International Women’s Day 2025: Women on the Frontlines
This International Women's Day read the stories of women defending human rights from the frontlines in Honduras, Kenya, Nepal and Mexico.
Editar Ochieng at the economic empowerment project she established in Kenya
Kenya
In Kenya, gender-based violence and discrimination affect many lives of many women and girls, often combined with poverty and other forms of inequality. While these situations continue to hold women back, many women are also compelled by their experiences to speak out, taking on the role of human rights defenders and challenging patriarchal norms.
Editar Ochieng is just one example. As a survivor of sexual violence herself, Editar has a profound understanding of the violence many Kenyan women experience. This solidarity drives Editar’s mission as a human rights defender and passionate feminist activist. One of Editar’s biggest achievements has been establishing an office that empowers women economically, giving them independence and allowing them to escape violence. Editar is eager to acknowledge the gender based violence that Kenyan women experience as a global systemic issue. In her words; “My motivation is women’s liberation, especially in Africa. Women have been enslaved for a long time and patriarchy has refused to understand women and to treat women as human being.”
PBI has helped to bring together a toolkit for women human rights defenders in Kenya. The toolkit has brought together many of the women who have been working for human rights in Kenya, allowing them to share resources and giving even more women the courage to speak out unapologetically for the rights of women and girls.
“We are not losing hope whatsoever. We will only stop when individuals, regardless of gender or background, enjoy their universal human rights, free from oppression and inequality.”
Andrea Paz meeting with Mariposas Libres, an organisation that is part of Foro de Mujeres por la Vida
Honduras
In Honduras, women defenders are faced with a battle on multiple fronts. Andrea Paz is part of Foro de Mujeres por la Vida, a platform that connects women human rights defenders in Honduras, empowering women’s organisations with information and support through this network. As Andrea puts it, “as a woman defender, you not only have to struggle against whatever you are up against in your struggle as a defender, whether that be mining companies or state institutions, but you also have to face up to your family, to the men in your family, to your partner, to the men in your communities.” Andrea explains that existing laws to protect human rights defenders can often fail women. “The constitution establishes that the right to defend our rights corresponds to everyone, male or female, but in practice it becomes much more complicated and violent in the case of women, being in a patriarchal country.”
“Women are the face of the Guapinol struggle,” says Juana Zúñiga, a defender who has been part of the ongoing fight to defend the Guapinol river in Honduras from pollution by mining companies. Many women like Juana go from living normal lives as mothers, home-makers and workers to taking on the role of human rights defenders, due to damage to their environments which makes continuing with everyday life impossible. “I was a home-maker. My work was running a beauty salon,” recalls Juana. “I never imagined one day I would be in the street protesting for water.”
But despite the layered difficulties, women in Honduras refuse to be defeated. “My dream is to go to the river again and bathe with my daughters like we used to do on Sundays,” says Juana. For women defenders in Honduras it is often the power of these dreams that give them the strength to push forward with their struggle for human rights.
Anju Kandel from Nepal
Nepal
The work of Anju Kandel, part of Collective Campaign for Peace, shows the intersection of gender and caste-based discrimination in Nepal. “Being born into a Dalit family, I have experienced discrimination, social exclusion, caste-based hate speech, and the deeply entrenched practice of untouchability in both private and public spaces,” says Anju. “Many other women continue to face the same issues. Therefore, in collaboration with women and human rights defenders, I have been advocating against caste- and gender-based violence, raising awareness, educating others, and mobilizing communities.” Caste discrimination adds additional challenges for Anju in her work: “Many people from dominant castes hesitate to acknowledge the leadership and activism of Dalit women.”
Despite the difficult task, the crucial role of women as human rights defenders is clear. “Women, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds, have firsthand knowledge of the struggles and marginalisation faced by other women,” emphasises Anju. “Their shared experiences foster a sense of trust, solidarity, and collective strength, enabling them to uplift and support one another in the fight for justice.”
“Seeing the pain and hardships women endure, often in silence, exploded a deep determination within me to speak up—not just for myself, but for all those who have been denied a voice. This realisation became my driving force, inspiring me to challenge societal norms, raise awareness, and advocate for the rights, dignity, and empowerment of women,” says Renu Karna, the Coordinator of the Peer Learning Network, a network of Women and Human Rights Defenders in the Madhesh Province of Nepal. “I have personally experienced the injustices of a deeply rooted patriarchal system, where daughters are often denied recognition as individuals with equal rights…I have been deprived of access to education, personal freedom, and decision-making.” Renu’s work focuses on marginalised women and girls, including victims of sexual violence, child marriage, witchcraft accusations and the dowry system. Renu says she is “dedicated to raising awareness and educating individuals on individual rights and responsibilities…empowering them to speak up for themselves.” As elsewhere, work as a human rights defender brings challenges for Nepalese women. “Many people perceive our work as a threat to family and community harmony, believing that we are disrupting their solidarity,” says Renu.
“As defenders, we step in as a pillar of strength…Whether it is offering legal aid, emotional support, or raising awareness, we work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served and that those affected are not left to suffer in silence”
Renu Karna from Nepal (left)
Myrna Valencia (Mexico)
Mexico
Myrna Valencia is a Yoreme-Mayo teacher and territory defender from Northern Mexico. She has organised to defend the right to education, to achieve further legal recognition for the rights of Indigenous communities and against land dispossession in her town of Buaysiacobe. Myrna’s identity as an Indigenous woman is important to this work. “Women, as givers of life, already know that it is impossible for us to flee or be indifferent to the threats that our Indigenous people are experiencing, since our moral responsibility is to take care of our children and other descendants, not as a requirement, but as an ethical duty. For this reason, it is also necessary to take care of the space where we live.” Myrna acknowledges the barriers that women in Mexico face: “I live with the limitations that many women experience - mainly the fear of being fear of violence.” However Myrna doesn’t let this limit her and wants to counteract such fears. Therefore, Myrna chooses to see her goal as “to achieve maturity as a person, to understand the mission I have in this 21st century as a woman inside of my community and as part of humanity in general.”
Margarita Cruz Sanchez also believes that women have an important role to play in defending human rights. Margarita is one of many Mexican women who engaged in the search for missing family members and loved-ones who have been victims of forced disappearance since her son Gabriel Cruz, along with Edmundo Reyes, were victims of forced disappearance in 2007. Since then, Margarita has been organising meetings with authorities, searches and public demonstrations. She is part of the !Hasta Encontrarlos! committee. Margarita notes the importance of women as leading advocates for justice “because women feel the problems of our society and our countries in a special way, and because historically we have been forced as family members to ask for justice in order to find our relatives.”
“We have the same rights. We have the same rights as men and we show that we exercise them in the same way, that we are all equal. ”
How can you support women human rights defenders ?
Write to your MP, asking them to take action to support women human rights defenders.
You can help us to continue to support women human rights by donating to PBI UK today. Your donation will ensure that we can continue our work supporting defenders on the frontlines, as well as support them in gaining access to spaces to have their voices heard.
You can also sign up for our quarterly newsletter to learn about additional opportunities to support women human rights defenders.
