Researcher – Global Report on the Situation of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs)

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 and organisations, and their allies. Our mission is to deepen and sustain the collective power and resistance of WHRDs and their collective organising, across the intersections of movements, issues and regions.

The WHRD-IC is seeking a researcher, group of researchers or research organisation to develop a new Global Report on the Situation of Women Human Rights Defenders.

• Purpose: Lead the development of a new Global Report on WHRDs (women, trans, non‑binary defenders).
• Duration: February – November 2026 (10 months, approx. 80 working days).
• Location: Remote.
• Reporting to: Executive Coordinator & Knowledge Co‑Creation Working Group.
• Scope of Work: Research design & methodology (literature review, interviews, focus groups, case studies).
• Data collection with diverse WHRDIC members and grassroots actors.
• Intersectional, cross‑regional, cross‑movement analysis.
• Drafting and revising a 40–60 page global report + 5–8 page executive summary.
• Coalition engagement through workshops, validation sessions, and launch activities.
• Ethical Considerations: Must follow feminist, trauma‑informed, anti‑oppression, and secure documentation practices.

• Proven experience in human rights/gender justice/WHRD research
• Strong qualitative research skills (interviews, focus groups, narrative analysis)
• Experience with grassroots and diverse movements
• Familiarity with WHRD ecosystem desirable
• Excellent writing skills
• Ability to coordinate remotely across time zones
• Ethical awareness and safe documentation practices