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.
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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.
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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;
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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:
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Mobilizing urgent responses of international solidarity for WHRDs at risk through our international and regional networks, and our active membership.
Related Content
Forum 2024 - FAQ - Call for Activities FR
Appel à activités
D'où provient le financement de l’AWID ?
Le travail de l’AWID est rendu possible par la générosité d’un large éventail de donateurs, y compris les agences bilatérales et multilatérales, les fondations privées et les fonds pour les femmes.
Beijing Unfettered: the Power of Young Feminist Movements
In partnership with young feminist activists and youth-led organizations, AWID co-organized Beijing Unfettered in parallel to and independently from Beijing+25.
Is the virtual submission process different from the in-person?
It is exactly the same process and same deadline. Please use the same form to submit your activity, whether it is in-person, online, or both (hybrid).
Can organizations be members of AWID?
Yes, we encourage institutional membership.
AWID currently has hundreds of prominent, innovative organizations working on issues related to women’s rights and development as members. Criteria for membership are the same as for individuals, although membership fees and membership benefits are different, and are geared to address the needs of our member organizations.
Sushmita Banerjee
Snippet Opening Dance Performance EN
¿Habrá medidas de accesibilidad en el Foro?
En síntesis, ¡sí! En este momento AWID está trabajando con un Comité de Accesibilidad, para garantizar que el Foro sea lo más accesible posible. También estamos realizando una auditoría de accesibilidad en la sede del Foro, los hoteles circundantes y el transporte. Antes de que se abra el proceso de inscripción incluiremos en esta sección información detallada sobre la accesibilidad del Foro de AWID. Mientras tanto, si tienes alguna pregunta por favor contáctanos.
Estoy interesada en trabajar en favor de los derechos de las mujeres, ¿cómo empiezo?
Adaluz Monterrey Eden
Je vis une situation de violence au sein de l’une ou plusieurs relations interpersonnelles. Est-ce que l’AWID peut m’aider ?
L’AWID n’est pas une organisation de services de première ligne, ni de défense de la personne
Nous vous conseillons de demander conseil à un-e avocat-e, de communiquer avec un refuge pour femmes ou un centre d’accueil près de chez vous.
Les HotPeachPages, une ressource en ligne, contiennent des liens vers les refuges pour femmes dans le monde entier. L’AWID ne peut garantir l’exactitude ou la qualité de ces listes, mais elles peuvent constituer un bon point de départ si vous ne connaissez aucune organisation près de chez vous.
Derya Demirler
Snippet Day 14_Fest (EN)
The Crear, Résister, Transform Story
Coumba Toure
Closing Remarks: Where do we go to from here?
Cindy Clark, AWID
Fem Joy: Closing Party
DJ Miss Ray
DJ Luana Flores
Phoenix Inana
كم تكلفة المشاركة؟
يرجى حساب تكاليف السفر إلى بانكوك، والإقامة والبدل اليومي، والتأشيرة، وأي احتياجات خاصة بإمكانية الوصول، والنفقات الطارئة، بالإضافة إلى رسوم التسجيل التي سيتم الإعلان عنها قريبًا. تتراوح أسعار الفنادق في منطقة سوكومفيت في بانكوك ما بين 50 دولارًا أمريكيًا إلى 200 دولار أمريكي في الليلة الواحدة في حالة حجز غرفة مزدوجة.
يحصل أعضاء جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية على خصم عند التسجيل، لذلك إذا لم تكن عضوًا/ة بعد، فإننا ندعوك إلى التفكير في أن تصبح عضوًا/ة والانضمام إلى مجتمعنا النسوي العالمي.
Joana Foster
2008: The Doha International Conference takes place with limited achievements
Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development, Doha, Qatar
- The Doha conference aimed to review the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus. The conference revisited all six areas of financing for development but little substantive progress was achieved.
- While the outcome of Doha went beyond Monterrey on gender equality, it did not go far enough. A statement by the WWG on FfD highlighted that the commitments to gender equality in the Doha Declaration would only be meaningful if the systemic issues that underpin poverty and the unequal distribution of power and resources in the global political economy were decisively addressed.
- In addition to the main Doha conference, during their parallel forum the Civil Society under the Doha NGO Group (DNG) for Financing for Development demanded global economic structural changes, and policies that put peoples´ rights first and respect and promote human rights.
