Philippe Leroyer | Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Women Human Rights Defenders

WHRDs are self-identified women and lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LBTQI) people and others who defend rights and are subject to gender-specific risks and threats due to their human rights work and/or as a direct consequence of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

WHRDs are subject to systematic violence and discrimination due to their identities and unyielding struggles for rights, equality and justice.

The WHRD Program collaborates with international and regional partners as well as the AWID membership to raise awareness about these risks and threats, advocate for feminist and holistic measures of protection and safety, and actively promote a culture of self-care and collective well being in our movements.

Risks and threats targeting WHRDs  

WHRDs are exposed to the same types of risks that all other defenders who defend human rights, communities, and the environment face. However, they are also exposed to gender-based violence and gender-specific risks because they challenge existing gender norms within their communities and societies.

By defending rights, WHRDs are at risk of:

  • Physical assault and death
  • Intimidation and harassment, including in online spaces
  • Judicial harassment and criminalization
  • Burnout

A collaborative, holistic approach to safety

We work collaboratively with international and regional networks and our membership

  • to raise awareness about human rights abuses and violations against WHRDs and the systemic violence and discrimination they experience
  • to strengthen protection mechanisms and ensure more effective and timely responses to WHRDs at risk

We work to promote a holistic approach to protection which includes:

  • emphasizing the importance of self-care and collective well being, and recognizing that what care and wellbeing mean may differ across cultures
  • documenting the violations targeting WHRDs using a feminist intersectional perspective;
  • promoting the social recognition and celebration of the work and resilience of WHRDs ; and
  • building civic spaces that are conducive to dismantling structural inequalities without restrictions or obstacles

Our Actions

We aim to contribute to a safer world for WHRDs, their families and communities. We believe that action for rights and justice should not put WHRDs at risk; it should be appreciated and celebrated.

  • Promoting collaboration and coordination among human rights and women’s rights organizations at the international level to  strengthen  responses concerning safety and wellbeing of WHRDs.

  • Supporting regional networks of WHRDs and their organizations, such as the Mesoamerican Initiative for WHRDs and the WHRD Middle East and North Africa  Coalition, in promoting and strengthening collective action for protection - emphasizing the establishment of solidarity and protection networks, the promotion of self-care, and advocacy and mobilization for the safety of WHRDs;

  • Increasing the visibility and recognition of  WHRDs and their struggles, as well as the risks that they encounter by documenting the attacks that they face, and researching, producing, and disseminating information on their struggles, strategies, and challenges:

  • Mobilizing urgent responses of international solidarity for WHRDs at risk through our international and regional networks, and our active membership.

Related Content

Type

AWID IN 2015: Building Collective Impact

In 2015 AWID grew and diversified.

We ramped up preparations for the 13th AWID international Forum, focused a lot of energy on the Post 2015 Development Agenda and Financing for Development processes, and continued the core work of our priority areas:

A sneak peak inside the report

The context

  • We continue witnessing the rapid breakdown in democracy and democratic institutions, with spaces for dissent shrinking.
  • Multiple and concurrent systemic crises (energy, food, finance and climate) continue to deepen inequalities and pose major challenges.
  • Corporations are a leading power in determining the development agenda.
  • Violence against WHRDs remains an urgent problem.
  • Religious fundamentalisms are pervasive and increasingly powerful.
  • New forms of online gender-based violence have emerged.

In response, we are moving out of our silos.

Increasingly, women’s rights and other movements worldwide are articulating the systemic and intersectional nature of these and other problems. We are making better connections with the agendas of other social and environmental movements for solidarity, alliance building and collective responses. We are also seeing greater visibility of these movements fighting for justice on the ground.

Our Impact

  • For effective strategizing and advocacy, we need facts
  • To exchange knowledge and join hands in solidarity, we need  a strong online community
  • To build our collective power, we need to work together
  • To influence international processes,  we need to increase our access and voice
  • To reposition power we need to give visibility and emphasize  the important role that feminist and women’s rights movements  are already playing
     

Our Members

As at 31st December, 2015 we had:

Read the full report

 

CFA 2023 - what you need to know - thai

สิ่งที่จำเป็นต้องรู้

  • เราให้ความสำคัญกับกิจกรรมที่เอื้อและส่งเสริมการเชื่อมต่อและการมีปฏิสัมพันธ์ระหว่างผู้เข้าร่วม เป็นอันดับแรก
  • หากกิจกรรมของท่านสามารถจัดทางออนไลน์หรือแบบผสมผสาน (เชื่อมต่อผู้เข้าร่วมในสถานที่จริง และออนไลน์) โปรดคำนึงถึงการสร้างการมีส่วนร่วมอย่างแท้จริง และการมีปฏิสัมพันธ์กับผู้เข้าร่วม ทางออนไลน์ด้วย
  • เราสนับสนุนให้เกิดขบวนการเคลื่อนไหวข้ามสาขา ข้ามภูมิภาค และการสนทนาแลกเปลี่ยน ระหว่างคนรุ่นต่างๆ 
  • โปรดออกแบบกิจกรรมของท่านในลักษณะยืดหยุ่นกับจำนวนผู้เข้าร่วม อาจมีบางกิจกรรมจำกัดไว้ เฉพาะกลุ่มเล็กๆ   แต่กิจกรรมส่วนใหญ่จะต้องรองรับจำนวนคนที่มากได้
  • หากกิจกรรมของท่านเหมาะสมกับรูปแบบจำนวนหนึ่งหรือไม่มีเลย สามารถระบุไว้ในแบบฟอร์ม ใบสมัครได้

ภาษาที่ใช้ในการจัดกิจกรรม

  • ภาษาสำหรับการสมัคร: ในการสมัคร สามารถใช้ภาษาอังกฤษ ฝรั่งเศส สเปน อาหรับ และไทย
  • ภาษาที่ในการประชุม: ในการประชุมรวม มีล่ามแปลภาษาแบบฉับพลันเป็นภาษาอังกฤษ ฝรั่งเศส สเปน อาหรับ และไทย รวมถึงภาษามือสากล (ISL) และอาจมีมากกว่านั้น  ส่วนกิจกรรมอื่นๆจะมีการจัดล่ามแปลเป็นบางภาษา แต่ไม่ทั้งหมด และอาจมีล่ามแปลเป็นภาษาอื่น เช่นภาษาสวาฮีลี เป็นต้น 

Lindiwe Rasekoala | Snippet FR

Portrait of Lindiwe Rasekoala

Lindiwe Rasekoala est une coach de vie spécialisée dans ce qui touche à l’intimité et au bien-être relationnel. Elle est passionnée de santé sexuelle et contribue à des contenus en ligne. Au travers de ses propres expériences et de méthodes de recherche non conventionnelles, elle pense pouvoir combler le fossé éducatif et le manque d’accès à l’information qui existent autour du bien-être sexuel. Elle contribue à diverses émissions de radio et de télévision et a suivi une formation de coach auprès de la Certified Coaches Alliance. La mission de Lindiwe est d’éradiquer les obstacles qui entravent les conversations autour du bien-être sexuel et de donner à ses client·e·s les moyens de mieux se comprendre afin qu’ils·elles puissent avoir un mode de vie et des relations plus saines et holistiques.

Annual Report 2010

AWID 2010 Annual Report Cover

Our 2010 Annual Report highlights the major accomplishments of each of our strategic initiatives during the year.

Along with activity highlights, we include a brief analysis of the impact of our initiatives as well as reflections from our members and partners that further illustrate the relevance of AWID’s work and its connection to broader women’s rights movements. 

This interactive document is complete with links to our websites and recent publications with in-depth information on the issues we address in the report.

Read online

Forum 2024 - FAQ - Will you be opening CFA - EN

Yes! Please read the Call for Activities and apply here. Deadline is 15 January 2024

Zuhour Mahmoud | Snippet AR

Portrait of Zuhour Mahmoud

زهور محمود،  منسّقة التواصل لمجلّة كحل. هي كاتبة ومحرّرة ودي جاي مقيمة في برلين. تركّز في عملها على مقاربات نقدية بين الثقافة والتكنولوجيا والسياسة، ودورة حياتهم في العالم الرقمي.

Lucy O.

Biography

With over ten years of finance experience, Lucy has devoted her career to for profit and furthering nonprofit missions. She also worked and volunteered at non-for-profit organizations. From the fast-paced world of Finance, Lucy has passion for staying tuned with tech skills in the finance field. Lucy joined AWID in 2014. During her spare time she enjoys music, traveling, and variety sports.

Position
Accounting Coordinator
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What criteria are you using to select the activities?

Please refer to the Call for Activities for this information, including the section “What you need to know”.

Mariam Mekiwi | Snippet ES

Mariam Mekiwi Portrait

Mariam Mekiwi es una cineasta y fotógrafa de Alejandría. Vive y trabaja en Berlín.

Kasia Staszewska

Biography

Kasia viene apoyando la labor de los movimientos feministas y por la justicia social desde hace 15 años. Antes de sumarse a AWID, se lideró las acciones de política e incidencia ActionAid y Amnistía Internacional, a la vez que participaba en procesos de organización feministas y de distintas agrupaciones por la justicia social en Polonia, en pro del acceso al aborto y contra la violencia en las fronteras europeas. Es una apasionada del financiamiento para la movilizaciónfeminista en toda su audacia, riqueza y diversidad. Reparte su tiempo entre Varsovia y su aldea comunitaria de trabajo artesanal en el bosque. Le encanta tomar saunas y adora con locura a su perro Wooly.

Position
Gerente, Financiamiento de los Movimientos Feministas
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¿Habrá apoyo para materiales u otros costos preparatorios para los talleres?

Contarás con todos los materiales estándar para talleres y presentaciones: rotafolios, marcadores, notas autoadhesivas, así como proyectores y equipos audiovisuales. Cualquier material adicional será responsabilidad de lxs organizadorxs de la actividad. El equipo de logística de AWID estará disponible para responder preguntas y aconsejar.

Disintegration | Title Snippet AR

تَفَسُ

مُقتَبَس من قصّة لإيستر لوبيز

تصوير: مريم مكيوي 
تصميم وعرض الملابس: النمرة