Human Rights Alerts

“For women human rights defenders, standing up for human rights and the victims of human rights abuses - be they migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers or political activists, or simply people unwillingly relegated to the margins of society, such as ex-offenders and members of sexual minorities - can result in intimidation, harassment, unfair dismissal, death threats, torture and ill-treatment, and even death”
- Hina Jilani, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders

WLP uses Human Rights Alerts to focus urgent attention on the arrests of women’s human rights defenders and rally timely support for landmark campaigns on women’s rights.  

In particular, we highlight challenges faced by our partner organizations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, many of whom are subject to surveillance, harassment, arrest, and organizational closure because of their work to advance women’s rights.

Alert History 

Iranian Women’s Rights Activist, Hana Abdi, Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

June 20, 2008

SUPPORT IRANIAN WOMEN
Sign the petition and help them reach their goal of one million signatures to end discriminatory laws against women.
  • English petition
  • Persian petition
  • Hana Abdi, a 21 year-old student and women’s rights activist, has been sentenced to a five year prison term in the West Azarbaijan Province. A member of Azar Mehr Women’s NGO and One Million Signatures campaign activist in Kurdistan, Ms. Abdi has been in detention since her November 2007 arrest in Sanandaj, Kurdistan for her peaceful activities in support of women’s rights and the One Million Signatures campaign.

    Zanan, Iran’s Leading Women’s Magazine, Shut Down by Government

    February 8, 2008

    In a significant setback for the women’s movement in Iran, the Press Supervisory Board of Iran backed by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, revoked the license of Zanan, the country’s most prominent and important women’s magazine. Zanan, which means “women” in Persian, is a monthly magazine dedicated to the reporting and analysis of women’s issues, problems, and achievements.

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    Kyrgyzstan: Democracy Activists Arrested While Peacefully Protesting Parliamentary Elections

    February 2008 Update: Read an interview with Tolekan Ismailova on the human rights situation in Kyrgyzstan.

    December 26, 2007

    WLP's partner Tolekan Ismailova sent the following information after her second night of incarceration following her arrest last week while peacefully protesting irregularities in the Kyrgyzstan elections. Tolekan along with several other arrested activists are being denied access to lawyers and relatives and to proper medical care. They have received verbal threats and intimidation by the police, and are being held in cells with unhygienic conditions. The court hearings have been delayed three times since their arrest on December 21st and are now scheduled to be held after the new year.

    Scroll below to read the alert issued on December 21st.

    "During the two days I had high blood pressure. Previously I had been diagnosed and registered in rayon polyclinic as a hypertensive patient.

    When I asked that [the prison] doctor provide me with assistance, I was told that there was no doctor... Then I asked to call emergency, and it showed up an hour later. My blood pressure was 150 over 90 by then, so they had to give me an injection of magnesium.

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    Support Iranian Women on their National Day of Solidarity

    June 2, 2008

    Iranian women's rights activists are calling for international support in observance of the June 12, 2006 demonstrations. Two years ago on this day, activists organized a peaceful protest demanding the revision of discriminatory laws against women in Iran. Seventy people were arrested during the gathering and continue to this day to be summoned, charged, arrested and sentenced for peaceful activism. June 12th has since been chosen by Iranian women’s rights activists as their national day of solidarity to object harmful actions which attempt to silence Iranian women.

    SUPPORT IRANIAN WOMEN
    Sign the "One Million Signatures" campaign petition calling for an end to discriminatory laws against women such as men's uncontested right to divorce, polygamy, and child custody.

    Please read the following "Statement in Support of Iranian Women" and send your personal or organizational support for the women’s rights activists who are fighting for their basic human rights against all odds. Please send emails to wlp@learningpartnership.org and hadighaemi@iranhumanrights.org. For more information about the campaign efforts, please read below or visit the One Million Signatures website.

    Humanitarian Emergency in Lebanon

    August 9, 2006 Update

    Dear Friends and Colleagues,

    In the two weeks since our last update, thanks to your very generous support and contributions, WLP partner, Collective for Research and Training on Development-Action (CRTD-A), made its goal of $62,500! We cannot thank you enough for your support at a time of great need.

    Your donations are being delivered in the form of relief kits by an extensive network of local women’s groups and volunteers to women housed in 105 public schools and IDP (internally displaced people) centers in Beirut, Saida, Metn, Jbail, Kesrwan, and Tripoli. CRTD-A has been able to purchase all the needed supplies. Each woman headed-household is visited before and after distribution, first to identify specific needs of her family and then for follow up.

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    Morocco Adopts Landmark Family Law Supporting Women’s Equality

    February 24, 2004 

    Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) and our partner organization l’Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc (ADFM) are pleased to report that on January 25, 2004, the government of Morocco adopted a new landmark Family Law supporting women’s equality and granting them new rights in marriage and divorce, among others.

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