FRIDAY FILE - On April 2, 2013, a decades long campaign culminated in the signing of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the UN General Assembly. The ATT prohibits arms sales when there is a risk that weapons could be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law.
AWID's Friday Files
Some Advances in Legal Rights for Domestic Workers in Latin America
FRIDAY FILE - Long working hours, lack of rest time and poor treatment and compensation, in the absence of national legislation, often turns domestic work into a form of slavery in many countries. We reflect on some of the changes taking place in Latin America regarding decent work for domestic workers.
Post-2015 Development Agenda - A Strong Call for Human Rights and Justice for All
FRIDAY FILE – From 20-22 March, about 250 people, largely from civil society organizations (CSOs) and another third from other stakeholders such as the United Nations (UN), gathered in Bonn, Germany for an international conference on Advancing the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. There was an active group of women’s rights organizations and advocates who made it clear that “We will not be mainstreamed into a polluted stream!”
Urgent Actions
INDIA: Punish the perpetrators of assault on women Human Rights Defenders in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received very disturbing information regarding the assault on five women human rights defenders working with Sahjani Shiksha Kendra (SSK) in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Urgent action request from AI on Beatriz's case - El Salvador
We are writing to ask you for urgent help on the case of Beatriz, the 22-year-old woman in El Salvador whose life is at risk if she carries on with her pregnancy. As of today, there has still been no decision by the Salvadoran Supreme Court, and no action by the Salvadoran authorities to allow her to have the interruption of pregnancy she needs.
Support Women Persecuted for Blogging about Human Rights Violations
Goal: Support “Reporters without Borders” organization for helping to ensure the freedom of speech and freedom of press for women all over the world.
Resource and learning Hub: Transforming Economic Power to Advance Women’s Rights and Justice
Visit this new website from AWID to explore key issues and debates from the 2012 Forum and learn more about economic power and the connections with diverse women’s rights issues and agendas.
Women's Rights in the News
Brazil judicial decision paves the way for same sex marriage
Brazil has become the third and largest Latin American country to give a de facto green light to same-sex marriage.
In El Salvador, a Country Awaits the Supreme Court Decision on Beatriz’s Life
On Wednesday, May 15 the Supreme Court of El Salvador will hear testimony from Beatriz, the 22-year-old woman who has petitioned the court to allow her to have a life-saving abortion, a procedure prohibited under all circumstances in El Salvador and punishable by lengthy prison terms.
Historic conviction brings long-awaited justice in Guatemala
The conviction of Guatemala’s ex-president General Efraín Ríos Montt for genocide and crimes against humanity during his time in office is a historic step in the nation’s long struggle for justice, Amnesty International said.
Member Profiles
Each week we profile a different institutional and individual AWID member. This week we are featuring members: Laura Marcela Santos González and Sunya Ward Education and Training (SWEAT)! If you are an AWID member and would like to be profiled, please write to membership@awid.org
Read more Institutional member profiles here
Read more Individual member profiles here
Issues & Analysis
US Embassy in Tel Aviv excludes Palestinians from reception honoring the LGBT community in Israel
Aswat- Palestinian Gay Women was recently invited to attend a reception hosted by the US Embassy in honor of the LGBTQI community in Israel, planned for Thursday 16th May. Enquiring about speakers at the event, Aswat learned that no Palestinian LGBTQI activists had been approached to speak, and that only Jewish Israeli campaigners were invited to speak. Despite requests on our part to be included in the list of speakers, the Embassy repeatedly made the excuse that arrangements had been finalized and that there had not been room to include us in the list of speakers.
New Rule for State-Paid Childbirth Stirs Discontent in Armenia
A government decree in Armenia that bars pregnant women who are not residents of Yerevan from receiving free childbirth services in the capital is causing discontent in outlying regions.
Ethiopian woman fights for rights in Middle East
The issue of domestic workers’ rights in the Middle East has plagued Ethiopian women for years, with ongoing reports of abuse, neglect and sexual violence often coming to the forefront of media across the region.
What's new at AWID?
New global development agenda must have human rights at its core
World leaders must reject an aid-based model of development and instead pursue an approach that puts human rights and justice at its core, 19 non-governmental organizations urged ahead of a High-Level Panel report to the UN on the future of sustainable development.
Getting at the roots: Reintegrating human rights & gender equality in post-2015 development agenda
The following paper was submitted by AWID to the UNICEF/UN Women Global Thematic Consultation on post-2015 agenda "Addressing Inequalities" (October 2012)
Primer 12: The United Nations Development Cooperation Forum Through a Women's Rights Lens
By Julia Miller and Anne Schoenstein
Primer 12 provides an overview of the UN Development Cooperation Forum (DCF). It focuses in on the DCF origins and strategic plans for the future, while emphasizing the importance of the DCF for women's rights and gender equality advocates.



