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Women Human Rights Defenders

Women and minority rights activists around the world are working to create positive change in their communities. Women human rights defenders face many of the same challenges as their male counterparts. However, many face additional obstacles and threats because they challenge the status quo twice over – through their work and by challenging (by their very existence) accepted norms, traditions, perceptions and stereotypes about femininity, sexual orientation and the role and status of women in society. As a result, they are vulnerable to threats, stigma, rejection by family and community, and violence.

In her own words: Rosalinda Dionicio, United Peoples’ Network of the Ocotlán Valley, Mexico

Rosalinda Dionicio is a leader of the United Peoples’ Network of the Ocotlán Valley in Defense of Territory. Since 2009, the organization has been demanding the closure of the San José mine, owned by a subsidiary of the Canadian company Fortuna Silver Mines, which they say has caused environmental destruction and water shortages in their communities. Rosalinda is a survivor of a 2012 attack by gunmen in which her colleague Bernardo Vásquez Sánchez was assassinated--one of many serious human rights violations suffered by the organization.

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PBI in Kenya

In 2009/10 PBI assessed the protection needs of human rights defenders across Africa to identify countries where PBI’s methodology of international protective presence may be appropriate. The research pointed to a clear demand from defenders in Kenya. In 2011/12 we undertook an in-depth assessment to determine whether we could establish a field project in Kenya. We went to Kenya to talk to human rights defenders, to find out what their protection needs were, and whether protective accompaniment would be effective in the country.

PBI in Honduras

Since the coup d’état took place in Honduras on 28 June 2009, PBI has followed with growing concern the serious deterioration of the space in which organizations, communities and human rights defenders can defend human rights in the country.

Report on implementation of Colombian peace treaty

January 22, 2018

Peace Accord implementation has been slow and lacking in many areas, especially as the country has turned its attention to presidential elections, which will be held in Colombia on May 27th. Some progress, however, has been made. Luz Marina Monzon has been appointed head of the Search Unit for Disappeared Persons (Unidad de Busqueada para las Personas Desaparecidas), which must be set up as mandated by the Peace Accords.

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Pushing for Change: Maria Mutauta's Story

I come from a family of four daughters. My father was never really in the picture, but I never felt the absence of a father-figure in the house; Mama has been such a role model in that sense. She would say “whatever you want to do, you can do it.” Whenever we would complain about not having a brother to help us fix household things, she would push us to learn how to do it ourselves.

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