Belarusian Women: Protesting For Change And Equality

Women in Belarus have been at the forefront of the struggle for freedom and human rights, with many taking to the streets to protest against the authoritarian government of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994. The 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, sparked by a disputed presidential election, saw women play a prominent role, with female activists and politicians leading demonstrations and marches against police violence and state repression. These women have faced severe repercussions for their actions, including torture, imprisonment, and exile. The international community, including the EU and UN, has condemned the Belarusian government's response to the protests and called for the protection of human rights and democratic values in the country.

Women are protesting the disputed election result and police brutality

Women in Belarus have been at the forefront of the resistance movement against the country's authoritarian government and President Alexander Lukashenko. The protests, which began in the lead-up to and during the disputed 2020 presidential election, have seen women play a prominent role in demanding free and fair elections and an end to police brutality.

The women's protests in Belarus have often been referred to as a "revolution with a female face". While the public role of women since the end of the protests has diminished, they remain active drivers of resistance, often operating in the background. One of the most visible forms of protest has been the "women's marches" against police violence, with female protesters dressing in white and forming human chains to call for an end to police brutality and the release of all detained protesters.

The women protesting in Belarus are risking everything to stand up for their beliefs in a deeply patriarchal society with endemic domestic violence. They have been subjected to various forms of retaliation and repression by the authorities, including accusations of being "bad mothers" and "bad wives", threats to take their children away, ill-treatment in detention, and prison sentences resulting from unfounded criminal prosecutions.

The female faces of the Belarusian resistance include Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who stood up for her detained husband and became a presidential candidate in the 2020 election; Maryia Kalesnikava, who headed the headquarters of the imprisoned opposition candidate Viktar Babaryka; and Veranika Tsapkala, the wife of the unregistered candidate Valery Tsapkala. These three women, known as the "female trio", unified to spearhead the opposition. However, Tsikhanouskaya and Tsapkala were forced into exile shortly after the election, while Kalesnikava was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The protests in Belarus have resulted in a harsh crackdown by the authorities, with thousands of people arrested and at least two confirmed deaths. The European Union (EU) and the United States (US) have condemned the election as neither free nor fair and imposed sanctions on Belarusian officials. The United Nations (UN) has also spoken out against the use of violence by the authorities and the clampdown on human rights in the country.

Female protestors face threats and ill-treatment

Female protestors in Belarus face threats, ill-treatment, and violence at the hands of the authorities. Women who have played prominent roles in the protests have been subjected to reprisals and threats, with Amnesty International highlighting the important role women activists have played in the demonstrations. Female protestors have been accused of being "bad mothers" and "bad wives", and authorities have threatened to take their children away from them. They have also faced ill-treatment in detention and prison sentences resulting from unfounded criminal prosecutions.

The Belarusian authorities have been accused of targeting women human rights defenders during the mass protests. Women protestors have been met with violent persecution by the authorities, with reports of torture, ill-treatment, and sexual abuse. Female protestors have been beaten, kicked, and shot at by the police. They have also been subjected to psychological pressure and emotional abuse, with threats against their families and children.

The UN human rights investigator, Anais Marin, called on the Belarus government to "stop repressing its own people". She reported that around 20,000 people were detained in August and September 2020, while hundreds have been beaten, intimidated, tortured, or ill-treated in custody. Belarus has been accused of committing human rights violations with impunity against peaceful protesters, with the UN claiming that the government has responded to these demonstrations with unnecessary or excessive force.

The public role of women in the Belarusian resistance has diminished along with the rise of totalitarianism within the political system. However, women remain active drivers of resistance, often operating in the background. They continue to engage in secure forms of resistance, serve their criminal sentences for their political positions, or support their relatives behind bars. Female activists have been forced into exile, where they continue to engage in cultural, political, journalistic, and educational projects.

Women are being denied rights and freedoms

Women in Belarus are being denied rights and freedoms. The country is witnessing the most egregious clampdown on human rights in its post-independence history. Women activists and protestors are being targeted by the government, with many being accused of being “bad mothers” and “bad wives”, and threatened with the removal of their children. They have also faced ill-treatment in detention, and prison sentences resulting from unfounded criminal prosecutions. Belarus has been described as a “deeply patriarchal society with endemic domestic violence”, and the government has been accused of retaliating against women activists and protestors, subjecting them to measures intended to target them, their organizations, and their families.

The public role of women in the Belarusian resistance has diminished along with the rise of totalitarianism. However, women remain vital drivers for change. They have played a prominent role in the protests, often operating in the background. Charismatic women have led the political opposition, and female marches against police violence have been a common feature of the protest movement. The stories of Belarusian women and their trauma have been at the forefront of the worsening political situation in the country.

Female protestors and activists have been subjected to enforced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment, and exile. They have been beaten, intimidated, and blackmailed, with threats also being made against their families and children. Women have been forced to flee the country, and those who remain often do not dare to express their positions openly, for fear of arrest and retribution. The Belarusian government has been accused of suppressing civil society and curtailing women's civic and political rights, most notably their freedom of assembly, association, and expression.

The situation has been described as a "pattern of suppression" by a UN human rights expert, with the government targeting women human rights defenders during the mass protests. Women have been detained and persecuted by the authorities for their work as rights activists, and the independent media, which played a crucial role in covering the development of political protests, has been largely wiped out in the country. Law enforcement services have advanced their surveillance strategies and tools, leading to the identification and detention of protest participants, even years after their involvement.

Female activists are being targeted by the Belarusian government

Marin observed that "some women became victims of enforced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment, and other forms of physical and psychological pressure, including the threat of seizure of their children". She also noted that "others have been forced into exile for fear of repression and retaliation".

The Belarusian government has been suppressing civil society, curtailing women's civic and political rights, most notably their freedom of assembly, association, and expression. Human rights violations have been committed by the government, with over 800 people imprisoned on political grounds and more than 270 civil society organizations and independent media outlets being liquidated.

Women who have challenged the regime have faced inhumane treatment, intimidation, and torture at the hands of the Belarusian government. Many have been forced to flee the country and are frequently blackmailed with threats toward their families and children. The regime has also targeted female activists by depriving them of their children.

The Belarusian government has been accused of committing grave and systematic human rights abuses and crimes against humanity. The international community must do more to support Belarusian women and hold perpetrators accountable.

Women are protesting Alexander Lukashenko's refusal to recognise a woman's ability to lead Belarus

Women in Belarus have been at the forefront of the country's resistance movement, playing a prominent role in protesting against the authoritarian rule of President Alexander Lukashenko. The 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, sparked by the disputed presidential election, saw women leading the charge for change and demanding an end to police brutality and state violence.

Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, has been accused of refusing to recognise a woman's ability to lead Belarus. During the 2020 election, he insisted that the country was not ready for a female president, stating that "our constitution is not for women" and that "our society has not matured enough to vote for a woman". This sentiment was echoed in his dismissal of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition candidate, as a serious challenger, claiming that a woman could not handle the responsibilities of the presidency.

The women of Belarus have proven themselves to be a driving force for change, with female activists, politicians, and journalists taking centre stage in the country's protest movement. Notable figures include Tsikhanouskaya, Maryia Kalesnikava, Marfa Rabkova, Katsyaryna Bakhvalava, and Darya Chultsova, who have all faced harsh repercussions for their roles in the protests.

The Belarusian women's movement has been characterised as a "revolution with a female face", with female protesters and leaders becoming symbols of resistance. They have been subjected to intimidation, torture, and exile, with many forced to flee the country for their safety. Despite the risks, women continue to bravely stand up for their rights and demand change in a country that has been described as deeply patriarchal and endemically plagued by domestic violence.

The international community has recognised the crucial role of women in the Belarusian resistance, with organisations like Amnesty International calling for solidarity and highlighting the need to address the patriarchal attitudes and repressive government measures that target female activists.

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