Human Rights Day: what do you want to ask campaigners?

Members of the Gulabi Gang (Pink Gang), a group of women in rural India who strive for social justice and fight for womens rights. Photograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty Images

Human rights activists often face threats of violence, intimidation and imprisonment while campaigning against injustice. Women campaigning for their rights can face further challenges as they battle against gender stereotypes and opposition to their roles as leaders. To mark Human Rights Day on Wednesday, we hosted a live chat with three human rights defenders who answered your questions on their campaigning work and the challenges they face in uncovering abuses.

Dinara Yunus, Azerbaijan

Yunus is an independent human rights activist who has lived in exile in the Netherlands for the past five years. Her parents, Arif and Leyla Yunus, are prominent human rights defenders who are imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Leyla is founder and director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy. Leyla and Arifs campaigning work included compiling and disseminating a list of political prisoners held in in Azerbaijan. Dinara is working on her parents case.

Christina Tinay Palabay, Philippines

Palabay is the secretary general of Karapatan, a human rights organisation monitoring and documenting violations in the Philippines. She is also the convenor of Tanggol Bayi (Defend Women), an association of female human rights defenders in the country.

Alejandra Ancheita, Mexico

Ancheita is founder and executive director of the Mexico City-based ProDESC (project of economic, cultural and social rights). She is a lawyer and activist focusing on the rights of migrants, workers and indigenous communities. She has dedicated more than 15 years to protecting peoples land and labour rights in the face of increasing infringements from multinational mining and energy companies.

Readers asked about the challenges the campaigners face, particularly from authorities wishing to quash any form of dissent:

Readers also asked what was required for campaigners to affect change:

The rest is here:
Human Rights Day: what do you want to ask campaigners?