Francys Valdivia Machado
Francys Valdivia Machado is a women human rights defender from the municipality of Estelí in Nicaragua. Her advocacy work focuses on the right to justice for the relatives of people killed in her country. She is currently the president of the Mothers of April Association (AMA) of Nicaragua. AMA was created on 19 April 2018, when the first murders perpetrated by the government began, including the defender's brother Franco Valdivia during the 2018 protests.
Local human rights defenders are facing smear campaigns led by public officials, death threats, attacks and judicial harassment. Women human rights defenders working to advance sexual and reproductive rights as well as combating violence against women and girls have been particularly targeted by pro-government forces, as the feminist movement remains one of the most well organised networks pressing not only for women's human rights but also against corruption and authoritarianism.
