Protection of the Family
The Issue
Over the past few years, a troubling new trend at the international human rights level is being observed, where discourses on ‘protecting the family’ are being employed to defend violations committed against family members, to bolster and justify impunity, and to restrict equal rights within and to family life.
The campaign to "Protect the Family" is driven by ultra-conservative efforts to impose "traditional" and patriarchal interpretations of the family, and to move rights out of the hands of family members and into the institution of ‘the family’.
“Protection of the Family” efforts stem from:
- rising traditionalism,
- rising cultural, social and religious conservatism and
- sentiment hostile to women’s human rights, sexual rights, child rights and the rights of persons with non-normative gender identities and sexual orientations.
Since 2014, a group of states have been operating as a bloc in human rights spaces under the name “Group of Friends of the Family”, and resolutions on “Protection of the Family” have been successfully passed every year since 2014.
This agenda has spread beyond the Human Rights Council. We have seen regressive language on “the family” being introduced at the Commission on the Status of Women, and attempts made to introduce it in negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Approach
AWID works with partners and allies to jointly resist “Protection of the Family” and other regressive agendas, and to uphold the universality of human rights.
In response to the increased influence of regressive actors in human rights spaces, AWID joined allies to form the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs). OURs is a collaborative project that monitors, analyzes, and shares information on anti-rights initiatives like “Protection of the Family”.
Rights at Risk, the first OURs report, charts a map of the actors making up the global anti-rights lobby, identifies their key discourses and strategies, and the effect they are having on our human rights.
The report outlines “Protection of the Family” as an agenda that has fostered collaboration across a broad range of regressive actors at the UN. It describes it as: “a strategic framework that houses “multiple patriarchal and anti-rights positions, where the framework, in turn, aims to justify and institutionalize these positions.”

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Debbie Stothard
During her 38-year career, Debbie Stothard, has worked with diverse communities and activists to engage states, IGOs and other stakeholders throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas on human rights and justice. Her work is focused on the thematic priorities of business and human rights, atrocity prevention, and women’s leadership. Accordingly, she has either facilitated or been a resource person at nearly 300 training events in the past 15 years. Most of these were grassroots-oriented workshops delivered in the field, focused on human rights advocacy, economic literacy and business and human rights, and transitional justice and atrocity prevention. Her work in transitional justice and atrocity prevention has mainly focused on Burma/Myanmar, however she has provided advice on responses to other country situations around the world.
During 1981 – 1996, Debbie worked as a crime reporter, student organizer, policy analyst, academic, government advisor and food caterer in Malaysia and Australia while volunteering for human rights causes. In 1996, she founded ALTSEAN-Burma which spearheaded a range of innovative and empowering human rights programs. This includes ALTSEAN’s ongoing intensive leadership program for diverse young women from Burma, which in the past 22 years, has helped strengthen and expand women’s leadership in conflict-affected zones. She served as a member of the Board of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) for 9 years as Deputy Secretary-General (2010-2013) and Secretary-General (2013 – 2019) during which she promoted the mission and profile of FIDH at approximately 100 meetings and conferences per year.
Snippet - WITM To make - FR

Pour rendre visible la diversité des formes de financement de l’organisation des mouvements féministes.
Marta Vásquez
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Les inscriptions commenceront début 2024. Nous annoncerons bientôt la date exacte et les tarifs d'inscription. L'inscription comprendra la participation au Forum, et inclura le déjeuner et les collations (le petit-déjeuner sera fourni par les hôtels), ainsi qu’un dîner sur place.
Love letter to Feminist Movements #7
Dearest Feminist community,
I am pleased to share with you one of my remarkable dates as feminist with disability. It was May 30, 2014 when we (the Nationwide Organization of Visually-Impaired Empowered Ladies NOVEL) participated in the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2014 for our white cane advocacy campaign. Two ladies who are blind walked down the catwalk to promote the white cane as one of the symbols of gender equality, empowerment, full inclusion and equal participation of women and girls with visual impairment in society.

Their walk in front of the crowd were extremely a nerve-wracking experience for me, as the proponent of our project with the Runway Productions (I enduringly waited for a year for its approval), knowing that they were not models, they were the crowned Ms. Philippines Vision and 1st Runner Up of 2013 Ms. Philippines on Wheels, Signs and Vision by Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc. (House with No Steps). Also, they fell on their orientation and practiced the evening before the event and they didn’t have practice with professional models. Before the show started, I talked to them via mobile phone to boost their confidence and to pray together for God’s guidance. When they exited the catwalk, I breathed deeply while my tears were flowing. I was feeling euphoric because we did it despite the challenges we’ve been through! Our message to the world that women and girls with visual impairment can walk with dignity, freedom and independence on an equal basis with others, with the use of our assistive device - white canes was successfully delivered! We trended in social media and we were featured by television networks.
My life as a feminist with disability started as a means to mend my broken spirit and to see a different path towards finding my life’s purpose after I became victim-survivor to a vicious acid attack in 2007 while I was waiting for a ride going home from office. My eyes were severely damaged, to the point that I became a woman with low vision.
I never knew how joyful and purposeful my life could be again until I met women leaders in the gender and disability movement who influenced me to keep going. Their words of encouragement attracted me and became the sweetest music to my ears. My broken heart leaped like a hummingbird in flight every time I think of them and feminism which stimulated me to partake in making difference for our invisible sisters with disabilities and to those who continue to experience discrimination. To date, I am consumed by the desire to be with the movement. I cannot hide my excitement whenever I submit project proposals to different stakeholders for our sisters with disabilities' empowerment, development and advancement; and to make representations in local, national and international conversations to amplify our voices even at my expense.
Unexpectedly, I was selected as our country’s female representative in the 2012 World Blind Union (WBU) General Assembly in Thailand even though I was a newcomer in the disability movement. In the same year, I was elected as the only woman officer of the Philippine Blind Union (PBU) in its assembly. I was inspired to reach out, gather and empower our sisters with visual impairment on their rights and to know their intersecting issues. In 2013, we officially launched the Nationwide Organization of Visually-Impaired Empowered Ladies (NOVEL) to support the empowerment of our sisters with disabilities, build coalitions with cross-disability and women’s movements and promote gender and disability-inclusive development.
My participation as co-focal person of women with disabilities in our 2016 CEDAW Shadow Report submission convened by Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau (WLB) with the marginalized groups of women, opened many doors such as working with various women’s organizations and attending the 2017 Inclusion Days International in Berlin, Germany together with 3 Filipino women leaders with disabilities to share our good practices, mainly our engagement with the women’s movement in our country.
My journey as feminist with disability has been an emotional roller coaster for me. It gave me happiness and a sense of worth when I participated in promoting for our sisters with disabilities full inclusion, equal and effective participation in society, yet I felt frustrated and upset when I gave my all but I received negative remarks. Nevertheless, I feel that way because I am in love with the movement.
I see my future working in solidarity with the movement to ensure that our sisters with and without disabilities can equally and fully enjoy and participate in society.
Love lots,
Gina Rose P. Balanlay
Feminist with disability
Philippines
ours chapter 4 es
Capítulo 4
Actores anti-derechos
Una red compleja de actores anti-derechos, en constante evolución, está ejerciendo cada vez más influencia en los espacios internacionales y en las políticas nacionales. Respaldados a menudo por financiaciones poco transparentes, estos actores construyen alianzas tácticas sobre distintos temas y cruzando diferentes regiones y credos para aumentar su impacto.
Milagros Barahona Portocarrero
Jemimah Naburri-Kaheru
Jemimah Naburri-Kaheru est une stratège internationale accomplie en matière de ressources humaines à impact profond dans la région de la Corne de l'Afrique. Jemimah était auparavant responsable régionale des ressources humaines et du bureau de l'Initiative stratégique pour les femmes dans la Corne de l'Afrique (SIHA) . Son influence s’est étendue jusqu’à la direction des ressources humaines de plus de 70 employé·e·s régionaux·ales, alors que l'organisation connaissait une croissance rapide, avec une augmentation de 40 % de ses revenus annuels. Tout au long de sa carrière, Jemimah a orchestré avec succès des efforts de recrutement, introduit des systèmes de performance basés sur le mérite, de même que supervisé les relations avec les employé·e·s et les politiques RH. Elle a joué un rôle central dans le soutien aux stratégies mondiales de personnel. Avec une formation universitaire en Études de Développement de l'Université de Makerere (Ouganda) et un Master en Gestion des Ressources Humaines, Jemimah est évidemment engagée envers le développement professionnel. Sa contribution à des effectifs hautement performants et à un leadership international en matière de ressources humaines la positionne comme un atout inestimable dans toute entreprise mondiale.
Snippet - WITM About the survey - ES
Acerca de la encuesta
- GLOBAL Y DIVERSA: Reflexiona acerca de las realidades de la dotación de recursos entre las organizaciones feministas a escala mundial y desglosada por regiones.
- CONTEXTUALIZADA: Se centra en las voces, perspectivas y experiencias de los movimientos feministas en toda su riqueza, audacia y diversidad, en sus respectivos contextos.
- DE CREACIÓN CONJUNTA: Desarrollada y puesta a prueba en consulta estrecha con lxs afiliadxs y movimientos aliados de AWID.
- COMPLEMENTARIA: Contribuye a la evidencia disponible acerca del estado de la dotación de recursos para las organizaciones feministas, por los derechos de las mujeres y la justicia de género por parte de activistas, donantes feministas y aliadxs, y la difunde.
- PLURILINGÜE: Disponible en árabe, español, francés, inglés, portugués y ruso.
- CONFIDENCIAL: Damos prioridad a tu privacidad y anonimato. En ningún caso, AWID divulgará información acerca de una organización en particular ni exhibirá información que permita identificar a una organización por su ubicación o características. Los detalles de nuestra política de privacidad se encuentran disponibles aquí.
- ACCESIBLE: Es accesible a personas con distinto grado de capacidades auditivas, de movilidad, visuales y cognitivas, y responderla toma aproximadamente 30 minutos.
- REPLICABLE: Es susceptible de ser replicada por los movimientos en sus respectivos contextos; las herramientas y los conjuntos de datos de la encuesta estarán disponibles al público como forma de apoyar una mayor investigación y la promoción colectiva.
Elisa Badayos
También era organizadora de comunidades urbanas empobrecidas de la Provincia de Cebú, y trabajaba con Desaparecidos, una organización de familiares de personas desaparecidas.
Elisa y dos de sus colegas fueron asesinadxs el 28 de noviembre de 2017 por dos hombres no identificados en Barangay San Ramón, en la ciudad de Bayawan de la Provincia de Negros Oriental, durante una misión que investigaba presuntas violaciones de derechos territoriales en la zona.
La sobreviven cuatro hijxs.
What about the visas?
We are acutely aware of the practical hurdles and emotional distress associated with international travel, particularly from the Global South. AWID is working with TCEB (the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau) to support Forum participants with acquiring visas. More information about this visa assistance will be available upon registration, including contact information for where and how to apply.
El Calendario Feminista 2023

AWID es parte de un impresionante ecosistema de movimientos feministas que trabajan para alcanzar la justicia de género y la justicia social en todo el mundo. Al acercarse nuestro 40° aniversario estamos celebrando todo lo que hemos construido a lo largo de estos últimos cuarenta años. Como organización global de apoyo a los movimientos feministas, sabemos que nuestro camino hacia adelante es trabajar con feminismos apasionados, reconociendo tanto la multiplicidad de los feminismos como el valor de un impulso por la justicia apasionado y sin reservas. El estado del planeta y de los movimientos feministas requiere conversaciones y acciones valientes. Esperamos con ansia trabajar junto con nuestrxs afiliadxs, asociadxs y donantes para crear los mundos en los que creemos,celebrar los logros y expresar la verdad ante el poder, al servicio de los movimientos feministas a nivel global.
El Calendario Feminista 2023 es un regalo para los movimientos. Presenta las obras de arte de algunxs de nuestrxs maravillosxs afiliadxs de AWID.

Úsalo. Imprímelo. Compártelo.
¡Consíguelo en tu idioma preferido! |
Escoge la calidad de imagen |
| English | Descarga para impresión | Versión digital |
| Français | Descarga para impresión | Versión digital |
| Español | Descarga para impresión | Versión digital |
| Português | Descarga para impresión | Versión digital |
| عربي | Descarga para impresión | Versión digital |
| Русский | Descarga para impresión | Versión digital |
Nos droits en danger : Il est temps d’agir (Rapport OURS 2021)
Rapport
Nos droits en danger : Il est temps d’agir – Rapport sur les tendances 2021 de l’Observatoire sur l’universalité des droits
Le tout dernier rapport de l’Observatoire sur l’universalité des droits (OURs) détricote les discours de « l’idéologie du genre », du « génocide prénatal » et de « l’impérialisme culturel ». Il creuse également la réalité de CitizenGo, de l’Alliance Defending Freedom et des flux de financement antidroits. Vous y trouverez, en outre, une analyse des systèmes régionaux des droits humains et des stratégies féministes victorieuses !
Rani Jethmalani
Khaoula Ksiksi
Khaoula Ksiksi is a passionate advocate for justice, equity, and liberation. As a Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Advisor, she works to make inclusivity a lived reality, not just a policy, across humanitarian programs and crisis contexts. She collaborates with teams to challenge structural oppression using bold, transformative tools rooted in lived experience.
Her activism began on the frontlines of Tunisia’s anti-racism movement. With Mnemty, she helped push through the country’s first anti-discrimination law, forcing a national reckoning with racial injustice. She later co-founded Voices of Black Tunisian Women to amplify Black women’s leadership, build solidarity networks, and demand visibility in a society that often silences them.
Khaoula is also a founding member of Falgatna, a radical queer-feminist movement fighting for SOGIESC rights and supporting LGBTQI+ communities through direct action, digital resistance, and survivor-centered advocacy.
Previously, she led regional feminist and climate justice projects at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in North and West Africa.
At the heart of her work is a deep belief: no one is free until we all are. Her activism is both a fight and a love letter to her people, her communities, and the world we deserve.
Snippet - WITM Acknowledgements - ES
Agradecimientos
AWID agradece a las numerosas personas cuyos análisis, ideas y contribuciones han dado forma a la investigación y las acciones de promoción de "¿Dónde está el dinero para las organizaciones feministas?" a lo largo de los años.
Ante todo, vaya nuestro agradecimiento más profundo a lxs afiliadxs y activistas de AWID que participaron en las consultas de ¿Dónde está el dinero? y ensayaron esta encuesta con nosotrxs, y que compartieron su tiempo, sus análisis y el corazón con tanta generosidad.
Expresamos nuestra gratitud a los movimientos, aliados y fondos feministas, entre otros, a Black Feminist Fund, Pacific Feminist Fund, ASTRAEA Lesbian Foundation for Justice, FRIDA Young Feminist Fund, Purposeful, Kosovo Women’s Network, Human Rights Funders Network, Dalan Fund y PROSPERA por su rigurosa investigación sobre el estado de la dotación de recursos, sus agudos análisis y promoción sostenida para más y mejor financiamiento y poder para las organizaciones feministas y por la justicia de género en todos los contextos.
Súmate a la comunidad mundial de feministas que se expresa con contundencia acerca del estado de la dotación de recursos, y demanda más y mejor financiamiento y poder para los feminismos de todo el mundo.
Guadalupe Campanur Tapia
Guadalupe était une activiste environnementale impliquée dans la lutte contre le crime à Cherán, au Mexique.
En 2011, Guadalupe a aidé à renverser le gouvernement local. Elle participait à des patrouilles de sécurité locale, notamment dans les forêts municipales et faisait partie des dirigeant-e-s autochtones de Cherán qui ont appelé les gens à défendre leurs forêts contre l’abattage implacable et illégal. Son travail pour les aînés, les enfants, les travailleurs-euses a fait d'elle une icône dans sa communauté.
Elle a été assassinée à Chilchota, au Mexique, à environ 30 kilomètres au nord de Cherán, sa ville natale.
Mi grupo o yo íbamos a participar en el Foro que fue cancelado debido a la pandemia, ¿cómo puedo participar en este Foro?
Volveremos a ponernos en contacto con contrapartes que hayan colaborado en el pasado, para asegurarnos de que se respetan los esfuerzos realizados.Si tus datos de contacto han cambiado desde el último proceso del Foro, por favor, actualízalos para que podamos contactarte.