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 - CSW68 - Responding to Anti-rights - FR
Répondre aux évolutions antidroits
in Multilateral and Regional Spaces
✉️ Sur invitation uniquement
📅Mardi 12 mars
🕒14 h - 15 h 30 HNE
Organisateur : Consortium de l'Observatoire sur l'universalité des droits (OURs)
🏢Blue Gallery, 222 E 46th St, New York
2011: le cinquième Dialogue de haut niveau lance les discussions sur l´agenda de développement de l´après-2015
Le cinquième Dialogue de haut niveau sur le financement du développement, organisé les 7 et 8 décembre 2011, a marqué le début des discussions relatives au programme de développement de l’après-2015 et aux liens entre ce programme et le financement du développement. La conférence a accordé une attention particulière à la question de l’accroissement de l’aide au financement des OMD. Dans ses observations finales, le Secrétaire général a appelé les membres à commencer à réfléchir sur le cadre de développement de l’après-2015.
Lorraine Gradwell
Snippet FEA Carmen Silva (FR)
Ocupação 9 de Julho
Lorsque vous arriverez au centre-ville de São Paulo, vous verrez le bâtiment Ocupação 9 de Julho (Occupation de l’Avenue du 9 Juillet), un espace culturel et un site important dans la lutte pour le logement social.
C'est le travail du Mouvement des Travailleur·euses Sans-Abri (Movimento dos Sem-Teto do Centro, MSTC), un mouvement de plus de 2000 personnes qui agit dans le centre-ville et convertit les espaces abandonnés en logements pour les travailleur·euses à faible revenu, les enfants, femmes, adultes, personnes âgées, migrant·e·s et réfugié·e·s. Dans ce bâtiment en particulier, 122 familles sont nourries et logées.
Moushmi Narain
Snippet - CSW68 - Follow Socials - EN
Follow us!
Through in-person events, lives on our socials, an exhibit booth and more; we are showing up to convene, amplify and support the voices and participation of our members, partners and allies.
Together we will Reclaim Feminist Power by uplifting feminist alternatives and visions around economies that center collective systems of care and nurture both the planet and people.
Follow us on social media for more details on how to participate! Be part of the conversations using the hashtags #AWIDatCSW68 and #ReclaimFeministPower.
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | X (Twitter)
May 2015: Consultations on the Draft Outcome document are held
Additional consultation sessions on the Draft Outcome Document
- On 7 May, the revised outcome document for the 3rd FfD conference in Addis was released by the co-facilitators
- In support of continued progress on the Outcome Document, ad hoc additional sessions for consultations on the Draft Outcome Document took place from 12-15 May 2015 and 26-29 May 2015 at UN headquarters in New York
Fiona Richardson
Snippet FEA ASOM (EN)
Association of Afro-Descendant Women of the Northern Cauca
Black women community organizing in the Cauca Valley in Colombia can be traced back to the country's colonial past, which is marked by the racism, patriarchy, and capitalism that sustained slavery as a means to exploit the region’s rich soils. These organizers are the heroines of a broad movement for black autonomy - one that fights for the sustainable use of the region's forests and natural resources as vital to their culture and livelihood.
For 25 years, the Association of Afro-Descendant Women of the Northern Cauca (Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes del Norte del Cauca, ASOM) has been dedicated to bringing power to Afro-Colombian women’s organizing in northern Cauca.
They became established in 1997 as a response to ongoing human rights violations, the absence of public policies, inadequate management of natural resources, and the lack of opportunities for women in the territory.
They have forged the struggle to secure ethnic-territorial rights, to end violence against women, and gain recognition of women’s roles change-making peace-building in Colombia.
Matilde Lindo Crisanto
Snippet - WITM To share - EN

To share your lived experience with mobilizing funding for your organizing
¿Cómo involucrarse?
- Visita el sitio oficial de la tercera Conferencia Internacional sobre la FpD (en inglés) para conocer más detalles y actualizaciones.
-
Súmate al Women’s Working Group on Financing for Development [Grupo de Trabajo de Mujeres sobre Financiación para el Desarrollo, WWG on FfD en inglés] y entérate de cuáles son sus aportes al proceso de la FpD (también puedes enviar un mensaje electrónico a: wwgonffd@gmail.com).
-
Únete al Grupo de las OSC en la Conferencia Internacional sobre la FpD (en inglés) o envía un mensaje electrónico a addiscoordinatinggroup@gmail.com pidiendo sumarte: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/global-social-economy).
Otros enlaces importantes para mantenerse informada/o:
- Sección especial de AWID con contenidos sobre la FpD
- Women’s Major Group [Grupo Principal de Mujeres, en inglés]
- Post-2015 Women’s Coalition [Coalición de Mujeres por el Post-2015, en inglés]
- WWG on FfD
- Sección especial de AWID sobre la Agenda de Desarrollo Post-2015
- OSC en la tercera Conferencia Internacional sobre la FpD (en inglés)
- RightingFinance (en inglés)
- Sitio oficial de la Conferencia (en inglés)
Matrine Chuulu
Snippet FEA Mano Cambiada (ES)

MANO CAMBIADA
Término de las comunidades negras del Norte del Cauca para la minga, el trabajo colaborativo en fincas, basado en el apoyo mutuo y la solidaridad.
Natalia Estemirova
Snippet - WITM Start the survey 1 - FR
![]()
L’enquête est disponible en français, anglais, arabe, espagnol, portugais et russe!
我正在嘗試提交提案,但在線表格不好用怎麼辦?
對於與“論壇活動徵集”有關的任何問題,請與我們聯繫,請使用“論壇活動徵集”作為您電子郵件的主題。