Equality Now

Our latest piece covering the conflict in Sudan highlights the impact of #SexualViolence on women and girls, who are being deterred from reporting sexual assaults. As an organization dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the human rights of all women and girls, we condemn all acts of gender-based and sexual violence against women and girls, including as a weapon of war. Read more on our work on sexual violence in conflict https://lnkd.in/ewJZVkES #EndSexualViolence #WomensRights #GenderEquality

Across the world, the harmful practice of child marriage continues, with 640 million women and girls worldwide who were married before their 18th birthday. As the world marks #InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild, we launched three new resources on child marriage, its causes and consequences, and the legal and policy frameworks required to protect girls worldwide. ➡️ Addressing Child, Early, and Forced Marriage in Eurasia. Our latest report delves into the underlying causes, ramifications, legal and policy frameworks, and potential intervention strategies to address the practice in seven Eurasian countries. We found that in addition to deep-rooted gender inequality, a combination of cultural, religious, social, and economic factors, exacerbated by inadequate legal frameworks, limited data, underreporting, and enforcement gaps, contribute to the continued practice of child, early and forced marriage in the region.  Read now at: https://lnkd.in/eVAefNrd ➡️ Ending Child, Early, and Forced Marriages and Unions in Argentina: Legal and Policy Frameworks. In collaboration with our partner CLADEM , we examined the legal and policy frameworks surrounding child, early, and forced marriages and unions (CEFMU) in Argentina. It highlights gaps in current laws, particularly the provisions allowing minors to marry with parental or judicial consent, and calls for reforms to protect girls and adolescents. Read now at: https://lnkd.in/e2hur34n ➡️ Ending Child, Early, and Forced Marriages and Unions in Colombia. Our policy brief on Colombia advocates for essential reforms to combat child, early, and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) in the country. Despite global efforts, CEFMU remains prevalent in Latin America and the Caribbean, with Colombia ranking 20th worldwide in early marriages and unions for girls under 15. Deeply ingrained social and gender norms sustain this issue, which often goes unrecognized. Read now at: https://lnkd.in/eM2hU-wj Equality Now has been actively advocating for the eradication of harmful practices, including child marriage, for the past three decades. Explore all our resources on the issue on our website: https://lnkd.in/eh-UkDa9 📷 :  Daro Sulakauri #18NoExceptions #EndChildMarriage #ChildMarriage #WomensRights #HumanRights #LegalRights #LegalReform #LAC #GenderEquality #IDGC #DayOfTheGirl

On Tuesday night, we joined our supporters and donors at Sony Hall for our 2024 Make Equality Reality Gala to celebrate the women and changemakers who are carving a path to a more just and equal world. From celebrating the courage of Ashley Judd, E. Jean Carroll, Drew Dixon, and the countless brave women who are speaking out against injustice to rousing remarks from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Ella Stiller, and Ben Stiller, not forgetting a headline performance by multi-award winning artist Beverley Knight MBE. None of it would have been possible without the support of InMaat Foundation, Montag Family Foundation, Goldman Sachs Gives, co-chairs Britta Jacobson and Janet Montag, and our generous Host Committee. Additional thanks to: Our Catalysts of Change: Helen LaKelly Hunt, Quantum Connections LLC, Melony & Adam Lewis, Alanis Morissette, Ravi Sinha, and Stardust Fund. Our Change Advocates: Kim & Dan Agnew, Bank of America, Margaret Hess Boyden, Patricia & Alex Farman-Farmaian, Karen Lehner, Ann Lovell, Mastercard, Sandeep Mathrani, Zegar Family Fund. Our Change Agents: Melissa A. Berman, Dinyar & Aashish Devitre, EdelGive Foundation, Diane Feeney, Girls Rights Project, Sheila Klehm, Lahorgue Advogadas Associada, Mo Ogrodnik & Matt Bardin, Monika & Deven Parekh, P-Squared Philanthropies, Sonja Hoel Perkins, Kathleen M. Pike, Paula Ravets & Paul Reiser, Sheetal Sheth & Neil Mody, Vogue Eyewear, Sue Smalley & Kevin Wall, Jenny Warburg. Thank you to each and every one of you making equality reality. Together we can. Together we have. Together we will. #TogetherWeCan #MakeEqualityReality #GenderEquality #WomensRights #Feminism

Last month we attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. This year it also included the #SummitOfTheFuture. #UNGA presents an important opportunity to speak with governments and other key stakeholders directly, and to connect and strategize with partners and allies. This year, there was a lot of anticipation in the air for the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact (GDC), as well as the fact that it is almost the 30 year anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. We cannot wait for 3 centuries to achieve gender equality. Women’s voices must be represented at leadership levels (including the next Secretary General of the United Nations) to bring our perspective to global agreements, critical frameworks and legal standards. Read more on where we were and what this means https://lnkd.in/dzSDA4RP #GlobalDigitalCompact #GDC

All human and civil rights movements are driven by collective action. In the fifth episode of We Change the Rules, we shine a light on those whose activism is shaping the ongoing global conversation around gender equality. Guests include Gloria Steinem, world-renowned journalist, activist, and bold pioneer of second-wave feminism; Omar Samra, Egypt-based human rights activist and feminist ally; and Faiza Jama Mohamed, the Africa Regional Director of Equality Now. Listen now 👉 https://lnkd.in/dFF6sUa5 #WeChangeTheRules #Podcast #HumanRights #WomensRights #LegalEquality #GenderEquality  #GenderJustice #GenderDiscrimination #WomenLeaders

The US 2024 elections are ONE MONTH away! In the US, there is NO federal law mandating equal pay for equal value, 20 states have total or partial bans on abortion, 1 in 6 women will experience sexual violence, and is the ONLY high-income country WITHOUT #PaidFamilyLeave. Our 2024 election guide outlines these facts & some questions to ask the candidates about these issues 👇

Find out where our team will be for the week ahead: 📍30 September - 1 October 2024, School for Advancement of Gender Equality (SAGE) Regional Forum, Central Asian Gender Equality Network, Almaty, Kazakhstan Equality Now Eurasia Legal Adviser Dariana Gryaznova and Eurasia Consultant Janette Akhilgova will lead the Session Violence, Politics, and Legislation at the forum. #WhereToFindUs #WomensRights #GenderEquality

This week in #SOAWR! #SOAWR turned 20! As the founding member and secretariat, we joined other coalition members in celebrating the twentieth anniversary of SOAWR, established to ensure that the rights of women and girls as articulated in the Maputo Protocol are prioritized. SOAWR at 20 was an opportunity to recount the challenges and significant milestones over the years, with a strong call for the collective work that organizations must continue to do in ensuring the universal ratification of the Protocol is realized. Learn more about the 20 year journey at: https://loom.ly/s9boVeo Read EN’s article on the benefits of the protocol to women and girls in Africa: https://loom.ly/eK8Bpxo Earlier in the week, SOAWR members also convened to engage with the various international and regional human rights bodies to advocate for the ratification, domestication and effective implementation of the Maputo Protocol by African States.

Collaboration to improve access to justice for women with disabilities who are survivors of violence was discussed today in #Bishkek, in the Supreme Court of #Kyrgyzstan. Equality Now's Eurasia Regional Representative met Nurlan Musaev, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, and Anarkhan Bazaralieva, Director of the High School of Justice under the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan. We thank the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan for its openness and commitment to addressing this crucial issue. Equality Now is working on a manual for the justice professionals in Kyrgyzstan to increase access to justice for the #WomenWithDisabilities, who are survivors of #SexualViolence. This manual is designed to improve the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of sexual violence cases involving survivors with disabilities and ensure that survivors receive the necessary support throughout the criminal justice process. The ultimate goal is to produce strong, universally applicable standards compliant with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. To be the first to know when our resources are available, subscribe to our newsletter https://loom.ly/igHtpdc #EndSexualViolence #WomenWithDisabilities

In the fourth episode of We Change the Rules, Inaugural Director of the  Global Institute of Women's Leadership (GIWL) at The Australian National University (ANU) Michelle Ryan, talks about her groundbreaking research into the phenomenon of the “glass cliff” as a barrier to gender equality in the workplace. Listen now 👉https://lnkd.in/dFF6sUa5 #GlassCliff #WeChangeTheRules #Podcast #HumanRights #WomensRights #LegalEquality #GenderEquality #GenderJustice #GenderDiscrimination #WomenLeaders