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Our Bodies, Our Land – Join WHRD session at Generation Equality Forum – Paris

  • JASS

From June 30 to July 2, the French Government will host the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) in Paris, organized under the auspices of UN Women to mark the landmark Beijing Womenā€™s Conference over 25 years ago.

JASS and Urgent Action Fund- AfricaĀ will be convening a session, ā€œOur Bodies, Our Land: Women Human Rights Defenders Leading Protection of Life & Land” on June 30, 11:40am to 12:25 (PARIS TIME / UTC +2, featuring Ā women land defenders from Honduras, Indonesia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The session will spotlight their stories and strategies of resistance to the resource extraction devastating their communities.

We are asking allies to join the session as a sign of solidarity and support for women land defenders and their struggles.

This is all the more important because of the number of barriers, regulations, and exclusions that have made GEF Paris difficult, risky, and even impossible for many women activists ā€“ particularly indigenous women, LBTI, sex workers, and others already facing political marginalization. This runs counter to a commitment of creating a truly global space for gender equality. The voices and perspectives of women defenders should and must be heard on their own terms!Ā 

We ask you to join us for this session at GEF in solidarity with the women defenders who, despite many obstacles are claiming the political space to bring attention to their important work.

About the session

  • Date: June 30th, 2021
  • Time: 11:40am to 12:25 (PARIS TIME / UTC +2) Tegucigalpa 03:00 hrs / Lima 04:00 hrs / NYC 05:00 hrs / Paris, Harare 11:00 hrs / Manila 17:00 hrs.Ā 
  • Duration: 45 minutes

Everyone will need to log in 1 hour before the live slot

The deadline to register is 27 June at 23:59 (GMT+2)

Speakers

Susan Asio, Urgent Action Fund Africa – UgandaĀ 

Susan has over 10 yearsā€™ experience championing gender equality and womenā€™s rights. Through consolidated advocacy for gender responsive policies, research and documentation, capacity building, coalition building, mobilization and sensitization, Susan has worked to advance womenā€™s capabilities and influence legislation and policy for gender equality in Uganda and across the globe. She is currently pursuing a Masterā€™s of Science Degree in Development Management at the Open University-United Kingdom and currently works at Urgent Action Fund Africa.

Laura CĆ”ceres ZĆŗƱigaĀ  ā€“ Council of Popular and indigenous Organizations in Honduras, COPINH, HondurasĀ 

Laura is the daughter of Berta CĆ”ceres and a COPINH activist. Since her teenage years, she has participated in the organizationā€™s youth, communication, and popular education areas. After the coup dā€™Ć©tat in Honduras, she had to migrate to Argentina where she participated in youth and feminist movements. Currently she is in Honduras where she continues the struggle, together with COPINH, for justice for Berta CĆ”ceres and the Lenca people.

Pipi Zupeni, PEREMPUAN AMAN Lou Bawe region, Indonesia

Pipi is a 34 year-old indigenous woman activist and facilitator from Dayak Benuaq tribe in East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. In 2012, Pipi joined Perempuan AMAN Samarinda branch and participated in Movement Building Initiative with FAMM Indonesia. Pipi has facilitated training on establishment for the joint venture of the “Bawe Benuaq Tolant” group in Lambing village, and has been a resource person on strengthening Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago in Samarinda, East Kalimantan. Pipi is a high-school teacher, and currently the head of Perempuan AMAN Lou Bawe region.

Moderator: Melania Chiponda (JASS)

Melanie is a human rights defender based in Zimbabwe, focusing on womenā€™s economic, social and cultural rights, particularly women affected by natural resource extraction. She has worked for more than 15 years challenging large-scale mining projects and the devastating impacts these projects have on peasant and working-class women in Africa, as well as peasant and indigenous groups defending their land and territorial rights against the extractives industry.Ā  She holds a PhD in Development Studies and is working for Just Associates as a Research Consultant.

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