Strong women: who protects them?

Transcription

1 Strong women: who protects them? Learning conference on civil society protection for Women Human Rights Defenders in situations of conflict La Haya, de mayo 2014 Brigadas Internacionales de Paz Organizaciones que participan: Peace Brigades International Vrouwen voor Vrede WILPF Colombia Kvinna till Kvinna Care Nederland Stichting Nahid Stichting Vond Cordaid Oxfam Novib

2 Strong women: Who protects them? We who have participated in the Strong Women: Who protects them? conference on May 2014, believe that as women human rights defenders (WHRDs), we are targeted for who we are as well as all for the work we do in the defence of human rights and the promotion of peace, justice, and democracy. We are often targeted in gendered ways, including through the use of sexual violence. Measures to provide security for us, and for all WHRDs, must therefore be holistic, responding to both of these elements as well as to the specific contexts in which we live and work. Because the States in which many WHRDs live do not fulfil their obligation to guarantee our security, WHRDs have found it necessary to implement our own security measures, both individually and within our organisations and networks, while continuing to demand that States comply with their obligation. There are many ways that international organisations and governments can support WHRDs in increasing our security. To this end, we make the following recommendations to the Dutch government: Use a broad definition of Women Human Rights Defender that includes not only those working for traditional non-governmental organisations, but also WHRDs individually or collectively defending rights, such as labour rights, land rights, cultural rights, indigenous rights, right to selfdetermination, sexual and reproductive rights, as well as WHRDs from grassroots and community-based organisations and collectives, and those who do this work on a voluntary basis. Continue to give priority to the protection of human rights defenders and ensure a gender-sensitive perspective during implementation of existing policies and development of new policies. Continue collaborating with civil society in the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and EU and UN guidelines and agreements regarding human rights defenders, and in efforts to provide or facilitate protection mechanisms for women acting as change agents in conflict and post-conflict areas. 22 May 2014

3 Include WHRDs as a specific target group when consulting civil society, and assure that diplomatic missions, including trade missions, visit and work with human rights organisations and collectives not just in capital cities but also in rural areas. Respond to the protection needs of WHRDs, whether individual or collective, e.g. via Embassies, EU delegations, international attention and diplomatic pressure. This should include specific measures to address the problems of sexual violence and femicide. Allocate funds to support WHRDs. This should include funds to provide protection based on their specific needs; training opportunities for WHRDs to carry out their own risk assessments and develop strategies and tools for their protection; including digital security tools; psychosocial support; and protection and accompaniment programmes provided by (I)NGOs. Issue public statements recognising and supporting the diverse and important work carried out by WHRDs. Eliminate the discrepancies between international and national human rights laws and policies, and assure the full implementation of those policies on the local level. Strong Women: Who protects them? is an international learning conference on gender-sensitive protection of human rights defenders participated by women from Afghanistan, Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Mexico, Palestine and Sudan on May 2014, organized by Peace Brigades International the Netherlands. / 22 May 2014

4 Programme Learning Conference Strong women: Who protects them? Learning conference on civil society protection for Women Human Rights Defenders in conflict situations Day 1: Tuesday May 20 09:30 coffee / tea Part I - Opening of the conference and introductory speeches Start: 10:00 Joke Oranje, President of the board of PBI Netherlands, welcomes the participants. Introductory speeches: 1. Mirjam Krijnen, Coordinator Women Peace and Security at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, The challenges of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women human rights defenders in conflict situations 2. Kerstin Reemtsma, Representative of PBI Guatemala at the European Union, How can international agreements on the Responsibility to Protect help women human rights defenders? 3. Alice Bouman, Honorary Founding President Women for Water Partnership and former executive officer of the Netherlands Women s Council, What do we gain by listening first to the way women in action describe their needs? 11:00-11:30: Break 1. Guus van Zwoll, Programme Officer Shelter City at Justitia et Pax, Speak truth to power 2. Moira Birss, Representative of PBI Colombia in North America: The mission of PBI and its experience with civil society protection mechanisms and the specifics for women human rights defenders Part II - The purpose and programme of the learning conference Start: 12:00 Christa Hijkoop, Officer of PBI Netherlands, explains the purpose of the conference and the basic programme Introductions: The (wo)men from Guatemala and Mexico and the representatives of PBI The women from Egypt and Vrouwen voor Vrede The women from Sudan and VOND The women from Afghanistan and CARE and NAHID The woman from Colombia and the representative of WILPF The women from Palestine and Christian Peace Teams Summary of the main issues to be dealt with during the learning conference.

5 13:00-14:00: Lunch Part III First exploration of security issues in country / region groups Start: 14:00 Moderators: Christa Hijkoop, Joke Oranje and Moira Birss Christa Hijkoop introduces the security review tool. 14:15: Each country / region group applies the tool to describe their own security situation. 16:15: Plenary to report on the security situation in the different countries; and how it affects women human rights defenders specifically. 18:00: Closing day 1 by Joke Oranje, summarizing the main security issues to be discussed during the next days. 18:30: Dinner Day 2: Wednesday May 21 09:00 coffee / tea Part IV: Sessions on security aspects for Women Human Rights Defenders Start: Opening by Emma Jansen, Officer of PBI Netherlands, welcomes the guest speakers summarizes the conclusions of day 1 (to be distributed on paper), and explains the purpose and plans for day 2. 9:45 Three parallel sessions in groups SESSION 1: The role and mandate of justice and police in protecting Women Human Rights Defenders. Introduction and moderator: Pascal Bodemeijer, Field team coordinator of PBI Honduras The group will analyse the rule of law and the system of protection of police and justice in different countries and how they relate to civil society. The participants elaborate on a few concrete examples and propose realistic recommendations to bring about necessary improvements for the protection of women human rights defenders. SESSION 2: How can religion and religious organisations protect Women Human Rights Defenders? Introduction: Esther Mombo, Lecturer Theology at St. Paul suniversity in Limuru, Kenya Moderator: Anne-Marie Zaat, Member of the Dutch Platform for Women and Sustainable Peace The group will analyse how religion, religious communities and religious organisations act in different countries and how civil society can influence them. The group will elaborate on a

6 few concrete examples and propose realistic recommendations to bring about necessary improvements for the protection of women human rights defenders. SESSION 3: The role of men in protecting Women Human Rights Defenders Introduction and moderator: Joni van de Sand, Policy officer WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform The group will analyse the role of men as allies. The participants elaborate on a few concrete examples and propose realistic recommendations to bring about necessary improvements for the protection of women human rights defenders. 10:45: Plenary Session: sharing of experiences with civil protection mechanisms and international agreements. Moderator: Joke van Oranje Introductions: Kerstin Reemtsma, representative of PBI Guatemala at the European Union. Alba Cruz and Lorena Cabnal, two women human rights defenders who receive protective accompaniment by PBI. The group will analyse how international agreements work in practice and how civil society can act upon it. It will elaborate a few concrete examples and propose realistic recommendations to bring about necessary improvements. Furthermore the group will share their experiences and knowledge about civil protection mechanisms. 12:45-13:45: Lunch Part V: Drafting of individual security plans and a security plan per country Start: 13:45 Moderator: Joke Oranje 13:45 Practical exercise in country / region groups Each participant reports in her own working group on the recommendations from the workshops. The country group then takes conclusions on the applicability in the specific country. What is applicable and what is missing? 14.30: Drafting security plans Each country group develops a security plan. 16:00: Report in the plenary of the different security plans. Questions and critical review by all participants of the security plans. Do they match with the recommendations? Are they clear? Are they realistic? Are things missing? Decisions to be taken: Presentations of the plans at the public event: by whom and how? Common points to be noted down in a manifest; who will draft and hand over the manifest? 17:00: Finalisation of the security plans in the country / region groups 18:00: Closing day 2 by Emma Jansen 18:30: Dinner

7 Day 3: Thursday May 22 09:00 coffee / tea Part VI Preparations for the Manifestation Start: 09:30 9:30 Opening day 3 by Joke Oranje 09:45 Plenary presentation of the final security plans 10:45 Work in parallel commissions: Commission 1: Drafting of the Manifest Commission 2: Presentation of the Security Plans Commission 3: Preparation for the panel discussion Commission 4: Evaluation and recommendations for PBI 12:00: Plenary presentations from commissions 12:45: Closing ceremony 13:00 14:00: Lunch 14:00: Change location to public event PART VII Public event Strong women: Who protects them? 15:00: Opening by Joke Oranje 15:15: Presentation of concrete security plans in two or three different countries 16:00: Expert panel discussion Moderator: Maja Haanskorf, Editor-in-chief of La Chispa magazine on Latin America The (women) human rights defenders engage in a discussion on their recommendations with: Georg Frerks, Professor of Disaster Studies at Wageningen University and Professor of Conflict Studies and Human Rights at Utrecht University Irma van Dueren, Head of Taskforce Women's Rights and Gender Equality at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexandra Valkenburg, Head of Human Rights and Political and Legal Affairs Division, Multilateral Organisations and Human Rights Department at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Carmen Reinoso Becerra, Program Manager Advancing Gender Justice at Oxfam Novib Sebastiaan van der Zwaan, Director at Justitia et Pax Moira Birss, Representative of PBI Colombia

8 17:00: Presentation Manifest to Lionel Veer, Human Rights Ambassador of the Netherlands 17:15: Closing remarks by Joke Oranje 17:30 18:00 Drinks with performance of the Raging Grannies 18:00: Change location to restaurant 19:00: Closing dinner Day 4: Friday May 23 Amsterdam 12:00 14:00: Lunch and press conference NRC Restaurant Café Amsterdam 14:00 16:00: Social activity

9 FOTOGRAFÍAS DEL ENCUENTRO Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de los Paises Bajos. Entrega del Manifiesto Entrega del Manifiesto

10 Joke Oranje. Presidenta de Brigadas Internacionales de Paz. Países Bajos Moira Birss. PBI-North América y Alba Cruz, defensora DH México Rueda de prensa en Amsterdam