Rita Joe
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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Snippet FEA Workers demonstrations in Georgia 3 (EN)
Salome Chagelishvili
Biography
Salome est une activiste féministe originaire de Tbilisi, Géorgie, qui se consacre à la justice de genre et sociale. Titulaire d’une Maîtrise en études sur le genre, elle s’est impliquée auprès de mouvements féministes, queers et écologiques au cours des neuf dernières années, travaillant entre autres sur les questions de la violence liée au genre, la violence domestique, la santé sexuelle et reproductive et les droits afférents, les droits LGBTIQ et la sécurité et les droits holistiques et numériques.
Depuis 2014, elle travaille activement sur les questions de sécurité et de sûreté des activistes et des femmes défenseures des droits humains, organisant des ateliers sur la sécurité intégrée et la sécurité numérique spécialement pour les activistes de groupes défavorisés (personnes homosexuelles, minorités ethniques et religieuses, femmes et filles rurales, etc.) ainsi que pour de grandes organisations féministes. Salome est membre de l’Independent Group of Feminists (Groupe indépendant de féministes)- une initiative non-formelle, non hiérarchique et non enregistrée qui réunit des féministes géorgiennes ayant différents parcours. Elle travaille actuellement avec le Fonds pour les femmes de Géorgie, où elle est pleinement impliquée dans la construction de mouvements de femmes/féministes, tout en offrant un financement féministe et encourageant la philanthropie féministe locale.
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TEST - MAP
WHRD Tribute - 2017
We can have an intro here
And maybe a little bit more text here
Snippet FEA Unfair Policies (ES)
POLÍTICAS INJUSTAS
Become a member - Spanish (homepage block)
Afíliate
Al unirte a AWID, te sumas a un proceso organizativo feminista mundial, un poder colectivo surgido del trabajo entre movimientos y basado en la solidaridad.
Karen Brandow
Leila Hessini
Biography
Leila is a transnational feminist leader, strategist, and advisor with over 25 years of organizing, advocacy and philanthropic experience advancing human rights, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive rights and justice. She was born in Algeria and educated in the U.S., France, and Morocco; over her professional career, she has lived and worked in forty countries across Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Leila currently serves as a Senior International Fellow at the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon and as Senior Strategist for various feminist movements and organizations as well as the the Urgent Action Fund-Africa and Trust Africa on an initiative on Reimagining Feminist and Pan-African Philanthropies.
From 2017-2023, Leila held the position as Vice-President of Programs at Global Fund for Women where she oversaw its strategic grantmaking, movement-strengthening, global advocacy and philanthropic collaborations. At GFW, she doubled its grantmaking to over $17 million, launched its feminist and gender-based movements and crises work, created an adolescent girls program led by a girls’ advisory council and led its philanthropic advocacy work. Prior to that she served on the senior leadership team of Ipas from 2002 to 2016 where she published extensively on abortion rights and justice, lead global advocacy efforts and partnered with feminist groups working on self-management, community strategies and stigma reduction around bodily integrity and sexual and reproductive rights.
Leila is currently researching shifts in the philanthropic sector including recognizing non-institutional practices of giving resources in the Global South and efforts to decolonize practices in the Global North. She has written extensively on the political nature of veiling across North Africa and the Middle East, abortion practices in majority Muslim contexts and feminist approaches to sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice.
Leila holds an MPH in public health and a MA in Middle Eastern and North African Studies, studied Islamic law in Morocco and pursued doctoral studies in sociology in France. She studied Arabic and speaks French and English fluently. She is a mother of two feminist young women, an avid scuba diver, mountain bike rider, skier, and outdoor enthusiast.
Position
Co-Treasurer
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The Devil is in the Details
Free ebook on Women's rights and Religious fundamentalisms
Religious fundamentalisms have particularly high costs for women and girls
In a global picture of rising religious fundamentalisms, this ebook details the grave human rights violations, and violations of women’s rights in particular, caused by state-sponsored fundamentalism, as well as by fundamentalist non-state actors such as militias, religious community organizations, and individuals.
It is vital to promote intersectional feminist understandings of power and privilege, and to apply these to questions of religion and culture.
Snippet FEA Sopo Japaridze (FR)
Nous avons le plaisir de vous présenter Sopo Japaridze, féministe féroce, dirigeante syndicale et présidente du syndicat de service indépendant Réseau de Solidarité.
Elle a quitté le pays très jeune pour les États-Unis, où elle est devenue politiquement active en tant qu'organisatrice syndicale. Elle a toujours gardé la Géorgie à l'esprit pendant tout ce temps, jusqu'au jour où, 20 ans plus tard, elle a décidé de revenir.
La confédération syndicale géorgienne existante à cette époque était loin d'être idéale. C’est pourquoi, armée de ses compétences, de ses connaissances et de son expérience en matière de syndicalisation, Sopo est retournée en Géorgie et a formé son propre syndicat.
Elle est aussi une chercheuse passionnée et une écrivaine. Elle étudie les relations de travail et les relations sociales, écrit pour diverses publications et est co-éditrice de Left East, une plate-forme analytique d'Europe de l'Est. Elle a également cofondé l'initiative et le podcast d'histoire politique, Réimaginer la Géorgie Soviétique, où elle explore les complexités et les nuances des expériences du pays sous l'Union soviétique, pour mieux comprendre son passé et construire un avenir meilleur.
Reason to join 4
Voyez grand ! Notre rayonnement international nous permet de combiner notre travail analytique avec des outils politiques et pratiques de plaidoyer et de transformation afin de faire avancer la cause des mouvements féministes à tous les niveaux.
Alma Nosmas
¿Qué labor realiza AWID?
框架與主題
第十四屆AWID國際論壇的主題是：“女性主義理念實現：行動的力量”。
在第十四屆論壇上，我們將表揚與彰顯在我們身邊，處於各種發展階段的女性主義理念實現行動。
我們希望將本次論壇變成我們的女性主義理念實現行動：在這裡你可以進入在一個不同的世界，帶著你的勝利佳績、你所設計的解決方案前來，分享讓你更加強大、充滿希望、做好前行準備的事物。本次盛會有別於您之前參加過的其他會議。
請您務必共襄盛舉，攜手創造世界。絕對值得！
每個論壇都有一個主題，該主題反映了我們成員和運動的需求，並回應我們對當前背景脈絡的分析。
全球背景脈絡
當前，全球各地的法西斯主義、基本教義主義、威權主義以及不受約束的企業權力方興未艾。我們看到，這些威脅與國家協力形塑了公共規範、敘事論述和政策，在公共論述中深植了恐懼和仇恨的文化，並煽動暴力。國家，曾經是我們權利倡議和主張權利的對象，但在許多情況下，國家不再覺得需要負責，甚至在某些情況下，國家自己也不再具有維護權利的權力了。
這個動盪、複雜和充滿不確定性的時代，更需要發揮創造力，組織各種運動，保持需求的連貫性並大膽提出主張。
從女性主義的將來到女性主義的理念實現
2016年的AWID論壇以女性主義的未來及付諸實現所需的條件為中心。無論是當時還是現在都很明顯不過，對於許多社會正義運動來說，若想跳出當前的體制之外去思考結構性的解決方案是一個艱鉅挑戰。長期的不平等和壓迫的經驗會限縮想像力。但是當時我們周遭的所見所聞顯示女性主義運動確實生機勃發，以各種大小規模都有的方式推動了權利和正義為導向理念實現與解決方案。
我們確實看到了對於動員的迫切需求，但動員的起點不是從最低的共同點開始，動員應源於希望。這分希望源自於肯定，世界各地的經驗與實踐體現了更加正義的生存方式，儘管不盡完美，從這些經驗出發，藉由分享、加強與壯大，我們可以幫助其擴大影響力。
這些並非不可能實現的夢想，而是以實現的生活。凡事皆有可能的感受啟發我們去重新審視和重新欣賞我們的工作具備的轉化面向。
全球女性主義理念實現的一些例子
在AWID，我們知道鮮活的女性主義理念實現典範是，代表一個有望實現的世界。這些多元的理念實現經驗蘊含再現了希望和力量。深植於多種生活思考與實踐的方式，向我們證明有不一樣的可能：從我們日常生活和彼此之間的關係的日常表達到治理和正義的替代制度。女性主義理念實現經驗抵制諸如父權制度、資本主義和白人至上的宰制權力制度。
以上皆為強而有力的主張，引導我們看到具備可能性的願景，並證明了女性主義組織是如何在世界各地的運動和社群中開疆拓土，開闢通往正義的道路。
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在美國密西西比州傑克遜城一個被深度邊緣化的黑人社區透過傑克遜合作（Cooperation Jackson）平台，展開了社區團結和合作經濟的實驗，這項計劃雄心勃勃，有別於資本主義的生產方式，要建立社群共有精神。
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在西非，女性農民對抗圈地並拒絕工業化的農業計畫，勇敢主張「我們就是解決方案（We Are The Solution）」，此運動旨在建立農業生態解決方案，以女性農民及其知識為中心，讓社群可以獲得溫飽並減緩氣候變遷
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同樣，在印度有5000名婦女根據地方知識，共同建立了以社群為基礎的糧食主權制度，包括穀物和種子銀行
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墨西哥的婦女開創了一個無錢交易的經濟計畫，該計畫由婦女主導，並為其他婦女以及她們所認識的每個人服務。在El Cambalache計畫中，一切交換物都具有相同的價值：人們用不再需要的東西去交換他們想要的東西，也包括想分享的知識、能力和互助。El Cambalache計畫建立在當地社會運動的反制度、反資本主義價值觀之上
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在羅賈瓦，庫德人在沒有國家的情況下建立了民主制度。庫爾德婦女將女性學（Jineology）作為挑戰父權制度、資本主義和國家機器的框架，創建了將這一框架付諸實踐的制度和機構
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在英國，Anarcho Agony Aunts是一個關於性和約會的諮詢節目，涵蓋了女性主義者、反法西斯主義者和無政府主義者的各種觀點。主持人羅文和馬里亞姆正在從另類右派中奪回空間，讓人們（主要是男人）在不受批判的空間內提出棘手問題
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非洲女性主義判決計畫起草並廣傳了一系列關於重大非洲里程碑司法案件的另類判決。該計畫的核心精神提出了女性主義司法實踐和替代性的女性主義判決，對非洲法學、法律實務和司法決貢獻卓著。
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印度的烏沙合作社（Usha Cooperative）是在主流銀行拒絕向Sonagachi地區的性工作者提供服務時成立的。性工作者自發組織起來，優先解決其經濟問題並建立自己的金融機構。烏沙合作社是一家合作銀行，服務2萬多名性工作者，並在一年內提供7231名性工作者470萬美元的貸款。該銀行完全由性工作者組成，為合作社的治理和管理帶來了真正的所有權和影響力，為個人和社群服務，開創了建立經濟實力的自主先驅模式
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在波多黎各，一個社區土地信託基金協助了非正式居住區轉型為永續的社區，該社區處於受到污染的易氾濫河道。該基金為改善城市中的非正式定居區域點提供了一種新模式，如果沒有她們的幫助，當地的原始居民根本負擔不起
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在幾個拉丁美洲國家，社運人士提供了醫療人工流產提同儕的諮詢和陪伴，奪回女性身體的自主權和獲得醫療知識的權利。（出於安全原因，此處未提供相關的鏈接）
第十四屆AWID國際論壇
AWID論壇將按照6大主軸安排：
- 社群、運動和經濟正義的資源
- 治理、當責與正義
- 數位化的現實
- 身體、愉悅和健康
- 女性主義星球與生命
- 組織女性主義運動
基於這些理念實現的經驗，我們希望2020年的論壇能夠：
- 鞏固女性主義理念實現的力量：通過點名、表揚、壯大和貢獻等方式，從這些經驗及主張出發，累積動能，凸顯可能性並豐富我們的集體想像力。
- 補充希望和能量的泉源：為人權與正義社會運動及韌性提供必要的能量。
- 加強聯繫、互惠和團結：服務各種多元的女性主義運動以及其他權利和正義為本的社會運動。
論壇是一個協作過程
該論壇不僅僅是一個四天的會議，是女性主義理念實現的運動茁壯旅程的一個中繼站，我們已經出發，論壇結束後也會繼續前行。
Snippet FEA Union Otras (EN)
UNION OTRAS
The Sex Workers' Trade Union Organisation (Organización de Trabajo Sexual, OTRAS) is the first union of sex workers in the history of Spain. It was born out of the need to ensure social, legal and political rights for sex workers in a country where far-right movements are on the rise.
After years of struggles against the Spanish legal system and anti-sex workers groups who petitioned to shut it down, OTRAS finally obtained its legal status as a union in 2021.
Its goal? To decriminalize sex work and to ensure decent working conditions and environments for all sex workers.
The union represents over 600 professional sex workers, many of whom are migrant, trans, queer and gender-diverse.
Our values - bodily autonomy
Bodily autonomy, integrity and freedoms<
We celebrate everyone's right to choose their identities, relationships, goals, work, dreams and pleasures, and what they do with their mind, body and spirit. We believe in working towards access to resources, information and safe and enabling environments that allow this to happen.
Zarana Papic
Les organisations peuvent-elles devenir membres de l’AWID ?
Oui, nous encourageons l’adhésion institutionnelle.
Nous comptons actuellement parmi nos membres plusieurs centaines d’organisations parmi les plus connues et novatrices. Les critères d’adhésion sont les mêmes que pour les personnes, mais les cotisations diffèrent et les services proposés tentent de répondre à leurs besoins particuliers.
Why did AWID choose Taipei as the location for the Forum?
AWID spent close to two years working to identify a Forum location in the Asia Pacific region (the Forum location rotates regions).
Building on initial desk research and consultations with allies that led us to rule out many other options in the region, we organized a thorough round of site visits to Nepal, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and (later) Taiwan.
Each site visit included not just scoping the logistical infrastructure but meeting with local feminist groups and activists to better understand the context, and their sense of potential opportunities and risks of an AWID forum in their context.
In our site visits, we found incredibly vibrant, diverse local feminist movements.
They often expressed conflicted feelings about the opportunities and risk that the visibility of an event like the Forum could bring to them. In one, during the first 30 minutes of our meeting we heard unanimously from the activists gathered that an AWID Forum would be subject to huge backlash, that LGBTQ rights were a particular political hot-button and that fundamentalist groups would turn out in full force to interrupt the event. When our response was “ok, then you don’t feel it’s a good idea”, again the unanimous response was “of course it is, we want to change the narrative!”.
It was difficult to hear and see in some of these places how many feminist activists wanted to leverage the opportunity of a visible big event and were prepared to face the local risks; but our considerations as hosts of close to 2,000 people from around the world impose a different calculation of risk and feasibility.
We also grappled with questions of what it means to organize a feminist forum that is aligned to principles around inclusion, reciprocity and self-determination, when state policy and practice is usually directly counter to that (although officials in the ministries of Tourism work very hard to smooth that over).
We weighed considerations of infrastructure, with potential opportunity to tip momentum on some national level feminist agendas, and national political context.
In many of these places, monitoring the context felt like an exercise on a pendulum that could swing from open and safe for feminist debates in one moment to stark repression and xenophobia the next, sacrificing feminist priorities as political bargaining chips to pacify right wing, anti-rights forces.
The process has been a sobering reflection on the incredibly challenging context for women’s rights and gender justice activism globally.
Our challenges in Asia Pacific led us to consider: would it be easier if we moved the Forum to a different region? Yet today, we would not be able to organize an AWID Forum in Istanbul as we did in 2012; nor would we be able to do one in Brazil as we did in 2016.
With all of this complexity, AWID selected Taipei as the Forum location because:
- It offers a moderate degree of stability and safety for the diversity of Forum participants we will convene.
- it also has strong logistical capacities, and is accessible for many travellers (with a facilitated e-visa process for international conferences).
- The local feminist movement is welcoming of the Forum and keen to engage with feminists from across the globe.
In organizing the AWID Forum, we are trying to build and hold space as best we can for the diverse expressions of solidarity, outrage, hope and inspiration that are at the core of feminist movements.
At this moment, we see Taipei as the location in the Asia Pacific region that will best allow us to build that safe and rebelious space for our global feminist community.
The fact is, there is no ideal location in today’s world for a Forum that centers Feminist Realities. Wherever we go, we must build that space together!