The Right To Autonomy Over Our Bodies And Loves: The Resolution On Human Rights, Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Furthers Dialogue

FRIDAY FILE - AWID spoke to Dawn Cavanagh* of the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) in South Africa and Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI), about the significance of the resolution on Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity recently adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The Fight Against Exploitation Of Underage Domestic Workers In Madagascar

FRIDAY FILE: Approximately 17.2 million children around the world perform paid or unpaid domestic work for third parties or for an employer. Among them, 67.1% are girls between the ages of 5 and 17.

First Resolution on Protecting Women Human Rights Defenders Adopted at the UN Amid Strong Conservative Opposition to Already Agreed Rights

FRIDAY FILE – On 27 November 2013 the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee adopted the first-ever resolution on women human rights defenders. But, this advance in protecting those who face risks and attacks for who they are and their work to promote women’s human rights came with strong opposition from conservative governments and consistent interference from the Holy See, which resulted in crucial language being compromised.

By Susan Tolmay and Marisa Viana

Vienna+20: 20 Years of Collective Work Reaffirming Women’s Human Rights

FRIDAY FILE: In the latest interview forming part of AWID’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, AWID speaks to feminist lawyer Alda Facio[i] about some of the advances and challenges to women’s human rights in Latin America, especially related to violence against women in all its forms.

By Gabriela De Cicco

Vienna +20: Some Progress in MENA but Relativity of Rights and Backlash Persist

FRIDAY FILE - In this latest interview forming part of AWID’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, AWID speaks to Mahnaz Afkhami, Director of Women’s Learning Partnership about some of the advances and challenges for women’s rights and women’s rights organizing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region over the last 20 years

By Susan Tolmay

Vienna+20 : “Women’s Rights are Human Rights” Views from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

FRIDAY FILE: As part of AWID’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) that was adopted by representatives of 171 States at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, 1993, we are producing a series of Vienna+20 written and audio interviews featuring prominent feminists who were involved in advocating for women’s human rights leading up to and following the Vienna conference

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

Violating Women’s Rights: Forced Sterilization, Population Control and HIV/AIDS

FRIDAY FILE – Last July, a high court sentenced the Namibian state for the forced sterilization of three HIV-positive women. In Uzbekistan, authorities continue to deny reported cases. AWID looks into forced sterilizations in both countries and what it means for women’s reproductive rights.

By Ani Colekessian*

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.

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

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).