On March 8, 2024, PBI-accompanied groups around the world mobilized to commemorate International Women's Day, now in its 114th year. Women human rights defenders advocate and lobby for human rights within their community and are not only targeted for their activism, but also face gender-specific rights violations. At Peace Brigades International, we stand alongside these women, supporting them to continue their vital work even amidst repression and violence.
PBI-Honduras accompanied the National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders in Honduras at the Palace of Justice in Tegucigalpa, posting on Instagram "We accompany @redefensorashn and all the #women who mobilized today on March 8th (#8M) at the Palace of Justice in the Honduran capital, where they expressed their demands about the hundreds of unresolved cases of #femicide, among other problems faced every day by the female population of the country and the world. At PBI, we are concerned about the increase in #genderviolence and we follow up on cases such as that of Berta Cáceres and Keyla Martínez.”
PBI-Honduras posted on Instagram:
PBI-Colombia accompanied the Catatumbo Campesino Association in El Tarra for the celebration of the International Women’s Forum in which the Women’s Coordinating Committee of the Catatumbo Campesino Reserve Zone was established.
PBI-Colombia tweeted:
PBI-Colombia also retweeted this post:
“PUBLIC STATEMENT on the situations of violence and stigmatization against women’s social protests #8M. In Bogota, disproportionate and irrational use of force by UNDMO was evidenced.”
The José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective (CCAJAR), accompanied by PBI-Colombia further explained in a tweet:
“#Attention We reject the disproportionate use of force by the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) against the women who exercised their right to peaceful protest on #InternationalWomensDay #8M2024. We share a video in which one of the human rights defenders from @Ccajar who accompanied the march is intimidated with a taser by one of the agents.”
PBI-Guatemala shared a video on Facebook and posted: “TZK’AT the Network of Ancestral Healers of Territorial Community Feminism from Iximulew share their message on #InternationalWomensDay.”
PBI-Kenya hosted the WHRDs Phonebook Digital Launch, which highlighted the diverse narratives, accomplishments, and contributions of WHRD Toolkit Organizers through the power of visual storytelling. See tweet:
PBI-Nicaragua posted on Facebook:
“Today we were accompanying the Nicaraguan defenders who on March 8 again marched in Costa Rica, reminding us in their slogans that ‘We march here, I can’t in my country.’
Feminist defender Cris, of the organization Las Malcriadas told us what it means for political refugees, that organizers have decided that they will lead the march: “It means that the struggle of all of us in exile, and those in Nicaragua is bearing fruit, it means resilience and hope and it means we’re going to be able to come back.
From PBI, we congratulate the Nicaraguan female defenders for this recognition earned with their hard work, for being an example of resistance and bravery in a very hostile context for the Defense of Human Rights.”
Looking beyond International Women’s Day, we remain steadfast in our solidarity, acknowledging the profound impact these women, and others globally, continue to make every day while also recognizing the collective responsibility we bear in nurturing a world where human rights are realized and upheld every day.
