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Members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition deplore the systematic discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and activists in Uganda. Such abuses violate fundamental human rights and endanger the lives of human rights defenders, including sexual rights defenders, in the country. In several acts since March 2009, right-wing religious and anti-gay groups have verbally attacked LGBT persons, by charging them with recruiting children into homosexuality; issuing slanderous remarks; and exposing in the media the names, places of employment and photos of more than 100 people suspected to be LGBT, including several LGBT rights defenders. An article in the leading tabloid The Red Pepper claimed to be exposing ”Uganda’s shameless men and unabashed women that have deliberately exported the western evils to our dear and sacred society.” The strategic manipulation of prejudices about sexuality, known as sexuality baiting, is a dangerous practice that promotes negative stereotyping of LGBT persons and activists, increasing their vulnerability to acts of violence motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity in Uganda. Moreover, it is alarming that government officials have adopted similar rhetoric. The New Vision, a Ugandan newspaper, reported that Chief Parliamentarian David Migereko stated that gays had exposed themselves, and the government would go after them. "Homosexuality is illegal. The Minister of Ethics, Dr. Nsabu Butoro, has been clear on the matter. Those involved will face the long arm of the law." The state’s discriminatory actions go beyond rhetoric. The police arrested at least five men on charges related to homosexual conduct. Most have been charged with having ”carnal knowledge against the order of nature,” and one of the detainees has been charged with assaulting a minor and aggravated defilement, subject to the death penalty. Such discriminatory acts against LGBT and sexual rights defenders committed by state and private actors violate the freedom from discrimination enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Additionally, the criminalization of homosexuality is contrary to Uganda’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects the rights to freedom from discrimination (art. 2 and 26), freedom of expression (art. 19), freedom from arbitrary interference with the right to privacy (art. 17) and freedom of conscience (article 18). These acts are also contrary to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which protects the human rights and freedoms of human rights defenders. Members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition call on the Government of Uganda to:
April 9, 2009 President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Presidency Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Your Excellency: We, the undersigned members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition, submit this statement to express our deepest concerns regarding the imprisonment of Alieh Eghdamdoost, as well as the recent arrest of 12 other human rights defenders in Iran. Alieh Eghdamdoost, together with dozens of other activists, was arrested at a women’s rights demonstration in Tehran in June 2006. On July 6, 2007, she was sentenced to a prison term of three years and four months, and 20 lashes. On appeal, the prison term was reduced by four months, and the judge overturned the lashings. Her sentence of three years is now being implemented, making her the first woman to have a sentence related to women’s rights activism actually implemented. Eghdamdoost was taken from her home on January 31, and has been held in Evin prison since. The fact that Eghdamdoost has been sentenced to a threeyear sentence that she is now forced to serve, while some others arrested on the same day faced no charges, were acquitted, or received suspended sentences, demonstrates the completely arbitrary nature of these judicial proceedings. Her imprisonment also sets a dangerous precedent for all women engaged in human rights activism in Iran. The implementation of Eghdamdoost’s sentence is taking place against a backdrop of increased repression of all human rights defenders, including women’s rights activists. Reliable sources have reported that on March 26 Iranian security forces detained 12 members of the One Million Signatures Campaign and Mothers for Peace, as they were sitting in their 2 / 3 cars on a street corner in Tehran, preparing to make New Year’s visits to the family members of some prisoners of conscience. The One Million Signatures Campaign, launched in August 2006, is a grassroots movement to raise awareness about gender-based discrimination in the law and to promote gender equality. Mothers for Peace are a diverse coalition of women seeking to promote a culture of peace in Iran and who condemn all forms of military aggression. Both groups employ peaceful methods to promote their message, whether through disseminating petitions, collecting signatures, or organizing and presenting lectures. As such, we consider members of both groups to be human rights defenders. The twelve individuals arrested on March 26 were: Ali Abdi, Delaram Ali, Bahara Behravan, Farkhondeh Ehtesabian, Shahla Forouzanfar, Arash Nasiri Eghbali, Mahboubeh Karami, Khadijeh Moghaddam, Leila Nazari, Amir Rashidi, Mohammad Shoorab, and Soraya Yousefi. After three days, ten of them were released on bail, but two activists, Mahboubeh Karami and Khadijeh Moghaddam, were kept in detention. On April 5, the ten released activists were charged with “disturbing of public opinion,” and “disruption of public order,” charges all ten deny. The two others, Karami and Moghaddam, who were also due to be arraigned on April 5, did not appear in court on that day. The deputy prosecutor informed their attorneys that they would be brought the following day, but in fact were kept in jail. In the end, Karami was released on April 7, and Moghaddam on April 8. Moghaddam faces charges in connection with a protest Mothers for Peace held on January 11, against Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. We strongly object to the arrest, detention and prosecution of these human rights defenders. The frequent arrest and prosecution of human rights defenders for non-violent exercise of their freedom of expression has been inconsistent with Iran’s obligations under international law. Even more concerning, based on the facts as we understand them, the persons arrested on March 26 were not engaged in a public activity, but were planning visits to private residences at the start of the New Year, as is customary amongst Iranians. The circumstances of their arrest simply do not even remotely support lodging charges such as “disrupting public order,” or “disturbing public opinion,” and appear as deliberate efforts to silence and intimidate these activists. We note, with great concern, that since the One Million Signatures Campaign has been launched, dozens of its members have been arrested, summoned for interrogation, monitored, banned from travel and prosecuted. The efforts of these activists to promote gender equality and a culture of peace should be applauded, not hampered. The U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders stipulates that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive 3 / 3 for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels.” The actions of the Iranian authorities stand in stark violation of this principle. We urge the authorities to reverse their ruling on Eghdamdoost’s case and release her from detention. Furthermore, we call upon the authorities in Iran to drop all charges against all 12 activists arrested on March 26, and further, to cease the repression and prosecution of all peaceful human rights defenders in Iran. Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. Sincerely, Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development Asian Forum for Human RIghts and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Baobab for Women’s Human Rights Front Line, The International Foundation for Human Rights Defenders Human Rights First International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition comprised of 18 international, regional and national women’s rights and human rights organisations, marks the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day, by celebrating the courage of women human rights defenders around the world who challenge structures of discrimination and oppression that create environments conducive to human rights abuse. In the context of the current economic recession, women human rights defenders’ access to defence and protection is affected by shrinking resources and makes the nature and range of the attacks against them ever more severe. Women human rights defenders, as defined by the Coalition, encompass both women active in human rights defence who are targeted for who they are as well as all those active in the defence of women's rights who are targeted for what they do. Simply, the term pertains to human rights activists who are women, as well as other activists including those who defend the rights of women and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; and uphold the universality of rights. In a survey conducted by the Coalition in 2008, women human rights defenders identified the most common violations they experienced as: intimidation and harassment; surveillance and blacklisting; attacks and intimidation, including of family members; defamation, slander, vilification; killing and attempted killing. They suffer these abuses as forms of prejudice, exclusion and repudiation resulting from specific targeting by both state and non-state actors on various grounds, particularly where their promotion of human rights concerns is deemed controversial. Attacks based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or gender identity, or combinations of these factors are very common. It is in this light that we note with great concern the statements of some countries which attempt to undermine existing commitments to accepted international human rights standards, in particular, non-discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, that threaten the human rights of women human rights defenders including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. We also stress the importance of the work done by women human rights defenders to document, monitor and provide protection for those under attack for their religion or belief as well as for exercising their right to freedom of expression. We hold these two rights to be inter-dependent and mutually reinforcing and note that attempts to limit them on grounds of ‘defamation of religion’ will undermine existing standards, and hinder the work of defenders by legitimising targeted attacks on them. We urge the UN system and member states to strengthen the UN’s work for the fulfilment of women’s human rights, particularly through strengthening the gender equality architecture at the UN. We welcome the commitment made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to include the specific concerns of women human rights defenders in the priorities of her mandate. We support her efforts to sustain and broaden institutions for the protection of human rights defenders and affirm the need for continuing collaboration between the human rights defenders’ mandate and all other human rights mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review, to strengthen the protection of defenders. We further call on States to uphold their obligations under the human rights treaties and to continue funding of programmes for the advancement of women’s human rights especially during the current financial crisis. For more information, contact: Celebrating November 29! November 29, the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders was declared by participants at the first International Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders held on 29 November - 2 December 2005 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Since then, various organisations have organised events to mark this day. This 2008, the following activities will take place! Forum with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. Bangkok, Thailand (Forum Asia, APWLD). A component of the 3rd Regional Human Rights Defenders Forum is the celebration of the International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders, which is co-organised by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia) and the Asia Pacific Forum for Women Law and Development (APWLD). The forum will give women human rights defenders the opportunity to dialogue with the new UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, on how to integrate their issues in her mandate. A press conference to introduce the UN Special Rapporteur and the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition will immediately follow the forum. (this event has been postponed to 18-20 January 2009. Please contact FORUM ASIA for more details.) National Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders. Kathmandu, Nepal (WOREC). Organised every year by the Women's Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), this consultation brings together diverse sectors such as disabled, madhesis, badis, kamaiyas, survivors of trafficking, HIV AIDs survivors, migrant workers, sexual minorities, and single women in Nepal to call for accountability and political commitment from state and political parties to support and defend the rights of women human rights defenders and end all forms of violence against women. Protecting Human Rights Defenders: A Benefit Dinner. Manila, Philippines (Karapatan) To commemorate the International Women Human Rights Defenders Day and Karapatan's 13th year of service to human rights defenders, Karapatan is hosting an evening of music and dinner for the benefit of activities in support of human rights. (clickable link to invitation attached here). National broadcast of violence against women human rights defenders in Algeria. Paris, France (COLLECTIF BNET FATMA NSOUMER). Collectif Bnet Fatma Nsoumer has been invited by a French NGO to join a three-day national broadcast in Paris to talk about violence in Algeria. Paricularly, it will speak about violence against women and women human rights defenders by armed fundamentalist groups.
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Oral Intervention by Front Line on behalf of the International Coalition on Women Human Rights Defenders Statement on the Review of the Mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Mr. President, The International Coalition on Women Human Rights Defenders, comprised of 18 *1 international, regional and national women’s rights and human rights organisations, strongly supports the renewal of the mandate of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders. As a Special Representative of the Secretary General, the mandate holder has access to the highest levels of the UN and to governments, and is therefore uniquely placed to play an essential role in supporting and protecting human rights defenders. The successful collaborations of the mandate with UN agencies, representatives of governments, and members of civil society since 2000 has resulted in the increased visibility of human rights situations concerning human rights defenders and their work. It has also improved the protection provided to them and as a consequence helped to make the voices of victims heard. Our organisations and many others have come to rely on the mandate as one of the most responsive and effective means to assist defenders at risk, with tangible outcomes, such as the release of defenders from prison or the curtailment of attacks against them. We would like to congratulate the current and founding Special Representative, Hina Jilani for her comprehensive work on violations related to defense of all human rights for all, and for her work on women human rights defenders “who are at risk to certain forms of violence and restrictions because they are women, and because of the controversial issues they advocate for”. Her courageous and thoughtful work inspired the launching of the International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders in 2005, which has evolved into the current coalition, influencing policy on women human rights defenders, providing timely and systematic interventions for their protection, and helping to sustain their activism. 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Defenders Declaration, and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On this occasion we urge the Human Rights Council to affirm the renewal of the mandate of the Special Representative, including its commitment to effectively integrate human rights of women as well as include a gender perspective in its work. Thank you Mr. President. *1 Amnesty International (AI), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia), Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL), Front Line, Information Monitor (Inform), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), ISIS-Women's International Cross-Cultural Exchange (ISIS-WICCE), The Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM), Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Human Rights First, International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), MADRE (an international women’s human rights organisation), Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Rights (UAF), Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice (WIGJ) WOZA members beaten in the streets of Bulawayo on International Women's Day Breaking news
Saturday 8th March WOZA members beaten in the streets of Bulawayo on International Women's Day Over 1,000 members of WOZA and MOZA marched through the streets of Bulawayo today to commemorate International Women's Day. The peaceful protesters, who were carrying balloons, were met by riot police after four blocks and viciously beaten. Over 50 members received medical attention for injuries caused by the assault. read more International Support for Persecuted Women’s Rights Campaigners in Iran (March 7, 2008) In a strong show of international support for the Iranian women’s rights movement, over 280 leading women’s right advocates and organizations from around the world including six Nobel Peace Laureates have expressed their serious concern about the persecution and prosecution of their Iranian colleagues. They have endorsed a statement calling on the Iranian government to end repressive policies and the persecution of campaigners for equal rights. read more Protest Closure of Iranian Women's Magazine Click Here to Take Action: With parliamentary elections around the corner in Iran, the free press and the right to freedom of expression are increasingly under fire. Freedom of expression and information must be guaranteed Freedom of expression and information must be guaranteed
*Paris, 3 January 2008 * The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) strongly condemns the arbitrary detention and assault in Pakistan on a group of persons including the two daughters of Ms. Asma Jahangir, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), human rights lawyer and United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. read more
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