Dear JOhn,

I wish that today was not a historically monumental one. I wish the fact that a woman will be sworn in as the Vice-President of the United States was not something we had to celebrate. I wish that writing “Madam Vice President” felt banal.

And yet, I am undeniably excited as we usher in this historical day where from now on we will say “Madam Vice President Harris”. I am sure that you, like all of us at Equality Now, welcome the opportunity to celebrate all the women whose determination and bravery paved the way for the first female, Black, and Asian Vice President of the United States of America.

From today onward, I hope that the new administration will make up for lost time by helping to make gender equality a reality in the US and around the world.

2020 was one of the most devastating years in modern memory, not least of all for women and girls who disproportionately bore the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. From increased rates of child marriage and female genital mutilation in places like India and Kenya to the rise in forced pregnancies in the United States due to the inability to access contraception and abortion, it is clear that gendered impacts of the pandemic will far outlast the virus itself.

While last year put into sharp relief the persisting problem of gender inequality and intersecting forms of discrimination, 2021 offers hope. It can be the year we build back equal and ensure that women’s rights and gender equality rise to the top of the agenda.

Today we are calling on the new Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize building back equal by centering gender justice in their first 100 days in office.

We are, as always, grateful for your solidarity. Together we will build a more equal future.

Thank you,

Yasmeen Hassan
Global Executive Director