As I approach the end of my first year as Global Executive Director of Equality Now, I find myself reflecting on what has been a most extraordinary journey; not only for me personally, but also for our organization and the global community within which it exists and operates.
In the space of 12 short months, we have moved on from a starting point defined by change and uncertainty, to arrive at what is arguably our strongest and most exciting position yet. In immersing myself in the work of this incredible organization, I have learned more than I ever thought possible and been endlessly inspired by the many extraordinary people I have met.
Throughout my contemplation of the past year, three themes have consistently emerged: celebration, collaboration, and conversation. Together, these three themes not only form the basis of what we do as an organization, but also – and equally importantly – how we do it.
Celebration
At the start of 2023, nearly a decade after Equality Now first became involved in the case, justice was finally delivered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) for Bolivian rape survivor Brisa De Angulo in a prosecution against the government of Bolivia. This was a significant achievement, for as a regional legal body, the Inter-American Court has the power to set precedents that have the potential to prevent future miscarriages of justice for thousands of other rape victims and survivors in the Americas and beyond.
A few months later, we joined with other members of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of one of the world’s most comprehensive and progressive women’s human rights instruments, the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol). To mark this historic occasion, we published a memoir on behalf of the SOAWR Coalition, with a collection of testimonials from African state representatives and young women leaders.
In the US, 2023 marked another important milestone: 100 years since the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first presented to Congress. Despite having since been passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as being ratified according to all constitutional requirements, the ERA has yet to be incorporated into the US Constitution, so throughout this year’s centennial celebrations, we joined with some of the nation’s leading legal campaigners to call for the rightful enshrinement of the ERA as the 28th Amendment.
Collaboration
Partnership working has long been a core part of our work at Equality Now, but in 2023 we stepped up our commitment to collaboration with the launch of some key coalitions. In September, we came together with other women’s rights organizations from across the Middle East and North Africa region, for the public launch of the Hurra Coalition in Doha.
The Hurra Coalition, which aims to reform family laws at the national and regional levels in compliance with international human rights standards, is part of the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law (of which we are a founding Coordination Committee member). This campaign calls upon governments everywhere to ensure equality in all laws relating to the family, regardless of religion, culture, and tradition, capitalizing on the window of opportunity presented by the formation of the Generation Equality Forum, as well as on the momentum ahead of the upcoming Beijing +30 and UN Sustainable Development Goal processes.
This year also saw the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi), which Equality Now co-founded in 2022, calling for the adoption of its feminist-informed Universal Digital Rights principles at the annual global meeting on gender equality hosted by the UN in New York – the first time the topic of digital gender equality has been fully addressed at such an event.
Conversation
This year has presented ample opportunities for Equality Now to shape and inform the global conversation on gender equality, including through our new six-part podcast series, We Change the Rules, which is expertly hosted by award-winning journalist Samira Ahmed and features a diverse range of activists, academics, and legal experts from across the world.
We have also participated in many important conversations at the various workshops, conferences, and roundtable events to which we have been invited throughout the year, of which a particular highlight for me was the Women Deliver conference in Kigali, Rwanda. Here we came together with women of all ages, identities, nationalities, and backgrounds to discuss new solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing women and girls today.
Finally, no list of highlights from 2023 would be complete without mentioning the incredible experience that was hosting my inaugural Equality Now Gala as Global Executive Director. It was so much more than a fundraising event and a celebration of our work – for me, it was also an opportunity to invite some new voices into the conversation about gender equality. Because to create meaningful, sustainable change in the world, we need to welcome new perspectives and listen to different opinions, even – perhaps especially – when we disagree.
Looking forward
I began this reflection with a bold statement, which is that I believe we are heading into 2024 in our strongest and most exciting position yet. Some may write off such optimism as being misplaced, given the seeming relentlessness of ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises. But even in times of rising fear and desperate struggle, I know that there is one thing that we at Equality Now have that can overcome any challenge: the strength that comes from unity.
Because if my experience in 2023 has taught me anything, it is that the only way that any of us can change the world is by standing together, side by side, with our fellow human beings. And if unity is power, then community is, too – and so, I will lead our global Equality Now community into whatever next year brings with an enduring sense of solidarity and hope.