"Defenders are the voice of the voiceless."

Human rights defenders are people who take action to contribute to the elimination of all violations of fundamental human rights.

This work includes the search for truth and justice, but it also includes the struggle for gender and racial equality, the protection of economic, social and cultural rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, and the struggle against hunger, poverty, and discrimination.

Defenders work in various spheres of society and their work is inspired and guided by human rights standards.

Through campaigning and debate, human rights defenders promote the legal safeguards and reforms which can help prevent abuses.

They constantly remind governments that they must fulfil their promises and honour their legal and constitutional obligations to protect the rights of their citizens.

Below are some examples of inspirational women defending human rights in Asia.

Indonesia - Women in Aceh

Many civilians -including women, children and human rights activists -are swept up in the conflict between the Indonesian army and the Free Aceh fighters in the Indonesian province of Aceh.

The official Independent Commission for the Investigation of Violence in Aceh travelled through Aceh in 1999 collecting evidence of the abuses. They reported 102 rapes by military and police, but it is certain that rape is under-reported in Aceh.

Women have also been tortured when police or soldiers have come searching for their husbands. If their husbands are killed, their life becomes very difficult -they and their chil-dren are treated with suspicion by officials and their children may even be refused entry to schools.

Flower Aceh, an organisation established in 1989 in response to the rape, sexual abuse and violence against women which occurred as a result of the conflict, has recently been recognised with a human rights award.

Flower Aceh has worked to improve the financial conditions of women in Aceh by establishing small enterprises. They have also developed health programs with traditional medicine, as Western medicine is expensive for local women. The group is also involved with providing women with political education and knowledge about women's rights.

Suraiya Kamaruzzaman from Flower Aceh received the 2001 Yap Thiam Hien award for human rights. Suraiya has spoken out against violence by both sides in the conflict, and has received anonymous threats because of her work.

Myanmar - Women Leaders

In Myanmar (formerly Burma) women have been at the fore-front of the pro-democracy movement which began in 1988 and many women were also students or female leaders within opposition political parties.

During the military's violent suppression of the mass pro-democracy movement in 1988, women in Myanmar were arrested, tortured, and killed by the security forces.

The most well known of Myanmar's women is Aung San Suu Kyi, the head of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Myanmar's main opposition party. Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while in detention in 1991.

Less well known is Dr Cynthia Maung, winner of several human rights awards, who set up the Mat Tao Clinic, in Thailand near the border of Myanmar, to help refugees suffering due to the situation in Myanmar. She set up the clinic in 1988, expecting to return to Myanmar in three months.

Her clinic treats 150 patients a day, delivers 10 to 20 babies a month, trains 30 medics a year and provides prenatal checkups, childhood immunisations and education about nutrition, sanitation and family planning.

Malaysia - Irene Fernandez

Irene Fernandez is a prominent Malaysian human rights activist campaigning for the rights of women and migrant workers.

She has been on trial since 1996 for "maliciously publishing false news" in a report about conditions in immigration detention camps in Malaysia. She faces a prison sentence of up to three years.

Irene Fernandez sends this message to Amnesty International members: "Amnesty International's campaign-ing has helped to raise consciousness of human rights vio-lations in Malaysia. It has created awareness and brought changes within ourselves, among migrant workers and the wider community. Please keep up the good work."