As concerned members of the Caribbean region and diaspora, we are outraged by the unreasonable and absurd charges of three counts of “malicious communication” under Section 9 (1) of the Cybercrimes Act of 2015 by the Jamaican state towards human rights defender and activist, Latoya Nugent.

“Time and history have never seen eye to eye .Time laughs at history and time and time and time again. Time traps history in a lie .But we always ,somehow, managed to roar history back onstage to take another bow to justify, to sanctify the journey until now” by James Baldwin

By Essar Batool

In 2016, the Indian-occupied state of Kashmir once again erupted in valley wide protests, in collective expression for freedom, after the killing of a popular militant leader Burhan Wani. The protests continued for over six months and resulted in the killing of around 100 civilians.

The 3^rd of March 2017 will mark a year since Honduran feminist and human rights defender Berta Cáceres was murdered. In memory and celebration of Berta, we inquired what she meant, and still means, in the lives and activism of some of her compañeras. We asked them: What legacy has Berta's struggle, for women's rights and the defense of territory, left for your activism and commitment to social justice?

AWID begins this year with strong energies and renewed commitments. As Co-Executive Directors, Cindy and Hakima present their greetings and some highlights of our work in 2017.

Those of us who work on issues surrounding gender and religious fundamentalisms are faced with a problem of representation.

It’s not so much that there isn’t enough coverage of these issues. In fact, the opposite can be true; we often feel bombarded by news coverage of the atrocities committed in the name of religion against women, and against people with non-conforming sexualities and gender identities.  

The Women Human Rights Defenders Hub at the AWID Forum was many things that are beautiful, informative, and challenging. Bringing to the same space women, trans* and intersex activists working in different parts of the world, we all had the opportunity to collectively reflect on challenges, unite in healing power and exchange strategies. It was a one of a kind opportunity for committed and fierce women, trans* and intersex activists in acknowledging each other’s strength in the struggle for  healing justice.

The latest development in the NGO Foreign Funding Case occurred on December 7, 2016, when Azza Soliman, a prominent women’s rights defender and lawyer was arrested and faced with three preliminary charges, including “receiving foreign funding to harm the state’s interests.” Azza was released on bail after she paid 20,000 Egyptian pounds, pending further court hearings.

The prominent Syrian human rights defenders Razan Zaitouneh, Samira Al-Khalil, Wa’el Hamada and Nazim Hammadi, who remain missing three years after armed men abducted them, should be released immediately, 56 human rights organizations said today, on the anniversary of their abduction.

AWID’s 5th online tribute to Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) who have died in recent years, commemorates sixty feminists and activists. Thirty eight of these defenders died violently, and were murdered as a result of who they were, their identities, and the rights they defended.