Women's Rights Programme

Rights & Democracy works in cooperation with its partners to defend and promote women's human rights. In particular, it promotes the integration of women's human rights within the United Nations system and other international organizations, and advocates the implementation of international human rights instruments. It helps document women's rights violations and monitor violence against women in armed conflict situations. The Women's Rights Programme continues to address impunity with respect to violations of women's human rights in conflict situations and works to ensure that Security Council resolution 1325, on Gender, Peace and Security, is applied at both the international and regional levels emphasizing the full participation of women in decision-making and peace processes.

During the past fiscal year, the Women's Rights Programme continued its Monitoring Project on Gender Crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) with the NGO Coalition on Women's Human Rights in Conflict Situations to monitor the prosecution of perpetrators of gender crimes at the ICTR. The Coalition produced an amicus curiae brief on sexual violence which led to an amendment in the case of Bagambiki et al. The Coalition also helped ensure the election of more women judges in the second round for the ICTR and the ICTY.

The Women's Rights Programme also provided support to Dr. Sima Samar, John Humphrey Freedom Award laureate, in her tour across the country in December and ensured emergency funds were provided to the Afghan Women's Affairs Ministry. The Women's Rights Programme was recently awarded a grant from CIDA, which enabled preparations for a mission to explore the possibilities for promoting women's participation in the democratic development and peace process in Afghanistan.

In December 2000 in Tokyo, the Women's International War Crimes Tribunal, presided by Judge Gabrielle Kirk McDonald (former President of the ICTY), found Japan guilty of the rape and sexual enslavement of some 200,000 Asian 'comfort women' by the Japanese military during the Asia Pacific Wars (1931-1945). Rights & Democracy contributed to the final version of the groundbreaking judgement, which set a precedent in that it was the first time that the protracted sexual enslavement of women, as opposed to incidents of rape, has been considered a crime against humanity. The Women's Rights Programme attended the rendering of the final judgement of the Tokyo tribunal and lobbied the UNCHR and Canada to ensure an end to impunity for sexual violence and for justice for "comfort women." The Japanese women protesters pictured here were outside the Tribunal in Tokyo demanding an official apology and compensation from the Japanese government for those who were forced into sexual slavery. Related links below

Prior to the February 2002 round of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, the Women's Rights Programme attended a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, organized by Women as Partners for Peace in Africa (WOPPA-DRC), to help ensure a gender perspective in the talks. Congolese women's rights NGOs also encouraged the creation by Rights & Democracy and WOPPA-DRC of an international coalition to outline and support the participation of Congolese women and women's rights NGOs in the process of peacebuilding and reconstruction in the DRC.

On March 8, 2002, International Women's Day, Rights & Democracy released in Canada the first Joint Declaration by Radhika Coomaraswamy, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences; Marta Altolaguirre, Special Rapporteur on Women's Rights of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and Angela Melo, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, wherein the Special Rapporteurs denounce official tolerance of violence against women by private actors, highlighting a common misperception that an abuse can only be counted as a human rights violation if a state agent is implicated. The unprecedented Joint Declaration was the result of a meeting hosted by Rights & Democracy in Montreal, the first ever organized between multilateral and regional bodies on women's human rights mechanisms. The UN Commission on the Status of Women subsequently intends to pursue this type of exchange in the future.
Related links: News Release        Joint Declaration

A joint Rights & Democracy/Amnesty International publication Investigating Women's Rights Violations in Armed Conflicts was launched in Montreal in May 2001 at the International Conference on Refugee Women Fleeing Gender-based Persecution. It is the second in a series that includes a manual, Methodology for Gender-Sensitive Research, and a booklet: Documenting Human Rights Violations by State Agents: Sexual Violence. An adaptation of the Methodology and the first booklet incorporating indigenous women's experiences was produced this year by Rights & Democracy. A third booklet on human rights violations in the community by private actors is underway.

During the past fiscal year, the Women's Rights Programme implemented 12 projects for a total of $596,442.

Staff-Managed Projects

Monitoring Project on Gender-Related Crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
(with financial support from the Shaler Adams Foundation)

The Monitoring Project was created and developed by Rights & Democracy in collaboration with the NGO Coalition for Women's Human Rights in Conflict Situations to promote the adequate prosecution of gender-based crimes at the ICTR and to help obtain justice for women in Rwanda. The activities undertaken by the Coalition to monitor gender-based crimes at the ICTR include legal research, amicus briefs, legal advice, lobbying of the US and Canadian governments, and peacebuilding initiatives. The Coalition also published a guide on the rules of procedure of the ICTR in order to help women in Rwanda gain access to justice.

Urgent Action Fund for Travel

The Urgent Action Fund, a project of the Tides Foundation in San Francisco, provides financial support for immediate or time-limited opportunities to advance the situation of women. It focuses particularly on the rights of women in areas of armed conflict and in societies where women's rights are commonly abused. This project covered travel by the Women's Rights Programme Coordinator for outreach activities in regions such as the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Coordinator also works closely with NGOs, religious institutions and various other groups capable of transferring money swiftly, safely and anonymously to those in need.

Support for the Work of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences

Rights & Democracy was at the forefront of the NGOs that lobbied the United Nations Human Rights Commission to designate a special rapporteur to address violence against women, its causes and consequences. Since the appointment of Radhika Coomaraswamy to this post, Rights & Democracy has organized numerous conferences and workshops aimed at strengthening democratic organizations in order to promote the rights of women in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. A two-day meeting, held in Montreal in February 2002, allowed the special rapporteurs of the United Nations, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to meet together for the first time to take stock of the situation and prepare a common resolution to coordinate their efforts.

Girls in Militaries, Paramilitaries and Armed Opposition Groups
(financed by the Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA)

Rights & Democracy and CIDA provided support for two University of Wyoming researchers to publish a study on the situation of women and girls recruited by paramilitary and militia groups during armed conflicts. The authors conducted field research in three African countries in order to document recruitment methods and the role played by women within these armed groups. The researchers also gathered information on demobilization processes with a view to facilitating the reintegration of these "girl soldiers" within their communities.

Standardization of Data Documentation on Violations of Women's Rights
(funds allocated by Amnesty International)

Rights & Democracy continued its collaboration with the International Secretariat of Amnesty International and Amnesty International-Canada to produce a series of publications that address the need for accurate and consistent documentation of violations of women's human rights. Investigating Women's Rights Violations in Armed Conflicts was launched in Montreal in May 2001 at the International Conference on Refugee Women Fleeing Gender-based Persecution. It is the second in the series that includes a manual, Methodology for Gender-Sensitive Research, and a booklet: Documenting Human Rights Violations by State Agents: Sexual Violence. The series is targeted at local grassroots activists and non-governmental organizations, as well as governmental and United Nations agencies that work to collect and disseminate information on violence against women. The publications also provide guidelines for the preparation of fact-finding missions and the collection of evidence in order to expose situations of violence.

Final Judgement of the Tokyo Tribunal

As a member of the International Advisory Committee for the Tokyo Tribunal, the Women's Rights Programme Coordinator was invited to The Hague in October 2001, to attend the ceremony marking the final judgement in the "comfort women" case as well as the ensuing conference on military sexual slavery. The Women's Rights Programme has lobbied the UNCHR and Canadian government to put an end to impunity for sexual violence and for justice for the Asian women who were abducted to become "comfort women" for the Japanese Imperial army during the Second World War.

Women's Rights Violations during the Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This publication, which documents human rights violations against women in the context of the DRC conflict, was widely distributed in order to alert the international community to the situation of Congolese women. Rights & Democracy's participation helped the Women's Rights Programme establish contacts with the Congolese women's rights community to set up a coalition to promote Congolese women's participation in the country's peacebuilding process. The complete text of this study is available here.

WILDAF: Good Governance and Management for Sustainability

Created in 1990, Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) is a pan-African network of organizations and individuals committed to promoting and reinforcing strategies to defend women's rights. WILDAF's members include over 350 organizations and 1,000 individuals in more than 31 African countries. WILDAF held a strategic planning meeting where all the key stakeholders of the network developed a plan of action to be implemented by members of the network. New issues such as the linkage between women's human rights and economic policies have emerged. Rights & Democracy also worked with WILDAF in setting up a Coalition of international and African women's rights NGOs interested in participating in the establishment of a sustainable and successful peacebuilding process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Grants

Support for the Creation of the Ministry for Women's Affairs in Afghanistan
(funds allocated from Urgent Action/Important Opportunities)

Dr. Sima Samar, recipient of the John Humphrey Freedom Award, was named Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Women's Affairs of the interim Afghan government while on the John Humphrey Freedom Award tour in Canada. In February 2002, two months into her six-month mandate, Dr. Samar had yet to receive any funds for her Ministry of Women's Affairs. Rights & Democracy provided $50,000 in emergency funds to help Dr. Samar to establish her Ministry and begin the enormous task of rebuilding the lives of Afghan women.

Comité de solidarité avec les femmes afghanes
(funds allocated from Urgent Action/Important Opportunities)

The Comité de solidarité avec les femmes afghanes is a network of women's rights groups, including the Regroupement des femmes afghanes de Montréal, Women for Women in Afghanistan, the Centre social aux immigrés, the Centre d'main de femmes and Alternatives. The committee works to raise public awareness in Quebec of the situation facing Afghanistan's population, particularly its women. Its aim is to mobilize support for this cause and to pressure the various levels of government to take a stand against these injustices. These funds provided institutional support that enabled the committee to pursue its work, notably by organizing an information activity and press conference in November 2001.

Arab Program for Human Rights --- Conference of Women Activists
(funds allocated from Urgent Action/Important Opportunities)

The Arab Program for Human Rights Activists is an Egyptian organization that supports human rights activists, particularly those who are targeted for abuse by authorities. The Program works to forge ties of solidarity between activists in Arab countries and those in other countries and to develop adequate protection mechanisms for human rights advocates; it is also compiling a database on human rights. This grant provided support for the organization of a conference in Paris in 2001, that was attended by over 40 women activists from Arab countries.

African Commission: Action Plan of the Special Rapporteur on Women's Rights

For several years, Rights & Democracy has supported the activities of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, a multilateral institution mandated by the Organization for African Unity to defend and promote human and peoples' rights in Africa. At the request of the Commission, the Special Rapporteur on Women's Rights in Africa undertook a study to collect information on the poverty of women in West and Central Africa. Before publishing her preliminary report, the Rapporteur had it approved by experts in the countries covered by the study. This grant facilitated the organization of a validation workshop in August 2001 in Brazzaville, following which the report was widely distributed.

Final Judgement of the Tokyo Tribunal
(funds allocated from Urgent Action/Important Opportunities)

Rights & Democracy supported the production of a final version of the judgement reached by the Tokyo Tribunal. A team of legal experts, translators and writers analyzed, translated and revised the hundreds of documents filed in court. The final version of the judgement has become a reference document and an important lobbying tool to pressure governments and the UN to recognize and condemn the violence perpetrated against "comfort women" by the Japanese army during the Second World War.

Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)

Founded in 1984, WLUML is an information and support network which maintains contact with over 3,000 women in some 40 different Muslim societies and communities. It has rapidly gained international support by drawing attention to and making appeals on behalf of individual human rights cases. It documents how secular, religious and customary laws and practices are applied to and affect women. This grant provided institutional support for the WLUML's operating costs as well as financing programme activities such as networking and publications.

Women for Women in Afghanistan
(with financial support from numerous donors)

Rights & Democracy provided financial support to this Canadian solidarity group, which supports the needs of women in Afghanistan and raises awareness of their situation. The situation of Afghan women deteriorated considerably following the start of American bombing. Thousands of them were forced into exile in refugee camps, where there is a critical lack of food, hygiene, health care and education.

Standardization of Data Documentation on Violations of Women's Human Rights
(funds allocated in part by Dr. Mac Namara)

This grant permitted the research and writing of a third booklet on methods of documenting and collecting accurate data on violations of women's human rights. The organization Women Living Under Muslim Laws plans to use this booklet as part of its efforts to document gender-related crimes, such as corporal punishment and honour killings committed by private citizens.

Third International Meeting of the World March of Women -- Fédération des femmes du Québec
(funds allocated from Urgent Action/Important Opportunities)

Founded in 1966, the Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ) is a non-partisan organization committed to promoting and defending the rights and interests of women. Among other things, it has spoken out against cuts to social programmes and wage inequality. In March 2000, the FFQ organized the World March of Women, which was held in over 140 countries. The Third International Meeting of the World March of Women brought together nearly 200 women from around the world, who gathered in Montreal to evaluate the success of this vast operation and reflect on future action.

Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)

The APWLD is a regional NGO dedicated to helping women use the law as a tool for social change to promote equality and justice. For the past five years, the APWLD has pursued its development mission by organizing workshops, conferences and training sessions. The organization is particularly active in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand.

Burmese Women's Union

The Burmese Women's Union (BWU) is an independent organization that was founded in 1995 and includes women of all backgrounds. It promotes women's rights and encourages women to organize socially and economically within their communities. To this end, the BWU inaugurated its head office in Mae Hong Son this year. The organization publishes a bi-monthly bulletin and offers a variety of training workshops to women in the region.

Women as Partners for Peace in Africa (WOPPA)
Participation of Women in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue

Women as Partners for Peace in Africa (WOPPA) is a coalition of Congolese women's organizations dedicated to promoting human rights and supporting the development of lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This grant enabled two Congolese women to attend the meeting of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue held in Sun City, in February 2002. Throughout this meeting, these two experts reminded participants of the importance of respect for women's rights in the DRC and insisted that women be allowed to play an active role in the peace process.

Other Activities

Women's Rights Fund for Afghanistan

The role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and peacebuilding in Afghanistan is central to securing peace as well as ensuring the reconstruction of the country. This $500,000 Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funded project will provide Rights & Democracy, CIDA and civil society with a comprehensive assessment of the needs of women in Afghanistan in order to enhance Afghan women's full participation in peacebuilding policies and reconstruction of civil society in Afghanistan.

• News Release
• Description of the Fund
• Conference on Afghan Women in Montreal, Oct. 23-25, 2002
• Take Action Now!

Rights & Democracy speaks out on human rights violations.
Written statements submitted to the 58th Session of United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva -
18 March - 26 April, 2002. For a detailed schedule, please visit the Commission's web site.

• Afghanistan (Situation of Women and Girls)
• Japan (Situation on Comfort Women)

Tokyo Tribunal Judgement: A Vital Tool for Gender Justice.
Rights & Democracy has contributed $4,500 towards technical corrections in the final judgement of the 2000 Women's International War Crimes Tribunal, which in December 2000 found Japan guilty of the rape and sexual enslavement of some 200,000 Asian 'comfort women' during the Second World War. More on the importance of the judgement for women's rights and a link to a summary of the findings is available here.

Bibliography on Comfort Women and the Tokyo Tribunal.

NGO Coalition on Women's Rights in Conflict Situations Newsletter -- Volume 4, number 1, Fall 2001

Back to text.

International Criminal Tribunal On Yugoslavia.
Women's Rights Programme Coordinator Ariane Brunet was interviewed on 22 February 2002 by CBC's As It Happens radio show, and also by Radio Canada's Dimanche Magazine* on the wider implications of the sexual slavery ruling by the UN War Crimes Tribunal. The Court convicted three Bosnian Serbs of the sexual enslavement of thousands of Muslim women in the Bosnian village of Foca.

RealPlayer software is needed to listen to Ms. Brunet's interview. Download it here. After reaching the CBC web site, click on "Listen to Part 1 of As It Happens ", and move forward until reaching the 13:30 minutes mark. The interview will start shortly thereafter.

* The Dimanche Magazine interview is not available on the Web anymore.