The latest updates from our teams working to protect and promote the rights of women and girls across the world.  

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Dear John

Just a few weeks in and already our teams around the world have been hard at work smashing the patriarchy. Here’s a quick round-up of what we’ve been up to recently:


** Reflecting on the precedent-setting judgment on trafficking for sexual exploitation in Kenya
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On November 26, 2021, a Kenyan Court delivered a landmark ruling, finding a prominent businessman guilty of trafficking 12 Nepalese women and girls into Kenya and sentencing him to 60 years in prison.

We’d been actively advocating for the full implementation of anti trafficking legislation and monitoring the case along with our partner Trace Kenya and believe that this decision sets an important precedent as too often very few cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation have been successfully prosecuted in Kenya and globally.
Read our full statement on the judgement ([link removed])


** African Judicial Officials gather in Mombasa, Kenya, to validate Judicial Training Manual
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Just this week Equality Now convened 23 judicial officials from five countries (Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda) for a three-day validation of a training manual and a facilitator’s guide.

"The Judicial Training Curriculum and Guide validation and pre-testing meeting organized by Equality Now in Mombasa, Kenya is very important and serves as a momentous meeting bringing our various judicial systems together with an eye-opener that the Maputo Protocol is the unifying protocol for justice and human rights of women in the discharge of our various judicial duties and domestication by our various states." - Justice Manuela A.J. Harding from Sierra Leone (High Court Judge)

The manual and the guide will be used by judicial training institutes to train judicial officials in comprehension and application of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) for adjudication purposes. Equality Now has been advocating for judicial training institutes to incorporate the Maputo Protocol into their training curriculum when training judicial officials. The validation meeting brings us closer to our goal as participating judges and magistrates demonstrated great interest and commitment to take this initiative forward.

“It has been a useful gathering for the participating judges and magistrates. It has enriched the process of coming up with the training manual and the facilitator’s guide. The process should be taken forward to the next level which entails the training of facilitators and to start the process of implementing the Maputo Protocol by the judges.” - Justice Henry Peter Adonyo-Atim- Judiciary of Uganda
Learn more about the Maputo Protocol ([link removed])


** The Equal Rights Amendment In 2022: What’s Next
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January 27th, 2022 marks two years since Virginia, the last state needed to reach the 38-state threshold to get an amendment in the Constitution, ratified the ERA. Learn more about Equality Now’s recent amicus brief in defense of the ERA, and what else is coming up for the Equal Rights Amendment in the US.
Learn more about the ERA in 2022 ([link removed])


** Exploring the Intersection of Gender Equality and Freedom of Religion
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To progress our campaign for equality in family law our Global Lead on Legal Equality, Antonia Kirkland, spoke at the Freedom of Religion and Belief (FORB) Learning Platform’s Global launch of their online course - FORB & Gender Equality - enemies or allies? This course explores the intersection between women's rights and the right to freedom of religion or belief. To clarify common misunderstandings and highlight synergies.
Explore the course ([link removed])


** Urging Sierra Leone To Ban FGM Following Death Of 21-Year-Old Woman
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In Sierra Leone on 20 December 2021, 21-year-old Maseray Sei died from complications arising from female genital mutilation (FGM). Together with partners including Forum Against Harmful Practices (FAHP), we’re calling on the Government of Sierra Leone to immediately ban FGM, protecting and promoting the right of women and girls to live free from violence.
Read more about the work to end FGM in Sierra Leone ([link removed])


** Why We Need International Action To End Online Sexual Exploitation And Abuse
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Following the November 2021 publication of Equality Now’s report Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Women and Girls: A Call for International Standards, Equality Now and the Thomson Reuters Foundation hosted a panel discussion featuring experts from the international community, governments, and survivor advocacy organizations to discuss the publication’s findings and a feminist framework for change.
Catch up on the key points from the event ([link removed])

All of Equality Now’s work is impossible without you. As always, thank you for being a part of this incredible feminist community.

In solidarity,

Niki Kandirikirira
Director of Programs

PS: Ever wondered about the impact of your support? Explore our latest Impact Report ([link removed]) to learn more about how, with your help, we’re protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls around the world.

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