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Centering Feminist Voices at HRC60: WILPF’s Advocacy in Action 

The 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC60) opened in Geneva on 8 September, launching five weeks of urgent debates on global human rights challenges. Running until 8 October 2025, the session brings together governments, UN officials, and civil society. For WILPF, it is a vital opportunity to push feminist perspectives to the forefront — ensuring that women, feminist peace activists, and local movements are not only heard but are actively shaping solutions.

A colorful domed ceiling above the Human Rights Council chamber with large text overlay: WILPF’s Key Advocacy at the 60th Session of the Human Rights Council.
Image credit: WILPF
  • 5 min
WILPF International Secretariat
11 September 2025

From Afghanistan to Palestine, Cameroon and Syria, these crises are deeply interconnected, and WILPF’s advocacy centers the voices and agency of those most affected. 

Afghanistan: Investing in Local Feminist Leadership 

In Afghanistan, the Taliban’s institutionalised system of gender oppression continues to devastate women’s lives. During an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, Mr. Richard Bennett, serious concerns were raised about the scale and persistence of these abuses. WILPF echoes his call for an “all tools” approach to dismantle gender apartheid, but we know that change will only happen if frontline defenders such as Afghan women, feminist movements and women’s rights organisations are resourced and supported. 

“Let me be clear: Afghanistan is not a lost cause. It’s a test. A test of whether the world will stand firm against gender persecution. A test of whether human rights principles apply universally, or only when politically convenient. A test of whether we hear the voices of Afghans – especially women – who continue to valiantly resist despite extraordinary risks.” Oral update of Mr. Richard Bennett 

On 9 September at HRC60, WILPF delivered a statement during the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Afghanistan, highlighting how funding cuts are threatening the very survival of women-led and feminist organisations. Already operating under immense pressure and with minimal resources, many now face closure due to donor withdrawal. 

WILPF urges Member States and donors to urgently restore, increase, and sustain flexible funding for women’s civil society in Afghanistan. These concerns are also reflected in WILPF’s written submission to the Special Rapporteur’s upcoming report on the devastating impact of funding cuts on civil society, grassroots networks, and NGOs. 

Palestine: Voices of Resistance 

At HRC60, Gaza remains absent from the official agenda. WILPF is stepping in to amplify the voices of Palestinians living under decades-long siege. On 19 September, we will host a solidarity event outside the UN, titled “Voices from Gaza: Feminist Resistance under Siege and the Cost of Complicity”. 

This event moves beyond humanitarian narratives to call the Gaza siege by its true name: a deliberate, structural, and sustained campaign of settler-colonialism, as well genocidal and occupational violence. Through powerful testimonies, a screening of the Voices from Gaza podcast, and a panel discussion with feminist leaders from Palestine, the event will confront the lived realities in Gaza today. It will expose the structures driving starvation and displacement while issuing urgent calls to action. 

“Many people only heard about the siege on Gaza in recent months, or after October 7. But the truth is this siege began decades ago — it is the longest siege in history. It is a colonial siege, deliberately designed to destroy the very possibility of life … A siege with many chapters:  from counting calories to counting martyrs, from bread lines to death lines, from the world’s complicity to the steadfastness of Palestinians — especially women — against all odds.” – Voices from Gaza 

Event poster with illustrations of four women and text: A Podcast Screening & Panel Discussion: Voices from Gaza. Feminist Resistance under Siege & the Cost of Complicity. 19 September – 3 PM CEST, Geneva, Switzerland.
Read more about this event

Cameroon: Protecting Democratic Space 

Ahead of the 2025 presidential elections, Cameroon’s civic and democratic space is shrinking. Rising insecurity, political violence, and hate speech threaten the participation of women, youth, and marginalised groups. WILPF is calling on Member States to support a national dialogue and ensure fair, inclusive election procedures to prevent further violations and foster a democratic process that respects human rights. 

Syria: Transitional Justice After Sweida 

The recent violence in Sweida Governorate highlights the ongoing challenges faced by civilians in Syria. On 23 September, WILPF’s partners “The Syrian Feminist Lobby” will co-host a side event at HRC60 titled “The Human Rights Situation in Syria After the Sweida Events – Challenges of Implementing a Comprehensive Model of Transitional Justice”. 

The discussion will examine how to build a transitional justice process that leaves no one behind, addressing sectarianism, impunity, and widespread human rights violations including gender-based violence, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Participants from Syrian and international civil society will share insights from the ground and advocate for accountability mechanisms that recognise the voices and experiences of survivors. 

A Feminist Call to the Human Rights Council 

Across these contexts, WILPF’s message is clear: gender-based crimes and systemic violations cannot be addressed without centering the expertise and leadership of women and marginalised groups. The HRC must take proactive steps to prevent violence, ensure accountability, and support activists and movements driving real change – whether defending women’s rights in Afghanistan, confronting the siege and structural violence in Gaza, protecting democratic space in Cameroon, or advancing transitional justice in Syria. 

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WILPF International Secretariat

WILPF International Secretariat, with offices in Geneva and New York, liaises with the International Board and the National Sections and Groups for the implementation of WILPF International Programme, resolutions and policies as adopted by the International Congress. Under the direction of the Secretary-General, the Secretariat also provides support in areas of advocacy, communications, and financial operations.

Matt Mahmoudi

Matt Mahmoudi (he/him) is a lecturer, researcher, and organizer. He’s been leading the “Ban the Scan” campaign, Amnesty International’s research and advocacy efforts on banning facial recognition technologies and exposing their uses against racialized communities, from New York City to the occupied Palestinian territories.

Berit Aasen

Europe Alternate Regional Representative

Berit Aasen is a sociologist by training and has worked at the OsloMet Metropolitan University on Oslo. She has 40 years of experience in research and consultancy in development studies, including women, peace, and security, and in later years in asylum and refugee studies. Berit Aasen joined WILPF Norway five years ago. She is an alternate member of the National Board of WILPF Norway, and representing WILPF Norway in the UN Association of Norway, the Norwegian 1325 network and the Norwegian Women’s Lobby. Berit Aasen has been active in the WILPF European Liaison group and is committed to strengthening WILPF sections and membership both in Europe and relations across continents.

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

A woman in a blue, black, and white dress smiles radiantly in front of a leafy green background.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.