In Support of Women Human Rights Defenders - Sweden
In Support of Women Human Rights Defenders
In honor of International Women's Day, the embassy hosted a breakfast seminar in partnership with The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation to launch their report State of Women Human Rights Defenders 2026.
Breakfast seminar on the State of Women Human Rights Defenders 2026
This biannual State of Women Human Rights Defenders 2026 report analyses the security of women’s rights and queer rights activists in regions affected by conflict, violence and fragility, as well as the civic space available to them. This year’s research report show that democratic backsliding and a global pushback on gender equality continue to impact feminist organizations and women human rights defenders. Nearly 7 out of 10 activists report that they have been threatened and harassed, both online and offline. The authors of the report warn that although many activists seem to adapt, being under constant threat can lead to burnout, or being forced to go underground or into exile.
In order to support women human rights defenders, the report recommends for example the use of agreed gender equality terminology in negotiations, communication and policy frameworks and the embedding of local feminist expertise in policy and program design. Other key components include long-term funding and protection mechanisms.
As ambassador Joost Reintjes emphasized during his introductory remarks, that the Netherlands will continue to stand for women’s rights and gender equality as a pillar of our foreign policy. The Netherlands will do so by providing financial support to women’s organizations, prioritizing equal rights within our human rights agenda, and ensuring that the specific needs of women and girls are integrated into all our international programming.
Many thanks to all who came to learn more about the state of women human rights defenders. A special thanks to The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, Secretary-General Petra Tötterman Andorff, report authors Eva Zillen and Charlotte dos Santos Pruth and to women human rights defender Jelena Višnjić from BeFem feministički kulturni centar for sharing their expertise and inspiring us all to work for a safer and more equal world.
Read the full report here.