Women Human Rights Defenders: Women, Peace & Security and COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific

Abstract

Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) play a critical role in advancing the rights of women and girls, challenging inequalities, and holding those in power to account. In Asia and the Pacific, exceptional measures introduced to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic means that the work of WHRDs is needed now more than ever to ensure that COVID-19 responses protect and promote the rights of women and girls.

Human rights defenders, both men and women, have proven to be the backbone of society during the COVID-19 pandemic: from whistle-blowers who first raised alarms, to frontline workers securing access to healthcare for marginalized groups, journalists providing accurate news and information, civil society repairing social breakdowns, and scientists and lawyers combatting hate speech and discrimination.

WHRDs face opportunities and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. WHRDs are supporting a human rights-based approach to the pandemic, providing checks and balances to emergency powers, and laying the groundwork for creating resilient gender-equal cultures going forward. However, COVID-19 has also provided a cover under which WHRDs are being targeted for their work, resulting in harassment, intimidation, violence, incarceration, and even disappearance.

WHRDs are continuing to promote and protect the rights of women and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is critical that the rights of those defenders, as well as the civic space for their engagement, are also protected. In an environment where executive powers are increasing and 2 billion people are living in states where parliaments have been restricted or suspended, WHRDs are essential to ensuring that the rights of women and girls are not rolled back during or after the pandemic.