The Urgent Action Funds (Latin America and the United States), together with international human rights coalitions and in collaboration with the HRC Special Procedures, convened a space to discuss the current situation of grassroots women defenders, with representatives from over 19 countries.
The event "State Responsibility in the Protection of Women Human Rights Defenders, 20 years later,” was held in July 2018 in New York City to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and the 5th anniversary of the UN Resolution on the Protection of Women Defenders.
The objective of this dialogue was to facilitate direct participation from women human rights activists and defenders at the United Nations. For this reason it was held jointly with Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of defenders and Alda Facio, member of the Work Group on Discrimination against Woman.
In this context, seven allied organizations and 15 women human rights defenders presented an assessment of the current situation faced by women activists in different regions of the world, their demands for comprehensive protection, and their recommendations to States, the United Nations, and multilateral spaces.
Global Exchange of experiences among women defenders
Parallel to the high-level event, we organized an exchange of experiences and strategies among activists, international organizations, and women's funds to share our practices and perspective on protection and care. In this space we reviewed the adverse contexts for the defense of rights, the challenges that we face to achieve comprehensive protection with a feminist perspective, and we strengthened support and solidarity networks among us.
Click HERE for the official declaration and to hear the voice of the women defenders present!