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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

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

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Why should I take this survey?

Mayo 2015: tienen lugar las consultas sobre el Borrador del Documento Final

Sesiones adicionales de consulta sobre el Borrador del Documento Final

  • El 7 de mayo, los facilitadores dieron a conocer la versión revisada del Documento Final de la tercera Conferencia Internacional sobre la FpD a realizarse en Adís Abeba.
  • A fin de continuar avanzando hacia el Documento Final hubo sesiones adicionales para realizar consultas en torno al mismo los días 12 al 15 y 26 al 29 de mayo de 2015 en la sede de la ONU en Nueva York.

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Since its foundation,

Metzineres has supported over:

383

people

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Pour renforcer notre voix et notre pouvoir collectifs en faveur de davantage de financement de meilleure qualité pour l’organisation des mouvements féministes, de défense des droits des femmes, des personnes LBTQI+ et des mouvements alliés dans le monde entier.

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Metzineres provides the following kinds of support, known as

Environments of Shelter:

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The Cover
Care and healing environment

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Self-protection and strengthening

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Participation and activism

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Production and entrepreneurship

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Art and creativity

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About Where is the Money? research

The global survey is a key pillar of the third iteration of our action-oriented research: “Where is the Money for Feminist Organizing?” (in short, Where is the Money or WITM). The results of the survey will be further elaborated and explored through in-depth conversations with activists and funders and cross-referenced with other existing analysis and research on the state of funding for feminists and gender equality globally. 

The full “Where is the Money for Feminist Organizing” report will be published in 2026.

To learn more how AWID has been shining a light on money for and against feminist movements check out the work of our Resourcing Feminist Movements Initiative here.

I am not able to submit a written proposal, are you accepting any other formats?

As part of our commitment to accessibility in all aspects of the AWID Forum we are accepting audio/video formats for those individuals/organizations/groups who can't submit a written application. 

If you choose to send your proposal in an audio/video format, kindly follow the same order to answer the questions as detailed in the Activity Proposal Form.

To submit an audio/video file please Contact us, selecting Forum Call for Activities as the subject of your email.

Contact us

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La Osada
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Snippet - WITM RESOURCES - FR

Ressources

María Verónica Reina

María was recognized globally for her extraordinary leadership in the disability community.

She represented the International Disability and Development Consortium during the negotiation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2001-2006).

Her work was devoted to the implementation of the goal of the Convention - realization of universal human rights by, for and with persons with disabilities for an inclusive, accessible and sustainable world.

In her words, her leadership was about “...serving the disability community, starting with small tasks that others may not wish to do”.

She passed away on October 27, 2017 in her hometown of Rosario, Argentina.

Read more about María Verónica Reina in her own words 

 


 

María Verónica Reina, Argentina

What is included in registration fees?

The AWID Forum registration fees for all forum participants cover:

  • Full access to all four days of the Forum
  • Lunches and coffee/tea breaks during forum days
  • Resource materials
  • Simultaneous interpretation during plenaries and some selected breakout sessions/activities (English, French, Spanish, and local language)
  • Participation in the celebration dinner/party
  • Mobile app with final program and chat function
  • Free Wi-Fi service in the forum premises
  • Airport pick ups and hotel-venue-hotel transportation