During the International Uyghur Women’s Dialogue, the Berlin Declaration was announced, reflecting the voices of Uyghur NGOs and human rights defenders and calling for global action to protect Uyghur women’s rights.
The Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) and the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) jointly launched the International Uyghur Women’s Dialogue in Berlin on November 14, 2025, to address the severe abuses facing Uyghur women amid the ongoing Uyghur genocide. During the event, participants adopted the Berlin Declaration Platform for Action on Uyghur Women’s Rights, marking a historic call for accountability and coordinated international action to protect the rights, culture, and identity of Uyghur women.
The dialogue was organized on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, originally adopted at the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. While China presented itself as a global leader on gender equality at that time, over the past three decades, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has systematically violated the declaration’s principles, carrying out genocide against Uyghurs. Uyghur women have been disproportionately targeted through forced sterilizations, sexual violence, forced marriages, and state-imposed forced labor.
The International Uyghur Women’s Dialogue aimed to highlight the resilience, leadership, and courage of Uyghur women while urging the international community to take concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable. Opening remarks were delivered by Rushan Abbas, CFU Executive Director and Chair of the Executive Committee of WUC, and Erkin Alptekin, the first President of WUC and a prominent Uyghur leader.
“The struggle of Uyghur women is tied to every woman’s freedom. The tools of their oppression are spreading globally quickly. What happens in East Turkistan will not stay there,” Abbas stated, emphasizing the international implications of Uyghur women’s plight.
The dialogue included four panel sessions covering the challenges faced by women under Chinese rule, Uygur women’s leadership, cross-border repression, and forced labor systems. Attendees included Uygur activists, human rights defenders, politicians, and international allies, including Masih Alinejad, Iranian-American women’s rights activist, and Lilian Tintori, Venezuelan human rights advocate.
The Berlin Declaration calls on governments, international organizations, and civil society to recognize and protect Uyghur women’s rights, ensure justice for victims, and establish sustainable mechanisms to amplify their voices globally. It has already been translated into 20 languages and endorsed by over 80 organizations and 150 individuals worldwide.
The event is regarded as a pivotal moment in raising global awareness about China’s human rights violations in East Turkistan and strengthening international solidarity with Uyghur women.
For more information, to view the Berlin Declaration, or to endorse the declaration, please visit the link here.
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