Saraswathi Gora
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.
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سؤالي لم تتم الإجابة عليه هنا
لمزيد من الأسئلة، يرجى استخدام نموذج الاتصال. سنستمر في تحديث هذه الوثيقة بناءً على الاستفسارات التي نتلقاها منك!
Deya Bhattacharya
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Deya est faciliteur·rice de mouvement féministe trans queer non binaire, professionnel·le des droits humains et chercheur·se. Son travail se fonde sur des méthodes queer, féministes et participatives. Iel travaille au sein de l’écosystème de financement féministe depuis plus de sept ans et encore plus longtemps au sein des espaces de mouvements féministes – depuis désormais plus d’une décennie. Son travail se situe à l’intersection entre l’argent et les mouvements. Avant de rejoindre l'AWID, Deya était consultant·e indépendant·e auprès de Mama Cash, Kaleidoscope Trust, Comic Relief, Global Fund for Children et d'autres, cocréant des processus, des espaces et des mécanismes de ressources, des programmes et des recherches centrées sur les mouvements. Deya est titulaire d'un LLM (Master of Laws ou Master Legum) en justice internationale et droits humains de l'Université d'Europe centrale.
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Position
Responsable de l’Engagement du Mouvement - Initiative Ressources des mouvements féministes
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