Nicosia: The Commissioner for Gender Equality, Josie Christodoulou, emphasised the need to protect women human rights defenders in a recorded message during an event held on Wednesday in Geneva on the sidelines of the 63rd Session of the Human Rights Council.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the event, titled "Providing Protection and Support to Women Human Rights Defenders in Times of Crisis: Lessons from the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)," was organised in collaboration with the Republic of Cyprus. A press release issued by the Commissioner's Office noted that the Commissioner highlighted the current challenges, including shrinking civic space, reduced funding, and increasing pressures on women's rights. She stressed the importance of reaffirming commitments to gender equality and human rights and defending them.
The Commissioner referenced the Beijing Platform for Action and UN General Assembly Resolution 68/181, underscoring their ongoing significance in promoting and protecting women's rights and recognizing the role of women human rights defenders. Christodoulou underscored the crucial contributions of women's civil society organisations and women's rights defenders, particularly in times of conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises. These defenders often find themselves at the forefront of efforts to defend rights, document violations, demand accountability, and build peace, despite facing intimidation, stigma, exclusion, and violence.
The press release further stated that Christodoulou emphasised the necessity of legal, institutional, political, and economic conditions that allow women human rights defenders to operate safely and freely. She noted that supporting women-led organisations is an investment in resilience, accountability, peace, and human rights. The Commissioner called for specific political actions and strong alliances between governments, institutions, and civil society to support defenders. "We must listen to them, protect them, and empower them, ensuring that they have the space and resources to lead change," she concluded.
