Hande Kader
Advancing Universal Rights and Justice
Uprooting Fascisms and Fundamentalisms
Across the globe, feminist, women’s rights and gender justice defenders are challenging the agendas of fascist and fundamentalist actors. These oppressive forces target women, persons who are non-conforming in their gender identity, expression and/or sexual orientation, and other oppressed communities.
Discriminatory ideologies are undermining and co-opting our human rights systems and standards, with the aim of making rights the preserve of only certain groups. In the face of this, the Advancing Universal Rights and Justice (AURJ) initiative promotes the universality of rights - the foundational principle that human rights belong to everyone, no matter who they are, without exception.
We create space for feminist, women’s rights and gender justice movements and allies to recognize, strategize and take collective action to counter the influence and impact of anti-rights actors. We also seek to advance women’s rights and feminist frameworks, norms and proposals, and to protect and promote the universality of rights.
Our actions
Through this initiative, we:
- Build knowledge: We support feminist, women’s rights and gender justice movements by disseminating and popularizing knowledge and key messages about anti-rights actors, their strategies, and impact in the international human rights systems through AWID’s leadership role in the collaborative platform, the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs)*.
- Advance feminist agendas: We ally ourselves with partners in international human rights spaces including, the Human Rights Council, the Commission on Population and Development, the Commission on the Status of Women and the UN General Assembly.
- Create and amplify alternatives: We engage with our members to ensure that international commitments, resolutions and norms reflect and are fed back into organizing in other spaces locally, nationally and regionally.
- Mobilize solidarity action: We take action alongside women human rights defenders (WHRDs) including trans and intersex defenders and young feminists, working to challenge fundamentalisms and fascisms and call attention to situations of risk.
Related Content
Snippet FEA Map of Spain Union Otras (EN)
Snippet FEA Principles of Work Antiracism (EN)
ANTIRACISM
Zhou Jianrong
Stories of Change AWID Forums
What does an AWID Forum mean to those who have been there? What is this magic that happens when feminists from around the world gather to celebrate, strategize, learn and share joy?
AWID spoke to over forty Forum participants to hear their stories of the transformations that happened to them as activists, to their organizations and to the movements they are part of. We also learned about what we should keep and build on that makes an AWID Forum different and how we can improve.
This report holds lessons and advice invaluable to anyone planning in-person regional and thematic convenings and for us as we plan for the 15th AWID International Forum.
Scroll down to dive in!
The Feminist Realities Magazine
The Feminist Realities Magazine
We bring you an inspiring curated collection of powerful stories and images of transformation and resistance created by feminist activists, writers and artists from all over the world.
Illuminée Iragena
Why Bangkok?
Each Forum takes place in a different region, and it is time for the AWID Forum to come back to Asia! We visited many countries in the region, consulted feminist movements, and conducted detailed assessments of logistics, accessibility, safety, visas and more. Eventually, the AWID Board enthusiastically approved Bangkok, Thailand, as the best option. We are excited to come back to Bangkok, where we held the AWID Forum in 2005.
Membership why page - Kirthi Jayakumar quote
"I participated in a member-only activity and I was particularly moved to see how there was space for everyone to share and that there was no judgment whatsoever. The entire session was energetic and vibrant."
- Kirthi Jayakumar, Founder, The Gender Security Project, India
Hala Salaam
What are the Forum languages?
AWID’s working languages are English, French and Spanish. Thai will be added as the local language, as well as sign language & other accessibility measures. Other languages may be added if funding permits, so check back regularly for updates. We care about language justice and will try to include as many languages as we can and as our resources allow. We hope to create multiple opportunities for many of us to be present in our languages and to communicate with each other.
FRMag - My queer Ramadan
My Queer Ramadan
by Amal Amer
I pray with my family for the first time in six years while wrapped in a keffiyah I scavenged from a dumpster. (...)
artwork: “Angels go out at night too” by Chloé Luu >
Kátia Martins
CFA 2023 - Call for Activities is live- EN
The Call for Activities is Live!
The Deadline to submit activities has been extended to February 1st, 2024
In the spirit of the Forum’s theme, we invite a diversity of activity topics and formats that:
- Facilitate genuine connection and interaction among participants
- Foster healing and regeneration in various forms, as individuals, as communities and as movements
- Inspire and challenge us to thrive together as communities and movements
Film club - swana
You can now watch the AWID Feminist Film Club program “Feminist Embodiments of Hope and Power” - a film series on Feminist Realities from the SWANA region curated by Esra Ozban
WATCH
Guadalupe Campanur Tapia
Guadalupe was an environmental activist involved in the fight against crime in Cherán, Mexico.
Guadalupe helped to overthrow the local government in April 2011 and participated in local security patrols including those in municipal forests. She was among the Indigenous leaders of Cherán, who called on people to defend their forests against illegal and merciless logging. Her work for seniors, children, and workers made her an icon in her community.
She was killed in Chilchota, Mexico about 30 kilometers north of her hometown of Cherá.
CFA 2023 - Online and Hybrid - ar
جديد
عبر الإنترنت وهجين
كمشارك/ة عبر الإنترنت، يمكنك توجيه النشاطات والتواصل والتحدث مع الآخرين/ الأخريات وتجربة الإبداع والفن والاحتفال بمنتدى جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية بشكل مباشر. سيستمتع المشاركون/ات المتصلون/ات عبر الإنترنت ببرنامج غني ومتنوع، بدءًا من ورشات العمل والنقاشات وحتى نشاطات الاستشفاء والعروض الموسيقية. ستركز بعض الأنشطة على التواصل بين المشاركين/ات عبر الإنترنت، وسيكون البعض الآخر هجينًا بالفعل، يركز على الاتصال والتفاعل بين المشاركين/ات عبر الإنترنت وأولئك الموجودين/ات في بانكوك.
Welcome to the Rights at Risk Resource Library
Rights at Risk Resource Library
A living collection of resources to support feminist movements, policy-makers, and allies to resist fascisms, fundamentalisms, and anti-rights trends.
Anna Campbell (şehid Hêlîn Qerecox)
Anna grew up in Lewes, Sussex (UK) and, after deciding not to pursue her English degree at Sheffield University, she moved to Bristol and became a plumber.
She spent much of her time defending the marginalised and under-privileged, attending anti-fascist rallies, and offering support to the women of Dale Farm when they were threatened with eviction. A vegan and animal lover, she attended hunt sabotages and her name is honoured on PETA's 'Tree of Life' Memorial. Anna went to Rojava in May 2017 with a strong commitment to women's empowerment, full representation of all ethnicities and protection of the environment.
Anna died on March 15, 2018 when she was hit by a Turkish airstrike in the town of Afrin, northern Syria. Anna was fighting with the Women's Protection Forces (YPJ), when she was killed.
