Cynthia Nicole
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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Combien y a-t-il de questions dans l’enquête?
Il y a 47 questions au total, dont 27 obligatoires* et 20 autres facultatives. La plupart sont des questions à choix multiple. Nous vous invitons à répondre à toutes les questions.
Teresa Scalzo, Esq.
Snippet FEA Objectives NSS Family Farming (EN)
FAMILY FARMING, AGROECOLOGY AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
Emilia Quan
L’activisme au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique du Nord
Notre hommage en ligne met à l’honneur cinq défenseuses des droits humains assassinées au Moyen-Orient ou en Afrique du Nord. Ces défenseuses étaient avocates ou militantes et ont œuvré pour les droits des femmes ou pour les droits civils. Leur mort met en évidence les conditions de travail souvent difficiles et dangereuses dans leurs pays respectifs. Nous vous invitons à vous joindre à nous pour commémorer la vie, le travail et l’activisme de ces femmes. Faites circuler ces mèmes auprès de vos collègues et amis ainsi que dans vos réseaux et twittez en utilisant les hashtags #WHRDTribute et #16Jours.
S'il vous plaît cliquez sur chaque image ci-dessous pour voir une version plus grande et pour télécharger comme un fichier
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How will you present and process the data collected via the survey?
The data will be processed for statistical purposes to shed light on the state of resourcing for feminist movements globally and will only be displayed in an aggregate form. AWID will not publish information about a particular organization or display information that would allow an organization to be identified by its location or characteristics, without their prior consent.
Abby Lippman
Abby était une féministe pionnière, militante des droits humains.
Ancienne épidémiologiste de l'Université McGill, Abby était réputée pour défendre les causes sociales et pour ses critiques perspicaces concernant les technologies de procréation humaine assistée et d'autres sujets médicaux. Plus précisément, elle a fait campagne contre ce qu'elle a appelé la « généticisation » des technologies de procréation, contre l'hormonothérapie substitutive et pour des recherches plus qualitatives et plus longues avant l'approbation de nouveaux vaccins comme celui contre le papillomavirus humain.
À la nouvelle de son décès, ses ami-e-s et collègues l'ont décrite avec affection comme une « ardente défenseure » de la santé des femmes.
Fany Puyesky
WHRDs from Sub-Saharan Africa
In our 2015 Online Tribute to Women Human Rights Defenders No Longer With Us we are commemorating four women from Sub-Saharan Africa, three of whom were murdered due to their work and/or who they were in their gender identity and sexual orientation. Their deaths highlight the violence LGBT persons often face in the region and across the globe. Please join AWID in honoring these women, their activism and legacy by sharing the memes below with your colleagues, networks and friends and by using the hashtags #WHRDTribute and #16Days.
Please click on each image below to see a larger version and download as a file
Las realidades de la dotación de recursos y del estado del financiamiento para los movimientos feministas cambia con rapidez, ¿la encuesta es de carácter excepcional?
No, no lo es. Se basa en los 20 años de historia de AWID movilizando más y mejor financiamiento para el cambio social encabezado por los feminismos, y se trata de la tercera edición de la investigación ¿Dónde está el dinero para las organizaciones feministas? Aspiramos a repetir la encuesta ¿Dónde está el dinero? cada tres años.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Winnie has been described as a “militant firebrand activist” who fought the apartheid regime in South Africa.
She was imprisoned multiple times, and on many occasions placed in solitary confinement.
Ma’Winnie, as she is affectionately remembered, was known for being outspoken about the challenges Black women faced during and after apartheid, having been on the receiving end of these brutalities herself as a mother, wife and activist during the struggle. She transcended the misconception that leadership is gender, class or race-based. Despite being a controversial figure, she is remembered by many by her Xhosa name, “ Nomzamo”, which means "She who endures trials".
Ma’Winnie continues to be an inspiration to many, particularly young South African women for whom her death has spurred a burgeoning movement, with the mantra: "She didn't die, she multiplied."
Snippet FEA argentina history cooperatives (FR)
L'Argentine a une longue histoire d’autogestion et de coopérativisme, avec des lieux de travail dirigés par et pour les travailleur·euses.
En 2001, le pays a connu l'une des pires crises économiques de son histoire.
En réponse à la récession et comme forme de résistance et de résilience, les travailleur·euses de tout le pays ont commencé à occuper leurs lieux de travail.
La Coopérative Textile Nadia Echazú a été la première coopérative créée par et pour les personnes trans et travesti en quête d'autonomie économique et de conditions de vie dignes.
Elle offre des opportunités d'emploi, l’accès à la sécurité sociale, des revenus durables et des droits économiques aux communautés qu'elle sert.
Laura Pollán
Research methology
Over eight years, we did four global surveys and built a research methodology.
In 2013, we published three global reports. These reports confirm that women’s rights organizations are doing the heavy lifting to advance women’s rights and gender equality by using diverse, creative and long-term strategies, all while being underfunded.
Our 2010 global survey showed that the collective income of 740 women’s organizations around the world totaled only USD 104 million. Compare this with Greenpeace International, one organization with a 2010 budget of USD 310 million1. Imagine the impact these groups could have if they were able to access all the financial resources they need and more?
AWID’s WITM research has catalyzed increased funding for women’s rights organizing. WITM research was a driving force behind the Catapult crowdfunding platform, which has raised USD 6.5 million for women’s rights. The Dutch Government cited WITM research as a reason for its unprecedented MDG 3 Fund of EU 82 million. WITM research has also led to the creation of several new funds: FRIDA – The Young Feminist Fund, the Indigenous Women’s Fund, Fundo Elas, the Mediterranean Women’s Fund and the Rita Fund.
Funding trends analyses
While the WITM research has shed important light on the global funding landscape, AWID and partners have identified the need to dig deeper, to analyze funding trends by region, population and issue. In response, organizations are now using AWID’s WITM research methodology to do their own funding trends analyses. For example, in November 2013, Kosova Women’s Network and Alter Habitus – Institute for Studies in Society and Culture published Where is the Money for Women’s Rights? A Kosovo Case Study.
At the same time, AWID continues to collaborate with partners in Where is the Money for Indigenous Women’s Rights (with International Indigenous Women’s Forum and International Funders for Indigenous Peoples) and our upcoming Where is the Money for Women’s Rights in Brazil? (with Fundo Elas).
Several organizations have also conducted their own independent funding trends research, deepening their understanding of the funding landscape and politics behind it. For example, the South Asian Women’s Fund was inspired by AWID’s WITM research to conduct funding trends reports for each country in South Asia, as well as a regional overview. Other examples of research outside of AWID include the collaboration between Open Society Foundations, Mama Cash, and the Red Umbrella Fund to produce the report Funding for Sex Workers Rights, and the first-ever survey on trans* and intersex funding by Global Action for Trans* Equality and American Jewish World Service.