RIGHTS at RISK Time for Action Observatory on the Universality of Rights Trends Report 2021 The Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) is a collaborative initiative that aims to monitor, analyze, and share information on initiatives that misuse religion, culture, and tradition to undermine the universality of human rights. Grounded in a feminist framework, the OURs initiative works across regions, issues, and human rights spaces towards the advancement of social justice. The OURs Working Group is made up of organizations and activists who work to protect and promote the universality of rights. For more on OURs, please visit www.oursplatform.org Lead Author: Naureen Shameem Contributing Authors: Alejandra Sardá-Chandiramani, Alex McCarthy, Ana Inés Abelenda, Anthea Taderera, Felogene Anumo, Fenya Fischler, Fernando D’Elio, Gillian Kane, Hyshyama Hamin, Inna Michaeli, Isabel Marler, Lola Guerra, María Luisa Peralta, Mirta Moragas Mereles, Paula Sánchez-Mejorada, Varyanne Sika, Verónica Vidal Degiorgis Knowledge-building exercises: Daniela Fonkatz Lead Editor: Isabel Marler © 2021 AWID Published by Association for Women’s Editor: Inna Michaeli Rights in Development (AWID) Copyeditor: Chinelo Onwualu Address: 215 Spadina Ave, Suite 225, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2C7 Canada Proofreader: Shaina Greiff Website: www.awid.org Research team: Daniela Marin Platero, This publication may be redistributed Gabby De Cicco, Isabel Marler, non-commercially in any media, Naureen Shameem, Rochelle Jones. unchanged and in whole, with credit given to AWID and the authors. Production: Isabel Marler Designer: Claman Chu Infographics: Chelsea Very Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike AWID would like to thank all our funders and 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) our members for their generous support. www.creativecommons.org The OURs Working Group includes: • ARC International • Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) • Association for Progressive Communications (APC) • Association for Women’s Rights in Acknowledgements: Development (AWID) • Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir The authors extend their gratitude Mexico (CDD-Mexico) to the members of the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) • Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights Working Group, who contributed in Muslim Societies (CSBR) a wealth of analysis to this report • Cynthia Rothschild (independent expert) and provided valuable feedback • Due Diligence Project on drafts. We also thank Sibongile • FEMENA Ndashe (Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa) for her review of • Global Interfaith Network for People of “Silencing Feminists in the African All Sexes, Sexual Orientation, Gender Human Rights System” and Heron Identity and Expression (GIN-SSOGIE) Greenesmith (Political Research • International Civil Society Action Network Associates) for their review of “The (ICAN) Links Between Anti-trans Feminists • International Women’s Rights Action and Christian Fundamentalists.” We Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW-AP) also extend our gratitude to the team • Ipas at OpenDemocracy 50.50, whose investigative research informed parts • Musawah: global movement for justice of “Funding of Anti-rights Actors.” and equality in the Muslim family • Muslims for Progressive Values • Planned Parenthood – Global (PPFA) • Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) • Soulforce • Synergía • World Council of Churches (WCC) Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................... 7 Inna Michaeli and Isabel Marler How to read this report .......................................................................................................13 Chapter 1 Advancing Feminist Agendas: Key Progressions on Gender and Sexuality ... 17 Naureen Shameem Global Spaces ......................................................................................................................19 Exercise: Let’s map and celebrate our wins! ..............................................................................27 Chapter 2 Understanding the Context of Anti-Rights Threats .......................................... 29 Nationalism and Ultra-nationalism .......................................................................................29 Isabel Marler Corporate Capture: Untamed Corporate Power is Putting Rights at Risk ..........................37 Felogene Anumo and Ana Ines Abelenda Reprisals and Closing Civic Spaces for Feminist Activists, LGBTQI and Women Human Rights Defenders ........................................................................................48 Verónica Vidal Degiorgis Movement Resistance Stories: CEDAW’s Article 16: A Pathway for Reformation of Discriminatory Family Laws in Muslim Contexts .......................................................................52 Alex McCarthy and Hyshyama Hamin Chapter 3 Anti-Rights Discourses ...................................................................................... 55 Gender Ideology ..................................................................................................................55 Fernando D’Elio and María Luisa Peralta Cultural Imperialism and Ideological Colonization ...............................................................59 Naureen Shameem Abortion ...............................................................................................................................63 Naureen Shameem Conscientious Objection ............................................................................................................................63 Prenatal Genocide ......................................................................................................................................65 Exercise: Let’s Take Back the Narrative ......................................................................................68 Movement Resistance Stories: The Nairobi Principles: Cross-Movement Commitments on Disability and SRHR .............................................................................................................70 Fenya Fischler Chapter 4 Anti-Rights Actors .............................................................................................. 73 CitizenGo .............................................................................................................................73 Naureen Shameem Alliance Defending Freedom ................................................................................................88 Naureen Shameem Funding of Anti-rights Actors ..................................................................................................102 Naureen Shameem The Links Between Anti-trans Feminists and Christian Fundamentalists ...............................110 Inna Michaeli and Fenya Fischler Exercise: Let’s Map the Landscape ..........................................................................................112 Movement Resistance Stories: Catolicadas, a Powerful Communication Tool to Promote Gender Equality and Sexual and Reproductive Rights ............................................113 Lola Guerra and Paula Sánchez-Mejorada Chapter 5 Anti-Rights Tactics, Strategies, and Impacts .................................................. 115 Naureen Shameem Institutionalization of Anti-rights Actors in UN Mechanisms ..............................................115 Opting-out and Delegitimization .......................................................................................120 Lowering Human Rights Standards ...................................................................................125 Co-optation – Building a Parallel Human Rights Framework ............................................130 Exercise: Holding Governments Accountable ..........................................................................134 Exercise: Yes, they are strong, but so are we! ..........................................................................136 Chapter 6 Anti-Rights Trends in Regional Human Rights Systems ................................ 139 Silencing Feminists in the African Human Rights System .................................................139 Anthea Taderera and Varyanne Sika Anti-rights Groups in Latin America: Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly and the Inter-American Human Rights System ...................................156 Mirta Moragas Mereles and Gillian Kane Movement Resistance Stories: The LAC LGBTTTI Coalition at the OAS .....................................174 Alejandra Sardá-Chandiramani RIGHTS AT RISK: TIME FOR ACTION Observatory on the Universality of Rights Trends Report 2021 Introduction Introduction www.oursplatform.org 6 RIGHTS AT RISK: TIME FOR ACTION Observatory on the Universality of Rights Trends Report 2021 Introduction Introduction oday, we face a global backlash against the human rights of women and LGBTQI people, against the right – Inna Michaeli and Isabel Marler AWID Tof each and every person to live freely and safely in their body and identity. This backlash intensifies in response to the positive changes that threaten oppressive laws and social norms. Since the publication of our first report in 2017, millions of people’s human rights have been defended and advanced in domestic and international law, against all the efforts of anti-rights actors. In 2018, Uruguay passed an act for trans rights, while Portugal prohibited genital surgeries in intersex children. In 2019, laws criminalizing same-sex relations were