Organizations and social movements free of violence against women human

rights defenders
STATEMENT
December 10, 2014, Human Rights Day - We, 130 organizations and defenders of human rights
around the world, call and pledge to unite our voices and join efforts to eradicate all forms of
discrimination and violence against women within our organizations and movements.
In a context marked by increased attacks against people who defend human rights, mainly
committed or allowed by state agents, we demand organizations and social movements have
adequate protective measures to maintain and expand our human rights work. Our organizations
and movements should be spaces free of violence that ensure zero discrimination. They should also
guarantee access to protection mechanisms that States have an obligation to provide in compliance
with international instruments such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
It is important to recognize that often our organizations and social movements reproduce gender
bias. This results in environments that give less value to women, undermine their political
participation or define them as sexual objects designed solely for domestic and care work. This bias
generates specific forms of violence such as:
Failure to recognize the contribution and leadership of women involved in our
organizations, and not putting their rights and needs at the center of social justice
agendas.
Tolerating unequal working conditions. Often women human rights defenders are
volunteers, they do not receive remuneration comparable to that received by men human
rights defenders. They rarely are encouraged to assume positions of greater
responsibility. Access to social insurance, childcare, time to care for children, among
other things, are usually not guaranteed by organizations for either women or men.
Reproduction of sexist practices and thinking within organizations, from sexist jokes
and comments to the distribution of tasks and activities that do not question the gendered
division of labor.
Sexual harassment and sexual violence against women human rights defenders by
their organizational peers or by prominent social leaders. Women human rights
defenders often prefer silence or minimize these incidents for fear of being accused of
undermining the struggle, or being stigmatized by and ostracized from their activist
communities.

 Indifference or complicity with discriminatory practices or actions against women

human rights defenders which leads to tolerance of violence against them and the
permanence of discrimination.
These attacks, besides affecting womens personal integrity and limiting their political participation,
threatens the sustainability of any social movement or organization as well as its democratic
aspirations and its ability to guarantee internally, the rights demanded from society at large.
Therefore, we make a pact to eradicate all forms of violence and discrimination against women
within organizations and social movements; a pact to take concrete steps towards equality through
measures such as:
Open specific spaces to analyze and recognize the ways in which we reproduce discriminatory
and violent practices and attitudes towards women in our organizations. Question the
privileges that these practices generate.
Recognize, value and encourage women's leadership and the work they do in our
organizations, facilitating their participation in all decisions on equal terms with male
colleagues.
Ensure spaces and effective mechanisms that guarantee women members of our organizations
and movements are free and able to denounce all forms of violence against them. Mechanisms
that ensure that no aggression go unpunished and that there is adequate and full
compensation for harm done.
Promote measures that contribute to eradicating inequality such as collectivizing or at least
supporting the domestic and care work that women do, ensuring equal pay for equal work
between men and women and appropriate work schedules, among others.
Define measures and strategies for self and collective care that will address the wear the work
we do creates and take action against it, have spaces for rest and leisure, allow time to be with
our loved ones and families and to prioritize our health, among others.
Promote opportunities for reflection and training on gender analysis and equality for all
members to prevent and act against discrimination and violence against women activists and
defenders and build a culture based on equality and fair treatment.
In favour of #ConsistentActivism: no discrimination, no abuse or harassment of women.
In our organizations: NO DISCRIMINATION, NO HARASSMENT AND NO ABUSING OF
WOMEN.

National Networks:
Red Nacional de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos en Honduras, Red Nacional de Defensoras de Derechos Humanos
en Mxico, Red Salvadorea de Defensor de Derechos Humanos, Red de Defensoras de Guatemala, Defensoras de
Nicaragua
Organizations Driving Group:
Just Associates (JASS), Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID), Colectiva Feminista para el
Desarrollo Local (El Salvador), Consorcio para el Dilogo Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca (Mxico), Fondo
Centroamericano de Mujeres (FCAM), Unidad de Proteccin a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos
Guatemala (UDEFEGUA)
Organizations:
INTERNATIONALS / REGIONALS
Amnista Internacional, Red Centroamericana de Comunicacin (Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Honduras), Urgent
Action Fund for Women's Human Rights (UAF), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC)
EL SALVADOR
Agrupacin Ciudadana por la Despenalizacin del aborto teraputico, tico y eugensico; Asociacin de Mujeres
Jvenes Lesbianas de El Salvador LESBOS, CEMUJER, Las Dignas, Federacin de Asociaciones y Sindicatos
Independientes de El Salvador (FEASIES), Movimiento por una Cultura Laica, Observatorio de Derechos Humanos
"Rufina Amaya" del Servicio Social Pasionista, PROGRE El Salvador
HONDURAS
Asociacin de Estudiantes de Sociologa UNAH (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras), Asociacin de
Estudiantes de Trabajo Social UNAH, Asociacin de Estudiantes de Historia, Asociacin por el Desarrollo de la
Peninsula de Zacate Grande (ADEPZA), Asociacin para una Ciudadana Participativa (ACI-PARTICIPA), Campaa
Nacional Contra los Femicidios, Central de Cooperativas Cafetaleras de Honduras (CCCH), Centro de Derechos de
Mujeres (CDM), Centro de Estudios de la Mujer - Honduras (CEM-H), Centro de Prevencin Tratamiento y
Rehabilitacin de Vctimas de la Tortura (CPTRT), CESADE, CIPRODEH, COFADEH, Colectivo Josefa Lastiri,
Comit por la Libre Expresin (C-Libre), Coordinadora de Organizaciones Populares del Agun, COPINH,
DIAKONIA-Honduras, Foro de Mujeres por la Vida, Grupo Gestin Cultural Universidad Nacional Agricola, JASS
Honduras, Movimiento Ambientalista Santabarbarense, Movimiento Amplio por la Dignidad y la Justicia (MADJ),
Movimiento Diversidad en Resistencia (MDR), Observatorio de DDHH del Agun, OFRANEH, Partido Socialista de
los Trabajadores (PST), Red de Desarrollo Sostenible (RDS-Radio), Red de Mujeres Contra la Violencia Choluteca,
Red de Mujeres Ojojona, Red de Mujeres Santa Ana, Sindicato de Trabajadores del Patronato Nacional de la Infancia
(SITRAPANIS), Via Campesina Honduras
MEXICO
Casa del Migrante de Saltillo [Frontera con Justicia A.C.], Centro de apoyo para la Educacin y Creatividad Calpulli
AC, Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres de Chihuahua, Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos Bartolom
Carrasco Briseo A.C., Colectivo de Investigacin, Desarrollo y Educacin entre Mujeres A.C., Comit Cerezo, Comit
de Familiares y Amigos y Amigas Damin Gallardo, Comit de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos "Hasta
Encontrarlos", Comunicacin e Informacin de la Mujer AC (CIMAC), Comit de Defensa Integral de Derechos

Humanos Gobixha A.C., Defensores Oaxaqueos por los Derechos Humanos "Isabel" A.C., Defensora para la
Igualdad, Grupo de estudios sobre la mujer Rosario Castellanos, A.C., Grupo de Mujeres de San Cristobal Las Casas,
A.C., Grupo Juvenil Comunitario "Sha Kui", Liga Mexicana para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos A.C., Mujeres
Indgenas por CIARENA A.C., Mujeres Unidas: Olympia de Gouges A.C., Palabra Radio, Pia Palmera Centro de
Atencin infantil, A.C., Propuesta Cvica A.C., Red de Mujeres Activistas y Defensoras de Derechos Humanos de
Oaxaca, Red Nacional Catlica de Jovenes por el Derecho a Decidir, Servicios Humanitarios en Salud Sexual y
Reproductiva. A.C., Si hay mujeres en Durango A.C., Salud Integral Para la Mujer A.C. (SIPAM), UCIZONI (Istmo de
Tehuantepec, Oaxaca), Unidad de Atencin Sicolgica, Sexolgica y Educativa para el Crecimiento Personal, A.C.
(UNASSE AC)
GUATEMALA
Grupo de Mujeres Ixchel
NICARAGUA
Fundacin Lucirnaga, Panteras Rosas
SPAIN
Asociacin Humanos con Recursos, ONG, (Sevilla)
Accessions individually:
Adriana Cabrera Aguirre (El Salvador), Agurtzane Monteano La Hoz (Pas Vasco), Alejandro Duron (Honduras),
Amalia Contreras Robles (Mxico), Anala Penchaszadeh (Argentina/Holanda), Ana Luisa Nerio (Mxico), Bertha
Caceres (Honduras), Camilo Bermudez (Honduras), Cherly Loredo (Honduras), Cindy Posas (Honduras), Delia
Andrade (Honduras), rika Guevara Rosas (Mxico), Erika Les Ochoa (Estado Espaol), Franci Suazo (Honduras),
Irene Bodas Arjona (Estado Espaol), Ivis Meza (Honduras), Mara Antonia Cruz Monterio (Mxico), Mara del
Rosario Martnez Miguel (Mxico), Maricela Zurita Cruz (Mxico), Melissa Cardoza (Honduras), Miriam Gonzlez
Snchez (Mxico), Miriam Suazo (Honduras), Noem Caldern Zarate (Mxico), Josefina Salazar Martnez (Mxico),
Juan Amilcar Colindres (Honduras), Karla Lara (Honduras), Karen Lara (Honduras), Mara Paula Castaeda (Mxico),
Nadia Maciel Paulino (Mxico), Olga Lydia Caldern Zrate (Mxico), Omar Menjivar (Honduras), Rita Martinez
(Honduras), Roco Fuentes (El Salvador), Rubn Santiago Montiel (Mxico), Reynalda Martnez Hernndez (Mxico),
Sara Seision (Honduras), Silvia Ethel Matus Avelar (El Salvador), Vernica Nava Ramrez, Victor Antonio Fernadez
(Honduras), Wilfredo Mendez (Honduras), Xochitl Reyes (El Salvador), Yessica Trinidad (Honduras)