Safe World for Women

Katerva Awards

Rights Defenders Around the World

Ethiopian Activist Recognized for Fight Against Female Genital Mutilation

An Ethiopian activist who has worked to support women’s rights and battle female genital mutilation has been awarded an international prize.

Pussy Riot member begins hunger strike

A jailed member of the anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot has begun a hunger strike to protest at a court decision to refuse her permission to attend her own…

Teresa Forcades, a nun on a mission

Spanish Benedictine nun, Teresa Forcades, is emerging as one of the most outspoken – and atypical – leaders of southern Europe's far left

Iran must free the Bahá'í leaders who have been jailed for five years too many

A global campaign is under way to remind Iran that it has legal and moral obligations to treat its religious minorities with justice

USA: 83-year-old Catholic Nun Faces 20 Years in Prison for Break-in Protest at Nuclear Facility

Sister Megan said her only regret was waiting so long to stage her protest. She stood and smiled as the verdict was read out at a court.. Supporters in the…

Mother Sentenced to Prison for Conscientious Objection to Iraq War

“Because she spoke out against the Iraq War, Kim’s sentence is harsher than the punishment given to 94 percent of deserters.." - said the defense attorney.…

Sri Lanka – “When sleeping women wake, mountains move"

Last June, while visiting a north-western province in Sri Lanka, I had the chance of observing a community development initiative that focused on women’s…

Mexico remembers murdered journalist Regina Martinez

Officials in Veracruz state say they know who killed Regina Martinez. The reporter, found beaten and suffocated in her house, was just the victim of a robbery,…

Italy's First Black Minister - Fighting for Immigrants' Rights

Italy’s new Prime Minister Enrico Letta has appointed Cécile Kyenge Minister of Integration. For years, Ms. Kyenge, originally from the Democratic Republic of…

Personal assault alarm for human rights activists at risk

On July 15, 2009, Natalia Estemirova was abducted and later found murdered because of her committed human rights work. In honour of her memory. Swedish rights…

Court Denies Parole To Pussy Riot Member

A court in the Russian region of Mordovia has denied a request for parole from Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of two jailed members of the feminist punk…

Pussy Riot activist pleas for parole from prison camp

Jailed Pussy Riot activist Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has pleaded to be released on parole from her two-year sentence, arguing that she had already spent enough…

Iran: Husband Seriously Concerned About Eyesight of Imprisoned Human Rights Lawyer - Nasrin Sotoudeh

'After her first hunger strike two years ago, her vision problems started, and recently this problem intensified after her latest hunger strike', Reza Khandan…

Saudi Journalist stops tweeting due to harassment by security forces

Popular journalist, writer and human rights defender Iman Al-Qahtani has been forced to shut down her Twitter account due to harassment by members of the…

Nasrin Sotoudeh

Nasrin Sotoudeh is an imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer, widely respected for her efforts on behalf of juveniles facing the death penalty and for her defense of prisoners of conscience.

On Sunday January 11th 2011, Nasrin, a mother of two, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. (Reduced to 6 years on appeal)

The sentence included five years for 'violating the Islamic dress code (Hejab)' and five years for 'acting against the national security of the country' and 1 year for 'propaganda against the regime'.

She has also been banned from practising law and leaving the country for 20 years.

Nasrin took on her first case in the area of women’s rights a year after the start of her legal career.

Following the launch of the One Million Signatures Campaign and the widespread growth of the women’s rights movement, she represented many women’s rights activists and especially Campaign activists fully pro-bono and without the smallest monetary expectation.

She is a member of the board of directors of the Society for Defense of Children’s Rights where she defended victims of child abuse.

Following her attempt to save the life of Arash Ramanipour, who was hung in January 2010 for crimes he had allegedly committed under the age of 18, she went on record to reveal the illegal process of conducting his execution.

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Statement of NGOs

Statement on the Safety of Women Human Rights Defenders

Women human rights defenders are especially vulnerable and can be in extreme danger due to gender-related targeting.
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