document and make public all cases of violence against women human rights defenders in the Mesoamerican region.

Visit the site

The WHRD International Coalition

The WHRD IC is a resource and advocacy network for the protection and support of women human rights defenders worldwide.

Visit the site

Post-2015 Women´s Coalition

A Coalition of feminist, women´s rights, women´s development, grassroots and social justice organisations working to challenge and reframe teh global development agenda. 

Visit the site

Women´s Major Group on Development

The role of the Women’s Major Group is to assure effective public participation of women’s non-governmental groups in the UN policy processes on Sustainable Development, Post2015 and Environmental matters. 

Visit the site

Women Working Group on Financing for Development

An alliance of women’s organizations and networks to advocate for the advancement of gender equality, women’s empowerment and human rights in the Financing for Development (FfD) related UN processes.

Visit the site

Snippet FEA EoS The Ivy (ES)

An illustration of a vine with vine like leaves in neon with purple background

La Hiedra
Comunidad y vecindario