Equality Now

Equality Now
Name	Equality Now
Formation	1992
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	Global
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	(varies)
Website	(omitted)

Equality Now Equality Now is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1992 that advocates for legal and systemic reforms to advance the rights of women and girls. The organization engages in strategic litigation, policy advocacy, research, and coalition-building to challenge discriminatory laws, practices, and institutions affecting women across multiple regions. Working with local partners, transnational networks, litigators, and policymakers, the organization pursues campaigns addressing issues such as sexual violence, reproductive rights, harmful practices, and economic discrimination.

History

Equality Now was established in the early 1990s amid global mobilization following the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women and the influence of activists associated with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Women's Environment and Development Organization. Founders drew on precedents set by litigation in forums like the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, advocacy at the European Court of Human Rights, and campaigns led by groups such as Legal Aid Society affiliates. Early initiatives targeted statutory discrimination in countries influenced by legal frameworks from the British Empire and post-colonial codes, building on comparative law work by scholars connected to Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and Oxford University. Over time the organization expanded field offices, formed alliances with regional bodies like the African Union and the Organization of American States, and participated in UN processes including sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women and contributions to treaty monitoring by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Mission and Objectives

The organization’s stated mission centers on securing legal equality for women and girls through litigation, legislation, and public education. Core objectives include repealing discriminatory laws rooted in codes related to civil status, family law, and criminal statutes; challenging practices such as female genital cutting, forced marriage, and sex trafficking; and advocating for access to sexual and reproductive health services under instruments like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The strategy emphasizes collaboration with national bar associations, civil society networks such as Girls Not Brides and Equality Now-excluded partners, engagement with national judiciaries, and submissions to human rights bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Council and the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Campaigns and Programs

Programmatically, the organization has pursued thematic campaigns addressing legal reform, litigation support, and documentation. Campaigns have targeted laws permitting marital rape, discriminatory nationality rules, and impunity for sexual violence in conflict zones like those addressed by the International Criminal Court and special tribunals such as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. Projects include strategic litigation supported by litigators trained at institutions like Columbia Law School and Stanford Law School, advocacy for codification reforms in jurisdictions influenced by the Napoleonic Code and Common law traditions, and community-level partnerships with NGOs including Refugee Council USA, Plan International, and CARE International. The organization has also produced reports and model legislation used by parliaments in regions represented at forums like the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Impact and Achievements

The organization has contributed to notable legal victories and policy shifts. Interventions have supported court decisions overturning discriminatory laws in countries with cases before courts such as the Supreme Court of India, the Constitutional Court of Colombia, and the Constitutional Court of South Africa. Advocacy has influenced legislative reforms in parliaments in capitals like London, Nairobi, and Dhaka, and shaped guidance issued by UN agencies including UN Women and the World Health Organization. Collaborations with regional human rights mechanisms have produced country recommendations adopted by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and treaty bodies like the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The organization’s data and legal analyses have been cited in scholarly work from centers such as the London School of Economics and the University of Cape Town and in amicus briefs submitted to courts including the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Funding and Governance

Funding has come from a mix of private foundations, philanthropic donors, and institutional grants from entities such as the Ford Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and national agencies like United States Agency for International Development and Department for International Development partners. Governance structures have included an international board of directors drawing on expertise from law firms, academic institutions like Georgetown University Law Center and New York University School of Law, and civil society leaders from organizations including Global Fund for Women and Equality Now-excluded networks. The organization has maintained donor reporting and compliance practices consistent with grant-making standards used by foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation.

Criticism and Controversies

The organization has faced critiques and controversies related to strategic choices, stakeholder engagement, and public communications. Some women's rights advocates and scholars associated with Routledge-published critiques and commentators linked to Gender and Development Network argued that litigation-focused strategies can risk cultural backlash in communities represented by local groups like Women’s Aid affiliates. Debates arose over alliances and endorsements involving celebrities and public figures connected to organizations such as UNICEF and Plan International, prompting discussions in media outlets including The Guardian and The New York Times. Other critiques, voiced in academic forums at institutions like Columbia University and policy platforms connected to Chatham House, concerned transparency in donor relationships and prioritization of issues perceived to reflect donor agendas rather than grassroots priorities. Despite disputes, the organization has continued to engage in dialogue with critics, independent evaluators, and partner organizations to refine approaches.

Category:International human rights organizations