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.

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Este calendario es un obsequio para ti y para todes les 8000 integrantes de nuestra comunidad feminista global. Es nuestra promesa de conexión futura y de encuentro con los movimientos en el año próximo. Este año que pasó ha sido testigo de injusticias inenarrables. Damos la bienvenida a un nuevo año pleno de un potente espíritu de movimiento, de soluciones y estrategias esperanzadas. Por un mundo mejor para todes.

Cuando pases las páginas, nota la diversidad artística de nuestres integrantes artistas, que utilizan su obra para difundir e interconectar a nuestros distintos movimientos bajo el paraguas feminista. ¿Te ves a ti misme, a tu movimiento, a tus comunidades, en estas páginas? Te alentamos a utilizar este calendario como herramienta práctica para marcar el tiempo y el espacio, pero también para anotar las ocasiones de conectarte con feministas y activistas.

Úsalo, imprímelo, compártelo. Que este calendario sea una compañía diaria en tu viaje, un recordatorio constante de nuestra interconexión y de nuestras visiones compartidas para un mundo mejor. Deja que te inspire, como nos inspira a todes nosotres, para continuar avanzando juntes.

¡Consíguelo en tu idioma preferido!

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Domaine prioritaire : Co-Création des réalités féministes

Alors que nous rêvons d’un monde féministe, il y en a qui sont déjà en train de le construire et de le vivre. Ce sont nos réalités féministes ! 

Que sont les réalités féministes ?

Les réalités féministes sont les exemples concrets des mondes justes que nous sommes en train de co-créer. Elles existent aujourd’hui, dans les manières, dont les personnes et les mouvements vivent, luttent et se construisent.

Ces réalités féministes vont au-delà de la résistance aux systèmes oppressifs pour nous montrer à quoi ressemble un monde sans domination, sans exploitation et sans suprématie.

Ce sont ces histoires-là que nous voulons mettre en lumière, partager et amplifier à travers notre aventures des réalités féministes.

Transformer des visions en des expériences vécues

Au travers de cette initiative, nous voulons:

  • Créer et élargir les alternatives: Ensemble, nous créons de l’art et des expressions artistiques qui placent au centre et célèbrent l’espoir, l’optimisme, la guérison et l’imagination radicale que les réalités féministes inspirent.

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  • Promouvoir des programmes féministes: Nous élargissons et approfondissons notre réflexion et notre organization collectives afin de promouvoir des solutions et des systèmes justes incarnant les valeurs et les visions féministes.

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Le Forum international de l’AWID

Bien que nous mettions l’accent sur le processus avant, pendant et après les quatre jour du Forum, c’est lors de l’événement lui-même que la magie opère. Grâce à l’unique énergie des participant·e·s et à l’opportunité de rassembler les gens.

Nous espérons que le prochain Forum :

  • Construira le pouvoir des réalités féministes, en nommant, célébrant, amplifiant et en alimentant l’énergie autour des expériences et propositions qui font émerger les possibilités et nourrissent notre imagination

  • Remplira nos puits d’énergie et d’inspiration comme le carburant de notre activisme et de notre résilience pour les droits et la justice

  • Renforcera la connectivité, la réciprocité et la solidarité au sein des divers mouvements féministes et avec les mouvements en faveur des droits et de la justice.

En savoir plus sur le processus du Forum

Le prochain forum de l'AWID aura lieu du 20 au 23 september 2021 à Taipei, Taiwan.

En savoir plus

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Nous présentons ici certains points saillants de notre analyse du contexte mondial, la position que nous adoptons en tant qu’organisation associative féministe mondiale dans ce contexte, les résultats que nous souhaitons atteindre et l’organisation de notre travail dans le but d’atteindre ces résultats.

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Apreciaremos propuestas de actividades referidas a todo el rango de áreas temáticas e intersecciones que son importantes para los movimientos feministas y por la justicia de género. 

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Publicaciones

Enciende tu fuego feminista leyendo nuestras investigaciones y publicaciones varias sobre financiamiento, defensoras de derechos humanos, construcción de movimientos, fundamentalismos, justicia económica, seguimiento y evaluación feminista y más

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This report looks back and celebrates the first year of AWID’s new strategic plan as we took our first steps towards our desired outcomes of supporting feminist movements to thrive, challenging anti-rights agendas and co-creating feminist realities.

Download the full report


We worked with feminists to disrupt anti-rights agendas, achieving important victories fought and won within the United Nations system when ground-breaking language on structural discrimination, sexual rights, and states’ obligations were included in a number of resolutions. Yes, the multilateral system is in crisis and in need of serious strengthening but these victories are important as they contribute to the legitimacy of feminist demands, providing feminist movements with more pressure points and momentum to advance our agendas.

We tried and tested different ways to build knowledge with feminist movements through webinars, podcasts and ‘live’ conversations. We developed facilitation guides with popular educators to reclaim knowledge in the interest of social and gender justice, even about a topic as seemingly opaque as illicit funding flows. We commissioned blogs and opinions about how feminist groups fund and resource themselves and threw light on the threats facing our human rights systems.

Within AWID, we practiced and learned from our shared leadership approach, and told the story of the trials and tribulations of co-leading a global, virtual organization. We don’t have a definitive answer to what feminist leadership looks like, but we know, a year on, that a continued commitment to collective experimentation and learning has enabled us to keep building an organization that we are all excited to contribute to.

As we look back on this year, we want to thank all our friends and supporters, colleagues and companions, who have given their time and shared their wealth of knowledge and wisdom with us. We want to thank our members who helped frame our strategic plan and joined us to make feminist demands. We could not do this work without you.

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