Women human rights defenders are on the front lines of struggles to attain peace, security, dignity and sustainable development for all. They work diligently to advance justice, freedom and equality to meet the ultimate goals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Yet, State and non-State actors, in the majority of cases involving violations against these defenders, have experienced widespread impunity including at the international level. Women human rights defenders met in New York at a high-level event at the UN Headquarters in July 2018 to send a strong message: “we’ve had enough!”

Join us in Geneva parallel to the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council where women human rights defenders will present how the shortcomings and gaps of the UN system with regards to women human rights defenders protection can be filled.



Panellists: 

• Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
• Rogeria Ferreira Peixinho, WHRD from Brazil
• Brenda Valladares, WHRD from USA
• Lucy Mazingi, WHRD from Zimbabwe
• Cindy Aung, WHRD from Myanmar
• Alda Facio, member of the UN Working Group on discrimination against women in law and practice

Moderator :

Veronica Vidal, Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)


Spanish-English interpretation provided

Light refreshments and drinks



Cosponsors: ISHR, Amnesty International, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Gulf Centre for Human Rights, Mesoamerican Initiative for Women Human Rights Defenders (IM-Defensoras), Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights and Just Associates (JASS). All are members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition.

Photo: FlickR/Hillel Steinberg