The 31st of October was not a particularly good day for Lebanese women. An overhead visual of the Lebanese parliament reminded us of the stark reality that we have only 4 women MPs, that’s 3 % of the total number of MPs, one of the lowest percentages in the world. Not only did we have […]
In partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Women on the Frontline programme is honoured to have organised the ‘Women on the Frontline: THEIR STORIES’ film screening, the second in a series of screenings around the world. Three films depicting the experiences of three activists from Syria, Iraq, and Yemen were […]
On June 16, International Domestic Worker’s Day, Hivos is focussing attention on the range of abuses domestic workers from Southeast Asia face in the Gulf Region every day: non-payment of salaries, forced confinement, food deprivation, excessive workloads, and instances of severe psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Especially now in the month of Ramadan, their working […]
Edited and translated version of original interview in Dutch by PZC Just over a year ago, our long-standing partner Mazen Darwish, director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, was languishing in a Syrian prison for the simple reason that he fought for freedom of expression. The lawyer and journalist was released […]
Update 17 March 2016: 31 international organisations, including Hivos, renew their call for Bassel’s release on the fourth anniversay of his detention (see the joint statement in the right sidebar) +++++++++++++++++ November 19, 2015Bassel Khartabil, a defender of freedom expression being held in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance may be facing a death sentence, 36 local and […]
Today marks International Women’s Day, an excellent opportunity to celebrate the work of our partner civil society organisations that promote women’s rights. Around the world, men and women are openly challenging situations that impede women’s equal position in society. Hivos’ Women on the Frontline (WoF) programme strengthens women’s organisations across the Middle East and North […]
On this International Human Rights Day, we take the opportunity to remember the brave Libyan activist Salwa Bugaighis, who believed deeply in human rights, women´s rights and equality for all, and who paid the ultimate price for her convictions. Salwa was one of the founders of the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace, and played a […]
‘Prevention’ is the 2015 theme of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. Violence against women is one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world. Many of the responses to address violence against women have focused mainly on supporting victims. Such strategies are crucial, but at the same time there […]
Today marks the UN International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women, an opportunity for civil society organisations and political activists to galvanise action to end violence against women and girls around the world. According to the United Nations, 35% of women and girls globally experience some form of physical and/or sexual violence in their […]
With the support of HIVOS, the Arab Institute for Human Rights and ABAAD MENA Organization launched today a 3-day regional seminar on “Child Marriage during Democratic Transition and Armed Conflicts”, also in collaboration with the Democratic Forum for Women in Transitional Societies – Amina Forum Lebanon. This seminar focusses on the marriage of underage girls, which has significantly […]
Hivos travelled to New York this week to participate in the High-Level Review of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security that is taking place on the eve of the resolution’s 15th anniversary. In this visit, organised as part of Women on the Frontline programme, Hivos joined forces with Karama to advocate […]
Hivos would like to congratulate the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for having been awarded the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. As the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated, the Quartet won this prize for its important role in establishing peace and stability in Tunisia, by creating “an alternative, peaceful political process at a time when the country was […]