Global Freedom Declines: Women's Rights Activists Face Persecution
Global freedom has been on a steady decline since 2006, with over three-quarters of the world's population now living under restricted political rights. Meanwhile, funding for women's rights organizations has been cut, leaving them vulnerable to persecution and repression.
In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega has been cracking down on feminist and progressive movements, leading to a descent into dictatorship. Over 2,090 activists have been imprisoned, and hundreds more live in exile. This follows a global trend of democratic institutions eroding, with examples including rollbacks of voting rights in the US and repression of civil society in Hungary. Feminist activists are often targeted by regimes seeking to silence dissent.
Suyen Barahona, a prominent feminist activist and human-rights advocate, has faced severe persecution. She was abducted from her home in 2021, illegally detained for 606 days, and later deported, stripped of her citizenship, and removed from the national civil registry. Her case is not an isolated incident; many women's rights activists worldwide have faced similar persecution.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have collectively cut more than US$17.2 billion in aid funding for the next five years. This includes a significant reduction in funding for women's rights organizations, which already receive a meager 0.2% of international aid. These cuts threaten their political influence and ability to achieve lasting change.
The decline in global freedom and the persecution of women's rights activists are interconnected issues. When women's rights organizations are sidelined or repressed, accountability falters, and those in power escape scrutiny. To protect and advance democracy, it is crucial to support and fund women's rights organizations and hold governments accountable for their actions.
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