Confronting Extractivism & Corporate Power
Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) worldwide defend their lands, livelihoods and communities from extractive industries and corporate power. They stand against powerful economic and political interests driving land theft, displacement of communities, loss of livelihoods, and environmental degradation.
Why resist extractive industries?
Extractivism is an economic and political model of development that commodifies nature and prioritizes profit over human rights and the environment. Rooted in colonial history, it reinforces social and economic inequalities locally and globally. Often, Black, rural and Indigenous women are the most affected by extractivism, and are largely excluded from decision-making. Defying these patriarchal and neo-colonial forces, women rise in defense of rights, lands, people and nature.
Critical risks and gender-specific violence
WHRDs confronting extractive industries experience a range of risks, threats and violations, including criminalization, stigmatization, violence and intimidation. Their stories reveal a strong aspect of gendered and sexualized violence. Perpetrators include state and local authorities, corporations, police, military, paramilitary and private security forces, and at times their own communities.
Acting together
AWID and the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD-IC) are pleased to announce “Women Human Rights Defenders Confronting Extractivism and Corporate Power”; a cross-regional research project documenting the lived experiences of WHRDs from Asia, Africa and Latin America.
We encourage activists, members of social movements, organized civil society, donors and policy makers to read and use these products for advocacy, education and inspiration.
-
"Women Human Rights Defenders confronting extractive industries: an overview of critical risks and Human Rights obligations" is a policy report with a gender perspective. It analyses forms of violations and types of perpetrators, quotes relevant human rights obligations and includes policy recommendations to states, corporations, civil society and donors.
-
"Weaving resistance through action: Strategies of Women Human Rights Defenders confronting extractive industries" is a practical guide outlining creative and deliberate forms of action, successful tactics and inspiring stories of resistance.
-
The video “Defending people and planet: Women confronting extractive industries” puts courageous WHRDs from Africa, Asia, and Latin America in the spotlight. They share their struggles for land and life, and speak to the risks and challenges they face in their activism.
-
Challenging corporate power: Struggles for women’s rights, economic and gender justice is a research paper outlining the impacts of corporate power and offering insights into strategies of resistance.
Share your experience and questions!
◾️ How can these resources support your activism and advocacy?
◾️ What additional information or knowledge do you need to make the best use of these resources?
Thank you!
AWID acknowledges with gratitude the invaluable input of every Woman Human Rights Defender who participated in this project. This project was made possible thanks to your willingness to generously and openly share your experiences and learnings. Your courage, creativity and resilience is an inspiration for us all. Thank you!
Related Content
Snippet Feminist Art_Fest (EN)
Arte Feminista
Miriam Bottassi
Mars 2015: publication de la version zéro du document final
Publication de la version zéro du document final, mars 2015
- La version zéro du document final (en anglais – datée du 16 mars), préparée par les co-facilitateurs, a été soumise à discussion pendant la seconde session de rédaction qui s’est tenue du 13 au 17 avril 2015.
- Pendant la session inaugurale, le WWG a insisté sur la nécessité de mentionner, dans la version zéro, les ressources qui seraient spécifiquement consacrées à l’égalité des genres et à l’autonomisation des femmes, comme cela avait été prévu dans le Consensus de Monterrey et la Déclaration de Doha.
CFA FAQ - Accessibility and Health - AR
إمكانية الوصول والصحة
Snippet “Gender Ideology” Narratives (FR)
Les discours sur l’ « Idéologie du Genre » :
Pendant des décennies, les universitaires et défenseur·euse·s féministes ont développé d’importantes notions liées au genre afin de comprendre et combattre l’oppression et la discrimination. Ces notions sont maintenant devenues la cible d’acteur·ice·s antidroits qui prétendent que les rôles de genre patriarcaux oppressifs relèvent du « bon sens », peignant stratégiquement toutes les autres idées, normes culturelles et formes de vie sociale comme une idéologie dangereuse et conspirationniste.
Lisez le dossier sur Les Discours Sur L’ « Idéologie Du Genre » : Une Menace Pour Les Droits Humains
Karen Empeño & Sherlyn Cadapan
Solange Habonimana
What is at stake for women’s rights?
Development financing has specific threats and opportunities for women's and all people’s human rights. Transformative development financing and policies can make an important contribution to the systemic changes that are needed to ensure the respect, protection and fulfillment of women’s human rights.
2015 is an important year for the FfD process. The Third International Conference on FfD took place from 13-16 July 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and governments are finalising the post-2015 development agenda including agreements on how the new Sustainable Development Goals will be financed.
The current stage of the FfD process is an important opportunity to establish a financing framework that will ensure effective financing for the implementation of the post 2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is also an opportunity to address the structural conditions, and systemic changes needed, for the full implementation of other agendas and commitments such as Human Rights Conventions, and the Beijing Platform for Action.
Over the last 13 years, women’s rights and feminist organizations have actively engaged in the FfD process.
Rising together - Logo and Button - FR
Appel à activités: Date limite prolongée jusqu'au 1er février 2024 !

Rejoignez la co-création du 15e Forum international de l’AWID à Bangkok, en Thaïlande.
Snippet FEA A Caring Economy (EN)
A CARING
ECONOMY
Feminists Centering Care in the Economy:
A Cross-Movement Dialogue
What if we reimagined ways of caring for our communities?
What if the economy was not about someone else’s profit but about care for our individual and collective wellbeing? These stories are about building communities of care with and for people who are historically and presently excluded, disenfranchised and dehumanized by both state and society. These are the stories of feminists centering care in the economy.
Maria Luisa Posa Dominado
Leyla Yıldızhan (Deniz Fırat)
什麼時候/如何提交會議場次提案?
Snippet - CSW68 - Responding to Anti-rights - ES
Respondiendo a los desarrollos antiderechos
en espacios multilaterales y regionales
✉️ Sólo invitades
📅Martes 12 de marzo
🕒2:00 p. m. - 3:30 p. m. EST
Organiza: Consorcio Observatorio de la Universalidad de los Derechos (OURs)
🏢Blue Gallery, 222 E 46th St, Nueva York
Snippet FEA Carmen Silva (ES)
Ocupação 9 de Julho
Cuando lleguen al centro de São Paulo, verán el edificio de la Ocupação 9 de Julho, un sitio prominente en la lucha por la vivienda social y un importante espacio cultural. Este es el trabajo del Movimiento de Trabajadores Sin Hogar (Movimento dos Sem-Teto do Centro, MSTC), un movimiento de más de 2000 personas que actúa en el centro de la ciudad y convierte espacios abandonados en viviendas para trabajadorxs de bajos ingresos, niñxs, mujeres, adultos, ancianxs, migrantes y refugiadxs. En este edificio en particular, brindan comida y albergue a 122 familias.
Moushmi Narain
Jennifer López
我什麼時候可以註冊論壇?
我們會盡快宣布。敬請關注!