From Latin America to South Asia: Women on the frontline for human rights

Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) play a crucial role not only in advocating for justice, gender equality, and environmental protection/ sustainability, but also in addressing some of the most pressing global challenges, such as peacebuilding, climate change and democracy.
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From advocating for women’s rights in conflict zones, to fight gender discrimination, political opposition, and social backlash, these women are crucial to pushing the human rights agenda forward. But despite their vital contributions, WHRDs face disproportionate risks that are both gender-specific and linked to the broader political and social context of their activism.

Women's human rights advocacy work is not only dangerous but also increasingly criminalized and silenced by state and non-state actors alike. From 29 November to 10 December, we at the Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF) we have launched the 'Women who inspire: Voices of resilience from the ground' campaign. During 8 days, you will watch video stories of women who demonstrate that their resilience in the face of these threats is inspiring, but it is also a stark reminder of the urgent need for stronger protection and solidarity.

The Gendered Side of Violence

One of the most unique challenges faced by WHRDs is gender-based violence. WHRDs often face harassment, sexual violence, threats against their families, and smear campaigns designed to ruin their reputations. According to Front Line Defenders, WHRDs are disproportionately affected by sexual violence and physical assaults compared to their male counterparts, a stark reminder of the intersection between gender discrimination and political opposition to human rights work.

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For instance, in Latin America, WHRDs advocating for Environmental protection have faced not only death threats but also accusations on being “bad mothers” aiming to delegitimize their work.

Although Colombia has made significant strides in advancing gender equality through initiatives such as the Programa Integral de Garantías para Mujeres Lideresas y Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (Comprehensive Programme of Guarantees for Women Human Rights Defenders and Women Leaders), which provides critical protection and support to women leaders and human rights defenders.

Similarly, the participatory processes involved in constructing the national action plan for the Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security have set an important precedent for inclusive policymaking, ensuring that women's voices, particularly those from conflict-affected areas, are central to peacebuilding efforts.

In parallel, the progressive reforms to Colombia’s abortion law, which now guarantee broader access to safe and legal abortion, represent a landmark achievement in the protection of women’s reproductive rights, however, despite this significant progress women human rights defenders in Colombia continue to face grave risks.

Structural inequalities, a lack of effective enforcement of protection mechanisms, and impunity for aggressors exacerbate these challenges. These realities underscore the urgent need to strengthen and fully implement these frameworks, ensuring not only symbolic achievements but tangible safety and empowerment for women defenders on the ground.

Women defenders in Colombia demonstrate extraordinary resilience and are instrumental in advancing social justice and environmental conservation. Their work is essential not only to local communities but also to global efforts to handle this climate crisis -as local WHRDs prefer to call it due to the seriousness of its impacts, the complexity of its causes and the urgency of the mitigation and adaptation actions to be implemented- and biodiversity loss. However, continued support and stronger protections are essential to allow these defenders to continue their vital work safely.

As in Latin America, where WHRDs face multiple threats and vulnerabilities, South Asia is also a region where they are campaigning against child marriage or advocating for women’s land rights often face threats, ostracization, and violent retaliation, sometimes from their own communities, as seen in rural India and Pakistan.

Legal and Political Repression/Persecution

WHRDs are also at grave risk of legal and political repression. In many countries, human rights activism is viewed as subversive, and WHRDs advocating for marginalized groups like Indigenous communities, women’s rights, or LGBTQ+ populations are often met with politically motivated charges.

In South Asia, WHRDs in countries like Myanmar face severe repression, with many activists being detained, or exiled for speaking out against military atrocities or land grabs affecting women and Indigenous populations. Moreover, in authoritarian regimes, WHRDs have been labelled as foreign agents and enemies of the state, leading to arbitrary arrests and prolonged detentions. For example, WHRDs working with LGBTQ+ communities in Eastern Europe frequently face criminalization under anti-LGBTQ+ laws, exacerbating their vulnerability.

Lack or Weak Institutional Protection

Perhaps one of the most insidious challenges is the lack of institutional support for WHRDs. In many regions, the legal and political infrastructure needed to protect human rights defenders is weak, and in some cases, entirely absent. Where laws do exist to protect these women, they are often either ignored or poorly enforced. The absence of robust legal protections leaves WHRDs exposed to continuous harassment, arbitrary detention, and, at worst, violence and death. For example, in many conflicts' zones, governments either fail to investigate attacks on WHRDs or actively suppress evidence of violence against them, reinforcing a culture of impunity.

The Role of International Support

Given the scale and nature of the challenges faced by WHRDs, international solidarity and support are crucial elements for improving their situations. The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders provides elements for improving their situations and calls on states to provide stronger legal protections for WHRDs, urging them to recognize the specific risks faced by these women and create enabling environments for their work. However, there is still a significant gap in implementation of such legal protections. Many states that have signed the declaration lack the political will to enforce it provisions or allocate resources for the protection of WHRDs.

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Norway, among other international actors, has made significant progress in supporting WHRDs through its National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. This plan provides vital funding and advocacy support to women-led organizations, particularly in high-risk areas like the Middle East and Latin America. However, international actors must also address systemic issues, such as the criminalization of activism, by applying diplomatic pressure and holding perpetrators accountable for violations against WHRDs.

The NHRF places a strong emphasis on supporting WHRDs as a key focus of its work, providing resources to grassroots organizations and networks led by or working directly with them, especially those advocating for women’s rights, gender equality, and issues like gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and peacebuilding, in 2023 67% of our grantee partners were women led organisations.

Hope in the work of Women Human Rights Defenders

Despite this picture, the work of WHRDs is extremely encouraging. Their contributions have led and continue to lead to significant advancements in gender equality, human rights, peace building and environmental protection.

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WHRDs were instrumental in the creation of international frameworks like the UN’s Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, which highlights women’s essential roles in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

For instance, in Afghanistan, WHRDs have continued advocating for women’s education and political participation despite the repression, inspiring a new generation of activists committed to human rights.

We at NHRF advocate for the inclusion of WHRDs in decision-making processes and peacebuilding initiatives, aligning with frameworks like Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, we believe WHRDs are not just fighting for their own safety; they are fighting for communities all over. Their victories are for justice, equality, and the protection of the environment. As we move forward, the question is not whether we can afford to support WHRDs— it is whether we can afford not to.

The fight for human rights is inextricably linked to the fight for women’s rights. Through these 8 campaign days, we want to place the message that it is time we recognize the essential role of WHRDs and ensure they have the protection, recognition, and support they need to continue their courageous work. – Our collective future depends on it.

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