7. Some human rights defenders are at greater risk because of the nature of the rights that they are seeking to protect. This is particularly true with regard to women who are human rights defenders. In many situations, women are at the front line of the struggle, not only for their own rights but also for those of their families and communities. In the midst of these struggles, many of these women are also personally at risk, for example, when they challenge the structures of societies that perpetuate discrimination against women, in particular where they relate to issues of sexuality and reproductive rights. Many women face additional discrimination because of their race, ethnicity, language, culture, religion or sexual orientation. In these circumstances, the call in the Beijing Platform for Action for Governments to ensure the protection of women engaged in the defence of human rights is of particular importance.

Link to full text of the report: http://www.un.org/documents/ga/docs/55/a55292.pdf