Amnesty International's Action Network on Women's Human Rights
International Women's Day, 2005. Toronto
The Action Network on Women's Human Rights (ANWHR) is composed of women and men who want to put an end to grave human rights violations against women. Members of the ANWHR receive a newsletter by mail three to four times per year. It contains information on women's rights, network activities, United Nations and government actions, new resources, and appeal cases focusing on women and girl-children. Through the newsletter, ANWHR members are encouraged to write letters or take other action on behalf of women whose human rights have been violated.
ANWHR members who are available to respond quickly to appeal cases may choose to receive Urgent Actions focusing on women on a continual basis (ex. twice per month). Urgent Actions are of an urgent nature, involving such cases as imminent application of the death penalty, reports of torture, or death threats. Cases are rushed to participants by e-mail (or fax or mail), who respond swiftly by sending letters of appeal to the appropriate authorities. Find out more about the Urgent Action Network.
Other options available to ANWHR members include:
- working with the local media;
- serving as a public speaker at local Amnesty group meetings or at public events (such as panel discussions and public fora) where a speaker from Amnesty has been requested to address women's issues;
- working alone or with other ANWHR members to organize public awareness activities such as informational tables or film screenings;
- fundraising;
- using any other special skills you may wish to share with Amnesty.
If you would like to join the ANWHR, first ensure that you are a member of Amnesty International and that your membership is up to date. If you are not a current member, please make your membership contribution. Then to become a member of the ANWHR, send an e-mail to members@amnesty.ca and indicate whether you wish to receive the newsletter only, or also participate in additional ways (Urgent Actions on women, working with the local media, public speaking, working on local public awareness or creating a local ANWHR group, fundraising, or using other skills you may have).
If you are requesting Urgent Actions on women, please let us know at what rate you would like them to arrive. Many people choose two per month, but you can receive as many as two per day or as little as four per year.
Updated: 6 March 2008