Letter asks governments around the world to

protect women activists

By Liz Ford, The Guardian, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.15.19
Word Count 447
Level 570L

Emma Watson (right) stands alongside Mauritanian activist Aïssata Lam at the first meeting of the G7 advisory committee for gender
equality at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France. Photo by: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

March 8 was International Women's Day.

That day, a letter was published in the Guardian newspaper. It asked governments to protect
women activists. Women activists fight for human rights. They are trying to make the world better.
Seventy-six people signed the letter. Many of them are very famous.

One was Emma Watson. She is an actress. She played Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter"
movies. Watson is also an activist for women's rights.

The letter says that women activists face danger when they speak out. It asks world leaders to
protect them. All women need to be heard and respected. They have the right to make their own
choices, it says. The letter asks governments to stop attacks on women activists. The signers also
want more respect for women's rights groups.

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The United Nations (U.N.) is an international group. Countries come together at the U.N. to
protect human rights and solve global problems. The U.N. promised to protect women activists in
2013. Michel Frost reports about human rights defenders to the U.N. In February, he said women
were facing more danger.

Being An Activist Can Be Dangerous

Frost said women activists face attacks. The danger comes not just from the government. They are
also attacked by their communities. Activists can face danger even from their own families.

Some activists have even been killed. Berta Cáceres worked to protect the environment. Marielle
Franco was a Brazilian official. They were both murdered for their activism.

Helen Kezie-Nwoha said safety is a problem for women activists. She runs Isis-Women's
International Cross-Cultural Exchange. Her group records attacks against women's rights
activists. It is based in Uganda, an African country.

Many well-known people signed the letter. They said now is a good time to fight the problems
women face. Power is growing behind the #MeToo movement. Thanks to the #MeToo movement,
more women are speaking out. They are sharing stories of being mistreated by men.

Womankind Worldwide organized the letter signing. The group helps women's rights activists in
Africa and Asia.

Fighting For Human Rights

Caroline Haworth runs Womankind Worldwide. She said the letter shows women around the
world trying to help. Many people want to help women's rights activists. They are fighting for
others. Growing problems in the world are also putting women's rights at risk.

Another letter was also published on International Women's Day. A group called One organized
the letter signing. One fights for human rights.

The letter was written to world leaders. Forty-five activists from 15 African countries signed it.
They want more to be done to end the unfair treatment of women in African countries. The speed
of change is not fast enough, they say.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 Read the paragraph from the introduction [paragraphs 1-5].

The letter says that women activists face danger when they speak out. It asks world leaders to
protect them. All women need to be heard and respected. They have the right to make their own
choices, it says. The letter asks governments to stop attacks on women activists. The signers
also want more respect for women's rights groups.

Which question is answered by this paragraph?

(A) Which world leaders were first to read the letter?

(B) When will governments stop attacks on women?

(C) Who were the women who signed the letter?

(D) What kinds of things is the letter asking for?

2 Read the section "Being An Activist Can Be Dangerous."

Which selection from the section explains who is sometimes behind the attacks on women?

(A) The danger comes not just from the government. They are also attacked by their communities. Activists
can face danger even from their own families.

(B) Berta Cáceres worked to protect the environment. Marielle Franco was a Brazilian official. They were
both murdered for their activism.

(C) Helen Kezie-Nwoha said safety is a problem for women activists. She runs Isis-Women's International
Cross-Cultural Exchange. Her group records attacks against women's rights activists.

(D) Womankind Worldwide organized the letter signing. The group helps women's rights activists in Africa
and Asia.

3 The well-known people who signed the letter think now is a good time to fight the problems women activists face.

Why do they think this?

(A) because women are facing fewer problems than ever before in history

(B) because the #MeToo movement has helped many women speak out

(C) because the U.N. promised to protect women activists in 2013

(D) because the changes to end unfair treatment are happening so fast

4 Read the paragraph from the section "Fighting For Human Rights."

Caroline Haworth runs Womankind Worldwide. She said the letter shows women around the
world trying to help. Many people want to help women's rights activists. They are fighting for
others. Growing problems in the world are also putting women's rights at risk.

How does Haworth feel about the letter?

(A) She thinks it is getting too much attention from women's groups.

(B) She thinks it will only cause growing problems around the world.

(C) She thinks it shows how important it is for women to help each other.

(D) She thinks it will put the rights of even more women activists at risk.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.