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Special Focus

AWID is an international, feminist, membership organisation committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women’s human rights

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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Benoîte Groult

Benoîte was a French journalist, writer, and feminist activist.

She published more than 20 novels as well as many essays on feminism.

Her first book “Ainsi Soit-Elle” (loosely translated as “As She Is”) was published in 1975. The book explored the history of women’s rights as well as misogyny and violence against women.

Her last book, “Ainsi Soit Olympe de Gouges,” explored women’s rights during the French Revolution, centering on the early French feminist Olympe de Gouges. De Gouges was guillotined in 1793 for challenging male authority and publishing a declaration of women’s rights (“Déclaration Des droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne”) two years earlier. 


 

Benoïte Groult, France

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La Cooperativa Textil Nadia Echazú lleva el nombre de una pionera en la lucha por los derechos de las personas trans y travesti en Argentina. En muchos sentidos, el trabajo de la cooperativa celebra la vida y el legado de Nadia Echazú, que tuvo una notable trayectoria activista.

Era una de las cofundadoras de "El Teje", el primer periódico trans de América Latina, junto a Lohana Berkins, Diana Sacayán y Marlene Wayar. Nadia formó parte de la Asociación de Travestis, Transexuales y Transgéneros de Argentina (ATTTA) y fundó la Organización de Travestis y Transexuales de Argentina (OTTRA).

Poco después de su muerte, sus compañeras activistas fundaron la cooperativa en su nombre, para honrar la profunda huella que dejó en el activismo trans y travesti en Argentina.

Khaoula Ksiksi

Biography

Khaoula Ksiksi est une fervente défenseuse de la justice, de l’équité et de la libération. Dans son rôle de conseillère en matière de genre, d’égalité, de diversité et d’inclusion (GEDI), elle œuvre à faire de l’inclusion une réalité concrète, pas simplement un concept politique, au sein des programmes humanitaires et des interventions en situation de crise. Elle collabore avec diverses équipes pour combattre l’oppression structurelle en déployant des approches audacieuses et transformatrices qui s’appuient sur les expériences vécues.

Son activisme a débuté au cœur du mouvement antiraciste tunisien. Au sein de l’organisation Mnemty, elle a contribué à l’adoption de la première législation anti-discrimination du pays, obligeant la société tunisienne à reconnaître l’existence de l’injustice raciale. Par la suite, elle a co-fondé le collectif Voix des Femmes Tunisiennes Noires, une initiative visant à valoriser le leadership des femmes noires, à développer des réseaux de solidarité et à revendiquer une visibilité dans une société qui tend à les réduire au silence.

Khaoula est également l’une des fondatrices de Falgatna, un mouvement queer-féministe radical qui œuvre pour la défense des droits OSIGEGCS, tout en apportant son soutien aux communautés LGBTQI+ par des actions directes, des stratégies de cyberrésistance et un plaidoyer centré sur les survivant·es.

Auparavant, elle a dirigé des projets régionaux féministes et de justice climatique à la Fondation Rosa Luxemburg en Afrique du Nord et de l’Ouest.

Son travail est guidé par une conviction profonde : personne n’est libre tant que nous ne le sommes pas toustes. Son activisme est à la fois un combat et une lettre d’amour à son peuple, à ses communautés et au monde que nous méritons.

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Snippet - WITM Why now_col 1 - RU

Почему сейчас?

A monochromatic orange illustration of a woman with curly hair with her hand on her chin. She seems to inquisitive or posing a question.

Феминистские движения, движения за права женщин, гендерную справедливость, ЛГБТКИ+ и смежные движения по всему миру переживают критический момент, сталкиваясь с мощной негативной реакцией на ранее завоеванные права и свободы. Последние годы привели к быстрому росту авторитаризма, жестоким репрессиям в отношении гражданского общества и криминализации правозащитниц(-ков) с разнообразной гендерной самоидентификацией, эскалации войн и конфликтов во многих частях света, продолжающейся экономической несправедливости, – и все это на фоне кризиса в области здравоохранения, экологии и климата.

Shireen Lateef

Shireen fue una inspiración para muchas feministas en Fiyi y una aliada poderosa del movimiento de mujeres.

Abogó incansablemente por la igualdad de género tanto a nivel local como regional. Comenzó su carrera como especialista junior en género en el Banco de Desarrollo Asiático e introdujo profundos cambios en las políticas de género de la institución. Su investigación «Gobernar mediante lxs danda: violencia doméstica entre lxs indo-fiyianxs» fue uno de los primeros trabajos de investigación sobre violencia doméstica, matrimonio y mujeres en Fiyi. Este trabajo fundacional ha sido un catalizador para el trabajo feminista en esta área.

El legado de Shireen sigue vivo porque son muchxs lxs que recuerdan su influencia, su compromiso y su apoyo al movimiento de mujeres de Fiyi y del Pacífico. 


 

Shireen Lateef, Fiji

Snippet FEA Georgia this is only the beginning (FR)

Géorgie

Syndicat Réseau Solidarité

 

ON NE FAIT QUE

COMMENCER

Qu’est-ce que l’AWID ?

L’Association pour les droits de la femme dans le développement (AWID) est une organisation associative internationale féministe.

Nous œuvrons à renforcer les répercussions et l’influence des organisations, mouvements et défenseur-euse-s des droits des femmes sur la scène internationale et à amplifier leur voix collective, en vue de la pleine réalisation de la justice de genre et des droits humains des femmes.

En savoir plus sur l’AWID

Snippet - WITM Our objectives - AR

أهداف استطلاع "أين المال"

تقديم تحليل محدّث، قوي، مبني على الأدلة ومسيّر نحو النشاط عن وقائع التمويل النسوي للتنظيمات النسوية ووضع البيئة التمويلية النسوية لأعضاء وعضوات AWID، الشركاء/ الشريكات في الحركة والممولين/ات.

1

تحديد وإظهار الفرص للتحول لتمويل أفضل وأكبر للحركات النسوية، لكشف الحلول الزائفة ووقف التوجه الذي يجعل التمويل يتحرك ضد الأجندات التقاطعية أو أجندات العدالة الجندرية.

2

تحديد الرؤى المقترحات والأجندات النسوية، لتمويل يحقق العدالة.

3

لتعبئة الاستطلاع

Mariam Uy Acob

Mariam était assistante juridique à l'Alliance des droits humains Kawagib Moro.

Mariam était une fervente critique de la militarisation imposée aux communautés moro et a constamment dénoncé les bombardements aériens et les cantonnements de troupes. Elle a dû fuir et chercher refuge après avoir révélé et dénoncé des injustices commises à l'encontre des communautés musulmanes aux Philippines.

Il semble que Mariam ait été assassinée par de présumés agents de l'armée à cause de son action en tant que défenseure. Les assaillants qui l‘ont tuée l’ont épiée, ont rattrapé le véhicule dans lequel elle se trouvait et ont fait feu sur elle à sept reprises.


 

Mariam Uy Acob, Philippines

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What issues does AWID work on?

AWID works towards the realization of gender justice and women’s human rights worldwide. We work to strengthen the voices and impact of women’s rights advocates, organizations and movements. Our main Priority Areas relate to themes that are closely linked to dominant global trends.

These themes reflect growing challenges that negatively impact women’s rights worldwide.

  • Economic Justice
  • Resourcing Women’s Rights
  • Challenging Religious Fundamentalisms
  • Women Human Rights Defenders
  • Young Feminist Activism

Find out more about AWID's Priority Areas

Кому следует принять участие в опросе?

Группы, организации и движения, работающие исключительно или главным образом в интересах женщин, девочек, гендерной справедливости, прав ЛГБТКИ+ людей во всех регионах и на всех уровнях, как недавно созданные, так и давно существующие.

Ana M. Tallada Iglesia

Ana was a strong advocate of women’s rights and worked with a broad cross-section of women, from those in grassroots networks to those in the private sector.

She believed in building bridges across sectors. Ana was a member of the National Network for the Promotion of Women (RNPM), and was active in developing many social programs that address issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights. 


 

Ana M. Tallada Iglesia, Peru

Snippet FEA Workers demonstrations in Georgia 2 (ES)

La imagen muestra una protesta en la que una multitud sostiene una pancarta en georgiano que dice: "8 de marzo para las mujeres trabajadoras".

¿Publican un informe anual?

Sí. AWID publica informes anuales.

Todos nuestros informes anuales estan disponibles en línea.

Ver todos los informes anuales de AWID

O nosso grupo, organização e/ou movimento não recebeu ou mobilizou financiamento de financiadores externos. Devemos participar no inquérito?

Sim! Reconhecemos e valorizamos diferentes motivos pelos quais as feministas nos seus respetivos contextos não dispõem de financiamento externo: desde não serem elegíveis para se candidatar a subsídios e/ou receber dinheiro do exterior, até dependerem de recursos gerados autonomamente como uma estratégia política por si só. Queremos saber mais sobre vocês, independentemente da vossa experiência com financiamento externo.