Women human rights defenders are targeted twice over, Türk says

Twenty-five years ago the General Assembly recognised the right to defend human rights – a right that flows from and builds on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The declaration on human rights defenders recognised that it is activists, peacebuilders, and civil society groups who “translate” global human rights norms into concrete action. Action that changes people’s lives.

Ten years ago, the General Assembly recognised the rights and challenges of Women Human Rights Defenders specifically, noting the heightened risks they face at the intersection of power structures.

In conflict settings, where there is often a breakdown of national institutions, the rule of law, and infrastructures, the work of human rights defenders is even more critical.

In these settings, they are often the only ones monitoring and documenting abuses, addressing violations, and calling for accountability.

And as a direct result, they often pay the ultimate price for their efforts.

Instead of being recognized and celebrated for the value they bring, human rights defenders face a multitude of risks, from legal restraints to arrest, detention, enforced disappearances, torture and even death. Most often, these crimes go un-investigated and unpunished.

For women human rights defenders, the bounty is even higher. They are targeted for their work and their gender. They are often seen as defying social or religious norms and threatening social structures, and attacked by both government and non-state actors, both offline and online.

This is especially the case where women are working on sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, and the root causes of a conflict, such as corruption, poor governance, or access to land.

My Office documented at least 34 women human rights defenders killed in conflict-affected countries in 2022, but this is likely only a fraction of the real number.

Indeed, the reality is bleak, but this is no time for despair. It is time for action.

There are tangible steps we can take to turn this tide.

First, we must more strategically defend civic space. Societies are made more robust by offline and online spaces of inclusion and safety for all civil society, including all human rights defenders and particularly women. We must invest in educational programmes that promote gender equality and challenge harmful stereotypes.

Second, we need to step up efforts for effective accountability – at national, regional and international levels. We cannot allow crimes against human rights defenders, including women, to go unpunished.

Third, we must channel our support to human rights defenders – whether financial, material, legal, or political. Women human rights defenders require tailored support given the specific obstacles and threats they face, such as discriminatory laws and policies, gender-based violence, and sexualised online harassment.

Fourth, we need to invest in protection networks. Networks are key to the security of defenders and their ability to operate, particularly for women human rights defenders.

And finally, we need to remind Governments why they recognised the right to defend human rights 25 years ago, and why they subsequently recognised the specific threats that women human rights defenders face. Because all human rights defenders are needed to build societies that are more harmonious and more resilient; societies that are strong because they are fair.

Thank you.