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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

Pourquoi l’AWID a-t-elle décidé de changer le lieu du Forum de Bali à Taipei ?

Fin 2019, les événements en Indonésie - notamment les signes d’intensification de la militarisation et de reculs des droits LGBTQ – nous ont amené·e·s à questionner la capacité de l’AWID à maintenir un environnement sécurisé et accueillant pour les divers·es participant·e·s que nous voulons rassembler au Forum.

Après un examen attentif, la Direction de l’AWID a décidé en novembre 2019 de faire évoluer le lieu de tenue du 14ème Forum international de l’AWID, de Bali à Taipei.

Taipei dispose de fortes capacités logistiques et est accessible pour beaucoup de voyageurs·ses (avec une facilitation de procédure de visa électronique pour les conférences internationales).

Pour plus d’informations :

 

Snippet - WITM RESOURCES - EN

Resources

Clone of Snippet FEA Environments Of Shelter (FR)

Metzineres fournit les types de soutien suivants, connus sous le nom de

Environnements d'abri :

Illustration of a pink house with a yellow background

La Couverture
Soin et guérison

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La puissante
Autoprotection et renforcement

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Le lierre
Communauté et quartier

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Le hurlement
Participation et activisme

Yellow and pink cog wheels

L’audacieux·se
Production et entrepreneuriat

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L’Artisan·e
Art et créativité

Como activista, no trabajo con ninguna agrupación, organización o movimiento en este momento, ¿aun así debería completar la encuesta?

No. Valoramos tu trabajo, pero no estamos buscando respuestas de personas a título individual por el momento.

Snippet FEA EoS Artisana (EN)

A pink paint palette with a pink brush with yellow details

Artisana
Art and creativity

Comment puis-je accéder à l’enquête?

L’enquête est disponible sur KOBO, une plateforme en source libre de collecte, gestion et visualisation de données. Pour y participer, il vous suffit de cliquer ici sur le lien de l’enquête et de suivre les indications pour répondre aux questions. 

Snippet FEA NSS has a vision of an Africa (EN)

Nous Sommes la Solution has a vision of an Africa where, in solidarity, rural women involved in decision-making can grow, process, sell and consume family farming products  while preserving the environment, for a harmonious and sustainable development.”

How many questions are in the survey?

There are 47 questions in total, of which 27 are mandatory* and the remaining 20 are optional. The majority of questions are multiple-choice. We invite you to respond to all the questions.

Snippet FEA Objectives NSS - Traditional Knowledge (ES)

CONOCIMIENTOS TRADICIONALES

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Utilizar y promover los conocimientos y prácticas tradicionales transmitidos de generación en generación, que apoyen la soberanía alimentaria y la preservación de las semillas campesinas

¿Tengo que responder todas las preguntas a la vez o puedo hacerlo a lo largo de algún tiempo?

Si deseas guardar las respuestas y retomar la encuesta más tarde, puedes hacerlo todas las veces que lo necesites. KOBO guardará tus respuestas en la esquina superior izquierda de la página de la encuesta y recargará tu registro cuando regreses a la encuesta. Solo asegúrate de continuar desde la misma computadora y navegador.

Snippet FEA NSS Quote (FR)

« Les savoirs et pratiques indigènes ont toujours soutenu la souveraineté alimentaire, et ce savoir-faire est entre les mains des femmes [...] L'écoféminisme pour moi, c'est le respect de tout ce que nous avons autour de nous » -

Mariama Sonko