Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD-IC) seeks a Researcher – Global Report on the Situation of Women Human Rights Defenders: Apply by 10 January 2026
Duration: February – November 2026 (10 months)
Location: Remote
Commitment: Approximately 80 working days
Reports to: Executive Coordinator, Knowledge Co-Creation Working Group
Application deadline: 10 January 2026
Eligibility: Open to individual researchers, research teams, and research organisations
About WHRD-IC
The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD-IC) is a transnational, intersectional feminist coalition of women human rights defenders, feminists, trans and non-binary activists, organisations, collectives, and allies.
Since 2005, WHRD-IC has worked to deepen, sustain, and amplify the collective power, resistance, and organising of WHRDs across movements, identities, and regions.
The Coalition currently comprises over 30 organisations from the global South and North, working locally, nationally, regionally, and transnationally across a wide range of justice and rights issues.
Purpose of the Role
WHRD-IC seeks a researcher—or team/organisation of researchers—to produce a new Global Report on the Situation of Women Human Rights Defenders. This publication will build on the Coalition’s previous global report while expanding and updating the body of knowledge through an intersectional, cross-regional, and cross-movement lens.
The definition of WHRDs includes women, trans and non-binary human rights defenders working across all human rights issues, as well as people of all genders defending gender and sexuality rights.
The research will combine hired expertise, collaboration with WHRD-IC members, and structured participatory processes with partners and allies.
Objectives of the Research
The Global Report will:
- Provide an up-to-date overview of key trends, challenges, threats, and violations faced by WHRDs across identities, regions, and movements.
- Analyse the evolving risks WHRDs face within contemporary contexts of backlash, authoritarianism, conflict, and polycrisis.
- Identify new and emerging dynamics in WHRD activism, grounded in previous WHRD-IC research and collective knowledge.
- Document stories of resistance, resilience, safety strategies, and solidarity, with attention to effective feminist organising tactics and their impacts.
- Offer concrete, stakeholder-specific recommendations—international, regional, and local—on how WHRDs and their work can be better supported, protected, and resourced.
Scope of Work
1. Research Design & Methodology
- Develop an Inception Report outlining objectives, scope, methodology, and workplan.
- Ensure broad representation across themes, identities, regions, and movements.
- Propose a mixed qualitative methodology, which may include literature review, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, remote documentation, and case studies.
- Build on WHRD-IC’s prior research and member publications.
2. Data Collection
- Conduct interviews and focus groups with WHRD-IC members and a diverse range of WHRDs.
- Identify gaps and propose additional outreach to ensure balance.
- Support members in contributing case studies or stories.
- Follow trauma-informed, ethical, secure, and culturally sensitive practices.
3. Intersectional and Cross-Movement Lens
- Use tracking systems to ensure representation across identity groups, regions, and movements.
- Prioritise inclusion of grassroots and marginalised groups.
4. Analysis
- Identify patterns in risks, threats, violations, and trends over time.
- Highlight new forms of repression and shifts since previous reports.
- Document positive stories, feminist strategies, evidence of impact, and lessons learned.
- Apply intersectional, decolonial feminist analysis.
5. Drafting the Report
- Produce a coherent, accessible, and advocacy-oriented report integrating narrative and analytical elements.
- Embed ethically collected case studies and stories.
6. Coalition Engagement
- Attend coordination meetings with the WHRD-IC Executive Coordinator and the Knowledge Co-Creation Working Group.
- Facilitate virtual workshops for co-development of methodology, findings, and chapters.
- Present preliminary findings and incorporate member feedback.
- Participate in public launch activities.
Expected Deliverables
- Inception Report
- Data collection tools
- Interim findings report
- First full draft of the Global Report
- Revised draft incorporating member feedback
- Final Global Report (approx. 40–60 pages)
- Executive Summary (5–8 pages)
Timeline
- Inception Report: March 2026
- Interim findings: July 2026
- First draft: September 2026
- Revised draft: October 2026
- Final report & summary: November 2026
(Timeline may adjust based on the confirmed start date.)
Required Qualifications
- Proven experience researching human rights, gender justice, or WHRD-related issues.
- Ability to apply feminist, intersectional, participatory methodologies.
- Strong qualitative skills (interviews, focus groups, narrative analysis).
- Experience engaging grassroots groups and diverse movements.
- Knowledge of the WHRD ecosystem is highly desirable.
- Excellent writing and remote collaboration skills.
- Strong ethical awareness and experience in safe, secure documentation.
Ethical Commitments
The researcher must adhere to feminist, anti-oppression, and human rights principles; follow secure communication practices; ensure trauma-informed and survivor-centred research; maintain confidentiality; and use informed consent in all interviews and case documentation.
Contract & Compensation
The consultant will be contracted from 1 February to 30 November 2026. Compensation is based on a daily rate for an agreed number of working days, with payments scheduled by mutual agreement.
How to Apply
Submit the following to whrdic@whrdic.org with subject line: Researcher – [your name]:
- CV
- Portfolio with links to authored publications
- Technical proposal including:
- A brief background and explanation of suitability
- A research plan with methodology, timeline, budget, and a concise security plan
- Contact information for 2–3 referees
Deadline: 10 January 2026
Applications from women, trans, non-binary, intersex persons, persons with disabilities, and candidates from the global South and historically oppressed groups are strongly encouraged. Research organisations and collectives are welcome to apply.
