2009 Report - Equality Now

Transcription

EqualItYNow
2009 Annual Report
“Gender is the ﬁrst way we are divided into
the leaders and the led, the ﬁrst reason that
dominance and even violence come to seem
normal or inevitable—and so to normalize other
dominations, from race to religion. the work of
Equality Now strikes at the root of all inequality.”
–Gloria Steinem
Girls from communities
in intergenerational
prostitution at a hostel
run by partner Apne Aap
in Bihar, India
EqualityNow 2009
In 2009, Equality Now experienced a tremendous year of
growth and impact. This could not have been achieved without
our dedicated supporters throughout the world!
With our local partners and through our new program areas: Discrimination in Law, Sexual
Violence, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and Trafficking, we made significant progress
in our campaigns as illustrated in this report. The Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund
(AGLDF) is a crosscutting venture that supports impact litigation on issues that highlight the
most common human rights abuses of adolescent girls.
Equality Now’s track record in identifying and tackling from the ground up the most severe
and pervasive human rights violations facing women and girls remains strong. We are
committed to bringing the initiatives of grassroots organizations working on the frontlines
to the international level as well as always ensuring that our participation will add value to
their efforts. With your help, we have made a difference by awareness-raising in the media;
partnering and developing coalitions; strengthening international and regional human rights
law, standards and mechanisms; conducting strategic litigation; and mobilizing financial and
capacity-building support for local groups.
Achieving justice and equality is an immense task, and we aim to ensure that millions of
women and girls will have a safer and brighter future. Thank you for being a partner in
our mission.
Maasai woman working with FGM Fund partner Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative in Kenya. ©Des Willie/Comic Relief
2009 Annual Report | 1
introduction | Summary
Introducción: RESUMEN
En el 2009, Igualdad Ya experimentó un año de
considerable crecimiento e impacto. ¡Esto no hubiera
sido posible sin nuestros fieles seguidores de todo el
mundo! Para expresar de una forma más concisa el
trabajo de Igualdad Ya, hemos reclasificado nuestros
programas de la siguiente manera: Discriminación Legal,
Violencia Sexual, Mutilación Genital Femenina (MGF),
Trata de Personas, y Respuesta Urgente. El Fondo de
Defensa Legal de Niñas Adolescentes es un proyecto
transversal que apoya el litigio de alto impacto en
cuestiones que representan los abusos más habituales
de los derechos humanos de las niñas adolescentes.
En el interior encontrarán lo más destacado del 2009
en cada una de estas áreas del programa.
INtroduction: Sommaire
En 2009, Égalité Maintenant a connu une année
remarquable en termes de croissance et d’impact.
Ceci n’aurait pas été possible sans le soutien de nos
activistes dévoués de par le monde. Pour clarifier la
présentation des travaux d’Égalité Maintenant nous
avons re-catégorisé nos programmes de la façon
suivante: Discrimination dans la Loi, Violence sexuelle,
Mutilations Génitales Féminines (MGF), Traite des
femmes et Réponse d’Urgence. Le Fonds de défense
judiciaire des adolescentes (AGLDF) est un projet
transversal qui prend en charge des procédures de
litige destinées à avoir un impact sur des sujets qui
représentent les plus fréquentes violations des droits
des adolescentes. Vous trouverez dans ce document les
points forts de l’année 2009 dans chaque programme.
2 | Equality Now
DISCRIMINATION IN LAW
Global: Eliminate sex discriminatory laws
I
n 1999, Equality Now started its campaign against sex discriminatory laws, which
governments had pledged to repeal in the Beijing Platform for Action adopted at
the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. In 1999 and 2004, respectively,
Equality Now issued reports highlighting a sampling of discriminatory laws in order to
urge governments to honor their commitments to change these laws. In 2005, we also
started a campaign advocating for the creation of a United Nations special mechanism
addressing discriminatory laws and promoting equality before the law.
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now continued to advocate strongly for the creation of a new UN mechanism
on discriminatory laws. A broad coalition of women’s groups from around the world
joined this campaign.
n In September 2009, the Human Rights Council (HRC) passed a resolution asking the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on discrimination
against women in law and in practice and how the issue is addressed through the UN
system. The HRC will consider this issue at its next session in September 2010. We are
hopeful that a special mechanism will be approved at this session.
n We began preparations for the February 2010 launch of our third report on laws that
discriminate on the basis of sex, Words and Deeds: Holding Governments Accountable
in the Beijing +15 Review Process.
Africa: End discrimination against African women through ratification
and implementation of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa
T
he Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of
Women in Africa (the Protocol) is a groundbreaking women’s rights legal instrument.
Since the Protocol came into force in 2005, Equality Now, in partnership with the
SOAWR Coalition Annual Review & Agenda-Setting Workshop, October 2009, Nairobi, Kenya
diScriMiNatioN iN law
Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition, of which Equality Now is a
founding member, has worked to ensure its ratification and domestication by African
nations, so that the rights set forth in this instrument can be realized.
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now continued to serve as Secretariat for the SOAWR Coalition. We participated
in regional advocacy activities to meet campaign objectives and published a quarterly
SOAWR newsletter, which can be accessed at www.soawr.org.
n As of December 2009, the SOAWR Coalition had 36 members from 21 countries, and 27
of 53 African countries had ratified the Protocol.
n In collaboration with the African Union and UNIFEM, we convened a stakeholders’
meeting for 14 state parties in July 2009 on strategies to domesticate the Protocol
through a multi-pronged approach.
n We researched, wrote and produced a comprehensive training manual for lawyers and
activists on how to use the Protocol in domestic and regional litigation to advance
women’s rights in Africa. This manual will be finalized, translated into French, Arabic and
Portuguese and widely disseminated in 2010.
n Equality Now provided support to rural women from Burkina Faso, Burundi, Mali and
Malawi to engage with the African Union and to contribute to discussions on addressing
challenges women face in food security and
land ownership.
uNITEd NATIoNS: reform the
united Nations’ system of justice
to better address cases of sexual
harassment and sex discrimination
E
quality Now has identified several
problematic trends in cases of sexual
harassment and sex discrimination brought
by female UN staff within the UN internal system
of justice. It appears that complainants are often
denied due process and may find themselves
dismissed from their position after bringing a
grievance. In 2009, Equality Now got involved
in four such cases that occurred in different UN
entities, and worked with the plaintiffs and their
counsel. We recommended to the UN SecretaryGeneral and other relevant UN agencies that
4 | EquAlity Now
“Many U.N. workers...
say the current system
for handling complaints
is arbitrary, unfair and
mired in bureaucracy.”
the UN establish transparent complaint and investigation procedures; provide mandatory
gender sensitivity training to staff investigating these types of cases; and have appropriate
follow-up mechanisms to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. Equality Now
continues to follow up on individual cases.
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now staff met with UN officials to advocate for fair and transparent handling of
cases to promote gender equality within the UN.
n In February 2009, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent us a letter explaining that sexual
harassment and sex discrimination were high priority concerns and expressed faith in the
new system of justice being established at the United Nations.
n The issue received prominent media coverage, including two articles in May 2009, in the
Associated Press and on the cover of the Wall Street Journal, respectively, which helped
raise public awareness.
Saudi Arabia:
Eliminate male
guardianship over women
S
ince 2008, Equality Now has
been working on the case
of Fatima Bint Suleiman
Al Azzaz who was subjected to
forced divorce from her husband
Mansour on the basis of “tribal
incompatibility” alleged by her half
brothers who were deemed to be
her male guardians. The divorce
was confirmed by Saudi Arabia’s
highest court. Fatima was sent
to prison for nine months along
with her infant son for refusing to
Mansour with his daughter Nuha
recognize the court’s decision. After
her release, she went to live in an
orphanage run by the Ministry of Social Welfare because she declined to be released into
the custody of her half brother. Mansour, who also refused to sign the divorce papers, was
constantly moving, along with his four-year-old daughter Nuha, because he was “wanted”
by the Saudi government. Equality Now is urging the Saudi government to abolish the
system of male guardianship and consider Fatima a person in her own right and not under
the perpetual guardianship of her brothers.
diScriMiNatioN iN law
Highlights of 2009:
n In February 2009, Equality Now issued a Women’s Action calling on members to write
to the Saudi King and the Minister of Justice, asking them to ensure that the Saudi legal
and judicial system reflect that women are not subject to male guardianship; support
the establishment of a codified personal status law to guarantee the rights of women in
marriage and divorce; and reunite Fatima with her family.
n We conducted targeted advocacy on this issue with the Saudi King, the Minister of
Justice, Princess Adilah, the Saudi Human Rights Commission and the Saudi Ambassador
to the United States. In September 2009, the Saudi King directed the Court to re-visit its
decision in Fatima and Mansour’s case.
n Equality Now submitted the issue to the United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women at the United Nations under its communications procedure.
“It is as if I am...
walking in the clouds. I
cannot believe that my
feet are on the ground.
I cannot believe...that
I am in the presence of
my children. Nobody can
understand how I feel.”
–Kobra Najjar
IrAN: Abolish stoning as a
punishment for adultery
S
ince 2007, Equality Now
has been campaigning
on behalf of Kobra Najjar,
an Iranian woman who was sold
into prostitution by her husband
in order to finance his heroin
addiction. A sympathetic “client”
murdered Kobra’s husband. She
was charged as an accomplice
to the murder and with adultery,
for which she was sentenced to
death by stoning.
Kobra Najjar, after her release from jail
6 | EquAlity Now
Highlights of 2009:
n In 2009, after successful advocacy on Kobra’s behalf, Kobra’s stoning sentence was
commuted but replaced with a sentence of 100 lashes to be carried out before she could
be released from prison. In January 2009, we issued an Urgent Alert to call on the Head
of Judiciary to release Kobra unconditionally and to bring a permanent end to stoning as
a cruel and inhuman form of punishment.
n In May 2009, Kobra Najjar was released from prison.
n In July 2009, after learning of the assault on and abduction of Shadi Sadr, the founder
of the Stop Stoning Forever Campaign, by Iranian government officials, we issued an
Urgent Alert calling for Shadi’s immediate and unconditional release. Equality Now also
submitted Shadi’s case to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and
other UN mechanisms. Shadi was subsequently released from prison in late July.
AfGhANISTAN:
Guarantee women’s political participation and security
S
ince 2007, Equality Now has been working on the case of Malalai Joya who was
illegally suspended from the Afghan parliament in May 2007 after questioning the
ethics of parliamentarians. We continue to work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union
(IPU) for Malalai Joya’s reinstatement and her personal safety and on ensuring that women’s
political participation is a reality in Afghanistan.
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now conducted targeted
advocacy with various international
government officials and the
Ambassador of Afghanistan to the
United Nations.
n We carried out strategic advocacy
on the issue of the enactment of
discriminatory laws in Afghanistan
(in particular the Shia Personal Status
Law, which includes various provisions
in violation of the rights of women
under international law). In April 2009,
our letter highlighting the impact
of the Shia Personal Status law on
Afghan women was published in
The Guardian UK.
“Afghan women’s rights
continue to be sidelined
and traded by both the
Afghan government and
the world at large.”
Discrimination in law | Summary
Discriminación Legal
En el 2009, Igualdad Ya siguió abogando incansablemente por la creación
de un nuevo mecanismo de la ONU destinado a abordar las leyes que
discriminan a la mujer. En septiembre de 2009, el Consejo de Derechos
Humanos de la ONU (CDH) aprobó una resolución que solicitaba a la Oficina
del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos la
elaboración de un informe sobre la discriminación contra la mujer en la ley y
en la práctica, y sobre cómo se aborda esta cuestión en el sistema de la ONU.
El tema será considerado en el período de sesiones de 2010 del CDH.
En su calidad de Secretaría de la Coalición Solidaridad para los Derechos de
las Mujeres Africanas, Igualdad Ya siguió trabajando a favor de la ratificación
y de la incorporación al derecho interno del Protocolo a la Carta Africana de
Derechos Humanos y de los Pueblos sobre los Derechos de la Mujer en África.
En colaboración con la Unión Africana y UNIFEM, convocamos en julio de
2009 una reunión con 14 países sobre las estrategias a seguir para incorporar
el Protocolo al derecho interno. A fecha de diciembre de 2009, 27 de los 53
países africanos habían ratificado el Protocolo.
Igualdad Ya ha colaborado en cuatro casos de acoso sexual y de
discriminación sexual entablados por funcionarias de la ONU que fueron
mal llevados por el sistema judicial interno de la ONU. En el 2009 nos
reunimos con funcionarios de la ONU para abogar por un tratamiento justo y
transparente de estos casos. En febrero de 2009, el Secretario General, Ban
8 | Equality Now
Ki-moon, nos confirmó por escrito que el acoso sexual y la discriminación sexual eran un asunto prioritario
y expresó su confianza en el nuevo sistema judicial de la ONU.
En febrero de 2009, Igualdad Ya publicó una Acción Mujeres sobre el caso de Fatima Bent Suleiman
Al Azzaz, que se vio obligada a divorciarse de su marido Mansour por culpa de sus medio hermanos,
considerados sus tutores masculinos. El divorcio fue confirmado por el Tribunal Supremo de Arabia Saudita.
Apelamos al Rey Saudí y al Ministro de Justicia para que permitieran la reagrupación de Fatima con su
familia y abolieran el sistema de la tutela masculina en Arabia Saudita. En septiembre de 2009, el Rey saudí
ordenó al Tribunal que revisara la sentencia del caso de Fatima y Mansour.
Desde el año 2007, Igualdad Ya ha abogado por la liberación de la cárcel de Kobra Najjar, una mujer iraní
condenada a morir lapidada por adulterio. En el 2009, la sentencia de lapidación de Kobra fue conmutada
y sustituida por una sentencia de 100 latigazos. En enero de 2009, publicamos una Alerta Urgente para
exigir al Presidente de la Magistratura que liberara a Kobra incondicionalmente y acabara con la lapidación
por tratarse de un castigo cruel e inhumano. En mayo de 2009, Kobra Najjar fue liberada de la cárcel.
Desde el año 2007, Igualdad Ya ha estado trabajando en el caso de Malalai Joya, que fue ilícitamente
suspendida del Parlamento afgano tras cuestionar la ética de los parlamentarios. En el año 2009, Igualdad
Ya abogó con diversos funcionarios públicos internacionales y el Embajador de Afganistán ante las
Naciones Unidas para la rehabilitación y la seguridad personal de Malalai Joya así como la participación de
las mujeres en la política de Afganistán. En abril de 2009, The Guardian UK publicó nuestra carta en la que
se destacaba el impacto de la Ley Shia sobre el Estatuto Personal en las mujeres afganas.
Discrimination dans la loi
En 2009 Égalité Maintenant a continué ses efforts de plaidoyer pour la création d’un nouveau mécanisme
au niveau de l’Organisation des Nations Unies (ONU) pour faire face aux lois discriminatoires envers les
femmes. En septembre 2009, le Conseil des droits de l’Homme des Nations Unies (CDH) a fait voter une
résolution demandant au Bureau du Haut-commissaire aux droits de l’Homme de préparer un rapport sur
les lois et les pratiques discriminatoires à l’encontre des femmes et sur la façon dont le système des Nations
Unies aborde ces lois et pratiques. La question sera examinée durant les sessions 2010 du CDH.
En tant que Secrétariat du Mouvement de Solidarité pour les Droits des Femmes Africaines, Égalité
Maintenant continue d’œuvrer pour la ratification et la transposition, au niveau du droit interne des États
signataires, du Protocole de la Charte Africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des peuples relatif aux droits de
la Femme en Afrique. En collaboration avec l’Union africaine et le Fonds de développement des Nations
Unies pour la femme (UNIFEM), nous avons organisé une réunion pour les 14 états-parties en juillet 2009
sur la transposition au niveau juridique national du Protocole. En décembre 2009, 27 des 53 pays africains
avaient ratifié le Protocole.
Égalité Maintenant a apporté sa collaboration dans quatre procédures de plaintes pour harcèlement sexuel
et discrimination fondée sur le sexe intentées par des employées des Nations Unies qui ont été mal gérées
par leur système judiciaire interne. En 2009, nous avons rencontré de hauts fonctionnaires des Nations
Unies afin de plaider pour une gestion juste et transparente de ces affaires. En février 2009, le Secrétairegénéral Ban Ki-moon nous a écrit pour affirmer que le harcèlement sexuel et les discriminations fondées
sur le sexe étaient des préoccupations de premier plan et a exprimé sa confiance dans le nouveau système
judiciaire des Nations Unies.
En février 2009, Égalité Maintenant a publié une Action Femmes sur le cas de Fatima Bent Suleiman
Al Azzaz, une femme contrainte par ses demi-frères à divorcer de son mari Mansour car ceux-ci étaient
considérés comme ses gardiens. Le divorce a été confirmé par la plus haute juridiction d’Arabie Saoudite.
Nous avons demandé au Roi et au Ministre de la Justice saoudiens de réunir Fatima avec sa famille et
d’abolir le système de tutelle des femmes par les hommes en Arabie saoudite. En Septembre 2009, le roi
saoudien a ordonné à la cour de réviser sa décision dans l’affaire de Fatima et de Mansour.
Depuis 2007, Égalité Maintenant a plaidé en faveur de la libération de Kobra Najjar, une iranienne
condamnée à mort par lapidation pour adultère. En 2009, la condamnation à la lapidation a été commuée,
mais en une peine de 100 coups de fouet. En janvier 2009, nous avons publié une Alerte Urgente afin
d’exhorter le chef du système judiciaire à libérer Kobra sans conditions et d’arrêter la pratique de la
lapidation, punition cruelle et inhumaine. En mai 2009, Kobra Najjar a été libérée de prison.
Depuis 2007, Égalité Maintenant travaille sur le cas de Malalai Joya qui a été illégalement suspendue
du parlement afghan après avoir mis en cause l’éthique de plusieurs parlementaires. En 2009,
Égalité Maintenant a conduit des missions de plaidoyer auprès de hauts représentants de différents
gouvernements et de l’ambassade d’Afghanistan aux Nations Unies, appelant à la réintégration de Malalai
Joya et à des gages pour sa sécurité, ainsi que pour une plus grande participation politique des femmes
en Afghanistan. En avril 2009, notre lettre mettant en avant les effets que la loi chiite sur le statut personnel
aurait sur les afghanes a été publiée dans Le Guardian UK.
SExual violENcE
JAPAN: ban rape simulation games that
promote a culture of violence against
women and girls
E
xtreme pornography in the form of cartoons
known as hentai appears in various
media, such as comic books, animation,
computer games and online entertainment and
is easily accessible and acceptable in Japan.
Common themes of hentai include rape, gang
rape, incest and the sexual abuse of schoolgirls.
RapeLay is a game where the player gets points
for stalking and raping young girls and women.
Equality Now believes computer games such as
RapeLay promote gender-based violence. Rather
than allowing them to flourish, the Japanese
government should be taking effective measures
to change cultural acceptance of violence against
women, which hinders women’s equality.
“I strongly agree with your women’s action against Japanese hentai games
such as RapeLay. I am a Japanese woman of age thirty-three, and observed
hentai manga and animation from early age in classrooms or in garbage
cans at . . . our playground . . . I hope your action can raise awareness to our
government as Gaiatsu (pressure from outside of our country) and succeed
–women’s Action Network Member from Japan
to eliminate this hentai culture.”
Highlights of 2009:
n In May 2009, Equality Now issued a Women’s Action calling on Illusion Software and
Amazon Japan to withdraw from sale—and on the Japanese government to ban—all
games, including RapeLay, which normalize and promote violence against women.
n Within weeks of the Action, Amazon Japan withdrew RapeLay from sale and Illusion
Software removed RapeLay from its website.
n Equality Now’s campaign was widely reported in the Japanese and international media
through newspapers, television, radio and blogs and triggered widespread debate across
the internet. However, along with messages of support we received a lot of hate mail,
including rape and death threats from hentai fans.
n The campaign pressured the Japanese government to begin addressing loopholes
in its child pornography laws that currently only criminalize the production of child
pornography and not its possession.
10 | EquAlity Now
n Equality Now submitted the issue to the UN Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which examined Japan’s report in July 2009.
In its concluding comments, the Committee strongly urged the Japanese government
to “ban the sale of video games or cartoons involving rape and sexual violence against
women which normalize and promote sexual violence against women and girls.”
n In September 2009, Equality Now issued a Women’s Action Update calling on the Japanese
government to comply with the CEDAW Committee’s recommendations and to ban such
games. The update also targeted Illusion Software and Amazon Japan who continue to sell
games that include rape, stalking, child sexual abuse and sexual molestation.
Yemen/Saudi Arabia:
End child marriages
I
n 2009, Equality Now launched a campaign
against child marriage, which has profound
physical, mental, social and educational
consequences for the girls who are in such
marriages. Currently targeting Saudi Arabia and
Yemen, Equality Now asked government officials
to enact and effectively enforce laws establishing a
minimum age of marriage to prevent child marriage.
“[Minimum age of marriage
has resulted in] lots of
dialogue...and awareness
has been raised to a point
where everyone talks and
discusses the issue from
various aspects.”
–Rashida Al-Hamdani, Chair of Women’s
National Committee, Yemen
Highlights of 2009:
n In June 2009, Equality Now issued an Urgent Alert calling for the Saudi King to ban child
marriages and to annul the marriage of Amneh Mohamed Sharahili, a 10-year-old Saudi
schoolgirl, to a 25-year-old Saudi man.
n In October 2009, we released a Women’s Action calling on the Yemeni government to
enact and effectively enforce a law establishing a minimum age of marriage, which had
been introduced in parliament. The Action highlighted the cases of 12-year-old Fawziya
Abdullah Youssef, married to a 25-year-old man, who died after three days of labor,
and 14-year-old Asghan M.S. who repeatedly ran away from her adult husband and was
threatened with death by her father.
The bill was not passed in 2009 and
Equality Now continues to support
Yemeni human rights groups in their
efforts to get this law passed.
n Equality Now became a member
of a coalition of 13 organizations
in the United States endorsing the
International Protecting Girls by
Women protesting child marriage, Yemen
sexual violence
Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009 (H.R. 2103, S.987), which authorizes U.S. foreign
assistance programs to prevent child marriage around the world. In November 2009, we
issued an Urgent Alert calling on members in the United States to urge their senators to
pass this legislation in the U.S. Congress.
Ethiopia: Prevent and address abductions, rapes and forced
marriages of girls
S
ince 2003, Equality Now has been involved in the case of Woineshet Zebene
Negash, who was abducted, raped and forced into marriage at age 13. Partly
through the Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund (AGLDF), Equality Now
continues to seek justice for Woineshet whose case was mishandled by the Ethiopian
legal authorities leading to the release of her rapist and abductors from jail. In May 2007,
together with the Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA), Equality Now brought
Woineshet’s case to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African
Commission) after local remedies had been exhausted. The Ethiopian government asked
us to work with them to reach a “friendly settlement” of the case. However, despite our
full efforts, we were unable to reach a settlement in 2009 and will likely ask the African
Commission to declare the case admissible and rule on its merits in 2010. Additionally, in
January 2009, the Ethiopian government passed a law, which
will go into effect in February 2010, preventing human rights
groups from receiving more than 10% of their funding from
international sources. This law puts our partner EWLA and
other human rights organizations in jeopardy.
Highlights of 2009:
Woineshet Zebene Negash
n Woineshet completed her college studies and is hoping
to attend law school so she may help other girls. Equality
Now secured private funding to help with her education and
develop her English language skills.
Zambia: Prevent and address cases of rape of schoolgirls by teachers
I
n 2007, through the AGLDF, Equality Now became involved in a case of a 13-yearold girl, R.M., who was raped by her teacher, a frequent occurrence in Zambia. The
Zambian authorities failed to prosecute the alleged rapist, so R.M. pursued a civil
case with our support where she was awarded damages in a 2008 landmark decision of the
Zambia High Court. The court also urged the Director of Public Prosecutions to arrest and
prosecute R.M.’s rapist and the Ministry of Education to take steps to prevent future cases
of sexual violence in schools. Subsequently, the Zambian government filed notification of its
intent to appeal this decision.
12 | Equality Now
Sara Longwe of the Zambian coalition, Yasmeen Hassan and Caroline Muthoni Muriithi of Equality Now
and a representative of NGOCC at the Ministry of Education, Zambia
Highlights of 2009:
n In February 2009, Equality Now issued a Women’s Action calling on the Zambian
government to drop its appeal to the 2008 High Court decision and to implement the
court’s directives to institute criminal charges against R.M.’s rapist and to establish
guidelines in schools to prevent and better address sexual violence.
n Because of overwhelming response from our Women’s Action Network members, the
Zambian Ministry of Education asked us for help in writing guidelines to address sexual
violence against girls in schools.
n In August 2009, the Zambian government dropped its appeal of the High Court
judgment rendering it final. However, as of the end of 2009, R.M. had not been paid the
damages awarded to her and her rapist had not been arrested.
n In December 2009, we issued a Women’s Action Update asking the Zambian government
to arrest and prosecute R.M.’s rapist, issue guidelines in schools and to pay R.M. the
compensation awarded by the High Court.
n To build on the momentum generated by R.M.’s case, Equality Now convened a coalition
of Zambian groups working to address sexual violence against schoolgirls in Zambia.
Equality Now submitted a proposal to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women
requesting support for comprehensive efforts of this coalition over the next three years,
which was one of 13 proposals selected for funding out of 1643 submissions.
sexual violence
Pakistan: Prevent and
address cases of incest
I
Sidra Humayun from War Against Rape counsels “N”
n 2009, Equality Now’s AGLDF,
through our local partner War
Against Rape (WAR), took
on a case involving the rape of a
15-year-old girl, N, by her father.
N’s case exemplifies all the hurdles
that victims of sexual violence and
particularly incest have to go through,
including the skepticism of police
and prosecutors and procedures that
make justice unattainable. There is
no legal provision on incest in the
Pakistan Penal Code and incest cases
rarely make it to court, although
civil society groups working on rape
report that incest is widespread.
Equality Now hopes not only to
get justice for N, but also to assist
our partners in advocating for
legal change.
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now identified a pro bono lawyer for
N. We worked with the lawyer to prevent the
police from dropping the case after a cursory
investigation in favor of the father. Equality Now
accompanied the lawyer in meetings with the
Superintendent of Police and were successful
in getting the police to reinvestigate the case.
The lawyer was also successful in getting the
prosecutor, who had let the father out on bail
without giving the victim and her mother notice
of the bail hearing, suspended.
“Now I am so happy
that my children have
a chance at a better
life and they can grow
up, be educated and
become good human
beings.”
–Letter from N’s mother
n Equality Now facilitated support from a private donor for N and her family for lodging
as well as schooling for N and her five siblings.
n We began working with WAR and other local groups to convene a network on sexual
abuse and incest with the aim of identifying obstacles to justice faced by girls who have
undergone incest and/or sexual abuse and to compile data on incest cases in Pakistan.
14 | Equality Now
Special Performance of Pulitzer-Prize Winning Play
E
quality Now hosted
a performance of
RUINED, the 2009
Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama
by Lynn Nottage, on April
7, 2009 for our supporters,
and on June 19, 2009 for
United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon, the
High Commissioner for
Human Rights, and other
United Nations officials, in
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, playwright
collaboration with the Office
Lynn Nottage, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at a special
performance of RUINED
of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights. RUINED is
a haunting, probing work set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that brings to
life the impact of war on women and the resilience of the human spirit.
Executive Director Taina Bien-Aimé, Gloria Steinem, Sarah Jones and Christine Lahti at the April
reception for 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winner RUINED
Sexual Violence | Summary
Violencia sexual
En mayo de 2009, Igualdad Ya emitió una Acción Mujeres dirigida contra RapeLay, un videojuego producido y
vendido en Japón en el que el jugador debe violar a niñas y mujeres. Exigimos a Illusion Software y Amazon Japón
que retiraran de la venta, y al gobierno japonés que prohibiera, todos los juegos, incluido el RapeLay, que normalizan
y promueven la violencia contra la mujer. Al cabo de unas semanas, Amazon Japón retiró el RapeLay de la venta y,
poco después, Illusion Software eliminó el juego de su sitio web. En septiembre de 2009, Igualdad Ya publicó una
Actualización de Acción Mujeres que instaba al gobierno japonés a cumplir las recomendaciones emitidas por el
Comité de la ONU para la Eliminación de la Discriminación contra la Mujer para que prohíba este tipo de juegos.
En junio de 2009, Igualdad Ya emitió una Alerta Urgente en la que pedía al Rey saudí que prohibiera el matrimonio
infantil y que anulara el matrimonio de Amneh Mohamed Sharahili, una colegiala saudí de 10 años de edad, con un
hombre saudí de 25 años. En octubre de 2009, publicamos una Acción Mujeres en la que instábamos al gobierno
yemení a que promulgara y obligara a cumplir una ley que estableciera una edad mínima para el matrimonio. La
Acción destacaba los casos de Fawziya Abdullah Youssef, una niña de 12 años que murió de parto tras tres días
de parto, y de Asghan M.S., de 14 años, que huía repetidamente de su marido adulto y que fue amenazada de
muerte por su padre. En noviembre de 2009 publicamos una Alerta Urgente en la que pedíamos a los miembros
estadounidenses que instaran a sus senadores a aprobar la Ley Internacional para Protección de Niñas mediante la
Prevención del Matrimonio Infantil de 2009.
A través del Fondo de Defensa Legal de Niñas Adolescentes (AGLDF), Igualdad Ya siguió buscando justicia
para el caso de Woineshet Zebene Negash, que fue secuestrada, violada y obligada a casarse a los 13 años. En
colaboración con la Asociación Etíope de Mujeres Abogadas (EWLA), Igualdad Ya presentó el caso de Woineshet
a la Comisión Africana de Derechos Humanos y de los Pueblos. En el 2009 no conseguimos alcanzar un “acuerdo
amistoso” con el gobierno etíope, lo cual fue solicitado por el propio gobierno. En el 2010 continuaremos con el
caso ante la Comisión Africana. Además, en enero de 2009, el gobierno etíope aprobó una ley que impide que
los grupos de derechos humanos reciban más del 10% de su financiación de fuentes internacionales. Esta ley hace
peligrar la existencia de nuestro socio EWLA y de otras organizaciones de derechos humanos.
A través del AGLDF, Igualdad Ya se ha involucrado en el caso de R.M., una chica de Zambia que fue violada por su maestro
cuando ella tenía 13 años. Las autoridades no procesaron al violador, por lo que R.M. inició un juicio civil con nuestro apoyo
y el Tribunal Superior de Lusaka dictó en el 2008 una sentencia a su favor de reparación de daños. En febrero de 2009,
Igualdad Ya publicó una Acción Mujeres que solicitaba al gobierno de Zambia que retirara su apelación del juicio y que
implantara las directivas del Tribunal a fin de procesar al violador de R.M. y establecer directrices en las escuelas destinadas
a evitar la violencia sexual. En agosto de 2009, el gobierno retiró su apelación a la decisión del Tribunal. En diciembre de
2009, publicamos una Actualización de la Acción en la que pedíamos al gobierno que aplicara la sentencia del Tribunal y
que pagara a R.M. la indemnización dictada por el Tribunal Superior. Asimismo, Igualdad Ya recibió financiación del Fondo
Fiduciario de la ONU en apoyo de las medidas para eliminar la violencia contra la mujer, para respaldar el trabajo de una
coalición de grupos de Zambia que convocamos para abordar la violencia sexual contras las escolares.
En el 2009, a través de nuestra organización asociada paquistaní, Guerra a la Violación (WAR), el AGLDF de Igualdad
Ya asumió un caso de violación de una chica de 15 años, N, por su padre. Localizamos un abogado que trabaja
gratuitamente en el caso de N. No existe ninguna disposición legal sobre el incesto en el Código Penal paquistaní y
los casos de incesto raramente llegan a los tribunales. Igualdad Ya espera no tan sólo conseguir justicia para N, sino
también ayudar a nuestras organizaciones asociadas en su reclamación de un cambio en la legislación.
Violence Sexuelle
En mai 2009, Égalité Maintenant a publié une Action Femmes visant RapeLay, un jeu vidéo produit et vendu au
Japon dans lequel les joueurs violent des jeunes filles et des femmes. Nous avons demandé à Illusion Software et
Amazon Japon de retirer de la vente ce jeu, et nous avons appelé le gouvernement japonais à interdire tous les
jeux, RapeLay inclus, qui banalisent la violence contre les femmes ou en font la promotion. Dans les semaines qui
ont suivi, Amazon Japon a retiré RapeLay des ventes et Illusion Software a retiré le jeu de son site internet peu
après. En septembre 2009, Égalité Maintenant a publié une Mise à jour Action Femmes appelant le gouvernement
japonais à se mettre en conformité avec les recommandations du Comité des Nations Unies pour l’élimination des
discriminations contre les femmes qui vise l’interdiction de ces jeux.
En juin 2009, Égalité Maintenant a publié une Alerte Urgente demandant au roi saoudien l’interdiction du mariage
précoce et l’annulation du mariage d’Amneh Mohamed Sharahili, une écolière saoudienne de 10 ans, à un homme
âgé de 25 ans. En octobre 2009, nous avons publié une Action Femmes demandant au gouvernement yéménite de
promulguer et d’appliquer une loi fixant un âge minimum pour le mariage. L’Action a permis de faire connaître les
histoires de Fawziya Abdullah Youssef, 12 ans, morte lors d’un accouchement qui a duré trois jours, et de Asghan M.S,
14 ans, qui a fui plusieurs fois son mari adulte et que son pére a menacé de mort. En novembre 2009, nous avons
publié une Alerte Urgente demandant à nos membres aux états-Unis de contacter leurs sénateurs afin de les exhorter
à voter en faveur de la proposition de loi “protection internationale des filles par la prévention des mariages précoces
de 2009” (International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009).
Avec le Fonds de défense judiciaire des adolescentes (AGLDF), Égalité Maintenant a continué à chercher à obtenir
une décision de justice dans l’affaire de Woineshet Zebene Negash, enlevée, violée et mariée de force à l’âge de
16 | Equality Now
13 ans. Avec l’Association éthiopienne des femmes avocates (EWLA), Égalité Maintenant a déposé un recours à la
Commission africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples quant au cas de Woineshet. En 2009, nous n’avons
pas réussi à trouver un accord avec le gouvernement éthiopien par voie de “procédure à l’amiable”, procédure
demandée par le gouvernement. En 2010, nous porterons l’affaire à la Commission africaine. De plus, en janvier
2009, le gouvernement éthiopien a voté une loi qui interdit aux associations de défense des droits humains de
recevoir plus de 10% de leur financement de sources étrangères. Cette loi met en danger la viabilité de notre
partenaire EWLA ainsi que d’autres associations de défense des droits humains.
Avec le fonds AGLDF, Égalité Maintenant s’est impliquée dans le cas de R.M., une fille zambienne qui, à l’âge de 13 ans,
a été violée par son enseignant. Les autorités n’ont pas poursuivi le violeur. R.M. a donc entamé une procédure civile avec
notre soutien et, après décision de la Haute Cour de Lusaka, elle a obtenu le droit à un dédommagement. En février 2009,
Égalité Maintenant a publié une Action Femmes demandant au gouvernement zambien d’abandonner sa procédure d’appel
de la décision de la Haute Cour et de mettre en place des mesures dans les écoles pour prévenir les violences sexuelles.
En août 2009, le gouvernement a abandonné l’appel. En décembre 2009, nous avons publié une Mise à Jour Action
Femmes demandant au gouvernement de mettre en œuvre la décision de la Haute Cour, y compris le paiement à R.M. de la
compensation fixée par cette Cour. Par ailleurs, Égalité Maintenant a reçu un soutien financier du Fonds d’affectation spéciale
des Nations Unies à l’appui de la lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes dans le cadre du soutien à un regroupement
d’associations zambiennes que nous avions organisé pour combattre les violences sexuelles contre les écolières.
En 2009, avec notre association partenaire au Pakistan, War Against Rape, le Fonds de défense judiciaire des
adolescentes d’Égalité Maintenant a soutenu le cas de N, une fille de 15 ans violée par son père. Nous avons trouvé
un avocat pro bono pour N. Il n’y a aucune disposition légale contre l’inceste dans le code pénal pakistanais et les
affaires d’inceste aboutissent rarement devant un tribunal. Égalité Maintenant espère non seulement obtenir justice
pour N mais aussi aider nos partenaires dans leurs efforts pour obtenir des changements de la loi.
FGM
Girls participating in International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM, Somalia
Fund for Grassroots Activism to End Female Genital Mutilation
(FGM Fund)
E
quality Now’s FGM Fund is a proven vehicle that delivers effective and accountable
financial support to 24 grassroots groups in 17 countries in Africa that work in their
communities to end this harmful traditional practice. Apart from providing funding,
Equality Now also partners with the groups and assists them upon request with planning,
execution and evaluation of their programs to end FGM.
We convened our sixth conference of the FGM Fund grantee-partners in Bamako, Mali, to give
visibility to the Africa-wide campaigns to end the practice, while also offering an opportunity
for grantee-partners to share their challenges, successes and lessons learned, from their local
campaigns. The 22 grantee-partners in attendance were also introduced to a monitoring and
evaluation tool to improve their assessment of progress towards ending the practice.
Highlights of FGM Fund grantee-partners’ work in 2009:
Awareness-raising:
n In Kenya, over 151 girls underwent the alternative rite of passage organised by partner
Tasaru Ntomonok Initiaive (TNI). The current Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey of
2009 shows a decrease in the practice of FGM from 32% to 27%.
n In Somalia, Equality Now partner Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development
(GECPD) rescued over 120 girls from FGM who are now staying at the Centre and
attending school.
18 | Equality Now
Legal remedies:
Our partners in Niger, Tanzania and Kenya have taken cases
to court to protect girls under threat of FGM. They have also
instigated prosecution of perpetrators in FGM cases.
n In Niger, perpetrators responsible for mutilating 73 girls
were charged for violating the anti-FGM law of 2003 and a
judgment is expected in early 2010.
“We have moved
from a culture of
complete silence
to having FGM
discussed and
debated as part of
the public agenda.”
–GECPD, Somalia
n In Kenya, our partner Women’s Rights Institute for Peace
(WRIP) assisted a mother to secure a permanent protection
order from the Eldoret court banning her husband from subjecting their daughter to FGM.
Countries in Africa where FGM is known to be practiced and current Equality Now FGM Fund grantees
FGM
“In my work as a traditional
birth attendant I have seen
many women and girls suffer
and die as a consequence of
FGM. Because I have seen this
suffering, I feel pity in my heart
and that’s what drives me to go
far and wide in my community
telling them to stop FGM.”
–Maasai woman from Tanzania
n In Tanzania, a number of girls
challenged their parents with court
action if they subjected them to FGM.
n In Mali and Ghana, communities passed
by-laws that ban FGM.
Abandonment by communities:
n In Tanzania, over 50 Maasai elders
in Hai, Rombo, Same and Simanjiro
abandoned the practice and acted as
monitors in their community to ensure
that girls do not undergo FGM.
n In Ijara district, Kenya, Muslim leaders issued a declaration prohibiting FGM in their
community and emphasizing that FGM is not an Islamic requirement but a deep rooted
cultural practice.
Work with circumcisers:
Partners in Cameroon, the Gambia, Guinea, Mali and Niger worked with circumcisers to
convince them to abandon their tools and supported them in securing alternative means of
livelihood (village shops, restaurants, soap making and farming).
n In Gambia, over 60 circumcisers publicly “dropped their knives” and pledged to abandon
the practice.
Equality Now staff and FGM Fund Partners at actress Christine Lahti’s home in Los Angeles for
“Africa Rising” fundraising event
20 | Equality Now
A F R IC A R IS IN G
The Grassroots Movement
To End Female Genital Mutila
tion
“Africa Rising” director Paula Heredia with Meryl Streep, FGM
Fund Partner Agnes Pareyio of Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative, and film
consultant Laurens Grant at the New York screening
A
screenings
frica Rising, a documentary film directed by
Paula Heredia and produced by Equality Now,
explores the courageous work of those on
the frontlines of the grassroots effort to stop FGM
in Africa. In 2009, the film premiered in New York
at an event hosted by Meryl Streep with a Q&A
session with activists from Mali,
Kenya, UK and Fanta Camara,
a survivor of FGM from Mali.
Africa Rising was also screened
in Boston and San Francisco with
additional showings in New York
at the Reel Sisters Film Festival.
Internationally, Africa Rising
was featured in film festivals in
Burkina Faso, Kenya, Egypt and
Tanzania.
A film by Paula Heredia, prod
uced by Equality Now
London Office Director
Jacqueline Hunt with anti-FGM
activist Efua Dorkenoo
FGM
Mali: Enact a law prohibiting FGM
Since 2004, Equality Now has been working with local partners to advocate for a law
against FGM in Mali, highlighting the case of Fanta Camara who was rendered incontinent
and suffered multiple health
complications from this
procedure. In 2009, we continued
this campaign with our FGM
Fund grantee-partner Association
Malienne pour le Suivi et
l’Orientation des Pratiques
Traditionelles (AMSOPT), devising
other strategies including nationwide awareness-raising through
local media.
Highlights of 2009:
n During the FGM Fund meeting
in Mali in June 2009, Equality
Grace Uwizeye from Equality Now speaking with a former
circumciser on a visit to Bamako, Mali
Now held a press conference
that resulted in substantial
media coverage in the Malian press raising awareness of the need for a law against FGM
in the country.
n Along with our local partners, Equality Now visited senior Malian government officials in
March 2009 to discuss the need for a law against FGM. We agreed to facilitate a visit to
Mali by parliamentarians from neighboring countries in 2010 to discuss strategies.
n Equality Now hired a legal consultant to analyze the existing laws and procedures
and devise a litigation strategy in order to set a precedent on the rights of girls to not
undergo FGM, particularly as Mali has ratified the Protocol on the Rights of Women in
Africa that calls for laws against FGM.
Kenya: Effectively implement the law banning FGM
In 2001, Kenya enacted a law prohibiting FGM. While this was a significant victory, it is
crucial to monitor the implementation of this law to ensure that it is being used to protect
girls from this harmful practice and is a deterrent among FGM-practicing communities,
such as the Maasai. In 2008, along with our partner Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative, Equality
Now through AGDLF started following the case of a 12-year-old Maasai girl who bled to
death after being subjected to FGM. The girl’s father and circumciser were charged with
manslaughter, but they absconded while on bail, and as of the end of 2009, they had not
been re-arrested.
22 | Equality Now
TNI-affiliated mother who prevented her youngest daughter from undergoing FGM. ©Des Willie/Comic Relief
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now attended court hearings along with our local partner to monitor the FGM
case and brought irregularities and lack of follow-up to the attention of the magistrate as
well as the superintendent of police.
n In December 2009, we received a letter from the Commissioner of Police assuring us that
the police were working to immediately arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and that
they would keep us apprised of the progress made.
Awaken
Equality Now continued to write, produce and distribute Awaken, our newsletter about
FGM, sharing information and providing a forum to promote a better understanding
and more effective strategies for the eradication of FGM. Over 3,000 free copies of
Awaken were distributed to those from practicing communities, and the newsletter was
also posted on our website.
FGM | Summary
MGF
En junio de 2009, en Bamako, Mali, Igualdad Ya celebró
la sexta conferencia del Fondo para el Activismo de
Base para Poner Fin a la Mutilación Genital Femenina
(Fondo MGF), que proporciona ayuda financiera a 24
grupos de base de 17 países de África que trabajan
en sus comunidades para acabar con esta nociva
práctica. En el año 2009, el trabajo de los sociosbeneficiarios del Fondo MGF incluyó actividades de
sensibilización, el uso de remedios legales para acabar
con la MGF, declaraciones públicas de comunidades
para abandonar la práctica de la MGF, y el ofrecimiento
de medios alternativos de sustento para las mujeres que
practicaban la MGF.
África Despierta (Africa Rising), documental dirigido por
Paula Heredia y producido por Igualdad Ya, presenta el
trabajo de nuestros beneficiarios del Fondo MGF para
detener la MGF en África. En el 2009, la película fue
estrenada en Nueva York en un acto presentado por
Meryl Streep con una sesión de preguntas y respuestas
con activistas de Mali, Kenia y del Reino Unido, y
Fanta Camara, una superviviente de la MGF de Mali.
África Despierta se presentó también en Boston y
San Francisco. A nivel internacional, África Despierta
fue presentada en festivales de cine de Burkina Faso,
Egipto, Kenia y Tanzania.
En el 2009, Igualdad Ya siguió abogando por una ley en
contra de la MGF en Mali, en colaboración con nuestra
organización asociada Association Malienne pour le
Suivi et l’Orientation des Pratiques Traditionelles. Junto
con nuestra organización asociada local, en marzo de
2009 visitamos a diversos funcionarios gubernamentales
para discutir la necesidad de una ley anti-MGF. Durante
la reunión del Fondo MGF que se celebró en Mali en
junio de 2009, Igualdad Ya organizó una conferencia de
prensa que consiguió una considerable cobertura por
parte de los medios de comunicación y que aumentó la
conciencia de la necesidad de dicha ley.
Con nuestra organización asociada Tasaru Ntomonok
Initiative, Igualdad Ya, a través del AGLDF siguió el
caso en Kenia de una niña Massai de 12 años que murió
desangrada tras haber sido sometida a la MGF por
sus padres. En Kenia la MGF está prohibida por la ley.
El padre de la chica y la persona que practicó la MGF
fueron acusados de homicidio, pero se fugaron después
de ser puestos en libertad bajo fianza. En diciembre de
2009 recibimos una carta del Comisario de policía de
Narok, en la que nos aseguraba que la policía estaba
trabajando en el arresto inmediato de los autores.
Igualdad Ya siguió produciendo y distribuyendo Awaken
(Despertar), nuestro boletín informativo sobre la MGF,
destinado a compartir información y abrir un foro para
promover una mayor comprensión y unas estrategias
más eficaces para la erradicación de la MGF.
24 | Equality Now
MGF
En juin 2009, à Bamako, au Mali, Égalité Maintenant a organisé la sixième conférence du Fonds d’aide aux
organisations de base pour mettre fin aux mutilations génitales féminines (Fonds anti-MGF), qui fournit
une aide financière à 24 associations de base dans 17 pays africains qui travaillent avec leurs communautés
pour en finir avec cette pratique néfaste. En 2009, le travail des partenaires- bénéficiaires du Fonds antiMGF comprenait des actions de sensibilisation, l’utilisation de moyens légaux pour combattre les MGF et
l’attribution de moyens de subsistance alternatifs pour les exciseuses.
L’Eveil de l’Afrique, un documentaire réalisé par Paula Heredia et produit par Égalité Maintenant, présente
le travail de lutte contre les MGF par les bénéficiaires du Fonds anti-MGF. En 2009, la première du film
a eu lieu à New York dans le cadre d’une projection présentée par Meryl Streep suivi par une session
de questions-réponses avec des activistes du Mali, du Kenya, du Royaume-Uni et Fanta Camara, une
survivante malienne des MGF. L’Eveil de l’Afrique a également été présenté à Boston et à San Francisco.
A l’étranger, L’Eveil de l’Afrique a passé dans plusieurs festivals de cinéma au Burkina Faso, en égypte, au
Kenya et en Tanzanie.
En 2009, Égalité Maintenant a continué à plaider pour la mise en place d’une loi contre les MGF au Mali
en collaboration avec notre partenaire, l’Association Malienne pour le Suivi et l’Orientation des Pratiques
Traditionnelles. Avec notre partenaire local, nous avons rencontré de hauts responsables gouvernementaux
en mars 2009 pour discuter de la nécessité d’une loi anti-MGF. A l’occasion de la réunion du Fonds antiMGF en juin 2009 au Mali, Égalité Maintenant a tenu une conférence de presse pour une sensibilisation sur
la nécessité de cette loi.
Avec notre partenaire la Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative, Égalité Maintenant, par l’intermédiaire du Fonds de
défense judiciaire des adolescentes, a suivi au Kenya le cas d’une fille maasai de 12 ans qui est décédée en
se vidant de son sang après avoir été soumise à l’excision par ses parents. Les MGF sont interdites au Kenya.
Le père de la fille et l’excision ont été inculpés pour homicide involontaire mais ont pris la fuite après avoir été
libérés sous caution. En décembre 2009, nous avons reçu une lettre du commissaire de police de Narok nous
assurant que la police faisait son possible pour immédiatement arrêter les auteurs.
Égalité Maintenant a continué à produire et à distribuer L’Éveil, notre bulletin d’information sur les MGF,
afin de partager des informations et de fournir un forum pour promouvoir une meilleure compréhension
des MGF et une meilleure stratégie de lutte contre celles-ci.
Trafficking
Grantee-Partners
Cambodia
AFESIP
Fund for Grassroots Activism to End
Sex Trafficking (Trafficking Fund)
The Trafficking Fund provides financial assistance
to grantee-partners and endeavors to create an
international movement of activists who can support
each other’s work and exchange effective practices
and strategies to end trafficking in women and girls.
In 2008-2009, Equality Now expanded support for
members of the Trafficking Fund, and made grants
to eleven grantee-partners from Cambodia, Iceland,
India, Latvia, Lithuania, Nepal, Peru, the Philippines,
South Korea, Zambia, and the U.S.
United States: End sex tourism
E
quality Now continues to urge the U.S.
government to apply federal laws to prosecute
and shut down sex tourism companies in the
United States. These companies transport men to
countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia
and the Dominican Republic and facilitate their efforts
26 | Equality Now
Iceland
Stigamot
India
Apne Aap
Latvia
The Resource Centre for Women
“Marta”
Lithuania
Klaipeda Social and Psychological
Services Center
Nepal
Maiti Nepal
Peru
Movimiento del Pozo
Philippines
Buklod Center
South Korea
Mungchi
United States
Girls Educational and Mentoring
Services (GEMS)
Zambia
Tasintha Programme
Women’s small savings group organized by trafficking grantee-partner Apne Aap, India
to exploit women and girls in these countries. Sex tourism supports a multi-billion dollar
commercial sex industry and an estimated 25% of international sex tourists are reportedly
from the United States. However, the Department of Justice continues to fail to prosecute
sex tour companies and to apply existing federal laws that penalize knowingly transporting
a person across state or national boundaries to engage in prostitution.
Highlights of 2009:
n In May 2009, Equality Now issued a Women’s Action Update calling on the new U.S.
Attorney General to prosecute the owner of G.F. (formerly G&F) Tours, a sex tour
company based in Texas, and other U.S.-based sex tour operators. Since Equality Now’s
2005 Women’s Action on G.F. Tours, the company has removed sexually explicit pictures
of women and other incriminating sex content from its website and stopped referring to
its tours as “sex tours.” The travel services G.F. Tours offers, however, remain the same.
n At the state level, the criminal trial of the owner/operators of Big Apple Oriental Tours,
a sex tour company, took place in January 2009 in New York. Unfortunately, the jury
acquitted the defendants.
Trafficking
New York State: Enact and implement a strong anti-trafficking law
E
quality Now continued to serve on the Steering Committee of the New York State
Anti-Trafficking Coalition, which was successful in getting a comprehensive antitrafficking law passed in New York State in 2007. The Coalition is working on ensuring
proper implementation of this law. In 2009, the Coalition held stakeholder meetings to
discuss experiences with the law and strategies to strengthen implementation including
training of law enforcement officers and increasing prosecutions under the law.
Global: Effective legislation on trafficking and prostitution
E
quality Now continues to support efforts for the enactment and implementation
of strong legislation on trafficking around the world that conforms to international
standards as exemplified in the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons, especially Women and Children (the Palermo Protocol). We also support efforts for
the enactment of legislation criminalizing the demand for prostitution while decriminalizing
prostituted women.
Highlights of 2009:
n In summer 2009, Equality Now convened a meeting with women’s rights activists from
Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Zambia to discuss strategies to combat and end
sex trafficking in Africa.
n Equality Now participated in a coalition advocating for the passage of an effective
trafficking law and for closing a “loophole” in the prostitution law that allowed “indoor”
prostitution in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Equality Now testified at a Rhode Island
Participants in Equality Now’s meeting to end sex trafficking in Africa, Kenya
28 | Equality Now
legislative hearing on
the requirements for
an effective trafficking
statute, and the need
to criminalize the
demand for services
of prostituted women
that fuels the sex trade
while decriminalizing
prostituted women. In
October 2009, Rhode
Island enacted antitrafficking legislation
and amended the
Equality Now with activists from the Middle East at a meeting on
trafficking organized by the Kvinna Till Kvinna (KTK) Foundation and
prostitution law to
the Swedish Institute, Egypt
criminalize purchasers of
indoor prostitution, but
unfortunately, the law also criminalized prostituted women.
n We continued our efforts, with Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery and other partners, to
get a human trafficking law enacted in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Equality Now submitted
written testimony to relevant committees of the Hawaiian legislature concerning this
bill. In November 2009, Equality Now staff participated in the training of Hawaiian law
enforcement agencies and service providers on human trafficking.
n Equality Now analyzed trafficking legislation of Pakistan and United Arab Emirates to
identify gaps and challenges for local partners in these countries as well as priorities for
law reform.
n We supported the Garden of Hope Foundation in Taiwan in its efforts to oppose a move
from the Taiwanese government to legalize prostitution. Equality Now joined efforts in
encouraging the government to decriminalize prostituted women while criminalizing the
demand for prostitution. We continue to have constructive dialogues with Taiwanese
officials on the subject by encouraging them to support exit mechanisms and viable
alternatives for those wishing to leave prostitution.
n Equality Now participated in a consultation by the United Kingdom’s Home Office
at the end of 2008 on how best to tackle demand for prostitution and engaged with
members of the House of Lords in support of local coalition efforts on discussions around
prostitution and the licensing of lap-dancing clubs. In November 2009, the UK Parliament
passed new legislation that makes it an offense to pay for sexual services from someone
who has been subjected to prostitution by force and that regulates lap-dancing clubs as
part of the sex industry rather than the leisure industry.
Trafficking | Summary
Trata de Mujeres
En el periodo 2008-2009, Igualdad Ya aumentó su apoyo a los
miembros del Fondo para el Activismo de Base para Poner
Fin al Tráfico Sexual, que ofrece ayuda financiera a los sociosbeneficiarios e intenta por todos los medios crear un movimiento
internacional de activistas que trabajan para terminar con la
explotación sexual comercial, y que pueden apoyar el trabajo
de los demás e intercambiar prácticas y estrategias eficaces. El
Fondo concedió becas a socios-beneficiarios de 11 países.
En mayo de 2009, Igualdad Ya publicó una Actualización de
Acción Mujeres en la que solicitaba al nuevo Fiscal General de
Estados Unidos que aplicara las leyes federales para procesar al
propietario de G.F. Tours, una empresa de viajes sexuales, y a
otros touroperadores sexuales radicados en Estados Unidos. A
nivel estatal, en enero de 2009 se celebró en Nueva York el juicio
por lo penal del propietario y los operadores de la empresa de
viajes sexuales Big Apple Oriental Tours. Desgraciadamente, el
jurado absolvió a los acusados.
Igualdad Ya siguió trabajando con el Comité de Dirección de la
Coalición del Estado de Nueva York contra la Trata de Personas.
En el año 2009, la Coalición convocó varias reuniones para
discutir las estrategias destinadas a consolidar la aplicación de
la ley del Estado de Nueva York contra la trata de personas,
incluyendo mediante la formación de agentes del orden público
y el aumento de los procesos. La Coalición colaboró también en
la configuración de la campaña de la Alcaldía de la Ciudad de
Nueva York contra la trata de personas.
Igualdad Ya continuó apoyando los esfuerzos destinados a
la promulgación y a la aplicación de fuerte legislación sobre
el tráfico de seres humanos en todo el mundo. Participamos
en una coalición que abogaba por la aprobación de una ley
efectiva contra la trata de personas en el Estado estadounidense
de Rhode Island, destacando la necesidad de penalizar la
demanda de prostitución a la vez que despenalizar a las mujeres
prostituídas. La legislación se aprobó pero, lamentablemente,
penaliza a las mujeres prostituídas. Presentamos un testimonio
escrito a la asamblea legislativa de Hawaii referente a un
proyecto de ley sobre la trata de personas, y en noviembre de
2009, participamos en la formación de agentes del orden público
y prestadores de servicios en Hawaii sobre el tráfico de seres
humanos. Apoyamos los esfuerzos de un grupo local de Taiwán
para oponerse al intento del gobierno taiwanés de legalizar la
prostitución. Igualdad Ya participó en una consulta llevada a
cabo por el Ministerio del Interior del Reino Unido a finales del
2008 sobre cómo abordar la demanda de la prostitución. En
noviembre de 2009, el Parlamento británico aprobó una nueva
legislación que penaliza el pago de los servicios sexuales a
alguien que ha sido obligado a ejercer la prostitución.
Traite des femmes
En 2008-2009, Égalité Maintenant a accru son soutien aux
membres du Fonds d’aide aux organisations de base pour
mettre fin à la traite aux fins d’exploitation sexuelle. Ce
Fonds offre une aide financière aux partenaires-bénéficiaires
30 | Equality Now
et cherche à créer un mouvement international d’activistes œuvrant pour la fin de l’exploitation
sexuelle à des fins commerciales afin qu’ils puissent s’entraider dans leur travail et échanger des
stratégies et des pratiques efficaces. Le Fonds a distribué des subventions à des partenairesbénéficiaires dans 11 pays.
En mai 2009, Égalité Maintenant a publié une Mise à jour Action Femmes demandant au nouveau
Procureur Général des États-Unis d’appliquer les lois fédérales et de poursuivre le propriétaire
de G.F. Tours, une compagnie voyagiste qui propose de pratiquer du tourisme sexuel, ainsi que
d’autres compagnies du même type basées aux États-Unis. Au niveau des États fédéraux, un procès
d’assises a eu lieu en janvier 2009 à New York contre le propriétaire et les exploitants du voyagiste
Big Apple Oriental Tours accusés d’aider à la pratique du tourisme sexuel. Malheureusement, les
jurés ont acquitté les prévenus. Égalité Maintenant a continué ses efforts en lien avec les travaux du
Comité Directeur de la Coalition anti-Traite de l’État de New York. En 2009, la Coalition a organisé
des réunions pour discuter des stratégies visant à renforcer la mise en application de la loi antitraite d’êtres humains de l’État de New York, y compris la formation des officiers de police et une
augmentation du nombre de poursuites. La Coalition s’est aussi impliquée dans l’élaboration de la
campagne du bureau du maire de New York contre la traite d’êtres humains.
Égalité Maintenant continue de soutenir les efforts pour la promulgation et l’application de
législations sévères pour lutter contre la traite des femmes à travers le monde. Nous avons
participé à une coalition qui plaide pour la promulgation d’une loi de lutte contre la traite des
femmes dans l’État américain de Rhode Island, mettant en avant le besoin de criminaliser la
clientèle tout en décriminalisant les femmes prostituées. La loi est passée mais, malheureusement,
elle criminalise aussi ces dernières. Nous avons déposé auprès de la législature hawaiienne des
témoignages écrits dans le cadre d’une proposition de loi visant le trafic d’êtres humains et nous
avons participé à des travaux de formation des services de l’ordre et des services de la traite. Nous
avons soutenu une association locale quand le gouvernement taïwanais a essayé de légaliser la
prostitution á Taïwan. Égalité Maintenant a participé fin 2008 aux consultations du Ministère de
l’Intérieur britannique sur la meilleure manière d’aborder le marché de la prostitution. En novembre
2009, le parlement britannique a voté une loi qui criminalise le paiement de services sexuels à
toute personne contrainte de se prostituer.
Urgent Response
Girls read during class after schools reopened in Swat Valley, 17 February 2009. ©REUTERS/Abdul Rehman
Equality Now retains the flexibility to respond to violations of
women’s and girls’ rights that require an urgent response.
Pakistan: Safeguard girls’ right to education threatened by the
Taliban in Swat
T
he Taliban destroyed 150 girls’ schools in the Swat valley in the North West Frontier
Province of Pakistan in 2008 and announced a ban on girls’ education in the region
effective 15 January 2009. They also banned women and girls from marketplaces and
other public places, ran a campaign of terror through radio announcements threatening the
residents of Swat, and killed teachers and other women. In early 2009, Equality Now began
a campaign against the Talibanization of Swat valley and its impact on women and girls.
32 | Equality Now
Highlights of 2009:
n Equality Now worked with Parliamentarians for
Global Action (PGA) to draw attention to the issue
of the threat to girls’ education in Swat, including
through a resolution introduced in the U.S.
Congress by Representative Carolyn Maloney.
n PGA and Equality Now helped draft a resolution
to be adopted by the Pakistani Parliament, which
highlighted Pakistan’s obligations to protect
women and girls under the Pakistani constitution
and under international obligations. A resolution
to this effect was shortly thereafter adopted by the
Pakistani Parliament.
n In January 2009, we issued an Urgent Alert asking
our members to write to Pakistani officials and
urge them to take action to uphold girls’ and
women’s rights in Swat. The response from the
Women’s Action Network was significant. Shortly
thereafter the Pakistani government took action to
re-establish law and order in Swat.
n In February 2009, we issued another Urgent Alert
asking our U.S. members to write to U.S. Senators
about making the proposed $7.5 billion aid
package to Pakistan conditional on action being
taken to uphold the rights of Pakistani women
and girls.
“...not only should
there be greater
accountability for
how these funds [U.S.
foreign assistance]
are used, but the
money should be
conditioned on the
Pakistani government
taking active steps
to…uphold and
protect the rights of
girls and women.”
n In response to the Pakistani government
proposing to enter into a deal with the Taliban to
institute a parallel legal system in Swat based on
Shariah, Equality Now issued a final Urgent Alert
in February 2009 asking its members to write to relevant Pakistani government officials
and urge them to desist from taking this step, which was unconstitutional and would have
had an adverse impact on women. While the Pakistani government initially entered into
an accord with the Taliban, this agreement was broken by both sides soon after.
n Equality Now generated significant press coverage for this campaign. An opinion piece
on the situation was published in The Washington Post (26 January 2009), followed by
a response to our piece in the same newspaper by the president of Pakistan Asif Ali
Zardari. Equality Now staff also had a piece in the Independent and appeared on the Riz
Khan show on Al-Jazeera as well as several other radio shows and podcasts on this issue.
Urgent Response | Summary
Respuesta Urgente
En el 2008, los talibanes destruyeron 150 escuelas de niñas situadas en el valle Swat
de Pakistán y anunciaron la prohibición de la educación femenina en esta región a
partir del 15 de enero de 2009. En enero de 2009 publicamos una Alerta Urgente
en la que pedíamos a los miembros que instaran a los funcionarios pakistaníes a
que mantuvieran los derechos de las niñas y de las mujeres en Swat. Poco después,
el gobierno pakistaní restableció la ley y el orden en esta zona. En febrero de
2009, publicamos otra Alerta Urgente en la que pedíamos a nuestros miembros
estadounidenses que escribieran a sus senadores para que condicionaran el
propuesto paquete de ayudas a Pakistán a la acción de mantener los derechos de las
mujeres y de las niñas pakistaníes. En respuesta a la propuesta del gobierno pakistaní
de suscribir un acuerdo con los talibanes para instituir un sistema judicial paralelo
en Swat basado en la sharia, Igualdad Ya emitió una Alerta Urgente final en febrero
de 2009 en la que pedía a sus miembros a que instaran a los oficiales pakistaníes
a negarse a adoptar esta medida. Finalmente, el gobierno reparó su acuerdo
preliminar. Esta campaña generó una considerable cobertura periodística, incluido un
artículo de opinión en The Washington Post, seguido de una respuesta en el mismo
periódico del Presidente de Pakistán Asif Ali Zardari; un artículo en The Independent;
y una aparición en el programa Riz Khan de la cadena Al-Jazeera.
Réponse d’Urgence
Les Talibans ont détruit 150 écoles de filles dans la vallée de Swat au Pakistan en
2008 et ont annoncé une interdiction pour les filles de se rendre à l’école dans la
région à partir du 15 janvier 2009. En janvier 2009, nous avons publié une Alerte
Urgente demandant à nos membres de se mobiliser pour exhorter les responsables
pakistanais à soutenir les droits des femmes et des filles dans le district de Swat.
Rapidement après, le gouvernement pakistanais a rétabli l’ordre et la loi dans le
district. En février 2009, nous avons publié une autre Alerte Urgente demandant
à nos membres américains d’écrire à leur sénateur pour conditionner les projets
d’aide au Pakistan à la mise en place de mesures pour assurer les droits des
pakistanaises. En réponse à la proposition du gouvernement pakistanais de conclure
un accord avec les Talibans dans lequel un système légal parallèle basé sur la
Charia serait mis en place dans le district de Swat, Égalité Maintenant a publié une
dernière Alerte Urgente en février 2009 demandant à ses membres d’exhorter les
hauts représentants du gouvernement à ne pas mettre en œuvre cet accord. Le
gouvernement a finalement renoncé à cet accord. Cette campagne a généré une
importante couverture médiatique, y compris un article dans le Washington Post,
avec une réponse dans le même journal du président pakistanais Asif Ali Zardari, un
article dans le journal britannique, l’Independent, et un passage sur le plateau du Riz
Khan Show sur la chaîne Al-Jazeera.
34 | Equality Now
Activists of Equality Now
Board of Directors
Sapana Pradhan-Malla
Adolescent Girls’ Legal
Defense Fund Advisory Board
Chair
Judith Bruce
Maha Abu-Dayyeh Shamas
Interim President
Meaza Ashenafi
Susana Chiarotti
Colette De Troy
Ann Colin Herbst
Jessica Neuwirth
President, on leave 2009
Gloria Steinem
Yukiko Tsunoda
Helen Zia
Chair
Dale Buscher
Elizabeth Evatt
Jane Fonda
Marianne Gimon
Ann Graham
Judge Claire L’Heureux Dubé
Carolyn Makinson
Judith Bruce,
Chair of the
Adolescent Girls’
Legal Defense
Fund (AGLDF)
Advisory Board
ex-officio
Taina Bien-Aimé
Profiles
Jacqueline Hunt
Faiza Jama Mohamed
UK Trustees
Sapana Pradhan-Malla
Serving on the board for nearly a decade,
the founder and director of the Women’s
Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling in
East Jerusalem has shared with Equality
Now her insight and expertise in defending
women’s rights. Maha previously headed the
Quaker Service and Information Centre, the first organization
to provide legal assistance to Palestinians in Israeli jails. Today,
Maha heads her own not-for-profit dedicated to the promotion
of the social and legal status of Palestinian women. She joined
Equality Now’s Board of Directors in 2002, and has also served
on the board of various Palestinian human rights, peace and
women’s organizations. She continues to be a staunch leader
working to end human rights abuses against women and girls.
Chair
Interim President
Meaza Ashenafi
Taina Bien-Aimé
Susana Chiarotti
Colette De Troy
Elizabeth Evatt
Ann Colin Herbst
Faiza Jama Mohamed
Jessica Neuwirth
President, on leave 2009
Gloria Steinem
Yukiko Tsunoda
Deborah Taylor Ashford
Helen Bernstein
Winnie Byanyima
Andrew Byrnes
Edwidge Danticat
Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge
Hanny Megally
Robin Morgan
Alanis Morissette
Irene Kubota Neves
Elizabeth Odio Benito
Indira Rana
Joan Ruddock
Bonnie Schaefer
Meryl Streep
Rose Styron
Liz Young
© Dan Deitch
Advisory Council
Donna Deitch is a committed women’s
rights activist and outstanding Equality
Now supporter. She’s an independent
filmmaker (Desert Hearts) and an Emmy
award-winning television director (Women
of Brewster Place, Grey’s Anatomy,
Law and Order SVU and more) When
Donna is not dedicating her talents to
film and television, she pours herself
into working for women’s equality around the world. She
has travelled many times with Equality Now, including for
meetings in Kenya with FGM Fund partners, to discuss sex
trafficking in Southern Africa, as well as a journey to Paris,
France, where Equality Now brought Fanta Camara from
Mali to seek medical attention for the harm she endured
after undergoing FGM as a child. Donna continues to bring
passion, intelligence and humor to our collective work. We
are extremely fortunate that she shares with Equality Now her
fierce generosity of spirit and extraordinary commitment to
uphold the rights of women and girls everywhere.
Worldwide Support & Outreach
Equality Now greatly
appreciates our donors
whose crucial support
enables our work.
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Members’ commitment
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violations and abuses
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exist. Those who wish to
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not listed.
IN MEMORIAM
Robert Joffe
36 | Equality Now
Beverly Benoit
Michele Dayras
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Elizabeth Iannone
Laurie Jenkins
Kate Lauer
John Levin &
Diane Keefe
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Equality Now thanks the following individuals and
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IN MEMORIAM
Equality Now mourns the death of Esther
Chávez Cano, a brave and fearless activist who
worked tirelessly on behalf of victims of sexual
and domestic violence. Esther founded Casa
Amiga, the first rape crisis center in Ciudad
Juárez, Mexico, and played an essential role
in bringing international attention to the issue
of violence against women in Ciudad Juárez.
Even as she battled illness, Esther continued
demanding justice and dedicating her life to
women and children in her community. Equality Now and the human
rights movement will deeply miss Esther and her fierce determination
to make her community a safer place for women and children.
Karen Grube
Humberto Guerrero
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inMotion
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38 | Equality Now
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Sanctuary for Families
Joanne Sandler
Rassolguessida Clémence
Ilboudo Sawadogo
Susan Sawyers
Rudolf Scheffer
Ingeborg Schwartz
Rhonda Senior
Pamela Shifman
Heisoo Shin
Kadidia Aoudou Sidibe
Hannah Silver
William Silverman
Sisters of the Good
Shepherd
Solidarity for African
Women’s Rights Coalition
Eleanor Solo
Peter Splinter
Carol Smolenski
Stephanie Staal
Karen Stauss
Steve Stecklow
Mary Steenburgen &
Ted Danson
Gloria Steinem
Beate Stirø
Antonia Stolper &
Robert Fertik
Stronge Family Foundation
Rebekah Spicuglia
Rose Styron
Courtney Sullivan
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr.
Nura Taefi
Glennda Testone
Amy Thesing
Stephanie Thomas
Salvador Tinajero
Rita Tomaino
Marisa Tomei
Kady Traore
Davinia Troughton
Hulan Tsedev
UNIFEM
United Nations Division
for the Advancement
of Women
United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa
(ECA)
United Nations Office of
the High Commissioner
for Human Rights
V-Day
Soheila Vahdati
Liesbeth van der Hoogte
Kathleen Vermazen
Vital Voices
Alma Viviana Perez
Meredith Wagner
Liz Wamuyu
Mary Wandia
War Against Rape, Lahore
Charlotte Watson
Diane Watson
Clemens Wennekes
The Westport Fund
Kori Wilson-Griffin
Alicia Foley Winn
Women Make Movies
Women Thrive
Worldwide
Women’s Media Center
Joanne Woodward
Sheryl WuDunn
Kathy Xian
Liz Young
Amy Ziff
Debra Zimmerman
12th Annual Edith I. Spivack Award recipients Taina Bien-Aimé (center) and Jessica
Neuwirth (third from right), with members of the New York County Lawyers’
Association’s Women’s Rights Committee. ©Rick Kopstein, New York Law Journal
Staff List
New York
Taina Bien-Aimé
Executive Director
Yasmeen Hassan
Deputy Executive Director,
Director of Programs
Lakshmi Anantnarayan
Communications Director
Catherine Brandli
Director of Development
Carmen Chiong
Administrative Director,
Controller
Sophia Giddens
Programs and Publications
Coordinator
Bethany Hurley
Project Manager,
Publications/Website
Antonia Kirkland
Equality Now Staff
Legal Advisor
Sally Mercedes
Database Manager,
Website Coordinator
Cossette Morillo
Office Manager
Mehr Qureshi
Program Officer
Leah Rutman
Program Officer
Amanda Sullivan
Director, Women’s
Action Network
London
Jacqueline Hunt
Director
Onyinye Nwulu
Office Manager
Anber Raz
Programme Officer
Nairobi
Faiza Jama Mohamed
Director
Mary Ciugu
Office Manager
Caroline Muthoni Muriithi
Programme Officer
Grace Uwizeye
Programme Officer
Consultants
Suad Abu-Dayyeh
Jacqueline Asiimwe
Kenneth Franzblau
Bonnie Greenfield
Karolyn Irvin
Sara Longwe
Shoji Masuzawa
Caroline Osero-Ageng’o
Emilie Trautmann
Translators
Arabic:
Ghada Diab
Wafaa Wahba
French:
Marie-Claire Boisset-Pestourie
Milcah Chokah
Jérôme Mangelinckx
Patricia Mugambi
Hélène Robineau
Browncoats
From June through September
2009, the fourth annual Can’t
Stop the Serenity worldwide
screening event was held in
50 cities in seven countries.
Organized by the “Browncoats,”
fans of writer/director Joss
Whedon and his film Serenity,
2009 was their most successful
year so far, raising over $100,000
to support the work of Equality
Now. We continue to be
inspired by and grateful for their
enthusiastic efforts and their
dedication to advancing the
rights of women and girls around
the world.
Spanish:
Maritza Ascencios
Marie-Claire Boisset-Pestourie
Jérôme Mangelinckx
Leticia Molinero
Portuguese:
Josefate Muhlanga
Financial Statements
FINANCIAL POSITION
2009
2008
$1,507,085 950,547 1,221,082 46,537 43,283 36,009 $3,804,543 $1,744,711
913,344
611,911
27,117
43,717
21,344
$3,362,144
$109,813 101,398 31,154 $242,365 $89,611
262,040
10,551
$362,202
$1,784,223 1,777,955 $3,562,178 $3,804,543 $1,750,959
1,248,983
$2,999,942
$3,362,144
2009
2008
UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS
Public support and revenue
Contributions and grants
Foundations
Individual donors
Corporations
Special events, net
Donated goods and services
Investment income
Other income
Public support and revenue before release of restrictions
Net assets released from restrictions
Total public support and revenue
$689,539 707,337 143,158 59,084
79,466 69,833 4,099 1,752,516 979,075 2,731,591 $485,964
1,076,813
19,416
90,032
(13,713)
2,476
1,660,988
903,777
2,564,765
Expenses
Grants *
Staff and consultants
Travel and meetings
Campaign materials
Communications
Administration
Total expenses
Increase (decrease) in unrestricted net assets
437,421 1,467,400 258,991 125,303 83,572 325,640 2,698,327 33,264 498,561
1,358,151
244,892
99,156
100,417
263,773
2,564,950
(185)
1,508,047 (979,075)
528,972 562,236 2,999,942 $3,562,178 674,308
(903,777)
(229,469)
(229,654)
3,229,596
$2,999,942
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
Investments
Contributions and grants receivable
Prepaid expenses
Property and equipment, net
Other assets
Total assets
LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
Grants payable
Deferred rent
Total liabilities
NET ASSETS
Unrestricted
Temporarily restricted
Total net assets
Total liabilities and net assets
ACTIVITIES
TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED NET ASSETS
Contributions
Net assets released from restrictions
Increase (decrease) in temporarily restricted net assets
Total increase (decrease) in temporarily restricted and unrestricted net assets
Net assets: January 1
Net assets: December 31
*Trafficking grants: $160,000 and $110,000, respectively, for 2009 and 2008
FGM grants: $188,631 and $358,000, respectively, for 2009 and 2008.
Auditors Lederer, Levine & Associates, LLC
40 | Equality Now
Equality Now was founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of
women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and invididual activists,
Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and adds an international action
component to support their efforts to advance equality rights and defend individual women who are
suffering abuse. Through its Women’s Action Network, Equality Now distributes information about these
human rights violations to concerned groups and individuals around the world, along with recommended
actions for publicizing and protesting them. The Women’s Action Network represents an international
force of activism, capable of rapid and concerted response to crisis situations and committed to
voicing a worldwide call for justice and equality for women. Issues of concern to Equality Now include
discrimination in law, sexual violence, female genital mutilation, trafficking and other human rights
abuses against women and girls.
Egalité Maintenant a été fondée en 1992 afin de travailler pour la protection et la promotion des droits
humains de la femme dans le monde entier. Travaillant avec des associations nationales pour les droits
humains et avec des activistes individuels, Egalité Maintenant documente la violence et la discrimination
contre les femmes, en ajoutant un élément d’action internationale pour soutenir les efforts de ces
associations et activistes pour avancer les droits de la femme, et pour défendre des femmes individuelles
maltraitées. Au moyen du Réseau Action Femmes, Egalité Maintenant transmet des renseignements sur
ces violations des droits humains aux groupes et aux individus intéressés partout dans le monde, avec
des actions recommandées pour faire connaître au public ces violations, et pour protester contre elles.
Le Réseau Action Femmes représente une force internationale d’activisme, capable d’une réponse rapide
et concertée aux situations de crise et engagée à faire appel mondial pour la justice et l’égalité pour la
femme. Les problèmes auxquels s’intéresse Egalité Maintenant comprennent:la discrimination dans la loi,
la violence sexuelle, les mutilations génitales féminines, la traite, ainsi que toutes les autres violations des
droits humains envers les femmes et les filles.
Igualdad Ya fue fundada en 1992 con el propósito de trabajar a favor de la protección y promoción de
los derechos humanos de las mujeres en todo el mundo. Trabajando junto a organizaciones nacionales
de derechos humanos y con activistas individuales, Igualdad Ya documenta casos de violencia y
discriminación contra las mujeres y agrega un componente de acción internacional para apoyar sus
esfuerzos para avanzar los derechos de igualdad y defender casos individuales de mujeres que sufren
abusos. A través de su Red de Acción Mujeres, Igualdad Ya disemina información acerca de estas
violaciones de derechos humanos entre grupos e individuos interesados en todo el mundo, junto con
recomendaciones de acciones para publicitar y protestar estos casos. La Red de Acción Mujeres es un
ejemplo de activismo internacional capaz de dar una respuesta rápida y concertada a situaciones de
crisis. La Red se compromete a dar voz a un llamado mundial a la justicia y la igualdad para las mujeres.
Los temas de preocupación para Igualdad Ya incluyen la discriminación en la ley, la violencia sexual,
la mutilación genital femenina, la trata de personas, y otros abusos de derechos humanos contra las
mujeres y niñas.
Equality Now NEW YORK OFFICE
PO Box 20646
Columbus Circle Station
New York, NY 10023
USA
Phone: +1-212-586-0906
Fax: +1-212-586-1611
Email: [email protected]
Equality Now NAIROBI Office
PO Box 2018
00202
Nairobi
KENYA
Phone: +254-20-271-9913/9832
Fax: +254-20-271-9868
Equality Now London Office
6 Buckingham Street, 5th Floor
London WC2N 6BU
UNITED KINGDOM
Phone: +44-(0)20-7839-5456
Fax: +44-(0)20-7839-4012
Registered charity, number 1107613
Company number 4926476
www.equalitynow.org

2009 Report - Equality Now

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