Protecting women human rights defenders first step to peace

Only when women are free to safely promote and protect human rights in conflict will we see peace overcome war

For years, women human rights defenders in Gaza have documented human rights violations by both Hamas and Israeli occupation forces.  Picture: AP/Fatima Shbair

It takes courage to be a human rights defender. It takes even more courage to be a woman human rights defender. I have met many courageous women who have risked everything to defend the rights of others during conflicts. 

One of the names that comes to mind is Bety Cariňo, from Oaxaca in Mexico, whose words have stayed with me: "Today we want to live a different history. We are rebelling and we are saying enough. The time is coming of us the peoples, the rebellious women and the people from below."