Grab and Keel

Today is International Women Human Rights Defenders Day. (ICWHRD). As of this date, November 29th, 2008, Wikipedia did not yet record this event in English.

This day is a commemoration of activist women who have been defenders of human rights, many of whom have been killed in the line of duty. And, it has been a duty of honor in a worldwide war.

Perhaps, it seems an uncomfortable thing to call it a war. Yet, what is war; if not a violent struggle for resources, human dignity and ideas? That human rights workers have not declared war, but an international effort for peaceful change, does not eliminate the violence done every day.

In Celebrating Women’s Resistance the Defending Women-Defending Rights website has a downloadable video clip in English, French and Spanish from the women human rights defenders campaign website: www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org;

Defenders gather around the world this day in nomination and support of women human rights defenders, organization and gather of women human rights defenders.

From the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development’s (APWLD) well written booklet entitled: “Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice”, the aims are made clear.

If you are lost in all the acronyms of the many organizations and definitions, this booklet has a glossary. It’s downloadable for free in English, Spanish and French at the Website HERE.

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http://feministlawprofs.law.sc.edu/

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/v-inter-day.htm

ICWHRD

For more information, contact:  Mary Jane Real, Secretariat of the International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders (ICWHRD); mobile (94) 779 526 020.

Isis International

Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers 

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