Moving towards better security and protection for women human rights defenders

It is important to recognise that women defenders constitute a wide range of individuals who face different problems, have different backgrounds and require different solutions. The most important point to remember is that, in any given security situation, women are human rights defenders who can identify problems and find appropriate solutions. In order to do this, a combination of mainstreaming women’s participation, ensuring gender specific security issues are addressed and providing training is necessary:

Mainstreaming women’s participation:

In a nutshell, this means ensuring full participation by women alongside men in decision-making; putting women’s security issues on the agenda, and placing women on a par with men in the process of taking security precautions. It is important to include women’s experiences and perceptions and to ensure that women are defining security rules and procedures, as well as monitoring and evaluating them.

Ensuring gender specific security and protection needs are addressed:

As with other security needs, assigning responsibilities for addressing gender-based violence and security risks of women defenders is very important within any defender organisation or group. Ideally the individuals responsible for security will have a good understanding of the specific needs of wome n defenders. It may sometimes be necessary to identify someone else who can bring in specific knowledge and understanding to the issue. For example, one person might be in charge of security, but the organisation later decides to appoint a person with the training and skills to be a focal point for gender-based violence. In such cases, both people must work closely together to ensure that all security procedures run smoothly and respond to people’s different needs.

Training

Training for all those working together in a human rights organization is key to improving security and protection and should include developing awareness about the specific needs of women defenders.

In Summary:

Differences in women’s security needs are linked to their different roles, to different kinds of threats, and to differences between specific situations (such as detention, field work, etc.) The aim is to develop gender-sensitive responses to violence against women and other defenders.

Gender-based violence is always underreported. A general awareness about gender-based violence within the organisation or group can make it easier for people to talk about gender specific threats or incidents. Willing staff members can also serve as “entry-points” for women and men defenders who want to find solutions to gender-based threats or violence against them or others in the organisation or community.