HSF makes submissions seeking enhanced protection of women
23 May 2023
In the past week, HSF has made two submissions seeking to enhance the protection of women and their safety and visibility in public life.
Its submissions to the Parliamentary Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities regarding the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill maintain that the definition of gender-based violence should be expanded to include violence based on gender identity and sexuality and urges increased operational and oversight capacity of the Council.
HSF’s submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders on the challenges faced by Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) seeks to highlight, in particular, the alarming levels of online hate and abuse to which WHRDs are subject, not unlike their counterparts in the journalism profession. Online threats, abuse and harassment are intended to and do silence women’s voices, diminishing their participation and impairing their ability to be effective public advocates and human rights defenders. They also set back long-term UN goals of securing gender equality and progress.
HSF urges the Special Rapporteur to add her voice to those calling on social media and artificial intelligence companies to ensure that online and virtual spaces reflect real protections for women and deterrents to their abuse and intimidation.
Issued by Helen Suzman Foundation, 23 May 2023
