The WHRD-IC plays the following roles in the ecosystem of organising by WHRDs, feminists, trans and non-binary defenders:

• Collectively analysing the context and identifying new, emerging or changing threats and opportunities for WHRD organising.
• Leveraging the different positionalities and strengths of the Coalition members to respond to particular threats and opportunities or needs of WHRDs, feminists, trans and non-binary defenders, and their organising and movements.

• Cross-movement, cross-sectoral, cross-regional:

  * knowledge creation and sharing on the risks WHRDs are facing, their practices and tools for their own protection, and the herstories of their contributions and successes
  * connecting and convening WHRDs, including trans and non-binary defenders, for exchange, learning and collective strategising
  * coordination of advocacy and strategic communications among WHRDs to push in the same direction for an enabling environment for WHRDs, including trans and non-binary defenders.

• Connecting the local, national and regional work of WHRDs, feminists, trans and non-binary defenders defending rights in their own contexts, to inform and influence the global and regional policy making processes of the multilateral system.
• Collectively condemning attacks on WHRDs, feminists, trans and non-binary defenders and calling for justice.