Bryony Ball (SIFH+ Founder) Nominated and chosen for Amnesty International Suffragette Spirit

We are pleased to announce that Bryony Ball (SIFH+ Founder) has been nominated and chosen for Amnesty International Suffragette Spirit: A Map of Human Rights Defenders for founding and running SIFH+.

'The Suffragette Spirit project is a vital part of our global BRAVE campaign which calls for increased recognition and protection of human rights defenders. Across the UK and around the world human rights defenders are at the forefront of defending and furthering human rights for us all, making our world more just and fair. But in many parts of the world they are coming under increasing attack at an alarming rate and scale.

We know of at least 281 human rights defenders that were killed in 2016, simply for standing up for what they believed in – and initial research shows 2017 is set to have been the deadliest year yet. Women in particular face danger because of a so-called ‘double-discrimination’ – they’re attacked for both their sex and for being a campaigner. It’s time for all of us to speak up for their right – and ours – to defend human rights.

Who is a human rights defender? Our definition of a human rights defender is: a person who, individually or in association with others acts to defend, promote and protect human rights at local, national, regional or international levels"

How did we decide who’s on the map? We’ve scoured the country to find these women human rights defenders and we want to celebrate their work. People across the UK have nominated women human rights defenders who have inspired them with their amazing work. Nominees were then selected and went through a due diligence and consent process before being added to the map.

100 years ago British women finally won the right to vote.* The incredible work of the suffragettes – ordinary women who stopped at nothing to get their voices heard – paved the way for a century of women’s rights work in the UK. The suffragette spirit is alive and well in the UK today. Women across the UK are still fighting for our rights. They stand up to racism, say no to sexism, call out homophobia, challenge corruption, help the vulnerable and much more.

(*Women over 30 who owned property)'

- Amnesty International