Equality Now

Ending sexual violence takes more than good laws. It takes collective power. At Equality Now, we believe lasting change happens when people come together across borders, sectors, and experiences to challenge injustice. That’s why our work goes beyond legal reform. We convene partners, amplify survivor voices, and lend our expertise to build shared strategies for advocacy, accountability, and action. 👥 In South Asia, we helped bring together 17 organizations to form SAMAJ – the South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice, a new regional platform committed to legal change and survivor-centered justice. 🌍 In Africa, the Americas, and Europe and Central Asia, our legal analyses were developed with civil society organizations, legal experts, and frontline advocates who are using the findings to push for reform. 💬 Whether in webinars, UN submissions, in-person convenings, or joint campaigns, we use the power of connection to advance a shared vision: a world where the law protects, not punishes, survivors of sexual violence. 🔗 Explore how we’re driving impact across regions https://lnkd.in/d5GGYTRi #UniteForJustice #EndSexualViolence #LegalEquality #GenderJustice #SAAM2025 #CollectiveAction #HumanRights

Despite growing awareness of sexual violence, around the world, stereotypes, institutional misogyny and inadequate rape laws are still failing survivors. We’ve assessed just how serious the legal gaps are: ⚠️ In 25 African countries, legal definitions of rape are ambiguous or incomplete ⚠️ In over half of the jurisdictions surveyed in the Americas, rape laws require the use of force rather than focusing on consent ⚠️ In parts of South Asia, conviction rates for rape are as low as 3% ⚠️ Many laws still exclude marital rape or reduce penalties when the perpetrator marries the victim These aren't isolated issues. They are part of a global pattern of injustice that keeps survivors from accessing justice and being heard. At Equality Now, we’ve compiled decades of legal analysis across regions to help policymakers, advocates, and experts strengthen legal protections for women and girls. 📥 Explore our reports and resources: https://bit.ly/41Umrgi #LegalEquality #EndSexualViolence #ConsentIsKey #HumanRights #SAAM2025 #AccessToJustice #GenderJustice

The bill to ban female genital mutilation (FGM) in Colombia has been approved in its second debate — a crucial step toward ending a harmful practice that still occurs in the country and violates the human rights of women and girls. If passed in the two remaining debates, Colombia would become the first country in Latin America to ban FGM by law. In Colombia, FGM remains a hidden, underreported, and largely overlooked issue. Despite progress in addressing other forms of gender-based violence, FGM has remained on the margins of public discourse and protection policies. The country currently lacks a specific legal framework to combat this practice. Persistent myths, such as the belief that FGM only happens in Africa or that it is solely an ancestral tradition among Indigenous communities, contribute to its invisibility and hinder efforts to prevent and eliminate it. Passing this bill would send a powerful message to the world: girls have the right to grow up free from violence. At Equality Now, we are working alongside survivors, Emberá women leaders, grassroots organizations, and committed legislators to drive structural change. We are supporting efforts to ensure that FGM is recognized as a serious human rights violation and that strong, culturally appropriate measures are taken to eliminate it. As part of this, Equality Now has provided legal and technical input to align the bill with international standards and incorporate lessons learned from other regions. This week, we published a policy brief urging Congress to pass the bill — highlighting survivor voices, national data, and global best practices, and calling for a culturally grounded, rights-based, and community-led response to FGM in Colombia. ✊🏽 Together with survivors, activists, and community leaders, we call on Congress to continue advancing the bill and take urgent action to prevent, address, and eradicate FGM. Read our policy brief (in Spanish): https://bit.ly/4iSzs00 #TheTimeIsNow #EndFGM #NiñasSinAblación #Colombia

Around the world, outdated laws, discriminatory practices, and lack of accountability are denying sexual violence survivors the justice they deserve. At Equality Now, our legal experts investigate how legal systems, even those with laws that look good on paper, continue to fail women and girls. From the courtroom to conflict zones, survivors are too often met with silence, stigma, and impunity for perpetrators. As Sexual Assault Awareness Month begins, we’re shining a spotlight on what must change, and what action looks like. 🔗 Read our new blog to discover the five things you should know about sexual violence: https://bit.ly/43zsE2w #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth #SAAM2025 #EndSexualViolence #GenderJustice #LegalReform #HumanRights #AccessToJustice

👏 A historic step for women’s rights in Kyrgyzstan. We’re proud to have supported the efforts that led to lifting outdated job bans and expanding opportunities for women across the country. A powerful reminder of what persistent advocacy can achieve. #GenderEquality #WomensRights #Kyrgyzstan

At CSW69, one message rang loud and clear: laws don’t change on their own, it takes coordinated, informed, and persistent advocacy. As global leaders and grassroots activists gathered in New York to reflect on progress since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action were signed in 1995, they also acknowledged how much further we need to go to achieve true gender equality, especially with just five years left to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). If you're working to advance the rights of women and girls in your country, now is the time to strengthen your advocacy through international human rights mechanisms. Our guide, ‘A Guide to Advocating for Women’s Rights Using International Human Rights Mechanisms’, equips civil society organizations (CSOs) with the tools to do exactly that, by engaging with UN Treaty Bodies, the Universal Periodic Review, Special Procedures, and platforms like CSW. It outlines the practical steps for submitting reports, making individual complaints, and ensuring follow-up, all vital for holding governments accountable and translating global commitments into real, lived equality. 💡 Whether you attended #CSW69 or followed from afar, this guide is your companion to turning words into action and ensuring no rights rollback goes unchallenged. The guide is available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Russian 👉 https://lnkd.in/dapMF4hZ #CSW69 #Beijing30 #WomensRights #HumanRights #Advocacy #LegalEqualityNow #AddEquality

At #CSW69, we launched our report, The Time is Now: End FGM/C - An Urgent Need for Global Response 2025, with a group of stakeholders from across the movement. Our global call was clear: FGM/C is a global practice and it demands global attention and action. Now. Hear from the team behind the report, why this work matters, what’s at stake, and why we need everyone in.  Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/dM6yJtYt End FGM EU The U.S. End FGM/C Network #TheTimeIsNow #EndFGM #Unite2EndFGM #StepUpToEndFGM #CSW69 #HumanRights

#HappeningNow in Connecticut: Testimony is underway on S.B. 1438, a bill to prohibit female genital mutilation (FGM). It has been grouped with a bill on gender-affirming care, even though these are two entirely separate issues. FGM is a human rights violation. Gender-affirming care is evidence-based healthcare. Confusing the two is dangerous and misleading. Connecticut is one of only nine states without an anti-FGM law. It's time to change that. 📺 Watch live now: https://lnkd.in/dZpDska 🔗 Visit our website to learn more about the hearing https://lnkd.in/eFc6imAK   #EndFGM #HumanRightsLaw #LegislationMatters #BodilyAutonomy

From ending harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage to pushing for stronger legal protections, CSW69 was a powerful convergence of voices calling for urgent action on gender equality. In our latest article, we share key takeaways, standout moments, and what’s next in the movement for legal and gender equality—including how these conversations connect to Equality Now's Beijing+30 Words & Deeds report. 📖 Read the round-up below. #CSW69 #Beijing30 #LegalEqualityNow #AddEquality #GenderJustice

Today at #CSW69, we are holding an event alongside SADC Parliamentary Forum and Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations, New York, to launch our updated global report on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). This essential report provides a deep dive into the global practice of FGM/C and underscores the need for a unified response to protect millions of women and girls. Key findings from the report, released in partnership with the End FGM EU and The U.S. End FGM/C Network, include: 🌍 FGM/C is documented in 94 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. 📈 Over 230 million women and girls are affected worldwide—a 15% increase over previous estimates. 🔍 New evidence shows that FGM/C is being practiced in Azerbaijan, Vietnam, and Cambodia. ⚖️ Only 59 of the 94 countries have specific legal frameworks addressing FGM/C, highlighting an urgent gap in protection. Efforts to end FGM/C are severely under resourced. We are calling for increased global investment, robust data collection, and enhanced support for survivors. With the executive summary available in #English, #Arabic, #French, #Spanish, and #Russian, head to our website to learn how we can accelerate global efforts and turn data into action in our efforts to end FGM/C. https://lnkd.in/euadwy2F #TheTimeIsNow #EndFGM #Unite2EndFGM