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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

Para terminar con la violencia contra las mujeres, ¡aún vale la pena luchar!

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Para terminar con la violencia contra las mujeres, ¡aún vale la pena luchar!

Lina Abirafeh (afiliada individual de AWID) es libanesa y palestina. Nació en medio del conflicto, el desplazamiento y la discriminación de género y está comprometida con la eliminación de la violencia contra las mujeres. «¡Todas las personas deberíamos tener el mismo compromiso!», afirma. «Es la violación a los derechos humanos más generalizada en el mundo y persiste desde hace mucho tiempo. Aun cuando no veremos los resultados durante nuestra vida, vale la pena luchar».

Lina obtuvo un título de doctorado del departamento de desarrollo internacional de London School of Economics, para el que presentó una investigación publicada (en inglés) en el libro Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan: The Politics and Effects of Intervention [Género y ayuda internacional en Afganistán: La política y los efectos de la intervención]. Durante casi 20 años Lina se ha dedicado a trabajar por los temas referidos a la violencia contra las mujeres, especialmente a la ejercida en contextos de emergencia y en más de 20 países, incluidos Afganistán, Papua Nueva Guinea, República Democrática del Congo, Haití, Malí, Nepal y República Centroafricana. Ha trabajado también con numerosos organismos de las Naciones Unidas, el Banco Mundial y diversas organizaciones no gubernamentales nacionales e internacionales. En septiembre se incorporará a la Lebanese American University [universidad libanesa americana] de Beirut como directora del instituto para los estudios de la mujer en el mundo árabe (IWSAW).
 
«Todas las personas nos vemos afectadas; por eso todas somos responsables.» - Lina Abirafeh
 
Lina también anhela conectarse con otras/os afiliadas/os de AWID. 
 
Mira la charla de Lina (en inglés) por TEDx sobre su labor para evitar la violencia sexual en escenarios de emergencia humanitaria.
 
 

 

Region
Asia Occidental
Topics
Violencia contra la mujer
Guerras y conflictos armados
Source
AWID

Mettre fin aux violences faites aux femmes, « une bataille qui vaut toujours la peine d’être menée ! »

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Mettre fin aux violences faites aux femmes, « une bataille qui vaut toujours la peine d’être menée ! »

D’origine libanaise et palestinienne, Lina Abirafeh (membre individuelle de l'AWID) est née dans un contexte de conflits, de déplacements de population et de problématiques de genre. Déterminée à mettre un terme à la violence à l’égard des femmes, elle dit : « Nous devrions tou-te-s lutter fermement contre la violence faite aux femmes ! C’est la violation des droits humains la plus répandue dans le monde, et elle dure depuis bien trop longtemps. C’est une bataille qui vaut la peine d’être menée, même si nous n’en voyons pas les résultats de notre vivant ! »

Lina, qui a obtenu un doctorat du Département pour le développement international de la London School of Economics, voit sa thèse actuellement publiée dans un ouvrage (en anglais) intitulé Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan: The Politics and Effects of Intervention (Genre et aide internationale en Afghanistan : les politiques et effets de l’intervention). Pendant près de 20 ans, elle s’est attachée à travailler sur des questions de violence contre les femmes, particulièrement dans des situations d’urgence et dans plus de 20 pays dont l’Afghanistan, la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, la République démocratique du Congo, Haïti, le Mali, le Népal et la République centrafricaine. Lina a également collaboré avec de nombreuses agences de l’ONU, avec la Banque Mondiale, et avec différentes organisations non-gouvernementales internationales et nationales. Elle intègrera au mois de septembre la Lebanese American University (LAU) à Beyrouth en tant que Directrice de l’Institute for Women’s Studies (IWSAW) in the Arab World (institut d’études des femmes dans le monde arabe).

 « Nous sommes tou-te-s concerné-e-s. Nous sommes donc tou-te-s responsables. » - Lina Abirafeh

Lina se fait aussi une joie de communiquer avec d’autres membres ! 

Vous pouvez voir la présentation (en anglais) TEDx de Lina sur son travail concernant la violence sexuelle au cours de crises humanitaires.
 

 

Region
Asie occidentale
Topics
Violence à l'égard des femmes
Guerres et conflits armés
Source
AWID

Ending violence against women, "it's still worth a fight!"

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Ending violence against women, "it's still worth a fight!"

Lina Abirafeh (an AWID individual member) is Lebanese and Palestinian, born into conflict, displacement and gender issues. She is committed to ending violence against women and says “we all should be! It is the most pervasive human rights violation in the world, and it has endured far too long. Even if we don’t see the results in our lifetime, it’s still worth a fight!”

Lina received a PhD from the London School of Economics Department of International Development, her research being published in a book entitled Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan: The Politics and Effects of Intervention. For nearly 20 years she has been dedicated to working on issues pertaining to violence against women, specifically in emergency contexts and in over 20 countries including Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mali, Nepal, and Central African Republic. Lina has also worked with numerous UN agencies, the World Bank, as well as with diverse international and national non-governmental organizations. In September 2015, she joined the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Beirut as Director of the Institute for Women’s Studies (IWSAW) in the Arab World.
“We are all affected. So we are all responsible.” - Lina Abirafeh
Lina is also looking forward to connecting with other members!
 
Watch Lina’s talk for TEDx on her work regarding sexual violence in humanitarian emergencies. 
 

 

Region
West Asia
Topics
Violence against women
War & armed conflict
Source
AWID

Analyses

Le programme de développement pour 2030 adopté est solide en matière de genre mais demeure confronté à des obstacles structurels

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Analysis

2030 Development Agenda Gets Adopted – Strong On Gender But Structural Obstacles Remain

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Análisis

Se adopta la Agenda de Desarrollo 2030 con fuerte contenido de género, pero persisten obstáculos estructurales

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Analyses

L’État de Mexico reconnaît les féminicides et lance l’Alerte Genre pour la première fois

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Analysis

State of Mexico acknowledges Feminicides and launches gender alert

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Análisis

State of Mexico acknowledges Feminicides and launches gender alert

Source: AWID

Análisis

Reducción de los espacios civiles: ¿contragolpe o retroceso?

Source: AWID

Analyses

Les espaces civils s’amenuisent : régression ou offensive?

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Analysis

Shrinking Civil Spaces: Backlash or Push Back?

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Practical Tools

Feminist Donor List: Who Can Fund My Women’s Rights Organizing?

Análisis

Continúa la lucha de las mujeres kurdas defensoras de los derechos humanos en Irak, Turquía y Siria

Source: AWID

Analyses

La lutte des défenseuses kurdes des droits humains se poursuit en Irak, en Turquie et en Syrie

Source: AWID

Analysis

The Struggle of Kurdish Women Human Rights Defenders Continues in Iraq, Turkey, Syria

Source: AWID

Statements

Declaration of the Workshop Group on the Gendered Impacts of Mining

Source: AWID

Declaraciones

Declaración del Taller sobre los impactos de género ocasionados por la minería

Source: AWID

Astitva Trust defends the rights of sexual minorities groups

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Astitva Trust defends the rights of sexual minorities groups

In April 2014, the Astitva Trust along with its President Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a prominent transgender rights activist, petitioned in support of an Indian Supreme Court judgement that would recognize a third gender. It was a landmark ruling, the Court granting all constitutional rights to transgender persons. "It is the right of every human being to choose their gender,” the Court stated.

Yet even though legally transgenders are equal citizens, they still face extreme discrimination in mainstream society. The Astitva Trust, a community-based organisation of sexual minorities (mainly hijras[1]), aims to eradicate stigma and discrimination of LGBTQ* and especially the transgender community. The organisation works with sexual minority groups, campaigning for their rights, promoting their health and general well-being, helping to improve their living standards and quality of life.

Some of the objectives of the Trust include raising awareness and increasing knowledge of HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections among sexual minorities; promoting safer sex; and increasing access to community friendly sexual health services. Astitva has so far registered 4652 transgender persons and has networked with 56 transgender organisations in India, providing support in numerous areas.

The organisation is a co-founder and part of the governing board of the Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities, a founder and working group member of Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board, and a member of both the Asia - Pacific Transgender Network and the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers.

In April 2015, Astitva (along with Member of Parliament Trichy Shiva) pushed for a historical unanimous passing of the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill in Rajya Sabha,[2] calling for equal rights of transgender people. Next step is to have it passed in Lok Sabha[3] so the Bill can become law.

Listen to Laxmi Narayan Tripathi TEDx Talk

[1] Hijra is a term used particularly in India to refer to a transgender individual
[2] Upper House of Parliament of India
[3] Lower House of Parliament of India
Region
Asia
South Asia
Topics
Civil & political rights
LGBTQI Rights
Source
AWID

Astitva Trust defiende los derechos de los grupos de las minorías sexuales

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Astitva Trust defiende los derechos de los grupos de las minorías sexuales

En abril de 2014, el Astitva Trust y su Presidenta Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, destacada activista por los derechos de las personas trans*, presentaron una petición apoyando el reconocimiento de un tercer género por parte de la Corte Suprema de la India. Fue una decisión histórica y a través de ella la Corte reconoció todos los derechos constitucionales a las personas trans*, afirmando que: «Todo ser humano tiene derecho a elegir su género».

Pero aunque para la ley las personas trans* son ciudadanas en pie de igualdad, todavía se enfrentan a una discriminación social extrema. Astitva Trust es una organización comunitaria de minorías sexuales (en su mayoría hijras[1]) cuyo objetivo es erradicar el estima y la discriminación contra las personas LGBTQ* y particularmente contra la comunidad trans*. Trabaja con grupos de las minorías sexuales, defiende sus derechos, promueve su salud y su bienestar integral, y ayuda a mejorar su calidad y sus estándares de vida.

Entre los objetivos de Astitva se cuentan generar conciencia y difundir conocimientos acerca del VIH, el SIDA y otras enfermedades de transmisión sexual entre las minorías sexuales, promover el sexo más seguro, e incrementar el acceso a servicios de salud sexual comunitaria amigables. Hasta el momento, hay 4652 personas trans* registradas en Astitva y la organización mantiene contacto con 56 organizaciones trans* de la India, a las que apoya en numerosos aspectos.

Astitva es una de las fundadoras de la Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities [Red Integrada de Minorías Sexuales] cuyo consejo directivo integra; también es fundadora del Maharashtra Transgender Welfare Board [Comité para el Bienestar de la Población Trans* en Maharashtra], e integrante de su grupo de trabajo; y forma parte de la Asia - Pacific Transgender Network [Red Trans* de Asia y el Pacífico], y de la Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers [Red de Trabajadoras/es Sexuales de Asia y el Pacífico].

En abril de 2015 y junto con el parlamentario Trichy Shiva, Astitva trabajó para lograr una histórica aprobación unánime del Proyecto de Ley por los Derechos de las Personas Trans* en la Rajya Sabha,[2] que reconoce la igualdad de derechos para las personas tras*. El paso siguiente es lograr su aprobación por parte de la Lok Sabha[3], para que se convierta en ley.

Escucha la charla de TEDx de Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (en inglés)

[1] Hijra es un término que se utiliza particularmente en la India para referirse a una persona trans*
[2] Cámara Alta del Parlamento de la India
[3] Cámara Baja del Parlamento de la India
Region
Asia
Asia del Sur
Topics
Derechos civiles y políticos
Derechos LGBTQI
Source
AWID