Twenty-five years since the ratification of the Beijing Platform for Action, and a year since women across the world participated in the Women’s Global Strike – gender justice is still not a reality for most women. Despite mass mobilisations globally with women at the forefront, and despite numerous campaigns and policy interventions orchestrated by women civil society leaders, activists and lawyers, women across the world struggle to achieve full equality.
The theme of this year’s UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65), running from 15 to 26 March 2021, is Women in Public Life: Equal Participation in Decision-Making. Meaningfully realizing Sustainable Development Goal 5 (on Gender Equality) requires ensuring that civic freedoms for women in civil society are protected, recognized, celebrated and supported by multilateral institutions and governments across the world. This can only be done by recognizing how SDG 16 (on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) is an important conduit to guaranteeing the civic freedoms of women activists around the world who have improved human rights for all despite significant hurdles. To this end, the undersigned are calling for the UN system and governments across the world to ensure that the work of women in civil society is protected, resourced and supported in all spheres.
Rather than sit back, women and girls across the world are mobilising in solidarity to challenge the entrenchment of neoliberalism, inequality, sexism, militarism, racism and patriarchy at local, national and international levels. Around the world, women of all ages are taking to the streets and occupying virtual spaces to stand up for the human rights of all and demand systemic change. Movements such as “Ni Una Menos” in Latin America, the Czarny Protests in Poland, or the protests led by the feminist movement in Lebanon, Algeria and Iraq have challenged patriarchal systems, showing that women are a force to be reckoned with. Organizations, like the League of Professional Women in Ukraine, have led programmes enhancing women’s capacity to step into leadership roles, engage effectively in the labour force and identify the learning needs of women. While those like the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) have actively equipped and supported women activists to engage with macroeconomic policy and address inequalities.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever it is critical to reimagine ways of supporting and protecting women activists as they conduct their work to enhance public life. The mass mobilisations of protesters, featuring women at the forefront, have led to reform of political systems, review on restrictive conditions of loans with international finance institutions, and the protection of sexual and reproductive health rights. Despite these incredible gains, women’s rights organizations continue to be chronically under resourced. Women also face a triple jeopardy: from state-endorsed restrictions and violence arising from their civil society work, to misogynist backlash for parting with patriarchal norms, and for the lack of resources and community-care to deal with psychosocial pressures and harm for doing this work. Women journalists have faced deteriorating conditions while conducting their work – this has included heightened restrictions while covering COVID-19, amidst already amplified physical attacks and online harassment.[1]
Recognizing the interface between gender equality and civic freedoms, UN Special Rapporteur Clement Voule wrote that, “the voices of women and their contributions to activism and civil society continue to be undervalued, under-resourced and undermined. While significant progress has been made to ensure women’s participation in public life, State and non-State actors alike continue to violate women’s rights to the freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association – both online and offline.”
It is impossible that the sustainable development goals will be effectively met without addressing the multiple ways in which women’s contribution to change is systematically targeted by state and non-state actors alike. Thus, during this year’s Commission on the Status of Women, the undersigned organizations urge governments and multilateral bodies to allocate meaningful resources and implementation to match the policy frameworks that exist to realise gender equality and meaningful support for women in public life. Specifically, we call for:
- Governments to create enabling environments in law, policy and practice for women’s participation in public life, with particular focus on removing any barriers to freedom of assembly, association, and expression for women and girls;
- Governments to establish and fully resource independent national institutions to safeguard promote and protect women’s civic participation;
- Ensure that press freedom is prioritised and protected, rolling back any legislation that unduly criminalizes the work of journalists, and ensuring that women who are journalists are able to access justice, protection and safe working conditions while conducting their work.
- Governments to ensure full investigations into attacks against women human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists, and to train and direct law enforcement agencies to uphold and respect the rights of women as they participate in public life;
- Governments to develop and implement gender-sensitive plans to roll-back COVID-19 regulations that unduly place restrictions on civic space for women in civil society;
- Governments to make amendments to existing legislation on assembly, in line with the UN General Comment on Article 21 of the ICCPR, recognizing and protecting the right to assembly online and in-person, with special attention given to the gendered dimensions of the right to assembly;
- Governments to implement the recommendations of ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment, 2019 (No. 190) – recognizing the work of women activists, journalists, protesters and civil society leaders as work that is to be rightfully carried out free from violence and harassment.
- Governments to commit to structural, long-term investments, such as developing infrastructure to upscale civil society efforts and empowering women in civil society to develop sustainable alternatives, to enable the resilience, relevance, and sustainability of civil society, especially prioritising women in civil society;
- Governments and power holders to address the gender injustices and underlying biases that result in the under-resourcing of women’s rights organisations;
- Government representatives to avoid vilifying and harassing women at all levels and develop mechanisms to hold those who threaten, attack, and assault women as well as those who subject women to smear campaigns accountable for their actions, making public examples of the perpetrators so as to serve as a deterrent to others; and
- United Nations to actively encourage the participation of women in its fora, condemning reprisals targeting women, and ensuring the removal of barriers to this participation in line with the calls by UN Secretary General António Guterres and the UN Guidance Note on the Protection and Promotion of Civic Space.
The undersigned:
- Abba
- Action Communautaire d’Appui au Développement
- Action for Humanity & Social Progress
- Action pour la Lutte Contre l’Injustice Sociale (ALCIS)
- Action Sociale et d’Organisation Paysanne
- ActionAid International
- Actions for Development and Empowerment (ADE)
- Actions pour la Protection des Femmes (APF)
- Advocacy for Widows Empowerment Foundation
- Africa Rise Foundation
- African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies
- African Observatory of Civic Freedoms and Fundamental Rights (OCFFR-AFRICA)
- Afrihealth Optonet Association [CSOs Network]
- AJBDEM Durable
- AJSA (Anchalik Jana Seva Anusthan)
- Alliance for Development and Population Services (ADEPS)
- ALVA – Albanian Values – Vlerat Shqiptare
- Amandla Centre of Zimbabwe
- Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB)
- AMWS
- Angels in the Field
- Anges KAVIRA
- Appui Solidaire Pour Le Renforcement De L Aide Au Developpement
- Arkemetría Social
- Asociación Unión de Talleres 11 de Septiembre
- Asociatia GEYC
- Association de sauvegarde de la Médina de Gafsa
- Association des jeunes pour le development et la protection des droit de l’homme
- Association des Volontaires pour le Développement Communautaire
- Association Femmes et Enfants
- Association for Promotion Sustainable Development
- Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons
- Association ‘Paix’ pour la lutte contre la contrainte et l’injustice
- Associazione I Bambini dell’Africa (Association les Enfants d’Afrique)
- Audacious Dreams Foundation
- Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
- Bicosito Bangladesh Foundation
- Brain Rest Project
- Bridged gap
- Building Blocks for Peace Foundation
- Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law
- Bullyid Indonesia
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- CAPTE – Uruguay
- Casa Generalizia della Societa del Sacro Cuore
- CDIA – Coordinadora por los Derechos de la Infancia y la Adolescencia de Paraguay
- CEAMUJER
- Centre Africain pour la Solidarité et l’Entraide entre les Communautés (CASEC|ACSAC)
- Centre de défense des Droits de l’Homme et Démocratie (CDHD)
- Centre de Recherche pour la Gestion de la Biodiversité (CRGB)
- Centre de Recherche sur l’Anti-Corruption
- Centre for citizens Conserving
- Centro de Investigación y profesionalización en política y economía
- Centro Transdisciplnario para el Humanismo Económico, A. C.
- CEP International
- Chambre Camerounaise des Acteurs en Psychologie (CCAP)
- Children and Youth for Peace Agency-Sierra Leone (CYPA-SL)
- Christian Aid
- Circles of Hope Community Support Group for PLHIV/AIDS
- Citoyen Libre
- CIVICUS Alliance
- Coalition WILD 2020/2021 Global Mentorship Participants
- Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Network
- Community Care Foundation-Uganda
- Community Support for Development in Kisumu (CSD Kisumu)
- Community Welfare and Development Fund
- Conacce Chaplains Internacional
- CONEYSO
- Congo Leadership Academy
- Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO)
- Creación Positiva
- Curtis Business
- Dandora Dumpsite Rehabilitation Group
- DHEWA (development for health education work & awareness) Welfare Society Chakwal Pakistan
- District Ayurved Office
- Dr Uzo Adirieje Foundation (DUZAFOUND)
- Droits de l’Homme Sans Frontières (DHSF)
- East Eagle Foundation
- Eastgate Media Zim
- Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives
- Ecology Africa Foundation
- Empire Partner Foundation
- Empower Society Transform Lives (ESTL ) Singida Tanzania
- Entaxis – Action for inclusion and education
- Environmental Heritage foundation of Botswana Trust
- Equality Right Africa Organization
- Equip-2-Learn
- Espace De Réflexion Et Actions Des Filles
- FALCOH Foundation
- Federation Des Femmes Pour Le Developpement Integral Au Congo (FEDICONGO)
- FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development
- Fondation Generation Libre
- Fondation Marie-Claire
- Fondation Nicole Ilunga
- Formidable Initiatives for Women and Girls
- Forum for Empowerment and Transformation of Young Leaders
- Fundación Ávila Cruz A. C.
- Fundacion Kalu Ibaky
- Fundación T.E.A. Trabajo Educación Ambiente
- Futur Radieux
- Future Leaders Society
- Future We Want United Nation
- Gala Initiative Uganda
- GEMF
- Gender- Centru
- Gender Justice
- Girls Education Mission International
- Girls In Need
- Give Hope Uganda
- Global Learning for Sustainability
- GRAP
- Grève Internationale des Femmes.
- Grupo Creamos
- Gutu United Residents and Ratepayers Association- GURRA
- Haakro Welfare Association
- Helping Our People Excel
- Hope Worldwide – Pakistan
- Indraprastha Public Affairs Centre
- INEVA – International Network of Values
- Initiative des Femmes pour la Paix, la Promotion et le Développement (IFPPD)
- Initiatives des Femmes en Situations Difficiles pour le Développement Durable et Intégré
- INSPIRIT Creatives NGO
- Institute for Democratic Action & Development (IDAD)
- Instituto para el Futuro Común Amerindio (IFCA)
- International Association for Political Science Students
- International Presentation Association
- International Public Policy Institute
- International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
- International Women Fund Azerbaijan
- ISDO RWANDA
- IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL)
- Izandla Ziyagezana Community Development Center
- Jade Propuestas Sociales y Alternativas al Desarrollo, A.C.
- Jajere youth consultative forum
- Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society
- U.L.U.- Women and Development
- Kadiwaku Family Foundation
- Kanishksocialmedia – KSM CHANNEL
- Karapatan Alliance Philippines
- Khmer National Liberation Front
- Kiangure Springs Environment Initiative
- Kijana Hai Foundation
- Lanka Fundamental Rights Organization
- Las pasionarias – Programa de Radio ENxebre
- Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy
- Legal Right Informants
- Let There Be Light International
- Life bridge for progression outreach
- Ligue pour la solidarité congolaise
- Ligue Tchadienne des Droits de l’homme
- Local Sustainable Communities Organisation (Losco)
- Love to Love
- Maison de la Société Civile
- Manna Development Agecy
- Media Education Centre
- Meera Foundation
- mHub
- Mother Daughter Empowerment
- Motherland Water Association of Lesotho
- Mouvement Citoyen Ras-le-bol
- Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People-MOSOP
- Mujer Fuerte
- MY World Mexico
- National Council of Women
- National Youth Council of India
- Nawi Afrifem Macroeconomics Collective
- Network for Women Economic Empowerment Peace and Development
- New Europeans
- New Life Organisation
- NGO “League of Professional Women” (LPW)
- NGO Futures LLC
- NGO Peace One Day Mali
- NGO World and Danube
- Nigerian Youth SDGs Network
- Northern Smoke Signals LTD.
- Nouveaux Droits de l’homme Congo Brazzaville
- Observatoire du Sahara pour la Paix, la Démocratie et les Droits de l’Homme “OSPDH”
- ONG AJED (Appui Jeunes Pour Le Développement)
- ONG ITODJU
- Pariwartan Sanchar Samuha
- Parlement Africain de la Société Civile
- Participatory Research Action Network- PRAN
- Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC)
- PAX
- Paz Civica
- Peaceful and Active Centre for Humanity – Peach
- PJUD-BENIN ONG
- Psychologues du Monde Afrique
- Queen of Peace Foundation
- RACI
- Rainforest Alliance
- Rashtriye Mahila Surkasha Manch
- Rausing Zimbabwe
- REDHNNA, Red por los DDHH de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes
- Remesha Magazine
- Rencontre pour la Paix et les Droits de l’Homme
- Research Centre Consult
- Research Institute and Youth Empowerment
- Réseau des jeunes pour la promotion de l’abandon des MGF et des mariages d’enfants
- Réseau des Organisations de la Société Civile pour l’Observation et le Suivi des Élections en Guinée (ROSE)
- Réseau national de la jeunesse du Mali
- Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (RNDDH)
- Rural Women’s Network Nepal (RUWON Nepal)
- San Youth Network
- Save Dreams Liberia
- Save Our Youth Zambia Foundation
- Savie Asbl NGO PGEL LGBTIQ DRC
- Scarlet initiative Uganda
- SEVICS
- Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care
- Sheila Reyes Peñafiel
- Shibganj Integrated Development Society
- Sisters of Charity Federation
- Social Mission Catalysts LLC
- Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)
- Soroptimist International
- SOS Jeunesse et Enfance en Détresse “SOS JED”
- Sourires de femmes
- South Sudan Community Change Agency
- Speaking Influence Africa
- Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Sustainable and Inclusive Development for Southeast Asia
- Sustenta Honduras
- Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition
- Tanzania Network of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (TNW+)
- TEACH CÔTE D’IVOIRE
- TEDIC
- The Coalition for Women in Journalism
- The Digital Biography
- The Gulf Centre for Human Rights
- The undersigned,
- The Wave Ke
- Tim Africa Aid Ghana
- Toto Centre Initiative
- Tournons la Page Côté D’Ivoire
- Trans Alliance Anna Foundation Uganda
- Tribal Rights Watch Pakistan
- Tulips International Foundation
- Udisha
- UDK Consultancy
- UHAI EASHRI
- Ukrainian Association for Research in Women’s History
- Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement (UWVM)
- Unique Foundation, The Gambia
- Valeurs
- Volunteer Activists Institute
- Volunteers Members International Human Rights Commission
- Wacare Organization
- Welfare Taskforce for Malaysian Students Abroad
- Welsiane Foundation
- Western Youth Empire
- WHRDMENA Coalition
- WIPGG Nigeria
- Women Against Violence and Expediency Handling Initiative
- Women and Modern World Social Charitable Center
- Women Deliver
- Women for Change
- Women in Development
- Women Legal Work and Marriage Counselling
- Women Liberty
- Women’s Coalition Against Cancer – (WOCACA)
- Women’s March Global
- Word Smash Poetry Movement
- YARD-Liberia, Inc
- YEPSAfrica – Youth Ending Period Stigma.
- Young Peace Builders (YPB)
- Young Professional Development Society Nepal (YPDSN)
- YoungMenEngage for Equality2030
- Youth Desk Evangelical Church Of Cameroon
- Youth for Pakistan
- Youth for Peace and Development
- Youth Forum for Social Justice
- Youth innovation centre
- Youth Without Borders – Tunisia
- 中华民国（武汉）行政院筹委会
[1] For some examples of the threats and restrictions that women face when participating in public life, please see the Appendix at the end of this letter.
Appendix: Cases of Concern
1/ Assembly offline and online:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns enforced across the world, governments have placed restrictions on the right to protest. Many of the movements have featured strong women leadership, such as:
- The Hirak protest movement in Algeria or Ni Una Menos in Latin America, have been faced with hurdles to gathering since early 2020 – with many criminalized under lockdown restrictions used to curb freedom of assembly – a further escalation of restrictions in an already restrictive climate for protesters.
- In Kyrgyzstan, women were assaulted, detained and ill-treated during 8 March protests in recognition of International Women’s Day in 2020. Furthermore, as COVID-19 resulted in innumerable job losses globally, women were most affected.
- In El Salvador, over 100 workers, led by women, staged a protest and hunger strike in February 2021 following being dismissed in June 2020 without compensation.
- Similarly in Poland in January 2021, following further clampdowns on access to abortion, peaceful protests erupted across the country and were met with police intimidation where protesters forced to show identification and consequently charged.
- In Myanmar, women have been estimated to be 60% of total peaceful protesters playing a critical role in leadership in the 22222 Spring Revolution following a military coup in February 2021.
In response to violence and harassment of women and girls, greatly exacerbated by the pandemic, peaceful protests also erupted in Bangladesh, India, Colombia, Malawi, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa and Costa Rica (to name a few). In many of these cases, women were harassed, detained or intimidated for their peaceful activities.
2/ Online harassment and intimidation:
During the past year, as advocacy has moved online – women have also faced increased intimidation and harassment. Journalists have been targeted for simply doing their work – oftentimes, the use of social media platforms to target women has been pronounced. Journalists Manira Chaudhary, Evgenija Carl, Fadwa Chtourou and countless others have been targeted for simply doing their work. Similarly, women journalists from Pakistan have faced ongoing cyber-attacks, online harassment and threats – including Gharida Farooki, who experienced an attempted hacking of her Twitter account. A 2020 study by the International Center of Journalists and UNESCO found that 70% of women surveyed had been on the receiving end of harassment, threats or attacks in the past. Furthermore, the Coalition for Women in Journalism has found that in 2021 alone, at least 48 women journalists around the world are in prisons for their journalistic coverage.
For activists working in repressed or closed spaces, the online space remains one of the few spaces available to assemble and conduct effective advocacy for change. Algerian journalist, Abir Benrabah, was hospitalised in November 2020 following online harassment targeting her for her advocacy exposing harassment women and children faced online. Egypt’s #MeToo movement detailed cases of harassment, violence and rape online, prompting the passing of a new law to protect the identity of victims. Despite these gains, Egyptian women were consequently detained on loaded morality charges in September 2020 after responding to a call by the Egyptian authorities to come forward to lay charges. Egyptian journalist and woman human rights defender, Solafa Magdy, has faced sexual harassment and violence while detained.
3/ Restrictions on association:
In the midst of these difficult civic space conditions, the work of women civil society actors across the world is needed now more than ever. In many instances civil society has been on the frontline of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated crises. In Africa, COVIDWATCH Africa has documented the positive impact of civil society on the frontlines in the continent, at the same time as detailing the ways in which civil society actors have been targeted. Rather than positively responding to advocacy, research and policy recommendations from civil society, authorities have amped up use of complex surveillance technology and spyware, closure and criminalisation of civil society organizations and leaders.
- Climate activist, Disha Ravi, was arrested in February 2021 for editing a protest toolkit shared online in support for the farmers protests sweeping across India.
- In a series of ongoing attacks, in December 2020 the leadership of Tunisian NGO Damj was targeted through arbitrary arrests, assaults by plainclothes officers and kidnappings following a sit-in to condemn hateful comments by parliamentarian Mohamed al-Afas against the LGBTI community and feminist movements.
- In Pakistan, four women human rights defenders were killed in North Waziristan while conducting a vocational skills training in February 2021. The women were shot in a deserted village near the town of Mirali in North Waziristan.
- Egyptian women human rights defenders and their organisations continue to face severe reprisals. The murder of lawyer and political activist Hanan al-Barassi in broad daylight in Benghazi on 10 November 2020 also follows a disturbing pattern of violent attacks against prominent women activists in Libya, including unchecked online violence.
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