Philippe Leroyer | Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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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Brenda Salas Neves

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Brenda Salas Neves is a feminist queer strategist born and raised in the southern Andes. They organize to shift narratives and mobilize resources to support racial and climate justice movements around the world. They have produced media projects to uplift migrant power and rise against U.S. military intervention across Latin America, with Deep Dish TV and the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee. They are a proud member of the Audre Lorde Project and a graduate of the United World Colleges (UWC) movement.

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Razan Al-Najjar

Razan was a 21-year-old volunteer medic in Palestine.

She was shot as she ran toward a fortified border fence, in an effort to reach a casualty in the east of the south Gaza city of Khan Younis.

In her very last Facebook post, Razan said: “I am returning and not retreating,” adding: “Hit me with your bullets. I am not afraid.”

 


 

Razan Al-Najjar, Palestine

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Укрепить наш коллективный голос и влияние на увеличение и улучшение финансирования феминистских организаций, организаций по защите прав женщин, ЛГБТКИ+ и смежных организаций по всему миру

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Rachel is a financial professional with over two decades of experience. She has overseen financial affairs and projects for private and public entities, non-profits, and international non-governmental organizations. A Chartered Accountant with a Global Master’s in Business Administration, she is also a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. In her spare time, Rachel designs typography art, enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends over a bottle of wine.

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Snippet FEA Georgia's minimum wage (EN)

Georgia's minimum wage is in the bottom percent of all countries in the world. This reality affects mostly women.

The country not only has a significant gender pay gap, but women also work longer, more unregulated hours before going home to take care of housework and their families. There is no maternity pay, no wage increase for overtime work, no unemployment insurance, and no pay for sick leave or other social protection. Pressured by Western organizations, Georgian oligarchic political parties have been implementing reforms that are destroying the welfare state, increasing austerity measures, and worsening worker exploitation - all for the benefits of big corporations which are applauding the country for its “ease of doing business”. Mass media, coerced by private and corporate interests, either remain silent or biased on these issues. Union organizing remains one of the very few options to fight for basic human rights, and for holding the State and corporations accountable in the face of daily, pervasive violations and persecutions, especially against women.

Sources: Minimum-Wage and Interview with Sopo Japaridze to OpenDemocracy

Sue Hoya Sellars

Sue fue artista, activista y maestra y nació en 1936 en Maryland, Estados Unidos.

Creó arte para mujeres y sobre mujeres. Como lesbiana feminista, y durante un tiempo también separatista, se dedicó a la creación de espacios sólo para mujeres. En 1976 compró tierras que todavía son conservadas por mujeres que van temporariamente a hacer arte. Sue mantuvo una apasionada posición en la protección de las mujeres y las niñas.

Con su innovador enfoque futurista, clásico y antropológico, llenaba cada habitación en la que entraba con su intelecto, su excentricidad auténtica, su ingenio implacable y su humor. Sus ideas acerca de la conciencia y la creatividad siguen inspirando a mucha gente.


 

Sue Hoya Sellars, USA

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عن الاستطلاع

  • عالمي ومتنوع يعكس وقائع التمويل للتنظيم النسوي على المستوى العالمي ومقسّم حسب المناطق
  • مقسم حسب النطاق يضع أصوات، وجهات النظر والتجارب المعاشة للحركات النسوية في المركز ويسلط الضوء على ثروتها، شجاعتها وتنوّعها، كل واحدة في نطاقها
  • مشترك: تم تطوير وتجربة الاستطلاع باستشارة أعضاء/ عضوات جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية والشركاء/ الشريكات في الحركة
  • تكميلي يساهم ويعزّز الأدلة المتواجدة عن وضع التمويل للحركات النسوية والنسائية وحركات العدالة الجندرية من النشطاء/ الناشطات، الممولين/ات النسويين/ات والحلفاء/ الحليفا
  • متعدد اللغات متاح باللغة العربية، الانجليزية، الفرنسية، البرتغالية، الروسية والاسبانية
  • إعطاء الأولوية للخصوصية والأمان نحن ملتزمون/ات بالحفاظ على سرية وسلامة بياناتك. اقرأ/ي سياسة الخصوصية الخاصة بنا لمعرفة المزيد حول التدابير التي نتخذها لضمان حماية معلوماتك.
  • متاح متاح لأشخاص مع درجات سمع، حركة، رؤية، وقدرات فكرية مختلفة، ويحتاج تقريباً 30 دقيقة لإتمامه.
  • قابل للنسخ يمكن للحركات نسخ الاستطلاع لما يتناسب مع نطاقاتها. ستكون أدوات الاستطلاع متاحة لإجراء أبحاث إضافية ومناصرة مشتركة.

¿Qué labor realiza AWID?

Snippet FEA collaborator and allies Photo 4 (ES)

La foto muestra a Sopo hablando en un evento público en el interior. Sostiene el micrófono mientras lee sus notas y está sentada en una silla entre otras tres personas que son oradores o moderadores.

Ottilie Abrahams

Ottilie était une militante féministe, éducatrice et politicienne namibienne.

Elle était l'une des fondatrices de l'Organisation populaire du Sud-Ouest africain (SWAPO), du Yu Chi Chan Club (groupe révolutionnaire armé) et du Front de libération nationale du Sud-Ouest africain (SWANLIF). Ottilie a également été une des fondatrices de la Namibian Women’s Association et du Girl Child Project. Tout au long de sa vie, Ottilie a plaidé en faveur du droit de discuter, de penser, de contester et de réclamer. Elle a mobilisé des femmes, organisé des assemblées d’étudiants et d’enseignants et critiqué d'autres camarades pour leur élitisme et leur corruption.

Ottilie a œuvré sans relâche pour démanteler le patriarcat et faire émerger une démocratie participative, féministe, libératrice et transformatrice.

Ottilie disait souvent : « Je me reposerai quand je serai morte. »


 

Ottilie Abrahams, Namibia

Qual é o objetivo do inquérito WITM?

O objetivo principal do inquérito WITM é chamar a atenção para o estado financeiro dos diversos movimentos feministas, de direitos das mulheres, de justiça de género, de LBTQI+ e de aliados globalmente, e com base nisto, fortalecer ainda mais o argumento para transferir mais recursos de melhor qualidade e poder para os movimentos feministas.

Les organisations peuvent-elles devenir membres de l’AWID ?

Oui, nous encourageons l’adhésion institutionnelle.

Nous comptons actuellement parmi nos membres plusieurs centaines d’organisations parmi les plus connues et novatrices. Les critères d’adhésion sont les mêmes que pour les personnes, mais les cotisations diffèrent et les services proposés tentent de répondre à leurs besoins particuliers.

En savoir plus sur l’adhésion à l'AWID

Snippet FEA different lines of work S4 (FR)

Lignes de travail :

CONTRE

María Cecilia Alfaro Quesada

Most of María’s life was devoted to incorporating a feminist and gender perspective in institutional and organizational work, and capacity building in Latin America. 

As a child, María had a strong interest in art, communication, nature, literature, and the achievement of justice, especially for women and marginalized groups.

María was committed to sexual and reproductive rights and was a member of the National Board for Integral Education in Sexuality. She is remembered by those who loved her as a “passionate and restless fighter” with a strong commitment to women’s and children’s rights.


 

María Cecilia Alfaro Quesada, Guatemala