Introduction
As we mark International Women's Day on 08 March 2026, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights
(GCHR) throughout its work has observed a consistent pattern of reports from women human
rights defenders (WHRDs) on the deterioration of their mental health while pursuing activism
in their communities. Even WHRDs who have lived in exile while pursuing activism have
reported mental health issues. GCHR pays great attention to supporting WHRDs and
documents regularly opportunities and challenges that support the pursuit of their rights.
In January 2025, GCHR published an extensive survey on such opportunities and challenges.
One of the key elements of the survey was to identify risks, whether perceived or existing,
which face WHRDs while pursuing activism, including adverse effects on mental health. All
WHRDs, except two, reported suffering from anxiety, stress, trust issues, and depression.
Most women did not receive a proper diagnosis or adequate care. Some reported receiving
informal care sessions through civil society organisations including GCHR.
In this report we will provide an overview of the impact of pursuing activism on WHRDs within
the context of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries. We will also explain some
of the familial, societal, and state related risks facing WHRDs and their adverse mental health
outcomes. We will also introduce some of the serious implications on WHRDs, as documented
by GCHR over the years, many of whom sustained severe mental illnesses due to threats,
persecution, and abandonment of their communities and supporting families.
Methodology
This report draws on findings from a survey conducted by the GCHR in January 2025 among
WHRDs across the MENA region, in addition to the WHRDs experiences from Bahrain, Saudi
Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Syria-Turkey, and Yemen. The survey sought to identify the opportunities,
risks, and challenges faced by WHRDs while pursuing human rights activism, with particular
attention to the impact of these challenges on their mental health and wellbeing.
In addition to the survey data, this report incorporates testimonies and qualitative insights
gathered through GCHR’s ongoing documentation work, case monitoring, and direct
engagement with WHRDs both within the region and in exile. The 2025 survey revealed that
the overwhelming majority of respondents reported experiencing significant psychological
stress linked to their activism.
Given the highly sensitive nature of documenting experiences of repression, violence, and
trauma, this report follows strict ethical considerations. Testimonies are presented with
careful attention to the safety and privacy of WHRDs, and identifying information has been
withheld where disclosure could expose individuals to further risk. Participation in the survey
and the sharing of testimonies were voluntary, and respondents were informed of the
purpose of the research and the potential use of their contributions in advocacy and
reporting.
3