“Defending
Women Defending Rights”
A campaign for the recognition and protection of human rights defenders,
particularly women, who are activists advocating for the realisation
of human rights for all
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| UFDWRs booklet |

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Pakistan: Urgent Appeal 
Pakistan is facing yet another emergency situation due to severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall which, according to UN reports, has directly affected fourteen million people so far. Shirkat Gah - Women’s Resource Centre (SG), Pakistan, is actively engaged in providing and coordinating relief to those affected across Pakistan through its partner community based organizations in synchronization with all three Shirkat Gah offices in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
We would like to appeal to all to help Shirkat Gah in raising funds. Your contribution will be highly appreciated and will be used to set up medical camps and purchase goods necessary for immediate relief such as food items, medicines, cooking utensils, clothing and shoes (the latter two items can also be donated to Shirkat Gah Offices). The funds will later be used for the particular needs of communities based on a reassessment of the situation
For complete details, please visit this Shirkat Gah link. |
| Press release |
APWLD welcomes the Fijian High Court’s decision to dismiss all charges against prominent human rights defender, Imrana Jalal. “We applaud the decision but remain concerned about the erosion of human rights and the rule of law in Fiji” says Kate Lappin, Regional Coordinator of APWLD who travelled to Fiji where to observe the hearing with a host of other concerned international agencies. (read more)  |
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PNG - CALL TO ACTION 
APWLD recently organised a Gender and Politics Training with women political leaders and activists from across the region of Asia-Pacific. As an outcome of this training, the participants prepared a 'Call for Action' urging the PNG government to adopt and implement articles under CEDAW and BPFA to institutionalise the Women's Quota Bill in their Parliament. The bill is set to be voted on in PNG Parliament in the coming weeks.
click here to read the statement
click here to read and endorse the statement (endorsement will take less than 30 seconds) |
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| Forum News |
For nearly 25 years APWLD has been providing updates and feminist analysis of issues in the Asia Pacific region through Forum News, a newsletter by our members about member issues. In this issue you’ll find feminist perspectives on new legislation affecting women in the region; a look at the global campaign for domestic workers; news on ASEAN human rights mechanisms; an analysis of the global financial crisis; and much more.
We encourage your feedback and would like to hear from you about contributions from women in your corner of our region. read more
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Women Resisting Crisis and War 
Read the conference declaration from Women Resisting Crisis and War, held on July 19-21, 2010 in Baguio City, Philippines. This was a conference co-organised by the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN), Asian Rural Women's Coalition (ARWC); Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and GABRIELA in partnership with Innabuyog, PWRDF, Global Fund for Women, Karibu Foundation and Plan International. |
Advance Domestic Worker Rights: 
Recognise Their Right to Collective Representation
In the lead up to our advocacy at the International Labour Conference in Geneva this June, APWLD on behalf of UFDWR would like to ask for your organisation's endorsement of our statement calling for the Advancement of Domestic Worker Rights and specifically the Recognition of Domestic Worker Rights to Organise.
CLICK HERE TO READ OUR STATEMENT
CLICK HERE TO ENDORSE THE STATEMENT (this will take less than 30 seconds to complete)
We hope that through our collective action can ensure the International Labour Conference results in an instrument that protects and promotes the right of domestic workers to collectively organise. Without your help in achieving this right, all others are unachievable. |
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CELEBRATIONS ACROSS THE APWLD NETWORK  |
APWLD SECRETARIAT - Chiang Mai,
Women Celebrate ASEAN’s Progress on International Women’s Day
APWLD welcomes ASEAN’s new human rights mechanisms and invites ASEAN countries to mark this day by committing to an open and transparent selection process for the representatives of the Commission on Women and Children. See APWLD's press release by clicking here. Read our Statement on ASEAN's new Commission here.
FIJI WOMEN'S CRISIS CENTRE
Events across Fiji are rallying women to fight to end Violence Against Women
CORDILLERA WOMEN'S EDUCATION ACTION RESEARCH CENTRE
Hails the indigenous women and toiling women in the region and all over the world in living up the history of March 8 as a day of action for toiling women to improve on their status in society and advance the rights of women in all fields.
GABRIELA- PHILIPPINES
GABRIELA DECLARES MARCH 8 AS WOMEN'S DAY OFF TO PROTEST
On March 8, 2010, thousands of women all over the country will take the day off from work, including household chores, to take to the streets and protest the continuing crisis that burdens women and their families.
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS- WOREC NEPAL - 100 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL WORKING WOMEN'S DAY SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE - NEPAL
“Personal is Political"
Calendar of Activities for weeklong programme of 100 years of International Working Women’s Day
MONFEMNET- MONGOLIA
“Through Women’s Eyes: Protecting Fundamental Human Rights in Mongolia”
The 2010 forum shall also consciously seek to amplify the voices of the marginalized groups and raise awareness on the need for a more comprehensive legal framework with strong provisions for protecting the rights of minority and marginalized groups, and an independent mechanism for protecting human rights.
WOMEN'S LEAGUE OF BURMA
CARAM ASIA
100 years after the world recognized the role of women in society, women are still robbed of their rights.
ASIAN INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S NETWORK
We call for the full and effective respect, promotion and protection of the basic rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous women as women and as indigenous peoples.
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS ALLIANCE
Further Advance the Rights, Lives and Freedoms of Women Migrants, Immigrants andRefugees! Let Us Strengthen the Global Movement of Resistance against Imperialism!
KOMNAS PEREMPUAN, INDONESIA
Press Release on Women’s Experiences of Violence in Unequal Power Relationships |
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| URGENT ACTION ALERT! |
- APWLD decries the illegal arrest, detainment and torture of 43 health workers and professionals, 26 of whom are women, by the Philippine Army on February 6th. Take action by supporting KARAPATAN’s statement with your own letters, emails and faxes calling for the immediate release of these human rights defenders.

- STATEMENT Women Human Rights Defender Murdered in the Philippines
- 15 October 2009, International Day of Rural Women, call for endorsements! Stop Climate Injustice! Assert Gender Justice! Calling for endorsements for the statement "A Submission to the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" to be submitted to the COP 15 of the UNFCCC in December 2009. To endorse, please send name or name of the organisation to APWLD secretariat, riwwenpo@apwld.org. Click here to read the statment
- 15 October 2009, Philippines - Organisations call for help for victims of flooding due to Typhoon Ondoy, international name 'Ketsana'
- 15 October 2009, Philippines - Typhoon Pepeng international name 'Parma' update: Hunger Besets Cordi Communities due to Pepeng's disasters; Greater Support Requested from Public - SERVE THE PEOPLE BRIGADE-CORDILLERA DISASTER RESPONSE NETWORK (Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera, Cordillera Peoples Alliance)
- 4 July 2009, Violence against Women UN TRUST FUND ALERT
- 16 June 2009, Burma - Call for endorsements! Women's groups call on UNSC to prosecute Burma's Senior General Than Shwe at ICC - WLB
- June 2009, Tamil Nadu, India - Stop violation of labour rights of members of Madras Rubber Factory United Workers Union
- 24 April 2009, Nepal - APWLD condemns attack on Women Human Rights Defenders and the culture of impunity in Nepal!
- 16 February 2009, Pakistan - Ensure Mukhtar Mai's safety and security!
- 22 January 2009, Pakistan - STOP violence and discrimination faced by women and girls in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Swat.
- 26 January 2009, Pakistan - Ensure women and girls in FATA and Swat are able to fully exercise their rights without fear of violence or intimidation
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| Statements and Press release |
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| The big rally for Climate Justice at Bangkok, 5 October 2009 |
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19 June 2009, Chiang Mai celebrates Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday with protest action
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Rural and Indigenous Women's Environment Day: Defend Our Land and Natural Resources!
For rural and indigenous women, land and the environment are inseparable entities... read more |
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| 08 March 2009, Chiang Mai, Thailand - APWLD joined local action on International Women’s Day. Chanting “We didn’t create the crisis; but we can clean it up for you” APWLD and friends joined the celebration of International Women’s Day with the local women’s day campaign theme: women are in the driving seat of our economy. The march brought together migrant workers, Burmese women’s groups, local Thai women’s groups, Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex groups, and other Chiang Mai based women’s groups, nongovernment organisations and advocates with varying calls and campaigns joining as one voice on Women’s Day. Chiang Mai Mayor Capt. Duentemduang Na Chiangmai graced the programme at the Three Kings Monument. She participated at APWLD’s Gender and Politics training last year. |
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| Chennai's IT
Corridor Building an
Indian Dream - the video is now available!
Kindly contact apwld@apwld.org to
order copies. |
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| Publications |
Demanding Protection for My Body, My Life, My Rights: Addressing Violations of Women's Sexual and Reproductive Rights
My Body, My Life, My Rights: Addressing Violations of Women's Sexual and Reproductive Rights' is the Summary Report of the APWL'’s Asia Pacific NGO Consultation with the Office of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences held in Bangkok, Thailand in December 2009
Demanding Protection for Foreign Domestic Workers and All Women Migrants - Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility (CARAM Asia) and the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) co-organised the 2008 Joint Regional Consultation with UN Special Rapporteurs UNSRs) on the human rights of migrants Jorge Bustamante, and on contemporary forms of slavery including its causes and consequences Gulnara Shahinian, held on 24-25 October 2008 in Manila, Philippines.
Mining and Women in Asia: Experiences of Women Protecting their Communities and Human Rights Against Corporate Mining is a product of the Food Over Gold campaign launched in 2005 as part of APWLD’s food sovereignty programme. The book contains the results of mining fact-finding missions, fora where the issue of women and mining is discussed and an Asia study session on women and mining conducted by APWLD's Women and the Environment Task Force (WEN TF).
We have updated our Guidelines for Gender Sensitive Disaster Management, 2006 based on the comments and suggestions of friends from WABA, and upon the consent of APWLD members who were involved in the "Survey of Women's Human Rights Violations in the Aftermath of the Tsunami in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka and the October 8, 2005 Earthquake in Pakistan" project. - read more
The Hidden Pillars: A Study on the Contribution of Indonesian Domestic Workers to the Quality of Life of Hong Kong and Malaysian Employers.
This report highlights the valuable contribution of the work performed by Indonesian domestic workers to the quality of life of employers and their families in urban Malaysia and Hong Kong and analyses recent developments of measures and initiatives undertaken by state institutions in rendering better protection to Indonesian migrant domestic workers from exploitative practices in each phase of the migration process.
The summary report of the Asia-Pacific NGO Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (UNSRVAW), Yakin Ertürk and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples (UNSRIP), S. James Anaya, held 15-16 October, 2008 in New Delhi, India, organised by APWLD in collaboration with Mahila Sarvangeen Utkarsh Mandal (MASUM), India.
Saya Migran is a domestic worker's guide to understanding and asserting our rights. Saya Migran personifies the campaign for the recognition of domestic work as work. This comics is a project to raise awareness and educate every migrant worker on the various rights of our sector. Published by network members of the United for Foreign Domestic Workers Rights.
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