Suzette Jordan
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.
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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.
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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;
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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:
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Mobilizing urgent responses of international solidarity for WHRDs at risk through our international and regional networks, and our active membership.
Related Content
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Sarah Maldoror
“Je n’adhère pas au concept de ‘tiers-monde’. Je fais des films pour que les gens puissent les comprendre indépendamment de leur race ou de leur couleur. Pour moi, il n’y a que des exploiteurs et des exploités, c’est tout. Faire un film, c’est prendre position.” - Sarah Maldoror
Sarah Maldoror, cinéaste française d’origine antillaise, fut une pionnière du cinéma panafricain. Elle plaça ses préoccupations politiques et son engagement de longue date dans les mouvements de décolonisation au coeur de son oeuvre.
Son film révolutionnaire Sambizanga (1972), avec son “image révolutionnaire”, retrace la lutte de libération anticoloniale des activistes angolais et retranscrit le point de vue d’une femme qui se trouve dans ce moment historique.
“Pour beaucoup de cinéastes africains, le cinéma est un outil de la révolution, une éducation politique pour transformer les consciences. Il s’inscrivait dans l’émergence d’un cinéma du Tiers-Monde cherchant à décoloniser la pensée pour favoriser des changements radicaux dans la société.” - Sarah Maldoror
Au cours de sa carrière, Sarah a fondé, aux côtés d’un certain nombre d’artistes africain·e·s et caribéen·ne·s, la première compagnie de théâtre noire en France (1956). Elle a réalisé une quarantaine de films, y compris d’importants documentaires qui mettent en valeur les vies et l’oeuvre d’artistes noir·e·s, notamment celles de son ami et poète Aimé Césaire qui lui écrivit ceci:
“À Sarah Maldoror qui, caméra au poing,
combat l’oppression, l’aliénation
et défie la connerie humaine”.
Sarah a également voulu permettre aux femmes africaines de s'approprier davantage le processus de réalisation des films. Dans une interview, elle faisait remarquer :
"La femme africaine doit être partout. Elle doit être à l'image, derrière la caméra, au montage, à toutes les étapes de la fabrication d'un film. C'est elle qui doit parler de ses problèmes…”
Sarah a laissé un héritage incroyablement puissant qui doit être transmis.
Née le 19 juillet 1929, Sarah est décédée le 13 avril 2020 des suites de complications liées au coronavirus.
Regardez Sambizanga et lisez la critique de film parue dans le New York Times en 1973 (seulement en anglais)
2008: la Conferencia Internacional de Doha se lleva a cabo con resultados limitados
Conferencia Internacional de Seguimiento sobre la Financiación para el Desarrollo, Doha, Qatar
- La Conferencia de Doha se propuso examinar la aplicación del Consenso de Monterrey. Retomó las seis áreas de la financiación para el desarrollo, pero los progresos sustantivos alcanzados fueron mínimos.
- Si bien el Documento Final de Doha fue más allá que el de Monterrey en cuanto a la igualdad de género, tampoco avanzó lo suficiente. En su declaración, el WWG subrayó que los compromisos de la Declaración de Doha en materia de igualdad de género solo tendrán sentido si se abordan decididamente las cuestiones sistemáticas que subyacen a la pobreza y la distribución desigual de poder y recursos en la economía política global.
- Además de la conferencia central, en Doha se desarrolló un foro paralelo de la sociedad civil organizado por el Doha NGO Group for Financing for Development [Grupo de ONG en Doha por la Financiación para el Desarrollo, DNG en inglés] que exigió cambios estructurales en la economía global, así como políticas que dieran prioridad a los derechos de los pueblos, respetaran y promovieran los derechos humanos.
Snippet FEA Union Otras Photo Panel (EN)
Members of the OTRAS union
Join the Feminist Realities journey (Forum page)
Join the Feminist Realities journey
The AWID Forum is just one stop in the Feminist Realities journey. Let’s travel this path together and explore our power in action!
Naseeb Miloud Karfana
AWID Community Blurb
Join our online community!
The AWID Community is an online social networking platform specifically for AWID. It is a feminist space for connection, resistance and celebration. A space for critical feminist conversations, collective power and solidarity. It is also a space for post-event dialogues, navigating difficult political learnings and community care.
Join AWID membership to be part of the AWID Community today.
Gloria Chicaiza
Gloria Chicaiza, an Ecuadorian social and environmental activist, was a fervent defender of land and water. She defied the status quo, fighting against a model of development based on extraction and worked tirelessly for ecological justice and the rights of communities affected by mining.
In diverse areas of Ecuador, Gloria was part of resistance actions in favour of protecting the ecosystem. With passion and dedication, Gloria supported the indigenous and environmental movement, its communities and organizations who oppose mining projects and protect their territories and collective life projects. She spoke out, in local and international foras, against the criminalization of dissent and resistance, the pressure and violence being enacted against community activists, in particular, women human rights defenders and in support of community led efforts for food sovereignty and sustainability.
She was the Mining Justice Coordinator at Acción Ecológica, member of the Latin American Network of Women Defenders of the Social and Environmental Rights and a Board member at the Observatory of Mining Conflicts of Latin America.
In October 2010, Gloria was accused by the mining company Curimining / Salazar Resources S.A. (with Headquarters in Vancouver, Canada) of sponsoring an act of terrorism, sabotage and illegal association to commit a crime. Acción Ecológica believed this to be “in retaliation for her work of denouncing the impacts of mining activities in the country.”
In 2014, Gloria supported the coordination of a delegation to the UN COP 20 Dialogue on Climate Change. The group consisted of 25 Indigenous women from Latin America.
Gloria passed away due to complications from a lung transplant on December 28, 2019. She is remembered for her resistance and tireless work.
"The fastest way to achieve sustainability is still resistance." - Gloria Chicaiza (2010 interview)
Tributes:
“Para GLORIA. GLORIA Agua. GLORIA Tierra. GLORIA Madre. GLORIA Revolución. GLORIA Hermana. GLORIA Cielo. GLORIAmiga. GLORIAstral. Thank you for weaving us together.” -Liliana Gutierrez
“Thank you Glorita, for sustaining hope, for keeping the fabric strong, for connecting the community, for the united hands, for solidarity, thank you Glorita for standing with us in the most difficult moments. Thank you for teaching us that throughout life, nobody gets tired.” (Chakana News)
“Gloria Chicaiza cherished and flourished in being one of many. And as humble as she was, she had an uncanny ability to lead and maintain a steady and thunderous beat, a life-affirming pulse that guided, mobilized, and inspired communities and networks in the protection of Mother Earth. She denounced all forms of violence against cuerpos-territorios. She endorsed el buen vivir.” - Gabriela Jiménez, Latin America Partnerships Coordinator, KAIROS
“Thank you Gloria Chicaiza from infinity we are sure that you will continue to support our struggle. You who continued to struggle with us despite your failing health. You will live on in the forests and the water that you defended with such courage. You will live on in our hearts.”- The community of Intag in Ecuador
2014: lacement du processus préparatoire de la 3ème Conférence sur le FdD
Lancement du processus préparatoire intergouvernemental de la troisième Conférence sur le financement du développement, octobre 2014
- Un processus préparatoire, co-facilité par l’ambassadeur guyanais George Wilfred Talbot et l’ambassadeur norvégien Geir O. Pedersen, a été instauré pour mener des discussions préliminaires relatives à la troisième Conférence sur le FdD prévue en juillet 2015 à Addis Abeba, en Éthiopie.
- Dans le cadre de ces préparations, deux séries de séances de fond informelles ont été organisées au siège de l’ONU à New York afin d’apporter des éléments d’information pouvant servir aux sessions de rédaction du futur document final.
- À cette occasion, le WWG sur le FdD a été réactivé dans le but d’intégrer les perspectives féministes et de défense des droits des femmes aux discussions et délibérations, avant et pendant la troisième Conférence sur le FdD. À l’heure actuelle, le groupe est co-animé par l’AWID, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) et la Feminist Task Force (FTF).
- Le WWG sur le FdD a prononcé deux déclarations lors de la première série de sessions et présenté un document écrit lors de la seconde. Il a, dans les deux cas, souligné l’invisibilité des inégalités entre les genres dans ce processus préparatoire, tout comme celle de l’inclusion d’autres formes de discrimination et d’inégalité. Le travail du WWG met en lumière les rapports de pouvoir entre les genres et leurs points d’intersection avec d’autres catégories, telles que la race, le handicap, l’appartenance ethnique, l’âge, la richesse et l’identité sexuelle, ce qui accentue la répartition inégale des chances et des ressources dans toutes les sociétés de la planète.
- Les organisations de la société civile se sont dites inquiètes de l’étroitesse de l’espace qui leur a été accordé pour prendre part aux deux sessions de fond informelles. Elles ont notamment évoqué le risque que l’espace de participation de la société civile aux négociations portant sur le document final de janvier 2015 ne soit lui aussi limité.
Snippet FEA Principles of work Transparency (ES)
TRANSPARENCIA
Contributors of toolkit (WITM landing page)
Deseamos agradecer a las personas que hicieron aportes y fueron consultadas para la elaboración de este Manual:
- Angelika Arutyunova
- Cindy Clark
- Kamardip Singh
- Martin Redfern
- Pei Yao Chen
- Srilatha Batliwala
- Veronica Vidal
Jelena Santic
Snippet - Blog post Quote_FR
« Poursuivons notre dynamique de solidarité, d’espoir et d’imagination radicale. »
- Beijing+30 et la CSW : adopter une lecture féministe des multiples défis de notre époque
Lorena Borjas
Lorena Borjas, una mujer trans latina y activista, vivía y trabajaba en el barrio de Jackson Heights de Queens, en la ciudad de Nueva York. En esas calles, cuidó de su comunidad durante años, defendiendo los derechos de las personas trans e inmigrantes, apoyando a lxs sobrevivientes del tráfico humano y del abuso, y haciendo campaña por los derechos de lxs trabajadorxs sexuales y de las personas que viven con VIH y SIDA.
Lorena era fuerte e incansable en su lucha por apoyar, defender y proteger a quienes son más marginalizadxs y discriminadxs por la transfobia, la misoginia y el racismo.
«Ella nos empujaba a brillar auténticamente, a convertirnos en un grito de subversión que dice “Aquí estoy, y merezco felicidad también”.» - Cecilia Gentili, activista trans amiga de Lorena
Luego de haber enfrentado ella misma numerosos traumas y dificultades como mujer trans inmigrante y víctima de tráfico humano, recabó conocimientos y memoria emocional de la fuente de sus propias experiencias para ayudar a construir y fortalecer la comunidad de la cual era parte, y que era parte de ella. Algunas de las formas en que llevó esto a cabo fue organizando y movilizando apoyo, que abarcaba desde proveer preservativos y conectar a las mujeres trans con distintos servicios sociales, hasta armar una clínica para el testeo de VIH en su propia casa.
«Era un alma tan bella que ayudaba a otrxs, aun cuando su propio camino era difícil y doloroso como inmigrante, como inmigrante trans. Creía que la comunidad trans necesitaba amor, aceptación, y compasión, y lo daba todo.» - Luchia Dragosh, supervisora de producción de QPTV de un documental sobre Lorena
En sus más de 25 años de activismo, también fundó con Chase Strangio (abogadx y activista por los derechos trans) el Lorena Borjas Community Fund. Este fondo ayuda a lxs diferentes integrantes de su comunidad (y en especial a las personas trans) que lidian con problemas de inmigración, para evitar el ciclo de arresto-cárcel-deportación.
Lorena falleció en marzo de 2020 por complicaciones derivadas del COVID-19.
Su enorme y hermoso legado será llevado adelante a través de las calles de Queens por la red y la comunidad que ella ayudó a crear.
« Continuaremos su trabajo desde donde ella lo dejó, un trabajo que es esencial para el bienestar de “mis pájaras”, como llamaba Lorena a las chicas trans de Queens que protegía bajo su ala.» - Cecilia Gentili
Tributos:
«Lorena nos trajo luz, cuando atravesábamos tiempos muy oscuros aquí en Nueva York. Nos trajo luz cuando tuvimos que enfrentar la epidemia del crack, cuando tuvimos que enfrentar la crisis del SIDA, cuando tuvimos que enfrentar los cambios en las políticas de inmigración.» - Cristina Herrera, fundadora y CEO de Translatina Network y amiga de Lorena
«Lorena ha hecho más que nadie que yo conozca para arrojar luz sobre la epidemia del tráfico en las comunidades transgénero y para ayudar a otras mujeres trans a escapar de la explotación.» - Lynly Egyes, representante de Borjas en nombre del Transgender Law Center
Mira un documental sobre Lorena Borjas (solo en inglés)
Lee un artículo publicado en The New Yorker sobre Lorena Borjas (solo en inglés)
Lee una nota de opinión de Cecilia Gentili publicada en The New York Times (solo en inglés)
July 2015
Women's Forum on Financing for Gender Equality
- The Forum took place on 10 July 2015 in Addis Ababa and convened feminists, grassroots women, gender advocates, academics and representatives of women’s rights organizations/networks with specific inputs by UN representatives and other policy makers.
- The objectives of the Women's Forum were to: share information on the state of play in the latest FfD negotiations; jointly analyze the FfD panorama and follow-up; build a common women’s rights positioning; and strategize on how to meaningfully and substantively engage from a feminist perspective at the Addis FfD Conference.
- The Women's Forum was organized by the Women's Working Group on FfD, in collaboration with FEMNET, African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) and the Post 2015 Women's Coalition with support from UN Women.
- Read the Women's Working Group reaction to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda
- The CSO FfD Forum took place in Addis Ababa on 11-12 July 2015 and aimed to: inform participating CSOs on the state of play of the official process and coordinate civil society participation in the 3rd FfD Conference; develop a collective CSO Forum Declaration as well as the CSO messages for the FfD Conference Roundtables, the CSO FfD Group-led side events and any other opportunities that might emerge; and plan and organize future areas of CSO engagement on Financing for Development, beyond the 3rd FfD Conference.
- Read the Declaration from the Addis Ababa Civil Society Forum on Financing for Development
- For more information, please visit the CSO FfD Group's website or contact the Addis Ababa CSO Coordinating Group (addiscoordinatinggroup@gmail.com).
The Third UN International Conference on Financing for Development
- The third Conference on Financing For Development took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 13-16 July 2015 and focused on: assessing the progress made in the implementation of the 2002 Monterrey Consensus and the 2008 Doha Declaration; addressing new and emerging issues, including in the context of the recent multilateral efforts to promote international development cooperation. Taking into account: the current evolving development cooperation landscape; the interrelationship of all sources of development finance; the synergies between financing objectives across the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental); and the need to support the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015; and reinvigorating and strengthening the financing for development follow-up process.
- The Addis Ababa Action Agenda was adopted on 15 July 2015 by Heads of State, Governments and High Representatives at the UN.
- The feeling however from developing countries, CSOs and more specifically women's organisations was that the Addis Ababa Action Agenda failed to meet the target. The Women's Working Group expressed its strong disappointment and demanded structural changes in the global economic governance and development architecture. Read their reaction to the outcome document. Hundreds of civil society organizations and networks from around the world also expressed deep concerns and reservations. Read their response to the outcome document.
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FRMag - United against violence (FR)
Ensemble contre la violence
par Karina Ocampo
C’est dans un recoin caché du Chiapas, au Mexique, que nous sommes arrivées, femmes et dissidentes sexuelles, pour organiser nos actions. (...)
< illustration : « La muerte sale por el Oriente » [la mort se lève à l’Est], par Sonia Madrigal
Carmela Elisarraraz Mendez
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OURs et ses ami·es à l’Espace de Solidarité Féministe
✉️ Sur invitation uniquement
📅 Mardi 11 mars 2025
🕒 14.00h-16.00h EST
🏢 Chef's Kitchen Loft with Terrace, 216 East 45th St 13th Floor New York
Organisé par : Consortium de l’Observatoire sur l'universalité des droits (OURs)