Table of Contents - East and Horn of Africa Human Rights ...

Regional Workshop on Women and Minority Human Rights Defenders
� It makes (wo)men
� … PRESENT (Citizens)
� … ACTORS (Power)
� … BENEFICIARIES (Accountability)
� Gender Equality means Equality under the law and in opportunities including rewards for work
and in access to, ownership of, and decision-making over resources that improve livelihoods
and voice to influence and contribute to development.
�
� We are trying to achieve substantive equality – through recognizing the historical, present and
multiple differences among the sexes and from that analysis, pursuing measures that provide real
options or create enabling conditions that will correct these differences and achieve equality
between men and women.
� As such, substantive equality looks at ensuring equal access and equal benefits, but recognizes the
need at times for special steps and measures to ensure real equality between the sexes.
� To ensure substantive equality, HR Defenders need to look at “how” and “why” women and men
are treated differently, and develop policies/programmes and special measures to address this.
� The call for gender mainstreaming demands that we pay attention to unequal relations of power
within all structures and organizational frameworks, including our own - and addressing it.
� Having those hard and tough but fundamental conversations in our ogrnaizations: Who are we?
What do we stand for? What does it mean to us to be HR Defenders? HR for who?
� Being aware of and in tune with risks and vulnerabilities that male and female human rights
defenders that we employ are susceptible to – in private and public realms
� Developing protection mechanisms that are responsive to the threats and risks they encounter as
male and female human rights defenders (*FIDA)
� Developing programs, activities and allocating resources to address wellbeing issues (stress,
trauma, burn out, self esteem, non recognition)
� Documenting the violations and abuses in order to demand accountability. Importance of naming
the abuse for what it is and demanding that it stops. Ensuring that the documentation captures
experiences of both men and women HR Defenders
� It means unpacking our work to ensure that we address men’s and women’s experiences in the
work we do
� Torture (interpretation of DV, FGM)
� Death Penalty
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