Vienna +20 - The World has Changed Considerably, as Women's Rights are Taken More Seriously as Human Rights

FRIDAY FILE – AWID spoke to Charlotte Bunch, Founding Director and Senior Scholar of the Center for Women's Global Leadership, Rutgers University, about the key role the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) played in advancing a human rights revolution, and why Vienna + 20 needs to highlight both the progress and the continuing obstacles to realization of these rights.

By Susan Tolmay

Some Reactions To The HLP Report On The Post-2015 Agenda from a Women’s Rights Perspective

FRIDAY FILE – AWID offers a collection of initial reactions from women's and human rights advocates and organizations to the recommendations made on how a development agenda post-2015 could look. The first formal proposal was presented in a report prepared by the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLP) released to the public on May 30, 2013.

Why Do Migrants’ SRHRs Matter? Why Don’t They?

FRIDAY FILE – Talks at the 46thUN Commission on Population and Development (CPD), under the theme New trends in migration: demographic aspects, saw rights-based groups confronting the very narrow views of migration held by conservative groups and affirming the role that sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHRs) play in the lives of migrants, particularly women and girls.

By Saira Zuberi

The First Arms Trade Treaty Recognises Gender-Based Violence

FRIDAY FILE - On April 2, 2013, a decades long campaign culminated in the signing of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the UN General Assembly. The ATT prohibits arms sales when there is a risk that weapons could be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law.

By Amanda Shaw

Post-2015 Development Agenda - A Strong Call for Human Rights and Justice for All

FRIDAY FILE – From 20-22 March, about 250 people, largely from civil society organizations (CSOs) and another third from other stakeholders such as the United Nations (UN), gathered in Bonn, Germany for an international conference on Advancing the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Reflections from the World Social Forum – Tunis, Tunisia 26-30 March

FRIDAY FILE - As the World Social Forum in Tunis wrapped up, many agreed that the vitality of the older days of the Forum was back. Taking place at the Al Manar University in Tunis, amidst the still unmet calls for dignity and justice of the Arab uprisings, it gathered about 54,000 people who were united in their hopes for a better world.

By Shareen Gokal

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Are Central to the Work of Women Human Rights Defenders

FRIDAY FILE - Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) work under precarious conditions, often putting their lives in danger as they defend and protect women’s economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) across the globe.

By Katherine Ronderos

A Step Forward Amid Strong Opposition to Women’s Human Rights at this Year’s 57th Commission on the Status of Women

by Susan Tolmay

FRIDAY FILE - The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 57) ended last week Friday with an Agreed Conclusions document acknowledged by many as fair and balanced, and “an important step forward” to addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG).

 

Women Moving Mountains – Successful Strategies and Funding Mechanisms to Eradicate Violence Against Women

FRIDAY FILE: A unique ‘aggregate analysis’ of the Dutch MDG3 Fund, conducted by AWID, with input from 33 fund recipient organisations provides a unique opportunity to highlight the broad range of multi-sectoral strategies that organisations are using a to tackle gender based violence (GBV) and the importance of continued and sustained funding for the work they do.

By Gabriela De Cicco and Srilatha Batliwala

Will We See Real Progress In Addressing Violence Against Women And Girls At the 57th Commission on the Status of Women?

FRIDAY FILE: AWID takes a look at what is at stake with this year’s priority theme for the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 57) that will take place at United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York from 4 to 15 March 2013 - the Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.

By Susan Tolmay