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* UPR spotlight: Why the US must step up on women’s rights
* Regional action: Advancing gender equality across Africa, Latin America, and beyond
* A new initiative: engaging youth through the School Group Initiative
* Event: The New Age of Sexism (livestream)

Dear John

Earlier this week, the US marked Women’s Equality Day ([link removed]) , a celebration of progress and a reminder of how far there is still to go. Over a century after the 19th Amendment granted some women the right to vote, millions of women and girls across the country still face systemic legal inequalities.

This week of reflection coincides with a pivotal moment: preparations for the upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United States before the UN Human Rights Council this November.

At Equality Now, we are seizing this opportunity to hold the US accountable on the global stage. Working alongside our partners, we’ve submitted evidence highlighting urgent gaps in US laws and policies that continue to fail women and girls. And our work doesn’t stop there. This month, our staff around the world have been engaging regional platforms and UN mechanisms to secure stronger protections, better laws, and systemic reforms that uphold equality everywhere.

International human rights mechanisms are essential advocacy tools. They provide avenues for civil society and human rights defenders to hold their governments accountable for their international human rights obligations and push for legal reform in line with internationally agreed-upon standards, and are essential advocacy tools. They enable the most marginalised communities in society, including Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ people, to have a voice and call on their governments to do better.

Equality Now is deeply engaged with both international and regional human rights mechanisms, playing a key role in our efforts to reform discriminatory laws worldwide.

Later this year, the United States will face international scrutiny as part of the Universal Periodic Review, a process where UN Member States review each other’s human rights records every 4.5 years.

This is not just a procedural exercise. The UPR is a rare opportunity for the international community to call on the US to meet its obligations under international human rights law and take concrete action to uphold the rights of women and girls.

In our joint submission ([link removed]) with the ERA Coalition, Unchained At Last, the U.S. End FGM/C Network, and AUDRi, we identified four critical areas where US laws and policies fall dangerously short:
* Constitutional equality: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), affirmed in January as the 28th Amendment, remains contested. Without full implementation, millions lack robust protections against discrimination.
* Child marriage: Loopholes allow minors to marry in most US states, perpetuating cycles of abuse and limiting education, life choices and opportunity.
* Female genital mutilation: An estimated 412,000-577,000 women and girls in the US are at risk, yet federal protections are inconsistent and state laws remain patchy.
* Online sexual exploitation and abuse (OSEA): Tech-facilitated gender-based violence is rising rapidly, but legal frameworks are failing to keep up with the ever-evolving threats.

This review comes at a time when hard-won rights are being eroded. From reproductive freedoms to protections against gender-based violence, progress remains fragile.

“The UPR gives us a powerful platform to push for lasting legal and systemic reforms. We are urging Member States to issue strong, specific recommendations - and we are calling on the US government to accept and act on them.”

Anastasia Law ([link removed]) ,

Program Officer, North America, Equality Now
Explore our shadow report + ([link removed])
* At the 7th Southern Africa Youth Forum in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Equality Now joined young activists, civil society partners, and government representatives to address persistent inequalities across the region. Our solidarity statement reaffirmed the vital role of youth-led movements in shaping policies that protect women and girls, particularly in countries where child marriage, sexual exploitation, and harmful practices remain entrenched.
* At the XVI Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean in Mexico City, Equality Now and our allies emphasised ([link removed]) that the right to care cannot move forward without addressing gender- and sexual-based violence and ensuring women’s economic justice. After eight months of collective preparation, our diverse delegation of young activists, legislators, and legal experts worked to place this intersection at the centre of negotiations, reinforcing Latin America’s pioneering role in recognising care as a human right. Throughout the week, we co-organised five events - amplifying youth voices and advancing proposals on justice and autonomy, economic justice, and ending violence. These dialogues brought us together
([link removed]) with governments such as Mexico and Colombia, UN agencies and mechanisms including UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, CEDAW, and MESECVI, as well as our allies from the Belém do Pará Articulation and the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law.


** Why it matters
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Legal reform alone is not enough - but it is a necessary foundation. Without explicit protections, survivors remain vulnerable, and systemic inequalities persist. Through international accountability mechanisms, we can create pressure for change and ensure that commitments translate into real-world protections for all women and girls.

This is why engaging across forums and processes like the UPR, UN General Assembly, and regional platforms matters so profoundly. It is about linking the local to the global, elevating lived realities, and driving legislative change.

Because we know that when laws treat everyone fairly, everyone benefits.

Research has shown that peace agreements with women signatories last longer and have higher rates of implementation ([link removed]) . When women have equal legal rights, societies are more just, economies grow more sustainably, and human rights are strengthened.

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** Engaging youth through the School Group Initiative
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Youth have an important voice in the gender equality movement and are often creating new pathways for change. That's why we're launching the School Group Initiative to provide students, teachers, and administrators a way to work alongside Equality Now in pursuit of a gender equal world.

If you or someone you know would be interested in raising awareness of gender inequality and taking action to support women and girls locally and globally through a school club, complete or share our interest form ([link removed]) and explore our toolkit ([link removed]) . Questions may be directed to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=School%20Group%20Initiative&body=) .


** Join us online: The New Age of Sexism
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Ahead of the UN General Assembly, we will be co-hosting a critical discussion on misogyny in the online space, with author Laura Bates, and we invite you to join us online as we explore the ways emerging technology is shaping our shared future.
Date: Tuesday September 9, 2025
Time: Noon EST/16:00 UTC

Visit our website ([link removed]) to learn more about the event. To join online, register here ([link removed]) .


Together, we can eliminate all legal and systemic barriers to gender equality and transform futures everywhere.

In solidarity,

Niki Kandirikirira
Global Director of Programs, Equality Now

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