Equality Now

Join us at the upcoming United Nations High-Level Political Forum for a side event on Gender Equality in Law: Action Needed to Achieve SDG16 and the 2030 Agenda. 📅 : July 11, 1 pm - 2.30 pm NY, 📍 : 220 E 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, or Online This event will increase support and allies’ capacity for action to achieve gender-responsive legislation and advance state commitments and global goals pertaining to gender equality, including #SDG16. Attendees will learn about trends in discriminatory laws, recent successful reforms, how they were achieved, and upcoming opportunities for change. See the full list of speakers and register for this hybrid event ➡ https://lnkd.in/e4URQnhM Join Equality Now and co-sponsors including UN Women, The Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, IDLO - International Development Law Organization, Women, Business and the Law, Inter-Parliamentary Union, OIF, Secretaría General Iberoamericana (SEGIB), Global Citizen, Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law, International Association of Women Judges, Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, The World Bank. #2030 #SDG #HLPF2024 #UnitedNationsEvents #WomensRightsEvents #GenderEquality

Gender equality in progress 🟠 Here’s what international women’s rights advocacy looks like ⬇ Over the past few weeks, Equality Now’s team from across the world and our partners took part in various regional and international events to further our advocacy work, from the Organización de los Estados Americanos General Assembly and the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean to the 56th United Nations Human Rights Council session. We were also in Nepal to launch SAMAJ, a new coalition of 18 organizations and individuals in South Asia uniting voices against sexual violence. The issues we highlighted ranged from the protection of youth from sexual violence in Latin America to economic violence instigated by inequality in family laws to the implications of transnational and cross-border female genital mutilation. These engagements reaffirmed the importance of such international spaces for advocacy and direct engagement with key stakeholders by Equality Now and our partners. Want to learn more?  Read our reflections on the 56th UN Human Rights Council: https://lnkd.in/eguJ34Yd Here’s where we were at the Regional Conference on Population and Development in #LAC: https://lnkd.in/eTr7CTiD Learn more about the launch of the South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice #SAMAJ: https://lnkd.in/ed9NsCn2 #WomensRights #HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #WomensEmpowerment #GenderEquality #LegalEquality #EqualRights #FamilyLaw #FreeOurFamilyLaws #EconomicViolence #FemaleGenitalMutilation #FGM #EndFGM #Advocacy Women, Business and the Law The World Bank Hyshyama Hamin Esther Waweru World YWCA YW4A Partnership & Initiative Divya Srinivasan Sahiyo Mariya Taher Julie T. Sofia Quiroga Sandra Ramirez Nawmi Naz Chowdhury Jacqui Hunt

The law against female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Gambia is at risk. Current attempts to repeal the anti-FGM law were ignited by a few religious leaders and National Assembly members after the first prosecution and convictions of cutters based on the Women’s Act. Last week at the United Nations Human Rights Council, we spoke to Maimuna J Coker Biteye, Honorary Consul of the Republic of The Gambia, Consulate Zurich, about the importance of upholding the current anti-FGM law in the Gambia and why it matters to her. ⬇ The Women’s (Amendment) Bill 2024, which proposes to repeal provisions criminalizing FGM, had its first and second readings completed in March 2024. Today, the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Health and Gender presented its report on the Bill, underscoring the negative health effects of FGM on women and girls and emphasizing that FGM is not a religious obligation.  Explore our analysis of the current situation surrounding the anti-FGM law in the Gambia ➡ https://lnkd.in/eF7jgFcm #EndFGM #FGMGambia #TheGambia #WomensRights #EndFGM2030 #FGMisGlobal

Legal inequality is a product of the same colonial, patriarchal systems that continue to perpetuate other forms of gender inequality. In the second episode of We Change the Rules, we explore the impact and legacy of religious and cultural traditions on how women today are treated under the law. Guests include Margarette Macaulay, Jamaican Commissioner President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and Jody Heymann, Founding Director of WORLD Policy Analysis Center. Listen now 👉  https://lnkd.in/eh2jXefd #WeChangeTheRules #Podcast #HumanRights #WomensRights #LegalEquality #GenderEquality  #GenderJustice #GenderDiscrimination #WomenLeaders

🌍✨This week, we held the Hurra Coalition's strategic annual meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. 13 Women's Rights Organizations from 9 MENA countries came together to finalize our Five-Year Strategic Plan and 2025 Action Plan. This marks a significant milestone in our collective mission to advocate for women's rights and gender equality in family law reform across the region. The Hurra Coalition is a network of organizations dedicated to combating systemic discrimination and violence against women and girls in the MENA region. By working together, we aim to create lasting legal and social reforms that ensure equality and justice for all women under family and related laws. Over the three days, we engaged in meaningful discussions and collaborative efforts, focusing on key areas such as child marriage, child custody, and equitable distribution of marital wealth. By the end of the meeting, we reached a consensus on the strategic plan and internal governance rules, and all members signed the governance rules document to affirm their commitment to it. Reflecting on our achievements, we celebrated successful campaigns, particularly those against child marriage in Morocco, Lebanon, and Egypt. We're proud to share the progress made by our fellow organizations such as the Free Hands Association in Morocco, the Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women in Lebanon, and the Egyptian Foundation for Family Development in Egypt. Together, we've made significant strides in advocacy and awareness. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to drive change and empower women across the MENA region 🌍 https://lnkd.in/dvDddN3W   #HurraCoalition #WomensRights #HumanRights #GenderEquality #LegalEquality #MENA #FamilyLawReform #FamilyLaw #FreeOurFamilyLaws

Globally, women perform the vast majority of (2.8x more) unpaid care and domestic work due to traditional gender norms and stereotypes about women’s role in the family (UN Women). Even where care work is paid, women workers often face low wages, precarious conditions, and sexual harassment. In the United States, while the country celebrates #IndependenceDay, we acknowledge the labor law protections drafted during enslavement, which intentionally excluded domestic workers, including caregivers, still have an impact on their wages and benefits today. Our newest “I need the ERA because …” factsheet on the right to receive and provide care details how the Equal Rights Amendment (#ERA) could facilitate paid or mandatory leave for all parents and caregivers and affect how laws determining family leave would be reviewed under strict scrutiny. Read more about how the #ERA could influence the right to receive and provide care to better understand how you can become #IndependentFromInequality: https://lnkd.in/dkxCCSUq #FamilyLeave #ERANow #WeNeedTheERA #INeedTheERA #July4 #UnpaidLabor #DomesticWork #HouseWork #UnpaidCareWork #CareWork #ChildCare #GenderEquality #HumanRights #WomensRights

🌍✨ Under the YW4A Partnership & Initiative Program, five young women from Palestine and Egypt participated in international legal advocacy at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. During this 4-day visit, they engaged in critical discussions, met with high-level officials, and represented their communities on global human rights platforms. These young leaders brought fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, leveraging digital technologies and grassroots organizing techniques to make a significant impact. Their efforts are vital in challenging systemic inequalities and driving meaningful change. The participation of these young women highlights the importance of youth voices in advocacy, showing that when given the opportunity, they can effectively hold their governments accountable and contribute to advancing women’s rights. Equality Now's mentorship and coaching have been pivotal in enhancing these young women's advocacy skills. By providing opportunities to engage with UN mechanisms and special rapporteurs, Equality Now is helping to amplify their voices and advance women's rights across the MENA region. في إطار برنامج YW4A، شاركت 5  شابات من فلسطين ومصر في المناصرة القانونية الدولية في مجلس حقوق الإنسان (HRC) في جنيف. خلال هذه الزيارة التي استغرقت أربعة أيام، شاركن في مناقشات نقدية، واجتمعن مع مسؤولين رفيعي المستوى، ومثلوا مجتمعاتهن في منصات حقوق الإنسان العالمية. جلب هؤلاء القادات  الشابات وجهات نظر جديدة وأفكارًا مبتكرة، مستفيدين من التقنيات الرقمية وتقنيات التنظيم الشعبي لإحداث تأثير كبير. وتعد جهودهن حيوية في تحدي أوجه عدم المساواة النظامية وإحداث تغيير ملموس. إن مشاركة هؤلاء الشابات تسلط الضوء على أهمية أصوات الشباب في مجال المناصرة، مما يدل على أنه عندما تتاح لهم الفرصة، يمكنهم مساءلة حكوماتهم بشكل فعال والمساهمة في النهوض بحقوق المرأة. وقد كان للتوجيه والتدريب الذي تقدمه Equality Now دور محوري في تعزيز مهارات الدعوة لدى هؤلاء الشابات. ومن خلال توفير الفرص للمشاركة مع آليات الأمم المتحدة والمقررين الخاصين، تساعد Equality Now على إعلاء أصواتهن والنهوض بحقوق المرأة في جميع أنحاء منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا. #YouthLeadership #HumanRights #YW4A #MENAAdvocacy #HRCGeneva #YoungVoices #WomenEmpowerment #GlobalChange #DigitalAdvocacy

Last week, together with our partners, we launched #SAMAJ - the South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice. SAMAJ, meaning “society” in some South Asian languages, is a coalition dedicated to uniting voices against sexual violence in South Asia. It believes in the power of a collective, unified approach to create lasting change. Hear from our team on how it all came together ⬇ Learn more about this new coalition, what it aims to achieve, and how you can get involved at equalitynow.org/samaj #SAMAJAgainstSexualViolence #EndSexualViolence #SouthAsia

The Regional Conference on Population and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean will convene its fifth session in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, this week from July 3-4, 2024. The event will be preceded by civil society activities and side events on July 2. Equality Now is participating by organizing side events and advocating for the integration of gender and intersectional perspectives, and the inclusion of issues related to sexual violence and access to justice in the agenda of the Montevideo Consensus and the International Conference on Population and Development. Head to our website for full details: https://lnkd.in/eTr7CTiD 🗓 July 2, 6:00 – 7:30 pm: Addressing Child, Early and Forced Marriages and Unions (MUITF) 📢 Join Sofia Quiroga, Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean at an event coordinated by Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, Equality Now and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 🗓 July 3, 10:00 am – 11:30 am: A Decade of Progress: Social Advocacy as a Pillar in Eradicating Gender-Based Violence and Advancing the Development Agenda 📢 Join Sandra Ramirez, Advocacy and Legal Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean, who will be making a statement at an event hosted by Médicos del Mundo 🗓 July 3, 1:00 p.m – 2:15 pm: Women and girls with disabilities survivors of sexual violence: an intersectional approach to guaranteeing sexual and reproductive rights and access to justice in Latin America and the Caribbean. 📢 Join Sandra Ramirez, who will be speaking on recommendations on regional and international standards for access to justice for survivors of sexual violence, with a special emphasis on adolescents with disabilities, at this event co-hosted by Equality Now, Center for Reproductive Rights, Corporación Polimorfas, Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas y del Caribe If you're also at the Regional Conference On Population And Development In Latin America And The Caribbean get in touch. We'd love to connect. #GenderEquality #ICPD30 #LAC #WomensRightsEvents

Explore the latest edition of our newsletter, with news from our teams working on protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls around the world. Get the next edition straight to your inbox: https://lnkd.in/eF6ZirX9 #WomensRights #WomensRightsNews #GenderEquality