Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR)
by Denise Nanni, ProMosaik Italia, May 13, 2016.
WWHR is an NGO established in
1993 in Istanbul, and has always worked at national and international levels
with the aim of ensuring a global acknowledgement of women’s rights.
1993 in Istanbul, and has always worked at national and international levels
with the aim of ensuring a global acknowledgement of women’s rights.
The importance of its role
has been recognised on several occasions. In 1999, the UN Assembly invited WWHR
delegates to take part in “A world free of violence against women”conference;
during the same year it received the Leading Solution Award from the Association
for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID); in 2004, the Council for
Torture Victims acknowledged the WWHR’s Human Rights Education Program
for Women (HREP) as being one of the best strategies to promote human
rights; and in 2007, the WWHR received the International Women’s Rights
Prize from the Gruber Foundation.
has been recognised on several occasions. In 1999, the UN Assembly invited WWHR
delegates to take part in “A world free of violence against women”conference;
during the same year it received the Leading Solution Award from the Association
for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID); in 2004, the Council for
Torture Victims acknowledged the WWHR’s Human Rights Education Program
for Women (HREP) as being one of the best strategies to promote human
rights; and in 2007, the WWHR received the International Women’s Rights
Prize from the Gruber Foundation.
The strategy used by WWHR is
composed of several components: the creation of regional and international
coalitions; the promotion of legal, social and political improvements; and
awareness-raising and capacity-building activities. One of the main features of
this NGO is the integrative approach towards women’s rights, since it takes
into account the connections between the private and the public spheres.
composed of several components: the creation of regional and international
coalitions; the promotion of legal, social and political improvements; and
awareness-raising and capacity-building activities. One of the main features of
this NGO is the integrative approach towards women’s rights, since it takes
into account the connections between the private and the public spheres.
At the international level,
it coordinates the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim
Societies (CSBR); it has had an advisory role in the Economic and Social
Council of United Nations since 2005; and it prepares the periodical shadow
report for the CEDAW Committee. Moreover, it cooperates with several divisions
of the United Nations.
it coordinates the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim
Societies (CSBR); it has had an advisory role in the Economic and Social
Council of United Nations since 2005; and it prepares the periodical shadow
report for the CEDAW Committee. Moreover, it cooperates with several divisions
of the United Nations.
At the national level the
WWHR had and still has an active role guiding several campaigns, like the the
opposition to virginity tests in 1997; the adoption of a proper legal framework
against domestic violence in 1998; and the campaigns to promote the reforms of
civil and penal codes in 2000 and 2012. In September 2015, the WWHR released,
together with 113 women and LGBT NGOs, a joint declaration for peace; two
months later, they addressed a letter directly to the President and the Prime
Minister of Turkey asking to cease all attacks against civilians with the
petition being signed by 68 Turkish NGOs and 33 NGOs from all over the world.
WWHR had and still has an active role guiding several campaigns, like the the
opposition to virginity tests in 1997; the adoption of a proper legal framework
against domestic violence in 1998; and the campaigns to promote the reforms of
civil and penal codes in 2000 and 2012. In September 2015, the WWHR released,
together with 113 women and LGBT NGOs, a joint declaration for peace; two
months later, they addressed a letter directly to the President and the Prime
Minister of Turkey asking to cease all attacks against civilians with the
petition being signed by 68 Turkish NGOs and 33 NGOs from all over the world.
The Coalition for Sexual
and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies: In September 2001 a conference was held in Istanbul called Women,
Sexuality and Change in Middle East and Mediterranean, where the delegates
of 19 NGOs met to discuss the different forms of sexual oppression in the
Muslim countries. The outcome of this conference was the creation of The
Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), an
international network, which aims to promote sexual, physical and reproductive
rights in Muslim societies. In 2004, the Coalition had been expanded with
countries from South East Asia. The CSBR has an inclusive approach towards
sexuality, acknowledging its role in the private, public and political life.
The CSBR had an important role into fighting the taboos about LGBT communities.
The Coalition operates mainly through campaigns and similar awareness-raising
activities, and it takes part in United Nations forums and conferences.
and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies: In September 2001 a conference was held in Istanbul called Women,
Sexuality and Change in Middle East and Mediterranean, where the delegates
of 19 NGOs met to discuss the different forms of sexual oppression in the
Muslim countries. The outcome of this conference was the creation of The
Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), an
international network, which aims to promote sexual, physical and reproductive
rights in Muslim societies. In 2004, the Coalition had been expanded with
countries from South East Asia. The CSBR has an inclusive approach towards
sexuality, acknowledging its role in the private, public and political life.
The CSBR had an important role into fighting the taboos about LGBT communities.
The Coalition operates mainly through campaigns and similar awareness-raising
activities, and it takes part in United Nations forums and conferences.
Human Rights Education
Program for Women (HREP): During the
first years of operation, the WWHR’s activists conducted several research
projects on Turkish territory where they noticed a lack of awareness of the
legal rights of women whose lives were mainly based on common practices
and traditions. Notably, the women interviewed during this research expressed
the need to know more. In 1995 the HREP was launched in Umraniye, one of
Istanbul’s districts, in partnership with a local community centre. A second
pilot was launched in 1997 in the South East of Turkey and, in the same period,
a trainer’s manual was drafted. It was composed of 16 chapters and contained
instructions for the trainers and participants of the program. In 1998, WWHR
started the partnership with a national agency, the General Directorate of
Social Service. Since then, the program has been implemented in 45 community
centres, reaching more than tens of thousands women. Today the program is
conceptualised into five stages: establishment of a partnership, trainers’
training, implementation on the field, monitoring and evaluation, bottom-up
initiatives. The topics faced during the program are several: human and women’s
rights, civil rights, domestic violence, strategies against violence, economic
rights, communication abilities, women’s sexuality and reproductive rights,
women, politics and organisation. In 2002, Nüket Kardam, from the Monterey
Institute of International Studies, prepared an evaluation of the program.
According to this evaluation most of women who took part to the program,
acknowledged improvements in their lives.
Program for Women (HREP): During the
first years of operation, the WWHR’s activists conducted several research
projects on Turkish territory where they noticed a lack of awareness of the
legal rights of women whose lives were mainly based on common practices
and traditions. Notably, the women interviewed during this research expressed
the need to know more. In 1995 the HREP was launched in Umraniye, one of
Istanbul’s districts, in partnership with a local community centre. A second
pilot was launched in 1997 in the South East of Turkey and, in the same period,
a trainer’s manual was drafted. It was composed of 16 chapters and contained
instructions for the trainers and participants of the program. In 1998, WWHR
started the partnership with a national agency, the General Directorate of
Social Service. Since then, the program has been implemented in 45 community
centres, reaching more than tens of thousands women. Today the program is
conceptualised into five stages: establishment of a partnership, trainers’
training, implementation on the field, monitoring and evaluation, bottom-up
initiatives. The topics faced during the program are several: human and women’s
rights, civil rights, domestic violence, strategies against violence, economic
rights, communication abilities, women’s sexuality and reproductive rights,
women, politics and organisation. In 2002, Nüket Kardam, from the Monterey
Institute of International Studies, prepared an evaluation of the program.
According to this evaluation most of women who took part to the program,
acknowledged improvements in their lives.
