Philippe Leroyer | Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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

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.

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المنتدى الدولي الخامس عشر لجمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية (AWID)

يعتبر المنتدى الدولي الخامس عشر لجمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية حدثًا مجتمعيًا عالميًا ومساحة للتحول الشخصي الجذري. يجمع المنتدى، وهو اجتماع فريد من نوعه، الحركات النسوية وحقوق المرأة والعدالة الجندرية ومجتمع الميم عين والحركات الحليفة، بكل تنوعنا وإنسانيتنا، للتواصل والشفاء والازدهار. المنتدى هو المكان الذي تحتل فيه نسويات ونسويو الجنوب العالمي والمجتمعات المهمشة تاريخياً مركز الصدارة، حيث يضعون الاستراتيجيات مع بعضهم/ن البعض، مع الحركات الحليفة الأخرى، ومع المموّلين وصانعي السياسات بهدف تحويل السلطة، إقامة تحالفات استراتيجية، والدخول في عالم أفضل ومختلف.
 
عندما يجتمع الناس على نطاق عالمي، كأفراد وحركات، فإننا نولد قوة جارفة. انضموا إلينا في بانكوك، تايلاند في عام 2024. تعالوا وارقصوا وغنوا واحلموا وانهضوا معنا.

متى:      2-5 ديسمبر 2024
أين:       بانكوك، تايلاند؛ وعلى الانترنت
من:        ما يقرب الـ 2500 ناشط/ة نسوية من جميع أنحاء العالم يشاركون شخصيًا، و3000 يشاركون افتراضيًا

I am not able to submit a written proposal, are you accepting any other formats?

As part of our commitment to accessibility in all aspects of the AWID Forum we are accepting audio/video formats for those individuals/organizations/groups who can't submit a written application. 

If you choose to send your proposal in an audio/video format, kindly follow the same order to answer the questions as detailed in the Activity Proposal Form.

To submit an audio/video file please Contact us, selecting Forum Call for Activities as the subject of your email.

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What is included in registration fees?

The AWID Forum registration fees for all forum participants cover:

  • Full access to all four days of the Forum
  • Lunches and coffee/tea breaks during forum days
  • Resource materials
  • Simultaneous interpretation during plenaries and some selected breakout sessions/activities (English, French, Spanish, and local language)
  • Participation in the celebration dinner/party
  • Mobile app with final program and chat function
  • Free Wi-Fi service in the forum premises
  • Airport pick ups and hotel-venue-hotel transportation

 

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Sitios web asociados a AWID

Conexión Joven Feminista 

Una comunidad en línea desarrollada para y por las jóvenes feministas que trabajan por los derechos humanos de las mujeres, la igualdad de género y la justicia social en todo el mundo.

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Fondo de Jóvenes Feministas 

FRIDA: proporciona financiamiento a iniciativas lideradas por jóvenes feministas. Busca fortalecer la capacidad de las organizaciones de jóvenes feministas para obtener recursos para su trabajo e incrementar los compromisos de donantes y aliados con la dotación de fondos para el activismo joven feminista.

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El Observatorio de la Universalidad de los Derechos (OURs)

En esta plataforma podrás encontrar información y recursos sobre cómo proteger la universalidad de los derechos en espacios internacionales y regionales de derechos humanos.

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Directorio Virtual de Respuestas Urgentes para las Mujeres Defensoras de los Derechos Humanos 

Sitio obligado para conocer las respuestas urgentes emprendidas para proteger a las defensoras de los derechos humanos y encontrar herramientas y recursos en apoyo del trabajo y el bienestar de las defensoras.

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IM-Defensoras 

La Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos es una iniciativa regional creada para prevenir, responder, documentar y dar a conocer todos los casos de violencia ejercida contra las defensoras de los derechos humanos en la región mesoamericana.

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Coalición Internacional de Mujeres Defensoras de los Derechos Humanos  

La Coalición es una red de recursos y promoción para la protección y el apoyo a las mujeres defensoras de los derechos humanos en todo el mundo.

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La Coalición de Mujeres Post-2015 

Una coalición de organizaciones feministas, por los derechos de las mujeres, por las mujeres y el desarrollo, y de organizaciones de base y por la justicia social que trabajan para interpelar y dar nuevo marco la agenda global para el desarrollo.

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Grupo Mayor de Mujeres sobre el Desarrollo 

El rol del Grupo consiste en garantizar una participación pública efectiva de los grupos no gubernamentales de mujeres en los procesos normativos de la ONU sobre el desarrollo sostenible, la agenda posterior a 2015 y los asuntos ambientales. 

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Grupo de Mujeres sobre Financiamiento para el Desarrollo 

Una alianza de organizaciones y redes de mujeres que promueve el avance de la igualdad de género, el empoderamiento de las mujeres y sus derechos humanos en los procesos de la ONU referidos al financiamiento para el desarrollo.

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I can’t attend the Forum in person, how else can I participate?

More than just an event, the AWID Forum is part of our Feminist Realities Journey, with many spaces to come together, online and offline, for sharing, discussing, strategizing and co-creating feminist realities.

Learn more about the Feminist Realities Journey and everything that will happen before the Forum. Join our mailing list to stay tuned for Post-Forum announcements!

We are exploring options to participate virtually at the Forum and we will share information when we know what we can offer.

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Courageous WHRDs in the Media

These 21 Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) worked as journalists and more widely in the media sector in Mexico, Colombia, Fiji, Libya, Nepal, United States, Nicaragua, Philippines, Russia, Germany, France, Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom. 17 of them were murdered and in one case the cause of death is still unclear. On this World Press Freedom Day, please join us in commemorating the life and work of these women by sharing the images below with your colleagues, friends and networks using the hashtags #WPFD2016 and #WHRDs.

The contributions of these women were celebrated and honoured in our Tribute to Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) Who Are No Longer With Us.


Please click on each image below to see a larger version and download as a file