Who Are Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs)?

Today as the world commemorates International Day of Non-Violence, EMPOWER Malaysia urges the government to protect all women human rights defenders (WHRDs). In recent months, we have seen cases of judicial harassment and intimidation of women ranging from activists, unionists, journalists and politicians by both State and non-State actors.
WHRDs play an important role in addressing all human rights violations, including promoting access to justice and combating impunity, resisting state repression and responding to gender-based violence, fighting poverty and discrimination, and opening spaces for the full participation of those most marginalised in society. They do this in a context of entrenched violence and discrimination, where patriarchal and heteronormative social models predominate (2019 Amnesty International Report on WHRDs)
In 2018, the CEDAW Committee called on the Malaysian government to “ensure that women human rights defenders can freely undertake their important work without fear or threat of arbitrary arrests, harassment and intimidation, including the issuance of fatwas by religious institutions, by fully guaranteeing their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association”
Please share the video below to help in creating a broader understanding of WHRDs. Thank you!