WUNRN
Interviewer:
Mavic Cabrera-Balleza is the International Coordinator of the Global Network of
Women Peacebuilders.
GenderIT Interview with Coordinator for
Women Human Rights Defenders Coalition, Mary Jane Real
Mavic Cabrera-Balleza (MCB): Hi Jane, I’m delighted to see you again. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview for GenderIt. I’m familiar with the work of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition and I would like to request you to share your very interesting work with the coalition.
Mary Jane Real (MJR): I coordinated the Women
Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC). The WHRD
IC is a resource and advocacyi network for the protection and support
of women human rights defenders worldwide.
It is an international initiative created
out of the international campaign on women human rights defenders launched in
2005. It draws attention to the recognition of women human rights defenders;
and asserts that those advocating for women's human rightsi - no matter what gender or sexual
orientation they claim - are in fact human rights defenders. Their gender or
the nature of their work has made them the subject of attacks, requiring
gender-sensitive mechanisms for their protection and support.
The Coalition involves women activists as
well as men who defend women's rights and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and
transgender (LGBTi) defenders and groups committed to the
advancement of women's human rightsi and sexual rightsi. I have been part of the initiative
when it started as an international campaign in 2005 and became its coordinator
when it was constituted as a Coalition in 2008.
MCB: Please describe how women human rights
defenders use the internet and other information and communication technologies
(ICTs) such as mobile phones in their work. Have they increased your capacity
to organize and mobilize? Could you please cite some examples?
MJR: ICTs are a major component of social mobilization in the
21st century and in general, women human rights defenders have taken advantage
of this. For example, the Coalition circulates urgent appeals from women human
rights defenders at risk online. The use of ICTs has made it possible for
members of the Coalition to respond to these appeals immediately.
In many instances, the immediate responses
have successfully pressured national governments and other actors to take
action for the protection of women human rights defenders. For example, as a
result of the appeals sent by members of the Coalition to the government of
The Coalition maintains a listserve,
website, and uses emaili, skype and mobile phones to
communicate with its members, conduct on-line meetings and update its
constituencies. With an international mandate and membership in different
countries, ICTs has made it possible for the Coalition to function at
reasonable costs.
ICTs have also extended the Coalition’s
outreach to a broader network of constituencies, which has led to the expansion
of its membership, with 25 international, regional and national women’s rights,
human rights and sexual rights organisations to date.
MCB: How else have the internet, mobile
phones and other forms of new information and communication technologies (ICTs)
changed the way women human rights activists conduct their organizing work,
networking and advocacy?
MJR: ICTs have also facilitated advocacy on the concerns of
women human rights defenders. For example, in 2008, the Coalition conducted a
study to identify the needs for protection and support of women human rights
defenders worldwide to inform its advocacy agenda. The study was conducted
through an on-line survey that brought responses from women human rights
defenders in different countries, including ‘unorganised’ defenders or those
that are not part of formal organizations and networks.
MCB: Has the use of the internet, mobile
phones and other forms of new information and communication technologies (ICTs)
impacted on the lives of women human rights defenders in ways that are
different from other people?
MJR: This is a gender concern that the Coalition has not
looked into systematically, but should be examined seriously. While there are
studies about the impact on ICTs on women in general, I am not aware of studies
specific to the impact of ICTs on women human rights defenders. It would be
interesting to find out and document the ways gender disparities on the use of
ICTs particularly affect the activism of women human rights defenders.
MCB: What issues affect the ability of
women human rights defenders to use internet and mobile phones effectively to
mobilize around women's rights?
MJR: Given that knowledge of ICTs is still
dominated by men, one of the main obstacles for women human rights defenders is
the lack of skills to access and maximise the use of different forms of ICTs.
While a large number are well versed in the
use of mobile phones, emails and certain forms of social media, the gender
socialisation of women to be less interested in technology has resulted in a
knowledge lag with less women acquiring technical expertise of ICTs. As a
result, women human rights defenders in general have depended on their male
colleagues to navigate other more complicated or less familiar forms of ICTs,
limiting their ability to fully harness these technologies for social
mobilisation and organising.
Cultural restrictions on women’s movement,
lack of economic means, among other factors have also translated into women
human rights defenders being devoid of access to ICTs, with many of them still
unable to connect to networks and other forms of support for their protection.
MCB: I understand that women human rights
defenders face risks all the time because of their work. Are there similar
security risks when women human rights defenders use ICTs? What strategies and
mechanisms are used to ensure their online safety?
MJR: The lack of access to ICTs and their
lack of knowledge and skills to navigate these new technologies have direct
security implications for women human rights defenders. Women human rights
defenders who do not have on-line access, also do not have access to resources
for their security and protection facilitated through ICTs. They are unable to
avail of existing immediate, on-line support provided by Coalition members and
many other organisations for defenders at risk such as urgent appeals or
different forms of emergency assistance such as immediate financial aid for
security needs, speedy facilitation of temporary relocation abroad, and others.
For those who have access, the majority of
them have not refined their knowledge and use of ICTs to be mindful of the
security risks related to openly communicating through the internet and using
computers. Many of them do not know how to store digital files securely,
encrypt sensitive information transmitted through emails, or check their secure
exposure as they depend on mobile phones for daily communication. For example,
when one of the women human rights defenders’ phone was grabbed from her by
unknown assailants, colleagues included in her phone’s contact list began
receiving threats from alleged members of government intelligence forces in the
Women human rights defenders have availed
of digital security trainings given by several human rights and ICT
organizations that have provided useful information on more secure use of the
internet. Usually one-off, the trainings are unable to build the capacity of
women human rights defenders to gain control of their own use of ICTs and take
steps to address their own digital security needs. The trainings have been
unable to address the fundamental gender disparities that account for women’s
lack of access and lack of knowledge and skills on ICTs.
MCB: What legal and policy
instruments/mechanisms are in place to address, prevent and eliminate security
threats against human rights defenders?
MJR: The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders affirms the activists’ rights to work in a secure
environment. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
Defenders monitors the
implementation of the Declaration. At the national level, some independent
national human rights commissions have been receptive in implementing
provisions of the UN Declaration including constitutional or legal provisions
on freedom of expressioni, but governments have yet to adopt
laws and policies that specifically ensure the rights of human rights defenders
to be safe and secure, including against on-line threats and arbitrary
restrictions on the use of internet and ICTs.