Florentina Gomez Miranda
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
Snippet FEA LINES OF ACTION (FR)
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Droits humains et ethno-territoriaux Assurer la défense des droits humains et des droits de la Nature par la construction d'alliances avec des acteur·rices et organisations locales, nationales, régionales et mondiales. |
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Développement Durable Garantir que toutes les activités économiques, culturelles et environnementales contribuent au développement durable, à la sécurité alimentaire et à la génération de revenus, dans le respect de l'autodétermination et de l'autonomie gouvernementale des communautés afro-descendantes. |
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Education and training Former les femmes et leur donner les moyens d'exercer la défense de leurs droits dans différents espaces politiques, sociaux et économiques. Pour plus d'informations, cliquez ici! |
Snippet - WITM To make - ES
Para darle visibilidad a la complejidad de la dotación de recursos para las diversas formas de organización feministas.
Olivia Arévalo Lomas
Olivia was the spiritual leader of the Shipibo Konibo indigenous peoples.
A wise Indigenous woman and grandmother, she was known for cultivating traditional medicine and the sacred songs of her people (Íkaros). Olivia Arevalo was an active defender of the cultural and environmental rights of her people. Olivia’s murder occurred in a context of territorial conflict between the Shipibo community and companies that desire to take over their land to cultivate palm oil.
Members of her community have said: “Her death is an aggression against the entire Shipibo community. She was the living memory of her people”.
Snippet FEA Metzineres activists (EN)
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Metzineres activists in action
Snippet - WITM About the survey - EN
ABOUT THE SURVEY
- GLOBAL & DIVERSE: Reflecting on resourcing realities of feminist organizing at a global scale and disaggregated by region
- CONTEXTUALIZED: Centering voices, perspectives and lived experiences of feminist movements in all their richness, boldness and diversity in their respective contexts
- CO-CREATED: Developed and piloted in close consultations with AWID members and movement partners
- COMPLEMENTARY: Contributing to and amplifying existing evidence on the state of resourcing for feminist, women’s rights and gender justice organizing by activists, feminist funders and allies
- MULTI-LINGUAL: Accessible in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
- PRIORITIZING PRIVACY & SECURITY: We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of your data. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more about the measures we take to ensure the protection of your information
- ACCESSIBLE: Accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive abilities, taking approximately 30 minutes to complete
- REPLICABLE: Replicable by movements in their respective contexts; WITM survey tools and datasets will be publicly available to support more feminist research and collective advocacy.
Magdalena Reyes Salazar
Janette Sunita
De la India, Janette era enérgica, extraordinaria, compasiva y amorosa.
Su intolerancia de la injusticia y su firme compromiso de defender los derechos de todas las personas la llevaron a trabajar en TARSHI (una ONG que trabaja en temas de la sexualidad y la salud y derechos sexuales y reproductivos) durante más de 15 años. Janette dirigió con destreza las finanzas, los recursos humanos y los aspectos operativos del trabajo de TARSHI, atravesando hábilmente la laberíntica burocracia a la que están sometidas las ONG indias.
Lxs integrantes de su equipo recuerdan que «Ella se quedaba vigilando, de manera que pudiéramos seguir el rumbo en aguas abiertas. Mujer de muchos talentos, Janette no sólo nos ayudó a conseguir nuestra propia oficina sino que también la diseñó para una utilización óptima». Amaba viajar y a los animales, y estaba interesada en la terapia asistida por animales.
Snippet FEA Get Involved 1 (ES)
¡INVOLÚCRATE!
Siga el trabajo de estos colectivos en sus cuentas de redes sociales y sitios internet:
- Cozinha Ocupação 9 Julho: Instagram, Facebook and página web
- Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes del Norte del Cauca: Instagram, Facebook and página web
- Metzineres: Instagram, Facebook and página web
Snippet - WITM Acknowledgements - EN
Acknowledgements
AWID gratefully acknowledges the many people whose ideas, analysis and contributions have shaped the “Where is the Money for Feminist Organizing?” research and advocacy over the years.
First and foremost, our deepest thanks goes to the AWID members and activists who engaged in WITM consultations and piloted this survey with us, sharing so generously of their time, analysis and hearts.
Our appreciation to feminist movements, allies and feminist funds, including but not limited to: Black Feminist Fund, Pacific Feminist Fund, ASTRAEA Lesbian Foundation for Justice, FRIDA Young Feminist Fund, Purposeful, Kosovo Women’s Network, Human Rights Funders Network, Dalan Fund and PROSPERA International Network of Women's Funds - for your rigorous research on the state of resourcing, sharp analysis and continued advocacy for more and better funding and power for feminist and gender justice organizing in all contexts.
Join the global community of feminists speaking up about the state of resourcing, demanding more and better funding and power for feminists everywhere
Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego
Juana Raymundo
Membre de la communauté autochtone maya ixil, Juana était infirmière professionnelle et coordinatrice du Comité de développement des agriculteurs (CODECA)
CODECA est une organisation de défense des droits humains composée d'agriculteurs autochtones et vouée à la promotion des droits à la terre et du développement rural pour les familles autochtones dans la microrégion de Nebaj Quiché. Elle a d'abord rejoint le CODECA en tant que membre de la Juventud de CODECA (branche de la jeunesse).
Au moment de son décès, elle venait d’être élue membre du Comité exécutif du Mouvement de libération des peuples (MLP).
Le corps de Juana a été retrouvé par des voisins au bord d’une petite rivière sur la route située près de Nebaj et du village d’Acambalam, au Guatemala. Selon le CODECA, son corps portait des traces de torture.
Snippet FEA EoS The Cover (ES)
La Poderosa
Autoprotección y fortalecimiento
Our group, organization and/or movement is not registered, should we take the survey anyway?
Absolutely, we want to hear about your experience with resourcing.
Ray Alexander Simons
Madiha El Safty
Madiha was a prominent Professor of Sociology who actively engaged with civil society as an advocate for women’s rights in the Arab region.
She chaired the Alliance for Arab Women and was a member of the Committee on Civil Society and the Committee on the Development of Minia Governorate with the National Council for Women. She produced numerous papers that shed light on, and analyzed, gender inequalities and discrimination against women.
She is remembered fondly by colleagues, students and friends.
