Femdefenders: The hatred against women human rights defenders – online and offline (2014)

All over the world, women’s rights activists (also called “Femdefenders”) are subjected to hate and threats, both online and offline. This study takes a closer look at how widespread these attacks are by surveying sixty-six Femdefenders from Albania, Armenia, the DRC, Iraqi Kurdistan, and Sweden.

The report also includes personal stories of activists from these countries. This study aims to provide an updated picture of how women human rights defenders are persecuted, threatened, and harassed—physically and verbally, online, and offline. The report examines the hatred that manifests itself in public places and the cyberhate that streams through digital channels. It also includes a desk review of the current research at that time on women human rights defenders to understand the situation they face all over the world.

The result revealed that more than 60 percent of WHRD have been subjected to threats or violence, either online or offline, because of their work. The study also shows that the issues that present the most risk to WHRD are combating violence against women, promoting gender equality, fighting corruption, promoting greater influence for women, changing gender roles, and promoting the rights of LGBTQI+ persons’ rights. 

Download the report (English)

Download the report (Swedish)

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