Type Non-profitNGO | Location Global | |
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Fields Defending human rights, diplomacy, peace, justice Website www.defendinternational.org | ||
Defend International (commonly known as DI) was founded in 2007 by human rights activists, intellectuals and lawyers to promote and protect human rights in the Middle East and North Africa region. The international non-governmental organisation has defined as its mission "to respond to grave violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law, monitor the implementation of preventive measures that are designed to end impunity for the perpetrators of these crimes, conduct medical research that may either directly or indirectly improve the health standard of communities, and to promote peace and democracy through cultural relations and diplomacy." Its projects involve regional as well as international issues to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Contents
DI is made up of voluntary members and representatives. Since its establishment, it has collaborated with many civic and humanitarian organizations as well as agencies of various nations.
The structure is based on national, sub-regional and regional networks of individuals and civil society organizations. Dr. Widad Akrawi was the co-founder of Defend International.
Defend International is a partner of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative led by the United Nations Foundation and a member of the Peace One Day NGO Coalition and Peace Now.
Work
As a non-state actor, Defend International was formed to target governments, parliaments, international institutions and non-governmental groups or organizations.
DI has been active in:
Defending Women and Girls
The organization has identified strategies to address violence against women and child marriages
It has called for an end to female genital mutilation, the elimination of all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls, and called on UN negotiators of the Arms Trade Treaty to include a legally-binding provision to prevent armed gender-based violence.
From 2014 onwards, it engaged in developing the proper "tools and resources that can be utilized and replicated by supporters to ultimately identify the key gender and empowerment activities that are required to ensure that the next generations" of victims like the Yazidis are empowered through better understanding of their peaceful religion and culture.
Defend International has endorsed an international treaty on violence against women and girls worldwide and is a member of Everywoman Everywhere Coalition.
Defending Yazidis, Christians and Kobane
Through partnerships with artists like Edison band, Claude Arfaras, Jane Adams and Daniel Dalopo, Defend International launched a worldwide campaign in September 2014 to raise awareness about the Yazidis, Kobane and the Christians.
Speaking of women and girls kidnapped by ISIS, co-founder of Defend International said that ISIL uses slavery and rape as weapons of war against Yazidis and Christians. She asked the international community to intensify the efforts aimed at rescuing women and girls enslaved by ISIL.
Asked about Kobane, Dr. Widad said that “a massacre can be avoided, if there is a well-organized and well-defined plan on how to deal with IS – a plan that sets out the strategic and tactical activities to be undertaken at the international, regional and local levels,” adding that journalists, humanitarian- and human rights organizations are not allowed to pass through Turkish checkpoints near the border.
Charity
In October 2014, co-founder of Defend International was awarded the International Pfeffer Peace Award, which she dedicated to all victims of persecution, particularly the Yazidis, Christians and all residents of Kobane.