FRIDAY FILE - Threats against the local leaders and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) continue to form part of a strategy of intimidation used by the actors of the armed conflict in Colombia.

By Katherine Ronderos

FRIDAY FILE – The world may have an Arms Trade Treaty, but it’s business as usual for the military-industrial complex, and continued mobilization of women’s rights advocates is vital to ensure that this first step towards arms regulation isn’t the last.

By Rochelle Jones

FRIDAY FILE - The 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) ended with renewed commitment to anti-poverty targets and agreement to adopt new development goals in 2015. Women's rights advocates, along with diverse civil society organizations, critically engaged in debates calling for structural transformation that puts human rights and sustainability at the centre of the new development agenda.

FRIDAY FILE: A lawsuit filed against Scott Lively on behalf of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) over Lively’s role in inciting persecution against Ugandan citizens’ sexual orientation and gender identity will soon go to trial in the U.S.

By Rochelle Jones

AWID interviewed Frank Mugisha from SMUG, about what this means for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights in Uganda and worldwide.

FRIDAY FILE - In this latest interview forming part of AWID’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, AWID speaks to Mahnaz Afkhami, Director of Women’s Learning Partnership about some of the advances and challenges for women’s rights and women’s rights organizing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region over the last 20 years

By Susan Tolmay

FRIDAY FILE – Zimbabwe’s 31st July general election was largely peaceful but the credibility of the poll and the resulting landslide victory for the ruling Zanu PF has been questioned. AWID spoke to Netsai Mushonga–Mazvidza, National Coordinator of the Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) about their strategies to promote democracy in the country.

By Susan Tolmay

FRIDAY FILE - Excluded from the debate on educational reform, women teachers, who represent more than 96% of teachers in preschool, 66% in basic education and 51% in secondary school, are protesting against a new law that will affect them negatively, especially those working in rural and indigenous communities.[1]

By Katherine Ronderos

FRIDAY FILE - Brazil has been discussing possible legislation known as “Estatuto do Nascituro” - the Statute of the Unborn Child. AWID spoke to Executive coordinator of Catholics for the Right to Decide (CDD/BR) Rosângela Talib about how this, and other similar proposals, will affect women’s sexual and reproductive and health rights (SRHRs), and the particular challenges that religious-based political parties bring to women’s struggle for these rights.

By Gabriela De Cicco

AWID: What abortion legislation currently exists in Brazil?

FRIDAY FILE: Iranian women’s rights activist, Sussan Tahmasebi, shares her insights with AWID about Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani, and what this could mean for Iranian women.

By Rochelle Jones

FRIDAY FILE: As part of AWID’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA) that was adopted by representatives of 171 States at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, 1993, we are producing a series of Vienna+20 written and audio interviews featuring prominent feminists who were involved in advocating for women’s human rights leading up to and following the Vienna conference