1. Introduction
1. Women human rights defenders
and people who defend women’s rights
are
at the forefront of the fight for human rights and gender equality.
In addition, they often also bring forward societal change. They
play a crucial role which should be widely recognised.
2. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) has defined women human rights defenders as “all
women and girls working on any human rights issue... and people
of all genders who work to promote women’s rights and rights related
to gender equality.”
They can be activists, members of
non-governmental organisations, health workers, private sector actors,
researchers, lawyers or journalists.
3. The Parliamentary Assembly has been working for many years
on the protection of human rights defenders in Europe but has never
dedicated a report to the specific challenges faced by women human
rights defenders and people defending women’s rights. Egidijus Vareikis
(Lithuania, EPP/CD), rapporteur for the Committee on Legal Affairs
and Human Rights, stressed in his 2018 report entitled “Protecting
human rights defenders in Council of Europe member States” that
“Special attention should be drawn to women defenders, who are often
subjected to attacks due to their work on culturally sensitive issues
challenging traditional customs.”
In its
Resolution 2439 (2022) “Access to abortion in Europe: stopping anti-choice
harassment”, the Assembly reiterated “its constant support for women’s
human rights defenders, in Council of Europe member States and beyond,
and [undertook] to protect them from undue pressure, intimidation
and violence”.
4. Former Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja
Mijatović stressed in March 2023 that “Unprecedented challenges
make the work of human rights defenders ever more crucial to the
preservation of the democratic fabric of our societies. Solidarity
with and among human rights defenders is more imperative than ever”.
5. In its Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)11 to member States on the
need to strengthen the protection and promotion of civil society
space in Europe, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
expressed “grave concern about the considerable and increasing number
of allegations and reports of threats of a serious nature, risks
and dangers faced by human rights defenders, including women human
rights defenders, online and offline, and the prevalence of impunity
for violations and abuses against them” and called on member States
to “ensure women human rights defenders are able to access specific
support, funding, and protection, including against gender-based
violence, and guarantee an environment in which they can work free
from violence and discrimination”.
6. In an overall context of attacks against human rights and
backlash against women’s rights, women human rights defenders, in
all their diversity, face multiple challenges and specific threats,
physically and online. In a joint statement on the occasion of the
International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders, several United
Nations special rapporteurs stressed that “women human rights defenders
face additional barriers of economic and structural discrimination
and unique challenges driven by deep-rooted discrimination against
women and stereotypes entrenched in patriarchal societies related
to gender and sexuality”.
The guarantee
of their safety should be made a priority.
7. Women human rights defenders are “routinely silenced and denied
access to policy-making spaces”.
Attacks against
women’s rights are in general the first attacks against human rights
and democratic structures. The aim of such attacks is to undermine
the work of women human rights defenders and, ultimately, to silence them
and send signals to other potential activists saying: “Don’t dare!
Look what will happen to you!”. Threats are often made against their
families.
8. From the demonstrations led by women in Iran to the protests
against the denial of access to education to girls in Afghanistan
and the fight against the devastation of the environment in South
America, the work of women human rights defenders is global. In
Europe as well, in past years, they have faced threats when working
on access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, fight against
gender-based violence, combating discrimination on the grounds of
gender identity and sexual orientation and calling for the protection of
the rights of migrants and asylum-seekers.
2. Aims and scope of the report
9. This report aims to shed light
on the situation of women human rights defenders in Europe, raising awareness
of the specific threats they face, and to recognise their contribution
to the protection of human rights. I have analysed their fields
of action as well as the means to ensure protection and freedom
of action and expression, including in contexts of conflict.
10. I have looked into the situation of women human rights defenders
who have fled countries where they were at risk for their activities
and who are now living in a Council of Europe member State, and
examined whether they receive adequate protection. I have also studied
the situation of wives, family members or companions of political
activists and human rights defenders who have become women human
rights defenders due to the pressure on their families or friends.
I am also concerned with the situation of women defenders of environmental
human rights.
11. I have tried to take into account intersectional realities
in my work. Women human rights defenders with a disability, transgender
women human rights defenders or with a minority background, to name
a few, are particularly targeted in their work.
3. Working
methods
12. Following desk research, I
held bilateral meetings with women human rights defenders and people defending
women’s rights. I discussed with them their work and the challenges
they face, as well as the role parliamentarians could play in supporting
them, via parliamentary debates leading to sufficient legislation, awareness
raising campaigns or political support for their actions.
13. On 26 April 2023 I held a meeting with Evgenia Kara-Murza.
On the same day, I held an exchange with Dunja Mijatović, Council
of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.
14. I held virtual bilateral meetings with Melike Balkan, Amnesty
International researcher on Türkiye, on 5 June 2023, with Hilary
Margolis, Human Rights Watch representative, on 15 June 2023, and
with Ozlem Dalkiran, Protection Coordinator for Europe at Front
Line Defenders, on 15 June 2023.
15. On 21 June 2023 I also met in person with Michel Forst, UN
Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention
(previously UN Special rapporteur on human rights defenders).
16. On 15 September 2023, the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
held a hearing in Paris with the participation of Hugo Gabbero,
Director of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders at
the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Sarah Durocher,
President of the Planning familial, France, and Noémie Gardais,
Advocacy Officer, Planning familial, France.
17. On 9 October 2023, I met with Justyna Wydrzyńska, a Polish
woman human rights defender who created the website Women on the
Net, “Poland’s first online forum supporting women seeking safe
abortions, contraception or sex education”.
In 2023, she was a shortlisted nominee
for the Vacláv Havel Prize.
18. On 7 December 2023, the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
held an exchange of views with Naveen Hashim, a researcher on the
role of women in the economic development of Afghanistan and a women’s
rights activist.
19. On 4-5 March 2024, I carried out a fact-finding visit to Poland
during which I met with members of the government, parliamentarians
and civil society representatives. I would like to express my gratitude
to the Polish delegation to the Assembly and its secretariat for
their support in the organisation of the visit.
20. On 21 March 2024, I held a virtual bilateral meeting with
Waltraud Heller, Project Manager at the Institutional Cooperation
and Networks Unit of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency.
On 22 March 2024, I held an exchange with Mary Lawlord, United Nations
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, with
Orsolya Toth, Human rights officer at the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights of the United Nations, and with representatives
of the NGO ASSEDEL.
4. Multiple
challenges for women human rights defenders
4.1. Perception
of women human rights defenders
21. The rise in populism and misogyny
in Europe has a negative impact on the work of women human rights defenders.
Targeted hate campaigns online have been reported by several feminist
activists who denounce patriarchal systems and cultures. Women human
rights defenders are attacked for who they are or how they are perceived,
and for what they defend and promote.
22. Women human rights defenders face multiple challenges. Among
them is the fact that their work may be perceived as a threat to
established order or so-called “culture“. The United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders stressed that
“sexual orientation and gender identity are risk multipliers”.
The
former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights defenders had highlighted that “women defenders often face
additional and different risks that are gendered, intersectional and
shaped by entrenched gender stereotypes”.
23. According to Hugo Gabbero, the work of women human rights
defenders and women’s rights defenders is seen as “a challenge to
supposedly traditional values. Persons defending women’s rights
and gender equality are disproportionately affected by restrictions
and attacks against civic space”.
4.2. Online
and offline harassment
24. Women human rights defenders,
in all their diversity, are exposed to gender-specific violence,
online and offline, including public shaming, disclosure of personal
data (“doxing”), and sexual slurs. The objective of harassment against
women human rights defenders is to undermine their credibility and
discourage them from continuing their actions. The legitimacy of
women human rights defenders is too often questioned.
25. In several European countries, there is an increasing number
of strategic lawsuits (or “SLAPP” for Strategic Lawsuits Against
Public Participation) targeting women human rights defenders. According
to Mary Lawlor, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights defenders, SLAPPs are used as a tactic to gag human
rights defenders, in order to neutralise their work while they are
occupied in trying to fight the SLAPPs.
26. In Andorra, Vanessa Mendoza Cortés, a psychologist and therapist,
and president of Stop Violències (SV), a women's rights organisation
working on sexual and reproductive health rights, has been outspoken about
her position in favour of the decriminalisation of abortion, which
is illegal under all circumstances in the country. She was subjected
to harassment and threats for several years.
On 17 January 2024, she was acquitted.
27. In Azerbaijan, Amnesty International reported that “Women
human rights defenders have faced threats, coercion, violations
of their right to privacy and smear campaigns that are gender specific
and target them as women”.
Leyla
Yunus is an Azerbaijani human rights defender, known for her relentless
advocacy for political prisoners and freedom of expression. Her
work extended to addressing broader human rights issues within the country.
She faced persecution herself, enduring imprisonment as a result
of her activism. She now lives in the Netherlands.
4.3. Physical
violence against women human rights defenders
28. Repression of demonstrations
of women human rights defenders, intimidation, including of family members,
arbitrary arrests and detention, threats and attacks on headquarters
of women human rights defenders’ organisations are a reality in
Europe. Women human rights defenders working on the protection of women’s
sexual and reproductive rights face stigmatisation, intimidation,
attacks, and prosecution.
Attacks can
be physical, on honour or reputation.
29. In France, the Planning familial relies on a network of 80
associations at local level. It provides counseling to 400 000 persons
a year and makes presentations in schools on sex education in order
to advance the sexual and reproductive rights of all people in France.
The Planning familial has filed a complaint against the French State
for not providing the three mandatory sessions on sex education
at school. Anti-choice movements regularly attack the Planning familial.
30. In 2023, there were dozens of attacks against offices of the
Planning familial. A harassment raid was organised against several
centres after the publication of a picture of a pregnant man. The
office of the Planning familial in Gap was attacked at the same
time as the Pride march. Many anti-choice websites have been created
and provide fake information with negative impact on those seeking
advice. In response, the Planning familial set up a new website,
with an online chat, to counter misinformation.
31. In Türkiye, since May 2020, a large number of women human
rights defenders have been subjected to police raids, arbitrary
arrests and detention, as well as criminal investigations and prosecutions.
Several lawful and legitimate activities of their associations,
including women's marches, demonstrations, interviews and press
releases, were described as “terrorist” or “immoral” activities.
The Istanbul
Chief Public Prosecutor ordered the dissolution of the We Will Stop
Femicides Platform (KCDP) in December 2021 for alleged “contravention
of law and morality”. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human
Rights stressed that demonstrations’ bans have particularly targeted
events organised by or in support of LGBTI persons, women and environmental
human rights defenders. In March 2023, she called on the Turkish
authorities to “investigate all cases where excessive use of force
has been used against participants of peaceful assemblies organised in
recent years despite the bans”. She underlined it was “particularly
regrettable that the International Women’s Day march in Istanbul
ha[d] been banned for the last eight years”.
32. Political decisions have a direct impact on the work of women
human rights defenders. The Commissioner stressed that the withdrawal
of Türkiye from the Convention on preventing and combating violence
against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210, “Istanbul Convention”)
has had serious consequences for the work of women human rights
defenders and civil society organisations advocating for women’s
and LGBTI rights.
33. In its report entitled “Protecting civil society – Update
2023”,
the European Union Agency
for Fundamental Rights notes that “threats and attacks particularly
affect organisations and human rights defenders working with minority
groups, those working with migrants and refugees, those working
to combat racism, and those working to promote women’s rights, sexual
and reproductive health and rights and LGBTIQ+ rights”
5. Women
environmental human rights defenders
34. The full enjoyment of all human
rights depends on the maintenance of a healthy environment. Environmental
human rights defenders are protected by the UN Declaration on human
rights defenders.
During
our meeting, Michel Forst underlined that there are new forms of
harassment against environmental human rights defenders which restrain
civic space, and new practices by the police.
35. Special attention should be paid to the situation of women
environmental human rights defenders (WEHRDs). Violence against
WEHRDs is multidimensional and can include
“direct
violence, structural violence, cultural violence (…) and ecological
violence, which are combined to repress them
”. Gender-based threats
and violence against WEHRDs aim at undermining their work, question
their power and authority and discourage other activists from taking
action.
36. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tahira Tibold, chair of the Kruščica
Local Community, has advocated preventing the construction of hydropower
plants along the Kruščica river by a private investor. In 2017,
during a peaceful blockade of a bridge over this river, a special
forces raid attacked the protesters. It was reported that the police
insulted the WEHRDs, “using sexually-loaded language, tearing their
clothes or traditional headscarves, and even physically injuring
more than half of the women who were not resisting them
”.
There has been continued
pressure on Tahira Tibold and her family. She also received death
threats.
37. There is an intention to systematically discredit the voices
and work of women human rights defenders, including women environmental
human rights defenders. They are attacked at a personal level with
a view to undermining their message.
38. I would like to mention the case of Greta Thunberg, a young
Swedish climate activist, who founded the Fridays for Future international
movement. She decided to skip school on Fridays as a form of strike
for firmer political action on global heating. Her commitment to
climate justice sparked worldwide youth protests and created an
international movement of young climate activists.
Since the start of her activism in 2018,
Greta Thunberg has become a prominent public figure in the fight
against the climate catastrophe, addressing herself to world political
leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019.
She has continuously called out politicians for
their inaction on global heating, sparking criticism on their side,
as they claimed that she was oversimplifying complex issues. Greta
Thunberg has received numerous awards for her outstanding political
activism and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She has been
relentlessly attacked about her appearance. Her opponents have criticised
and mocked her for her looks and manners. As WEHRDs cannot be challenged
on facts, opponents attack them on their looks or infantilise them.
39. In addition to violence and threats, WEHRDs also face barriers
when seeking justice. When WEHRDs call out abusive uses of force,
police forces either deny these allegations, or justify the use
of extreme violence by presenting it as retaliation after an attack.
6. Women
human rights defenders seeking protection in Europe
40. On 7 December 2023, the Committee
on Equality and Non-Discrimination held an exchange of views with
Naveen Hashim, who shared her experience as a woman human rights
defender. Naveen Hashim left Afghanistan for Europe after the Taliban
takeover. She arrived in France in September 2023.
41. In the past two years, the Talibans have stripped women of
their social, political and economic rights. Those who resisted
faced detention, torture and even death. Ms Hashim alerted committee
members to the high number of suicides of Afghan women. Thousands
of Afghan women and girls had left the country for Pakistan, but
many of them were sent back to Afghanistan.
42. Naveen Hashim called on European leaders to accelerate the
evacuation process of Afghan women and girls. In her view, the slow
pace of asylum procedures was one of the major problems faced by
women human rights defenders seeking protection in Europe. In addition,
access to humanitarian visa is very restricted or even impossible
in some countries. She stressed the importance of giving Afghan
women and girls the opportunity to pursue higher education paths.
43. Representatives of several Afghan civil society organisations
trying to find common perspectives for a democratic Afghanistan
after the end of the Taliban regime meet in the framework of the
“Vienna Process”. They recently called for an amendment to the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court to include “gender apartheid”
as a crime of aggression. This would also cover crimes against women
by the Talibans.
44. According to the report presented by the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to the Human
Rights Council in 2023, 18 European Union member States accommodate human
rights defenders who are at risk and 8 of them have comprehensive
programmes to receive them.
7. Family
members becoming women human rights defenders
45. Family members of women human
rights defenders can be targeted and threatened, and also need special
protection. Some women human rights defenders became activists to
continue the fight for human rights initiated by relatives. The
Saturday mothers’ protests in Türkiye
aim at seeking truth about the disappearances
of family members in the 1980s and 1990s.
46. Evgenia Kara-Murza is the wife of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian
opposition activist who was arrested in April 2022 for “high treason”
after protesting against the war of aggression against Ukraine.
She is the advocacy director of the Free Russia Foundation, a nonprofit,
nonpartisan international organisation supporting civil society
and democratic development in the Russian Federation and advocating
for accountability for human rights violations. Since her husband’s
imprisonment, Ms Kara-Murza has been forced to live in exile with
their children and has been advocating for her husband’s release.
She has been denouncing the backlash against human rights defenders
and activists in the Russian Federation and has been publicly calling
upon the western governments to adopt sanctions. During our meeting,
she insisted on the importance of repeatedly asking political leaders
about the situation of human rights defenders, including women human
rights defenders, in detention, to demonstrate that support is not
decreasing or interest waning. Both personal and public advocacy
matter.
47. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the wife of Siarhei Tsikhanouski,
a Belarusian blogger and activist who intended to run for the 2020
presidential election in Belarus as an opposition candidate to President Lukashenka.
Two days after announcing his intention to run for the election,
he was arrested and imprisoned. He was then sentenced to 18 years
in a penal colony in December 2021. He was accused, among other
things, of “inciting social hatred” and organising actions which
“seriously disrupted public order”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has
become one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition, taking up
her husband's fight against the regime. She advocates for European
States to strengthen sanctions against the Belarusian State. She
is currently living in exile in Lithuania. On 6 March 2023, she
was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Belarus.
48. Yulia Navalnaya is a Russian economist married to the late
Alexei Navalny since 2000. She was a member of the Russian democratic
Yabloko party in the 2000s.
During Alexei Navalny’s career as a political activist
and opposition leader, she supported him and their family.
In 2020, when her husband was poisoned, she
addressed herself to Vladimir Putin directly, asking him to release
her husband for treatment in Germany. Since her husband’s death
in February 2024, she has taken a more prominent role in the Russian
opposition: she spoke at the Munich Security Conference in February
2024 and called upon the international community to “fight against
this horrific regime”. Then, she released a video on 19 February
on social media, in which she stated that she would “continue Alexei’s
work” and called on people to “fight and don’t give up”.
49. Families of human rights defenders and women human rights
defenders need to be protected. Hannah Neumann, rapporteur for the
European Parliament pointed out that it was necessary to extend
the focus “to the networks and family of defenders because suppressive
regimes often deliberately target the families to silence defenders.”
The aid to families should be concrete,
such as the provision of visas.
8. Case
study: the situation in Poland
50. On 4 and 5 March 2024, I went
to Warsaw where I met with several ministers, secretaries of State, parliamentarians
and civil society representatives. It is a time of profound change
and transition in Poland, where some women’s rights activists are
now holding governmental responsibilities.
51. Women human rights defenders represent a strong political
force in the country. It was reported that the political change
at the last parliamentary elections was due in particular to the
high level of mobilisation of women and young people.
52. The priority for the new government is clearly the re-establishment
of rule of law for all. The government representatives I have met
with stressed that the situation of human rights defenders and women
human rights defenders had been very complicated under the previous
government. When he took office, Adam Bodnar, minister of Justice,
apologised to all human rights activists who had been harassed,
attacked or wrongfully criticised in the past years. During our
meeting, the Deputy Minister of Justice indicated that women’s rights NGOs
would be at the centre of the attention of the ministry. The allocation
of funding to civil society organisations in past years will also
be scrutinised.
53. Women human rights defenders and LGBTI rights defenders faced
attacks and threats, in person and online. Offices were searched
and there were several attempts to silence them.
Misinformation
campaigns about women human rights defenders were organised. In
addition, there has been evidence of hostile rhetoric against women
investigative journalists. Six human rights groups, including Feminoteka,
Women’s Rights Centre and Women’s Strike, received bomb threats
via email on International Women’s Day (8 March) 2021. Federa, a
reproductive rights group, received bomb threats via email on 12
and 23 March 2021. Human Rights Watch called for an investigation.
54. In October 2022, Warsaw prosecutors filed an indictment against
three women's rights activists: Marta Lempart, Klementyna Suchanow
and Agnieszka Ceredereka-Fabin of the Women's Strike collective
(Strajk Kobiet) for allegedly
“causing an epidemiological threat”, by organising demonstrations
against the almost total prohibition of abortion in October 2020.
While in Warsaw I met with representatives of Women’s Strike who reported
physical attacks by the police against them at a demonstration.
There was in fact a systematic attitude of law-enforcement officials
that was against women’s rights and LGBTI rights, combined with
repression. A sub-committee on the implementation of judgments of
the European Court of Human Rights was established at the Sejm,
which demonstrates a willingness of the parliament to ensure comprehensive
implementation.
55. In March 2023, Justyna Wydrzynska was sentenced to eight months
of community service following a criminal trial she underwent for
sending abortion pills to a Polish woman in distress in 2020. She
was accused of aiding and abetting a termination of pregnancy, which
is considered a crime in Poland. Right and access to abortion are
at the centre of attention. I also met with Joanna Gzyra-Iskandar,
who is one of the activists in the Rainbow Halo case. On 28 March
2024, the Supreme Court dismissed her case (blasphemy).
56. Women human rights defenders spoke about the high levels of
stress they have experienced and about the burnout of activists.
The impact of repression on mental and emotional health needs to
be taken into account when preparing policies and programmes to
support their work. Pressure with regard to funding can also create
a high level of stress.
57. Rebuilding trust in law-enforcement will necessitate long-term
efforts. I was informed that the parts on human rights and anti-discrimination
had been removed from the curriculum of police officers. Investing
in training of the police on equality and non-discrimination will
have long-term benefits.
58. I am impressed with the determination of women human rights
defenders and of LGBTI rights defenders I have met with during the
visit. A dialogue needs to be held regularly between parliament,
government and civil society representatives. Long-term and sustainable
change cannot be done in one day and can be limited until next presidential
elections. Poland is now on the path from an illiberal democracy
to a more liberal democracy.
9. Concrete
measures for increasing support for women human rights defenders
59. Several support mechanisms
already exist for women human rights defenders. The FIDH has set
up an observatory for their protection, providing emergency material
assistance and organising solidarity and fact-finding missions.
The observatory also organises training and capacity-building seminars.
In addition, it serves as an early warning mechanism, issuing urgent
appeals, press releases and open letters aiming to mobilise international
attention. A global system of financial and legal support for women
human rights defenders could be created.
60. At our hearing, Hugo Gabbero recommended establishing a specific
channel of communication for human rights defenders with the Council
of Europe. He called on the Council of Europe to consider setting
up an early warning mechanism for defenders at risk, including women
human rights defenders and women's rights defenders, which could
be similar to the one set up for the safety of journalists.
61. Investigation and prosecution of the persons who intimidate,
pressurise, threat and attack human rights defenders should be ensured.
In my view, the Assembly should call on member States to repeal
laws, policies and practices affecting women human rights defenders.
There can be no impunity for any form of violence against women
human rights defenders, in all their diversity. Counter terrorism
laws, for instance, cannot be used to undermine human rights and
advocacy work.
62. Countering violent hate speech against women human rights
defenders is also of importance. Human rights defenders should have
the possibility of carrying out their activities in an enabling
environment, which can require the provision of security during
demonstrations if needed, or personal security following threats
and attacks.
63. Feminist diplomacy, foreign, development, and peace policies
are additional tools which could be used to protect women human
rights defenders. By shedding light on the importance of their work,
ensuring protection and allocating grants for their activities,
feminist diplomacy is a clear signal of support for women human
rights defenders.
64. Support for initiatives such as the Initiative Marianne and
the Prix Simone Veil should be further encouraged. The Initiative
Marianne was launched in December 2021 with a view to providing
support to human rights defenders, in France and in other countries.
65. Support to families of human rights defenders matters. Considering
the level of threat, it would be important to ensure support and
protection for families.
66. Countering misinformation about women’s rights is another
way to support women human rights defenders. The integration of
comprehensive sex education in school curriculum is important.
67. The provision of visas and support for asylum requests are
concrete ways of supporting women human rights defenders. We can
welcome the fact that several Afghan women human rights defenders
have been welcomed in Council of Europe member States and supported
for their asylum requests.
68. Parliamentarians also have a responsibility in supporting
human rights defenders and women human rights defenders, by holding
public debates, providing platforms for their advocacy via hearings
and asking for concrete support by governments. They can contribute
to communicating about the work of women human rights defenders
and co-operate with the media. Messages of solidarity matter but
are not sufficient.
69. International assemblies, such as the Assembly of the Council
of Europe, provide an international platform which can amplify the
message of women human rights defenders and take a clear stand against those
attacking them.
70. The newly created Vigdís prize could also be used to give
visibility to the work of women human rights defenders for the empowerment
of women in their countries or field of activity. On 17 January
2024, Neva Tölle, a Croatian national who spent decades working
to protect women from domestic violence, was awarded the Council
of Europe’s Raoul Wallenberg Prize 2024 in “recognition of her pioneering
role, courage and determination in providing assistance to victims
and in promoting change in public perception, legislation and policies
to prevent and combat domestic violence”.
71. The Assembly could also consider calling on Council of Europe
member States that are Parties to the Rome Statute of the International
Criminal Court to amend the Statute in order to include the crime
of gender apartheid.
10. Conclusions
72. “Women’s rights defenders,
through their admirable work and courage, are actively contributing
to building societies free from prejudices and discrimination against
women and girls and their entitlement to sexual and reproductive
health and rights. Threats and harassment against women’s rights
defenders must be prevented, investigated and sanctioned, while
their efforts to promote and protect sexual and reproductive rights
should be encouraged and supported”, stressed former Council of
Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, on 8 March
2024.
73. It is time for the Assembly to express its strong support
for women human rights defenders and to acknowledge their vital
contribution to the global fight for human rights. We need to pay
tribute to their work, dedication and for inspiring change. As members
of parliament, we can call on our governments to do more to support
women human rights defenders and ensure their protection and an
enabling environment. Women human rights defenders can be drivers
of positive change in society.