25N: Women Resisting and Transforming the Region, Even Under Attack

25N: Women Resisting and Transforming the Region, Even Under Attack

Washington, D.C., November 25, 2025.– In Latin America and the Caribbean, violence against women defenders is not an isolated event: it is a structural pattern that crosses borders, regimes and territories. Despite the contexts of racism, criminalization of activism, forced displacement, territorial dispossession, and repression, women continue to sustain struggles that are indispensable for democratic life, for racial justice, for the autonomy of their peoples, and for the freedom of those who today face state violence.

This International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) recognizes women from Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, who from different spaces exercise resistance that is born from the body, memory and territory. Their voices face historical inequalities, authoritarian regimes and extractive models, but they do not stop building alternatives of hope, justice and freedom.

Each of them carries out struggles that transform entire agendas even when the risks increase, even when their own country or powerful groups try to silence them, even when violence touches the most intimate. Today we reaffirm: their struggle is indispensable, their strength is unbreakable and their resistance sustains an entire region that continues to bet on life.

Maria do Socorro, Makira`eta – Brazil

For Maria do Socorro, exercising resistance is embodying the ancestral strength of women who have always fought for land, life and memory. Their resistance is a spiritual and political act: they exist when they speak their language, when they transmit the knowledge of the elders, when they participate in rituals, when they demand respect in decision-making spaces and when they denounce the violence that affects Indigenous peoples.

It is sustained by the strength of the forest, of the songs, of the seeds and of the indigenous youth who continue the struggle. Its resistance is woven with the body and the spirit; it is done with love, care and confrontation. Maria do Socorro recalls that when indigenous women come together, their knowledge and voices become a collective power that is impossible to silence.

Yanelys Nuñez, Cuban activist exiled in Spain and coordinator of the Gender Observatory of Alas Tensas

For Yanelys Nuñez, to resist is to exist. It is to sustain oneself in the body of a black, migrant and Cuban woman in a country that, although democratic, does not always understand the depth of exile or the weight of carrying a history marked by censorship and state control.

From Spain, Yanelys carries the distance, the separation from her family, the mourning of truncated projects and the nostalgia of those who were left behind. Even so, she continues to denounce that in Cuba there are no basic guarantees to exercise rights as elementary as expressing oneself, associating or demonstrating. Their resistance is also the living memory of the silenced Cuban feminist movement, of the multiplying exile and of a long history of opposition erased by the regime.

What sustains her is not only her political commitment, but her deepest convictions: the urgency of existing with dignity, the Yoruba spirituality that accompanies her and the strength of political prisoners.

Claudia Vargas, human rights defender and widow of retired Major Roberto Samcam

For Claudia, to resist is to refuse the symbolic disappearance of her husband, Roberto Samcam, victim of a transnational political crime. Her resistance is a radical affirmation: she will not allow the truth to be erased or his name to be diluted in impunity. Every word she utters is memory, denunciation and justice. She does not do it only for herself, but for all the families touched by the state violence that overflows the Nicaraguan borders.

It is sustained by the conviction that justice is a right and trust in human rights mechanisms so that this crime does not go unpunished. Claudia also resists for those who are still persecuted today; she knows that her voice, in naming the truth, protects other bodies at risk. She is accompanied by the support of refugee women, of the collectives, and the certainty of speaking from a country that still does not give up hope.

Rosa María Castro Salinas, activist and Afro-Mexican federal deputy

For Rosa María, to resist is to defend territories, bodies and history in the face of a system that has made Afro-Mexican peoples invisible for centuries. Their resistance simultaneously confronts structural racism, discrimination and an extractivist model that devastates territories and deepens inequalities. In a context where public policies ignore Black communities in the climate fight, resisting also means demanding climate justice with a racial and gender approach.

Its strength comes from a commitment of more than two decades to Afro-Mexican communities, from the voices that defend rivers, seas, mountains and territories, and from young people who understand the climate crisis as a crisis of dignified life. Rosa María argues that the construction of a just future requires Afro-centric public policies and decisions that fully recognize Afro-Mexican peoples as key actors in confronting the environmental crisis.

Patricia Sandoval, coordinator for Mexico of the Continental Link of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA)

For Patricia, a Purépecha Indigenous woman (Mexico), resistance is to defend life in the face of a model that is destroying territories and directly affecting indigenous women. Climate justice, for her, is not an abstract slogan: it is the urgency of protecting the water, forests and natural resources that sustain her peoples. Resisting implies confronting extractivism, militarization and criminalization, but also affirming the right to decide on land and the collective future.

What sustains it is a spirituality that understands life as a framework: if one falls, they all fall; if one gets up, they all get up. Their strength comes from knowing that each voice that is raised changes decisions and opens paths for others. “Our struggle is not extinguished, it is amplified,” she says.

María Camila Zúñiga, Movimiento MUDE – Colombia

For María Camila, being a diverse and gender-dissident black woman means resisting systems that seek to deny her existence. Her resistance is expressed in the creation of collective tools to survive and transform themselves; in the articulation and meeting that sustains the MUDE Movement, a space that not only accompanies, but also builds community fabric for black women, children and black LGBTIQ+ people. For her, “it will be collective or it will not be”.

What sustains her is the dignified rage, the shared struggles, the processes that are woven together and the love of her sisters. Its strength comes from a profound certainty: nothing is conquered alone. The collectivity is a refuge, but it is also organized resistance to a system that constantly denies them rights, resources, and recognition.

Luz Marina Becerra, Coordinator of Afro-Colombian Displaced Women in Resistance (La Comadre) – Colombia

For Luz Marina, resisting as an Afro-Colombian woman in a context marked by racism, sexism, and classism means raising her voice with dignity for respect, recognition, inclusion, rights, memory, and the territories of Afro-descendant peoples.

She affirms that her struggle is sustained by love, conviction, and the legacy of her ancestors, as well as by the hope that her struggles will transform history so that new generations can grow up in a world of equality, opportunity, and respect for diversity.

Elena Lorac, co-coordinator of the Reconoci.do Movement – Dominican Republic

For Elena, to resist is to defend the life and dignity of Dominican women of Haitian descent in a country where their rights have historically been denied. As part of the Reconoci.do Movement, her struggle is born from the dispossession of nationality that this population lives and that has marked her existence at all levels: without documents, without full recognition and without basic guarantees. And she recalls that this institutional violence affects women more harshly, who also face historical inequalities and deeply precarious conditions in the bateyes.

She is sustained by knowing that her struggle is just and urgent, as well as her commitment to her community, especially to the women who carry the impact of dispossession on their shoulders, and to the families who continue to resist despite structural discrimination.

The voices of these women reveal that resistance is not only a response to violence: it is a way of existence and of the future. From forced exile to the defense of the territory; from the fight against structural racism to the demand for justice in the face of state crimes; from ancestral spirituality to black feminist organization: all these resistances are indispensable to build freer, more dignified and just societies.

At Race and Equality, we are firmly committed to supporting and strengthening these women in their struggles and raising their complaints and demands before the Inter-American and Universal Human Rights Protection Systems.

Cuban organization Ladies in White denounces violence perpetrated by Cuba’s authoritarian regime before the IACHR

Miami, November 19, 2025 – “Arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and threats.” These were some of the acts of violence reported on Monday, November 17, by members of the Cuban organization Ladies in White during a private hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), held as part of the 194th Period of Sessions in Miami, United States.

The delegation was made up of activists Lourdes Esquivel, Blanca Reyes, and María Elena Alpízar, who participated as representatives of the organization in exile. Esquivel recounted the state repression she suffered until December 2022, when she was exiled. Forced exile continues to be one of the practices used by the Cuban regime to punish and silence women human rights defenders, as was the case with activist Aymara Nieto, also a member of the Ladies in White, who was released in August 2025 on the condition that she leave the island.

The hearing was requested by the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights. During his statement, lawyer Fernando Goldar recalled that two members of the Ladies in White remain imprisoned: Sissi Abascal and Saylí Navarro, incarcerated for belonging to the organization and demanding respect for their fundamental rights.

Before the IACHR, the delegation composed of representatives of the Ladies in White and Race and Equality exposed the systematic pattern of violence perpetrated by the Cuban State for more than two decades. This includes thousands of arbitrary detentions without official record, forced disappearances, constant surveillance, harassment, and threats directed at both activists and their families. They also denounced differential treatment based on gender and race, including sexualized insults, reprisals linked to their caregiving roles, and specific discrimination against members of African descent. They also pointed to criminalization through ambiguous criminal charges, the impossibility of exercising their religious freedom due to systematic detentions on Sundays, and restrictions imposed since 2021 on meeting or accessing the organization’s headquarters. None of these incidents has been investigated, perpetuating a situation of absolute impunity.

The testimonies presented reflect how a group of women, initially mobilized to demand the release of their relatives imprisoned for political reasons (in 2003), has established itself as a benchmark in the defense of human rights in Cuba, in the region, and internationally. However, the attacks and reprisals they face seek to remove them from public life and disrupt their work.

The Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights reiterates its commitment to supporting the Ladies in White and to continuously denouncing violations committed against women activists in Cuba. We call on the IACHR to condemn these acts and on the international community to support and accompany the legitimate demand for respect and protection for the members of this organization.



MUDE, a shelter threatened for defending the rights of black women and children in Palmira, Colombia

Bogotá, October 20, 2025 – On July 15, 2024, members of the Movimiento de mujeres unidas, diversas y emancipadas (MUDE, by its initials in Spanish) reported that, in the early hours of the morning, several people violently entered the house where the organization’s headquarters were located, in the municipality of Palmira, Valle del Cauca. Through their social media accounts, they made public how computers were destroyed, along with the shelter of more than 300 people, including children, adolescents, and black and diverse women from this region of Colombia who are beneficiaries of MUDE. 

That day, the women of this organization felt that the “last straw had been drawn,” after years of threats, harassment, acts of racism, transphobia, and hate campaigns spread through social media. They were left with a clear message: if they continue to do this work, their lives are in danger.

A year after the raid, the events remain unpunished and the members of MUDE continue to denounce what happened and demand recognition and guarantees of their rights in this area of the Colombian Pacific. “We continue to call on the authorities and other organizations to listen to us and respond to our demands. We want to know that we have support, that our lives matter, that people care about what happens to MUDE, to children, and to diversity,” says María Camilia Saa, a member of the organization. 

The Movimiento de mujeres unidas, diversas y emancipadas was founded in 2019 and, since then, has accompanied and transformed the lives of more than 6,000 children, adolescents, women of African descent, and diverse women, along with their families, in Palmira and other municipalities in Valle del Cauca. Sady Carreazo, another member, affirms that MUDE is a space for “collectivization.” 

“Coming together guarantees the lives of Black people; it is another way in which we can be and live in freedom. It is another opportunity to study, work, be, and express ourselves,” adds Carreazo. The organization promotes advocacy, training, and visibility strategies with an ethnic and diverse focus through art and music. One example of this is MUDE’s Agojie group, whose songs address issues such as Afro hair, feminism, and sexual and gender dissidence.

Following the attack, MUDE was forced to relocate its headquarters to another area of Palmira, while its members continue to report ongoing threats and harassment due to their diverse identities and their work defending the rights of their communities.

From the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality) expresses its support for MUDE and reiterates its urgent call on the competent authorities to act diligently, guarantee the protection of its members, and ensure that acts such as these do not go unpunished. Defending the lives, diversity, and leadership of Black and diverse women is an inescapable responsibility of the Colombian state.



Afro-descendant activists in the region condemn the effects of racism on Afro-descendant women

  • Five female leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Professor Justin Hansford, a member of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, participated in the discussion “Voices of the Diaspora: Women of African Descent in Resistance and Global Leadership” on September 18 in Bogotá.

Bogotá, September 22, 2025.– Within the framework of the regional consultation of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which brought together more than 60 Afro-descendant activists from Latin America and the Caribbean, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) held the discussion “Voices of the Diaspora: Women of African Descent in Resistance and Global Leadership,” which took place on Thursday, September 18 in Bogotá.

The meeting brought together women leaders from different countries in the region, who shared experiences regarding the multiple forms of violence and discrimination faced by Afro-descendant women, as well as the strategies of community building and resistance that they have implemented.

The president of the Central American Black Organization (ONECA), Afrohonduran Mirtha Colón, highlighted the significance of strengthening cultural identity among members of the younger generation. The coordinator of the Network of Afro-Latin American, Afro-Caribbean, and Diaspora Women, Afrobolivian Paola Yañez, emphasized that “we cannot talk about racism without talking about sexism, because they are so intertwined.” Meanwhile, Afromexican Teresa Mojica, president of the Petra Morga Afro-Mexican Foundation, called for the promotion of an Afro-descendant, Afro-centered, intersectional, and decolonial agenda. 

Afrodominican María Bizenny Martínez, coordinator of the Department of Human Rights and Political Advocacy at MOSCTHA, denounced discrimination and xenophobia toward the Haitian population, especially women. Meanwhile, Afrocolombian Luz Marina Becerra Panesso, legal representative of the Coordination of Displaced Afro-Colombian Women in Resistance (La Comadre), noted that the armed conflict in Colombia has exacerbated the vulnerability of Afro-Colombian women, many of whom remain silent out of fear.

After listening to the leaders, Professor Justin Hansford, member of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, highlighted the situation of Afro-Colombian women in Latin America and reiterated some of the recommendations raised by the activists during the discussion.

This dialogue offered a platform for collective construction and exchange, in which the voices of Afro-descendant women from the region and the diaspora illustrated the various ways in which racism and sexism affect their lives and reaffirmed their central role in the defense of rights and social development. It also served as a prelude for the activists, who also participated in the regional consultation of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which was conducted on September 19 at the Colombian Foreign Ministry. They highlighted the need to visualize the reality of Afro-descendant women within the draft declaration, which is currently being developed by some members of the Forum.

Race and Equality remains committed to the promotion of initiatives and spaces that facilitate these types of meetings. Our objective is to continue to denounce the human rights violations experienced by Afro-descendant individuals in the region and to contribute to a world in which the dignity of all individuals is honored and all individuals have the opportunity to fully reach their potential.

La Comadre Demands Guarantees to Continue Advancing with Dignity

PUBLIC PRESS RELEASE

The Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) and the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) express our dismay, indignation and solidarity in the face of the facts that recently violated the organizational process of the collective reparation organization LA COMADRE, formed by Afro-Colombian women victims of the armed conflict who, from various territories of the country, lead processes of enforceability, truth, memory and reparation.

In the framework of the meeting of the Enlistment Phase of the Collective Reparation Route led by the Victims Unit, there was an act of intimidation against one of the leaders of the organization, which generated collective fear, altered the development of the event and affected the emotional and physical integrity of the 60 participants. The spaces designed to advance in the reparation cannot be a source of new affectations, therefore, it is essential that the institutional responses are effective; this reparation process must be a path of care, containment, recognition and real guarantees.

The State must guarantee the real conditions of participation and protection to those who work in defense of human rights, and within the framework of Sentence SU 546 of 2023, in which the Honorable Constitutional Court orders government institutions to rectify the Unconstitutional State of Affairs  and protect the Right to Defend Human Rights.

LA COMADRE is a process of collective construction that represents the collective resistance and dignity of black women; it was born from the shared pain of Afro-Colombian women who survived the armed conflict, but it is sustained by the firm decision not to be silenced. The women who make up this subject of reparation have created a collective path to heal, resist and transform; their work has been oriented to the construction of memory, enforceability of rights, community strengthening, political participation and dialogues in processes of truth and reparation.

Consequently, Race and Equality and CODHES request the competent authorities to immediately adopt measures to guarantee truth, justice, protection and non-repetition in relation to the facts denounced.

By virtue of the above:

  • We reject any manifestation of intimidation, harassment or threat that threatens the life, integrity, autonomy and political work of Afro-Colombian women.
  • We demand that the Colombian State urgently adopt collective protection measures, with an intersectional ethnic-racial, gender and transformational approach, with responsibility and diligence that recognizes and responds to the specific risk conditions faced by Afro-Colombian women human rights defenders.
  • We urge the entities responsible for the implementation of the collective reparation policy to strengthen the channels of dialogue, inter-institutional coordination and preventive actions that avoid the repetition of events of this nature and guarantee real conditions for dignified and safe participation.

To the women of LA COMADRE, we reiterate our absolute support and our recognition for their struggle, resistance and leadership. And to civil society, we call on you to surround, make visible and recognize this organizational process as one of the necessary and powerful expressions of a Colombia that is still indebted to comprehensive reparations and racial and gender justice.

CSW69: A Key Space for Women’s Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean

CSW69: A Key Space for Women’s Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean

Washington, D.C., March 7, 2025 – In 2025, the world commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, a key milestone in the struggle for gender equality. In this context, the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), to be held from March 10-21 in New York, represents a crucial opportunity to assess progress, identify persistent challenges, and renew commitments towards the full realization of women’s rights.

In the framework of this March 8, International Women’s Day, from the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) we recognize the importance of this space to encourage progress for the promotion, protection, and guarantee of women’s rights, especially those of Afro-descendant, Indigenous, and LBT (lesbian, bisexual, and trans) women, as they continue to be marginalized in decision-making spaces and face specific violence that makes them even more invisible and limits their access to fundamental rights.

In this scenario, the participation of civil society is essential to ensure that the voices of women in the region are heard and taken into account in the global agenda. As Race and Equality, we reaffirm our commitment to the promotion and defense of women’s rights in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is why we will be accompanying the participation in the CSW69 of representatives of the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA).

This is the second consecutive year in which we have accompanied ECMIA’s participation. In 2024, at the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), we were present in an extensive schedule of official activities and side events. At that time, discussions focused on the economy and the impact of poverty on the lives of Indigenous women, approached from an intergenerational, intercultural, gender equality, and individual and collective rights perspective. 

A Challenging Panorama

In Latin America and the Caribbean, the gap between international commitments and reality remains profound. Despite normative advances, women – especially those facing multiple forms of discrimination, such as Afro-descendant, Indigenous, LBT and women human rights defenders – continue to suffer high levels of violence, economic inequality, and restrictions on their political participation. The region also remains one of the most dangerous for women human rights defenders, with killings, criminalization, and harassment in response to their activism. 

These challenges are compounded by the advance of anti-rights groups that seek to reverse the gains made in gender equality. From disinformation campaigns to regressive legal reforms, these sectors promote narratives that delegitimize the feminist struggle and threaten fundamental rights. The growing influence of these groups in political and media spaces represents a serious obstacle to the construction of more just and equitable societies.

It is urgent that States reinforce their commitments to the Beijing Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda by adopting effective policies that address structural inequalities and ensure safe environments for all women. The CSW69 should not only be a space for evaluation, but a turning point to achieve concrete changes.

At a time of human rights setbacks in several countries in the region, we raise our voices to demand that gender equality be a real priority and not just a commitment on paper. The fight for women’s rights in Latin America and the Caribbean cannot wait.

11 Latin American leaders strengthen their capacities in Ecuador

Images from a conference held at the end of October in Quito, Ecuador, which brought together 11 leaders from Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Uruguay, who shared their experiences and strengthened their capacities during a series of training sessions facilitated by FLACSO Ecuador, which addressed topics such as human rights in the region and the main challenges facing Latin America. 

This meeting, which took place within the framework of the project ‘Empowerment of emerging leaders’ carried out by Race and Equality, brought together a total of 10 independent civil society organizations, such as the Asociación Panameña de Debate (ASPADE), the Fundación Arias para la Paz y el Progreso Humano, the Fundación Mujer, the Fundación Convive Panamá, the Organización Social Salvador, the Unión Trans, the Centro de Promoción Social (CERPROS), the Centro de Desarrollo de la Mujer Negra Peruana, Mujeres Rímenses, and the Fraternidad Trans Masculina Perú. 

Gender-Based Violence and the Mental Health of Women Human Rights Defenders: Recognizing the Impact and Proposing Prevention, Care, and Reparation Measures

Washington, DC; November 25, 2024.– Berta Soler, leader of the organization Damas de Blanco (Cuba), began her activism when her son was four years old; today, he is 29. During that time, Soler was the target of different forms of repression by the Cuban government, due to her persistent struggle for people deprived of liberty for political reasons on the island.

“Sometimes children are neglected, and other roles are assumed, and that is shocking,” Soler shares, alluding to the double and even triple role assumed by women activists and human rights defenders in societies where sexist violence prevails and, in addition, in societies with authoritarian governments that are opposed to the actions of independent civil society.

In the last three months alone, the Cuban activist has been arbitrarily detained and subjected to forced disappearance on two occasions. The first occurred on September 22, when State Security agents arrested her and took her to a police station, where she remained for 67 hours; and the second time was on November 10, when she was missing for more than 76 hours.

“Here (in Damas de Blanco) we have women who have stood at the door of their homes selling thermoses of coffee, and the only thing they get out of it is a miniscule payment, and the Cuban regime arrives and tells you ‘You can’t sell that, because if you do, I’ll put you in jail’. Because you are a human rights defender, your life is already marked, your life is marked. They exclude you from society,” she explains.

Recognizing a Nuanced Problem

To commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) proposes raising the visibility of the testimonies of women activists who, by promoting and defending human rights, are exposed to multiple forms of violence that impact on their mental health, and we are making a series of recommendations to put an end to this scourge.

The United Nations has recognized that women working for women’s rights and gender equality are frequently the targets of gender-based violence, discrimination, and threats because their work challenges traditional gender norms and exposes structural inequalities in society, and because they face the usual risks of defenders – considered to be one of the most dangerous activities in Latin America – they suffer specific attacks due to their identity, membership in feminist movements, or the focus of their work, such as the promotion of the rights of LGBTI+ people.

For Maria Eduarda Aguiar, a trans woman, lawyer, and volunteer, with the Grupo Pela Vidda in Rio de Janeiro, and president of the LGBT State Council for 2022-2024, the violence faced by women in the political sphere in Brazil is marked by the murder of Marielle Franco, a human rights defender, and Rio de Janeiro councilor who was brutally murdered in March 2018.

“In this way, women’s mental health is extremely affected by the countless forms of violence to which we are exposed to for defending an idea, occupying a space, or raising a banner. But we must continue fighting for inclusive, anti-racist, anti-LGBTIphobic, and feminist education,” she says.

The violence faced by women activists is compounded by stigma and a lack of effective protection mechanisms, which impacts their mental health and manifests itself with high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and in many cases, post-traumatic stress disorder. These consequences are linked not only to the physical and psychological aggressions they face but also to social isolation, emotional exhaustion, and the overload of responsibilities in hostile contexts.

Such is the case of Berta Soler and other members of the organization Damas de Blanco, in Cuba, whose case recently led to a joint communication to the Government of Cuba by eight United Nations Rapporteurs and specialists, including the Office of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Office of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, the Office of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and the Office of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.

In this communique, they express their concern over the situation of arbitrary detentions, criminalization, violence, harassment, surveillance, and threats against Berta Soler and members of the organization Damas de Blanco, and request that the Government respond to the alleged facts within sixty days.

Azahalea Solís, a Nicaraguan human rights defender, highlights the fact that violence against women also affects the people around them and that fear, as one of the consequences, translates into a lack of fullness of life, participation, action, and self-expression. “The civic life of women who suffer violence is also affected and, therefore, their political participation, as well as their economic autonomy, and their social relationships,” she stresses.

From Peru, Jimena Holguín, a member of Lesbianas Independientes Feministas Socialistas (LIFS), delves into the effects that gender-based violence can have on women’s lives.

“We can experience stress; that is, a state of tension, alertness; insecurity, fear to the point of terror or panic. It can cause anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, isolation, sleep and eating disorders […]. Depression can become very severe, losing sense of life and even of being, to such an extreme that, wanting to escape from their reality of abuse, oppression and violence, they may commit suicide,” she highlights.

María Camila Zúñiga Saa, a member of the Movimiento de Mujeres Unidas, Diversas y Empoderadas (MUDE), brings up that women’s lives are marked by the violence they suffer in the private sphere, especially from their partners. In this regard, she points out: “One of the first manifestations of the aggressor is to attack you psychologically, make you feel ugly, weak, incapable, among other things. All with the intention of having control over you and making you dependent so they may abuse you to their liking and need.”

To this, she adds that, in the public sphere, such violence can be aggravated because “society reproduces patterns and stereotypes, and in fact, they come to blame you for many of the situations you experience as a victim. In addition, the negligence of institutions increases mental health crises by feeling alone and unprotected.”

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in the document Practical Guide on Guidelines and Recommendations for the Preparation of Risk Mitigation Plans for Human Rights Defenders, states that the impact of violence is aggravated when women activists belong to vulnerable groups. “For example, Afro-descendant, Indigenous, or LGBTQ+ women face intersectional forms of discrimination that add additional layers of violence and exclusion,” it says.

Recommendations for a Comprehensive Response

Gender-based violence not only seeks to silence women activists but also has a profound and lasting impact on their mental and emotional health. By recognizing the magnitude of this problem, we can move toward a comprehensive support system that not only allows them to heal but also to continue their invaluable work for justice and human rights.

For Nedelka Lacayo, of Enlace de Mujeres Negras de Honduras (ENMUEH), it is essential that States design and implement prevention, care, and reparation programs. Furthermore, she points out that access to justice is a key element in this process, since the high rates of impunity generate mistrust in women who suffer violence and inhibit them from deciding to turn to the authorities.

It is the responsibility of States under international human rights standards, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention of Belém do Pará to guarantee the protection of women’s human rights defenders and eradicate all forms of violence that affect them.

Therefore, Race and Equality, makes the following recommendations:

  1. To States:
  • Adoption and implementation of a legal framework against gender-based violence: Adopt and implement laws that address all forms of violence against women, with effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. These laws should ensure the comprehensive protection of women, especially women human rights defenders, and address intersectional violence.
  • Strengthening protection systems for women defenders: Create specific mechanisms to protect women defenders, designed in consultation with them, to prevent aggression, criminalization, and stigmatization for their work.
  • Creation of effective response systems: Establish specialized units in the security forces and the justice system to address gender-based violence, guaranteeing exhaustive, impartial investigations and sanctions for those responsible.
  • Eradication of restrictions on fundamental rights: Ensure the full exercise of freedom of expression, assembly, and association, eliminating any measure that limits women or their organizations in their work to defend human rights.
  • Public policies and dialogue with civil society: Allocate sufficient resources to implement programs for the prevention and care of gender-based violence and guarantee the participation of women’s organizations in their design, execution, and evaluation.
  1. To international organizations:
  • Consolidation of monitoring and reporting mechanisms: Establish or strengthen independent monitoring and documentation systems on the situation of women human rights defenders and gender-based violence in countries, ensuring that findings are used to pressure States to comply with their international obligations.
  • Technical assistance and training: Provide technical assistance and training programs for civil society organizations and States on international standards on human rights, gender-based violence, and protection of women human rights defenders, promoting local capacity building.
  • Political and diplomatic advocacy: Use their influence in international forums and diplomatic relations to demand that States implement effective measures to eradicate gender-based violence, protect women human rights defenders, and guarantee respect for fundamental freedoms.
  • Funding and sustained support to women defenders and local organizations: Provide financial resources to women-led organizations in highly vulnerable contexts, ensuring that they can continue their work with independence and resilience in the face of threats.
  1. To civil society:
  • Strengthen internal and external support networks: Organizations should create safe and confidential spaces where activists can share experiences and seek support without fear of reprisals. Promoting collaborative networking between activists and allies can help foster collective resilience and combat isolation.
  • Build capacities in gender-responsive mental health: Train allied mental health professionals to understand the dynamics of gender-based violence and the specific challenges of women human rights defenders. This includes facilitating access to specialized therapies that address both the immediate effects and prolonged impacts of trauma.
  • Influence inclusive and protective public policies: Promote dialogues with government institutions to promote the adoption of specific protection protocols for women activists.
  • Implement community awareness campaigns: Design and execute campaigns that highlight the fundamental role of women human rights defenders and the risks they face.

In view of the different levels of violence that human rights defenders can face in their day-to-day lives, both physically and emotionally, Race and Equality developed the Guide to Self-Care “If I take care of myself, I can take care of others”, whose objective is for people to become aware of the risks to which they are exposed – especially for their mental health – and to take self-care actions.

 

Nicaragua Faces Devastating Crisis in Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Organizations Warn Ahead of 2024 UPR

Geneva, November 7.- Nicaragua is currently facing a severe crisis in sexual and reproductive rights, particularly affecting girls and adolescent women. In preparation for Nicaragua’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Center for Reproductive Rights, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), and the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) organized the side event entitled “Current Challenges in Women’s Rights and Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Nicaragua” to raise awareness of the critical situation of sexual violence and reproductive injustice impacting women in this country.

The event included testimonies from Nicaraguan advocates Winnye Bernard and Ana Quirós, as well as interventions from representatives of the Center for Reproductive Rights, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Five Girls Under 14 Give Birth Every Day

Paulina Jiménez opened the event by highlighting the alarming lack of access to reproductive health information and services in Nicaragua. “It is estimated that at least five girls under 14 give birth each day, and Nicaragua has one of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in Latin America, with 24.6% of mothers being  under 18 years old,” said Jiménez.

Jiménez referenced two cases presented by the Niñas No Madres Movement to the United Nations Human Rights Committee: two young Nicaraguan girls in situations of extreme vulnerability, victims of sexual violence and forced motherhood. These cases reflect the grave crisis Nicaragua faces regarding sexual and reproductive rights, where restrictive laws and the lack of adequate public policies perpetuate sexual violence and impunity.

Nicaraguan feminist activist and advocate Ana Quirós recounted how the criminal code, in effect since 2006, criminalizes abortion despite repeated efforts to align the law with international human rights standards.

Quirós noted that so far in 2024, there have been 64 femicides and 158 attempted femicides, “and no one is talking about this.” According to Quirós, this situation is one consequence of the frequent amnesties granted by the Ortega-Murillo regime, which in 2024 alone has released over 8,000 common prisoners, many of whom were convicted of sexual violence and assault against women. “The restriction on abortion is just one more example of the (Ortega and Murillo’s) regime’s disregard for women’s lives, health, and sexual and reproductive rights,” she concluded.

Dismantling of Civic Space Has Left Women Defenseless

Winnye Bernard Canales, women’s rights advocate and Deputy Head of Regional Office Latin America of the European International Network for Human Rights (RIDHE), indicated that the state repression unleashed since 2018 has left women unprotected, facing high-risk pregnancies without safe options and living in a hostile environment that normalizes sexual violence. “Women in Nicaragua not only face a legal and social system that denies them their rights, but also lack comprehensive sexual education programs, putting them at risk of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases,” she said.

Bernard detailed how the persecution of feminist organizations, the closure of women’s police stations, and the criminalization of human rights defenders have increased impunity and left women victims of violence without protection. “The lack of institutional support and social stigma create significant barriers for women seeking justice in cases of gender violence,” she added.

Andrés Sánchez Thorin, a representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, explained the devastating impact of the dismantling of civic space, which has severely affected women by depriving them of crucial support networks. “The progressive shutdown of more than 3,500 civil society organizations, many of which provided essential support to women, has left numerous women without access to critical services and support networks, exacerbating gender inequalities and increasing risks,” said Sánchez.

“This violation of rights is even more severe for detained women, who are entirely deprived of any access to sexual and reproductive health services, leaving them in a particularly vulnerable situation,” added the UN representative.

Calling on the Nicaraguan State to Comply with CEDAW Committee Recommendations

Ana Peláez Narváez, President of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), addressed the Committee’s recommendations following the review of Nicaragua’s seventh to tenth combined periodic reports, stressing the urgent need for reforms in several key areas.

Peláez emphasized that the legalization of abortion in specific cases, such as rape, incest, or risk to the mother’s life, is among the Committee’s main recommendations. “Nicaragua must ensure access to safe, confidential, and stigma-free abortion services, as well as post-abortion care,” she stated.

The President noted that CEDAW has identified the urgent need to guarantee comprehensive sexual education for all ages within the education system, which is essential to prevent early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. She also explained that “it is fundamental for the State to ensure girls and adolescents the right to return to school after becoming mothers and to eliminate legal barriers that prevent them from accessing employment and health services.”

Finally, Peláez urged the Nicaraguan State to restore legislation that protects women and to reopen the space for civil society organizations that provide sexual and reproductive health services.

Statement

In a context of escalating repression and with the upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) considers it urgent for the international community to issue a strong statement and demand firm commitments and concrete actions from the Nicaraguan government.

We urge the Nicaraguan State to comply with its international human rights obligations and implement reforms to ensure equality. Specifically, we demand:

  • Alignment of criminal legislation with international standards regarding sexual and reproductive rights.
  • Guaranteeing access to comprehensive sexual education and quality, accessible sexual and reproductive health services, particularly for women and girls in rural, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities.
  • An end to the criminalization of human rights defenders’ work, allowing the reopening and full operation of civil society organizations that work for women’s rights.
  • Restoration and strengthening of civic space, promoting a safe environment free from reprisals for those who defend and promote human rights in the country.

Visit of the UN Rapporteur on Racism to Brazil: Systemic racism and violence against women from racial and ethnic groups are the highlights of her report

Brazil, September 02, 2024 – “Systemic racism demands systemic responses.” This approach was emphasized by Ashiwini K.P., United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, during her press conference where she presented the preliminary conclusions following her visit to Brazil. Between August 5 and 16, the Rapporteur visited Brasília, Salvador, São Luís, São Paulo, Florianópolis, and Rio de Janeiro, where she met with authorities of the Federal Executive Branch and state governments, as well as with various Black, Indigenous, Quilombola, and Roma organizations.

In preparation for the visit, the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality), together with the Institute for Development and Human Rights (IDDH), organized a virtual training with civil society organizations to support them in preparing documents with recommendations that would be delivered to the Rapporteur. In addition, the scope and objectives of the visit were presented in the training to guide them in dialogue and advocacy actions before this UN special procedure.

“The visit of the Rapporteur on racism takes place at an important moment for the country, after all, we are in an election year and advocating for intersectional public policies. From our perspective, we highlight the importance of providing Brazilian organizations with a relationship between the UN and the government, because based on the report that will be presented, the State must commit to implementing reparations in matters of racism”; highlights Rodnei Jericó da Silva, Director of Race and Equality in Brazil.

 Preliminary Findings: Highlights

Race and Equality presents some of the key points of the preliminary conclusions highlighted by the Rapporteur regarding her experience in the country, which will be presented in the final report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2025. This report will be delivered to the Brazilian government, which, as a member state of the UN, accepted the official visit as a way of evaluating its public policies.

In this sense, Ashiwini K.P. stressed that she identified positive points in some government actions, such as the recognition of racism as a systemic phenomenon; the creation of the Ministry of Racial Equality, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, and the Secretariat of Roma Peoples, within the Ministry of Racial Equality; sound affirmative policy proposals; and the existence of a health unit in Bahia for the treatment of sickle cell anemia. However, the Rapporteur emphasized that governmental progress is advancing slowly, since, recognizing that the colonialist past generates an exclusion of groups marked by structural violence, Brazil must adopt a systemic approach to guarantee restorative justice.

The lack of disaggregated data is a major issue identified by the Special Rapporteur, particularly the absence of data on Roma people, LGBTI+ people, migrants, refugees, and people with disabilities, who face multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. She also points to the growth of neo-Nazi groups, especially in Santa Catarina, where she mentioned that there is an erasure of data on the issue. Furthermore, she emphasized that Brazil must ensure that research and public policies are supported by and created through consultation with groups in vulnerable situations.

Thus, its proposals include the establishment of an independent national human rights institution following the principles on the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), to monitor and implement anti-racist policies.

The Rapporteur emphasized that the indigenous and quilombola communities have faced numerous setbacks by the National Congress. In her criticisms, she highlighted the slowness of the State in the process of territorial demarcation of these communities; the seriousness of the time-frame thesis; environmental racism as a driver of exclusion and vulnerability; and the neglect of the health of these populations in the face of the advance of illegal mining (pesticides and urban diseases). She also expressed concern about the violence suffered by indigenous peoples and quilombolas, highlighting the recent Guaraní-Kaiowá case, in Mato Grosso do Sul, and other conflicts in Bahia. Therefore, the Rapporteur urged the Government to take an urgent position in the face of intimidation against indigenous peoples and quilombolas, warning of the seriousness of the resulting environmental violence, and that more forceful actions must be taken, in addition to emphasizing Brazil’s international commitment to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“A coordinated national plan for indigenous and quilombola affairs is necessary, as the protection of their lands is essential to address the climate crisis,” said Ashiwini K.P.

The understanding of religious racism as a practice that persecutes and reproduces violence against practitioners of African-based religions was one of the highlights of her conclusions. In this regard, the Rapporteur cited cases that came to her through civil society, such as private transport that refuses to take people in their religious clothing, the loss of custody of children by Axé women, and physical attacks organized against terreiros. In her opinion, she stressed that the State allows this type of misogynistic and racist practices and suggested that the government create a protection program to face this problem.

“Even if Dial 100 exists, the lack of investment by the state sends a message of impunity and that the government will not take any action against religious racism,” she said.

Regarding the situation of human rights defenders, the Rapporteur expressed her dismay at the seriousness of the threats and police brutality to which these groups are exposed. Although she acknowledged the importance of the creation of the Sales Pimenta Technical Working Group, to develop proposals for the National Policy and Plan for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, she highlighted the lack of resources for human rights and the effectiveness of those policies that already exist. In this way, she urged Brazil to implement the actions recommended by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, after she visited Brazil in April of this year.

Given the situation of black women and gender/sexual intersectionality, such as with LBT women, the Rapporteur emphasized the issues of precarious access to the health system and obstetric violence, the issue of domestic workers, sexual violence, and femicide that disproportionately impacts these women, with which she pondered the need for psychological guidance as a government public policy. The Rapporteur expressed great concern about the data presented that show that black women are more exposed to femicide, highlighting the violence that occurs against black lesbian and trans women. In addition, the criminalization of abortion was noted in their evaluation, in addition to the barriers faced by women who seek even legal abortion, in accordance with the Penal Code. In this regard, she emphasized her concern about the Constitutional Amendment Proposal 1904/2024, which increases the penalties for women who have abortions to up to 20 years in prison. At this point, the importance of the Government implementing the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee, which evaluated Brazil this year, to decriminalize abortion and guarantee safe access for all people, respecting women’s rights and bodily autonomy, was highlighted. Regarding the care economy, she also noted the economic exploitation suffered by domestic workers.

Regarding police violence, the Rapporteur pointed out that Afro-descendant mothers who lose their sons and daughters due to police brutality, in addition to being victims, are also criminalized.  Therefore, her report will emphasize the need for more effective measures to be taken against the prison system and, while acknowledging that the use of police cameras is an important step towards an anti-racist security policy, she pointed out that there are reports that these cameras are not used and that the government is using measures of racial discrimination without scientific basis. In this way, she urged the government to create laws on the use of artificial intelligence so that it is not used in a racist way.

The Special Rapporteur also highlighted spatial segregation, especially in large urban centers, which are mostly occupied by people of African descent and have poor access to infrastructure. In addition, she highlighted the lack of support for people living on the streets.

The advance of the extreme right and the growth of neo-Nazi cells was one of the points of extreme concern of the Rapporteur, who stressed that there is a denial by the state of Santa Catarina about these groups and that affirmative policies and actions must be implemented to strengthen local legislation to combat denialism. From this perspective, she also highlighted her concern about the lack of efforts of the Brazilian legislature in the face of bills that seek to roll back some of the rights already achieved.

Finally, she expressed concern about the growth of gender-based political violence and hate speech and urged the government to take careful measures in this area. She stressed that the low representation of vulnerable groups in decision-making spaces reflects systemic racism. In addition, this lack of representativeness can also be seen within the Judiciary.

Race and Equality thanks Ashiwini K.P. for her support and interest in the Rapporteurship’s commitment to promoting anti-racist and racial justice actions in Brazil. We highlight the importance of the recognition of religious racism as a discriminatory practice before an international human rights mechanism. We continue to fight for the defense and guarantee of human rights to confront the inequalities created by the racist system. The Brazilian State must commit itself to the demands for justice and equity of its population. A government whose proposal is “Union and Reconstruction” must have historical reparation as a priority.

Finally, we share some of the recommendations submitted to the Office of the Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance by Brazilian organizations:

  • Improvement of public policies for access to legal aid and support services for victims of domestic and familial violence, based on a survey of cases registered in recent years, to support and protect women victims of violence and racism (especially religious racism); among other actions, based on the collaboration of feminist groups, religious leaders, public managers, and experts on the subject.
  • Demand the implementation of the National Health Policy for the LGBTI+ Population through the creation of specialized health teams to meet the highly complex demands in the health of lesbian women;
  • Recommend that the Brazilian State effectively address all barriers to justice faced by victims of racist crimes by speeding up prosecutions, revising evidence standards to strengthen accountability for discriminatory acts, and monitoring racial disparities in access to justice, especially for Afro-descendant women and LGBTI+ people.
  • To ask the Brazilian State to seek to adequately implement reparation measures for victims and family members affected by State violence, which should include psychological support, medical assistance, and financial compensation, in addition to others that may be necessary in the analysis of the specific case.
  • Ensure that the Brazilian State also complies with the recommendations prepared by the Committees on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, treaty bodies that recently examined the country and noted similar concerns.
  • To recommend the political participation of indigenous peoples and quilombola communities in the development of public policies that affect their territories and in policies for the defense of the environment. In addition, the Brazilian State must guarantee the demarcation and titling of quilombola and indigenous lands, in addition to rejecting the thesis of the Time-Frame Framework.

 

 

 

 

 

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