Hear the Women Webinar

December 6, 2023

SHE Associates Co-Hosts of a Panel for the Ignite Change Global Convention to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights: HEAR THE WOMEN

On December 6, 2023 as a part of the Ignite Change Global Convention to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, SHE Associates alongside the Women Peace and Security Network Canada, co-hosted a critical online panel titled “Hear the Women – Experiences from Women Human Rights Defenders on the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This talk was part of the Ignite Change Global Convention, a 10-day commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ignite Change was organized by: The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights: https://www.jhcentre.org Righting Relations Canada: https://rightingrelations.org/ Canadians for a Civil Society: https://ccsorg.ca/

The panelists included:
Noura Aljizawi from Syria, is a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab, University of Toronto and the Chair Person of a women’s justice organization in Syria called Start Point

Shabnam Salehi, visiting lecturer and researcher at the University of Ottawa from Afghanistan

Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary Gender of Amnesty International Canada

The conversation was moderated by SHE Associates’ Urooj Mian

Opening intros were provided by WPSN Canada’s Chair Beth Woroniuk.

The discussion focussed on reflections at the 75th anniversary of the UN Declaration and needs for solidarity with human rights. We discussed barriers, threats and best practices in working as a women human rights defender across contexts. Personal accounts of diverse experiences uniquely informed the audience, and also demonstrated that the plight for equality, the fight for rights is universal similar in many ways across the globe. The full video and transcript can be accessed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=affmDAsQERs