Dear John

While the work towards gender equality can sometimes feel relentless, we know that together we can make it a reality. As a valued member of our global community, here's the latest news from our teams working on women’s rights around the world.

Holding Malawi Accountable for Rising Rates of Sexual Exploitation

Together with our Malawian partner, People Serving Girls at Risk (PSGR), Equality Now filed a communication at the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child against the government of Malawi for its failure to protect its women and girls from trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Despite the fact that Malawi has strong laws to combat and prosecute human trafficking, they are not adequately implemented, resulting in 500 to 1,500 women and children trafficked every year, with at least 30% of those aged between 14 and 18 years. The scope of the problem has escalated during the COVID19 pandemic but the government response has not kept pace. Our communication will catalyze a regional response to hold Malawi accountable to its international treaty obligations. 
 

Decimation of Reproductive Rights in the United States

June 24th was a dark day for human rights in the United States. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court of America overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped Americans of their federal right to abortion. Bodily autonomy is a bedrock of women’s liberation and this decision is a devastating setback for gender equality. 

We are currently working with our partners in the US and around the world to harness our collective expertise, knowledge, and resources to respond to this unfolding crisis.

>> You can read our official statement here as well as a list of organizations that can support you in accessing up to date abortion care and information.

Advocating for survivors’ rights in Nepal 

Due to myriad reasons, including psychological trauma, stigma, and fear of retribution, many survivors of sexual violence don’t immediately report their assault to authorities. Short statutes of limitations for sexual violence crimes, therefore, create significant barriers to justice for survivors. This is especially true in Nepal, where the statute of limitation for rape cases is only one year, the shortest in all of South Asia.

With our Nepalese partner, Forum for Women Law and Development, we organized a discussion with Members of Parliament chaired by the President of the Women and Social Committee of the House of Representatives, to present a list of necessary reforms to Nepal’s sexual violence laws. 

>> You can learn more about sexual violence laws in Nepal, and the efforts of our partner in our recent blog

More of the latest news: 

• UN’s “No-Fly List” on Sexual Harassment Falls Short, Complains Rights Group
• Dear President Bio, Please Ban Female Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone
• Day Of The African Child: Partnering To End FGM In West Africa
• Ensuring Women Have Equal Rights To Inheritance And Property Is Key To Tackling Climate Change

Missed our recent UN HLPF events? Catch up now: 

• The SDGs and international law: opportunities and gaps to protect the rights of women and girls in the digital space
• Achieving Gender-Equal Nationality Laws For Sustainable Development