Practical Guide to Community-Based Security for Women Defenders of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

ProDESC presents this Practical Guide to Community Security for Women Human Rights Defenders, built upon our previous publication, “Community Security and Territory.” This guide focuses on strengthening the security of women working at the community level, recognizing their diverse identities and the multiple forms of gender-based, racial, and class-based violence they face.

Through an innovative and complementary approach, this guide provides a practical framework for defenders to develop effective community security plans tailored to their realities. The proposed steps, illustrated through the story of a women’s association in the context of an extractive project, offer concrete tools for women defenders to enhance their security conditions and continue their work in human rights advocacy.

This document is the result of years of collaborative effort and is dedicated to all women defenders who, despite challenges, continue to fight for justice and equity. Furthermore, ProDESC is committed to revising and updating this guide to incorporate the experiences of other gender identities and their intersectionalities, aiming for greater inclusivity and representation.