ISHR calls for greater focus on women human rights defenders in CEDAW general recommendation on gender stereotypes

In April, CEDAW released a draft General Recommendation on ‘Dismantling Gender Stereotypes and the Unequal Power Relations that Sustain them’. The draft defines stereotypes, describes their causes, forms and impact, and also addresses intersectional discrimination. It examines how stereotypes operate across family, education, employment, health, public affairs, technology and culture and sets out the obligations of State parties at the executive, legislative and judicial levels – including with respect to non-state actors. The draft concludes by making recommendations to State parties on combating stereotypes. 

ISHR welcomes this draft General Recommendation and submitted detailed comments focused on strengthening recognition and protection of women human rights defenders. 

ISHR highlighted that women human rights defenders face stereotyping, discrimination and violence both, because of the rights they promote and defend, as well as on the basis of their gender or perceived gender – and on the basis of other intersecting grounds of discrimination. 

Referencing reports of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and other sources, ISHR emphasised that in addition to the challenges faced by all human rights defenders, women defenders face a specific and compounded set of risks that the General Recommendation must address. They are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, attacks on reputation or sexuality as defying stereotypes of what is ‘appropriate’, and attacks on their families based on stereotypes regarding their caregiving role. ISHR made specific proposals to update several paragraphs of the General Recommendation to reflect these realities.

ISHR drew on the ‘Declaration+25’, urging CEDAW to recommend that State parties:

• adopt a collective and intersectional approach to safeguard women human rights defenders, 
• refrain from and prevent stigmatization, 
• ensure access to justice, and 
• end all forms of harassment, reprisals and other adverse actions against women and girl human rights defenders. 

Further, ISHR urged the incorporation of the principle of consultation with civil society and women human rights defenders in any State action to tackle stereotypes. Through its comments, ISHR underscored that  the safety and enabling environment needed for women human rights defenders to carry out their work is inseparable from the broader goal of dismantling gender stereotypes, and the two must be addressed together. 

The draft general recommendation and ISHR’s comments are available here.