Your Equality Now Dispatch: June Edition
Equality Now
Using the law to protect & promote the rights of women & girls for 30 years.
The work to protect and promote the rights of women and girls never stops. This week marked two years since the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, leaving the reproductive rights of women in the USA unprotected. This week, our teams have been in Geneva, calling on the UN Human Rights Council to act on the potential overturning of The Gambia’s anti-FGM law, and in Nepal, launching an exciting collaboration to address sexual violence in South Asia.
In the latest edition of our newsletter, here’s a round-up of our teams’ work around the world.
Celebrating 30 years of the Belém do Pará Convention: A groundbreaking treaty on violence against women
Earlier this month, we joined governments, civil society, and other international actors in Chile in the Conference of States Parties of the Convention this week to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Belém do Pará Convention. The groundbreaking treaty was the world’s first to recognize violence against women as a systemic issue and to define the duties of States in terms of prevention, support, and punishment. The Convention spurred the adoption of new laws across much of the region. These include laws that specifically target domestic violence, sexual violence, and other forms of gender-based violence. It also spurred the establishment of institutions responsible for the implementation of policies aimed at combating violence against women. This includes the creation of Ministries of Women and Ministries of Equity, with designated budget allocations for programs against gender-based violence.
Bárbara Jiménez-Santiago, Regional Representative - Latin America and the Caribbean, presented the Declaration of the Regional Follow-Up Articulation to the Belém do Pará Convention highlighting the challenges and outstanding issues for the adequate implementation of the Convention. We will continue to work to ensure that States advance—and do not regress—in the fight against all forms of violence affecting women and girls in all their diversity.
Learn more about the Belém do Pará Convention, or read more about our participation in the recent celebrations including how we will continue to hold governments accountable to realizing the full potential of the Convention.
Celebrating the Day of the African Child: Equality Now calls for governments across the continent to let girls learn
June 16 marked the Day of the African Child, a day to celebrate the children across Africa and renew commitments to addressing the challenges they face. With girls being disproportionately represented in the almost 46 million school-going children out of school across Eastern and Southern Africa, our work across the continent addresses some of the specific barriers girls face.
Those best placed to address gender inequality are often the people most profoundly affected and who understand and appreciate the cultural context in which it exists. That’s why collaboration with a diverse community of women and partner organizations from around the world is key to our approach.
To mark the Day of the African Child, we spotlighted our partners with whom we collaborate to champion and advance the right to education as a fundamental right.
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Women As Weapons Of War: The Role Of International Mechanisms To Eliminate Sexual Violence In Conflict
As international communities continue to explore possible legal avenues to support survivors and ensure accountability for perpetrators, both during and after times of war, Equality Now interviewed several experts on sexual violence from regions with a history of armed conflict to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
These countries and regions, each grappling with their own histories of conflict, provide unique perspectives on navigating complex legal landscapes in the pursuit of justice for survivors of sexual violence in conflict.
Leveraging Sexual Violence Laws for Survivor Justice: Rethinking Accountability
During a recent LinkedIn Live event hosted by Equality Now, legal experts from around the world emphasized the importance of not only acknowledging the consequences rape can have on women and girls but also shifting the focus to the root causes of inequality and a demand for accountability in combating sexual violence, particularly the pervasive crime of rape.
Equality Now in the media
Thank you for your continued interest in our work to protect and promote the rights of women and girls around the world.