Issue Areas

FAR welcomes the report of the WGDAWG on the Causes of Deprivation of Liberty and the Extension of Its Mandate

In June 2019, the report Women deprived of liberty was released by the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, one of the two special procedures of the Human Rights Council (HRC) comprised of independent human rights experts with mandates to specifically report and advise on women’s human rights. This report is an essential analysis to understand the underlying […]

The Role of Women’s Human Rights Mechanisms in Advancing a Feminist Agenda and Protecting Human Rights

FAR aims to increase the knowledge and effective utilization of international and regional human rights instruments and mechanisms. This approach strengthens the capacities of women’s rights defenders and organizations, as well as supports their strategies to hold governments accountable for human rights violations against women and girls. As women’s rights and gender equality continue to face backlash and attacks, it is […]

“You Only Get What You Fight For!”: Siva Thanenthiran

Siva Thanenthiran is currently the Executive Director of ARROW in Malaysia. Prior to that, she explored different career choices in her life, which included teaching at a university, running a magazine across three countries and working for the United Nations. Her myriad work experiences helped her discover her passion for writing and learning and form her ideals of working in […]

Feminist Spaces Remain Notoriously Clueless About Disabled Women’s Needs: Nidhi Goyal

Nidhi Goyal is a young feminist from India working at the intersections of disability and gender. She is committed to changing the lives of women and girls with disabilities. Her work spans research, writing, training, campings, advocacy, and art. She’s the founder and director of Rising Flame Foundation, a small but robust organization focused on building leadership skills of persons with […]

Regional Meeting in Latin America June 2017 – Read Our Colombia Meeting Report

Last month, in collaboration with FIAN, Colombia, FAR co-organized a regional meeting in Latin America in Bogota, Colombia, from June 27th to 29th. This powerful and critical meeting brought together women’s organizations in Latin America, working at the intersections of human rights, environmental justice and gender equality. Participants were representatives of women’s and social justice organizations working on a national […]

UN Expert Meeting Synergizes Around SDG 5 and Agenda 2030

Ahead of next month’s High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) brought together an expert group meeting on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” as a contribution to the in-depth review of the goal at the 2017 HLPF. […]

Profiles in Feminist Courage: Hibaaq Osman and Dinah Musinderwezo

When Hibaaq Osman or Dinah Musinderwezo speak, the world listens. Especially the world of human rights, gender equality and the likes of the new UN Secretary General at the 61st Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) earlier this March. Hibaaq Osman founded and since founding it in 2005, she leads Karama, an organization that builds the strength and influence […]

Women and the Right to Land: A Case Study of Brazil

From the perspective of women’s grassroots movements, defending basic rights to land and food is a constant struggle. Around the world, the expansion of agricultural production for export, controlled by large landowners and corporations, continually displaces rural communities. They are forced to leave their lands and means of subsistence, and become vulnerable to labor exploitation in large plantations or in […]

FAR’s Policy Highlights for CSW61

In preparation for the 61st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), FAR’s regional partners presented key advocacy points that reflect their grassroots work in relation to three thematic areas: Economic and Social Rights; Peace, Safety and Security; Ending Gender-Based Violence and Defending Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; Climate Change, Cultural, Indigenous and Land […]

FAR Steering Committee Members Shine at UN Townhall Meeting during CSW61

This year, as every year, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was full of rich sessions, discussions and side events revolving around this year’s theme: Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work. Amidst the various sessions, the UN also organized a townhall meeting with the new Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday, March 17. Two of […]