Latest news with #EqualityNow
Zawya
3 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Women and Law in Southern Africa and Equality Now Call for Urgent Legal Reform to Support Child Marriage Survivors in Zimbabwe
A new study commissioned by Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) ( with support from Equality Now ( has found that although Zimbabwe has introduced commendable legislative and policy measures to prevent child marriage, survivors still face significant challenges. WLSA and Equality Now ( are calling upon the Government of Zimbabwe and relevant stakeholders to provide enhanced protection and support by strengthening legal, institutional, and policy frameworks, particularly for those already affected by child marriage. An Analysis of the Laws and Policies in Place for the Protection and Support of Victims/Survivors of Child Marriages in Zimbabwe: A case Study for Epworth' ( features valuable insights from child marriage survivors and civil society organisations interviewed in Epworth, a densely populated settlement in Harare with over 200,000 residents. Widespread poverty, limited access to public services, and lack of access to information, legal support, and protection accountability contribute to persistently high rates of child marriage in the community. The accompanying policy brief, 'Imperative Legal, Policy and Institutional Reforms for Enhanced Support and Protection of Child Marriage Victims and Survivors' ( summarises gaps in laws and other measures identified in the study, and puts forward key recommendations for legal reforms. Survivors of child marriage experience numerous difficulties, including susceptibility to gender-based violence (GBV), extreme poverty, and a lack of access to education, employment, and income. Stigma, low acceptance from their own families, obstacles in obtaining birth registration certificates for their children, and inaccessible and unaffordable maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and psychosocial support services are also critical challenges they experience. Without comprehensive and adequately resourced support mechanisms, along with awareness raising about legal protections and available services, child marriage will continue to have life-long lasting and irreversible effects on survivors, their families, and the wider society. Zimbabwe's legal commitments on child marriage With an estimated 34% of girls married ( before age 18, Zimbabwe ranks among the top 20 countries in Africa with the highest prevalence of child marriage. To address this, Zimbabwe has made significant commitments through national legislation, regional instruments, and international treaties. The Marriages Act (Chapter 5:17), enacted in 2022, sets 18 as the minimum legal age of marriage without exceptions and prohibits child marriage. Additionally, Zimbabwe's Constitution (Amendment No. 20, 2013) protects against forced marriage by mandating that 'no marriage is entered into without the free and full consent of the intending spouses.' The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and the Children's Act impose penalties for child exploitation and abuse. The National Gender Policy (2017) and the National Development Strategy (2021–2025) reflect a rights-based approach to gender equality and child protection. Regionally and internationally, Zimbabwe has ratified key instruments, including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Maputo Protocol, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Zimbabwe has also domesticated the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Child Marriage. These instruments underscore the country's legal commitment and moral obligation to uphold children's rights and ensure free and informed consent in marriage. Highlighting the urgency of the issue, Isheanesu Chirisa, WLSA National Director, stated: 'Child marriage is a gross human rights violation that does not get nearly enough attention in Zimbabwe. It robs girls of their lives and futures.' Zimbabwe must update its legal frameworks on child marriage While these positive legal and policy commitments are commendable, WLSA and Equality Now are concerned that such efforts have not been matched by adequate support systems addressing the trauma and systemic disadvantages that survivors of child marriage face. The study highlights how some policy and legal frameworks are outdated, and there is an absence of a comprehensive support framework, inconsistent sentencing for perpetrators, and a lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services. Delayed policy updates and education reforms further disadvantage survivors, making it difficult for affected girls to return to school. For example, the Marriages Act, the Children's Act, and the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act contain provisions that criminalise child exploitation and abuse. However, Zimbabwe's legal and policy framework fails to provide meaningful protection, legal remedies, or access to essential services for survivors of child marriage. In addition, while the National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Coordination Forum applies a multi-stakeholder approach to combat GBV, including providing support to child marriage survivors, its effectiveness is hampered by underfunding, inadequate resources to coordinate meetings with forum members, and duplication of work alongside overlapping and unclear mandates between government ministries and other organisations. Since the lapsing of the National Action Plan on Ending Child Marriage in 2021, a new national action plan has yet to be adopted, affecting the implementation of laws and policies on child marriage. As highlighted by Dr Mavis Sibanda, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development; speaking at a launch event for the study on May 27, 2025, in Harare: "Child marriage explicitly indicates unequal power dynamics in Zimbabwe. This perpetuates an inter-generational cycle of poverty, limiting women's and girls' access to education and leadership. Unfortunately, few manage to come out of these marriages.' Recommendations for legal and policy reform In light of the study's findings, WLSA and Equality Now urge the Government of Zimbabwe to take urgent and coordinated action to eliminate child marriage and better support survivors as follows: Reform laws on child marriage to fully align Zimbabwe's national law with the SADC Model Law on Child Marriage ( Introduce a dedicated child marriage law, incorporating provisions for healthcare, legal assistance, and survivor support. Strengthen property and inheritance rights for child marriage survivors. Amend the Births and Deaths Registration Act to require fathers to be registered on birth certificates of children born outside of wedlock or in unregistered customary unions. Update the Termination of Pregnancy Act (15.10) to allow the termination of a pregnancy in any case involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Increase public awareness about the law on child marriage, and educate demographics at risk about their rights, how to report violations, and available support services. Implement sentencing guidelines to ensure consistent and appropriate penalties for child marriage and GBV. Reinstate and fund a comprehensive National Action Plan on Ending Child Marriages, drawing lessons from Malawi and Uganda. Adopt a National Gender Policy that recognises child marriage as a development issue within the upcoming National Development Strategy (NDS-2). Provide community actors with the resources and training needed to deliver localised support. Strengthen access to legal aid and ensure education policies allow and support girls to return to school after pregnancy. WLSA and Equality Now are committed to supporting legal reforms and multi-stakeholder interventions towards a world free from child marriage, with comprehensive support mechanisms at all levels to support survivors of child marriage. Sally Ncube, Equality Now's Regional Representative for Southern Africa, concludes: "Zimbabwe has made great strides in recent years to domesticate and implement the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children already in Marriage. There is a need to do more to ensure comprehensive legal protection and support measures for survivors of child marriage, to empower and support already married girls as they continue to be exposed to gender-based violence, poverty, trauma, and exclusion. 'Strengthening implementation, enforcement, and oversight mechanisms will ensure laws and policies provide child marriage survivors with access to justice, healthcare, education, safeguarding, and livelihood support." Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now. For media enquiries, contact: Sphiwe Dlamini Regional Communications Officer Equality Now sdlamini@ T. +27 (0)711429179 (available on WhatsApp) Find us on: Bluesky: @ ( Instagram: @ equalitynoworg ( LinkedIn: Equality Now ( About Equality Now: Equality Now ( is an international human rights organisation dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of all women and girls worldwide. Its work is organised around four main program areas: Achieving Legal Equality, Ending Sexual Violence, Ending Harmful Practices, and Ending Sexual Exploitation, with a cross-cutting focus on the unique challenges facing adolescent girls. Equality Now combines grassroots activism with legal advocacy at the international, regional, and national levels to achieve systemic change, and collaborates with local partners to ensure governments enact and enforce laws and policies that uphold women's and girls' rights. For more information about Equality Now, visit About Women and Law in Southern African Research and Education Trust (WLSA): Women and Law in Southern African Research and Education Trust (WLSA) ( Zimbabwe started as a local Chapter of a sub-regional network in 1989. WLSA is now registered and operates as a Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) in Zimbabwe. The network member countries include Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia. The purpose of the network is to contribute to the sustained well-being of women and girl children through action-oriented research in the socio-legal field and advocating for women's rights. WLSA work incorporates action into research by questioning and challenging the law, instigating campaigns for changes in laws, policies and plans of action, educating women and girls about their rights, providing legal advice and gender sensitising communities and leadership.
Zawya
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Must Push for Reforms to Protect Women and Girls, urges Equality Now
Equality Now ( is urging the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to call upon African Union (AU) member states to urgently address rising sexual violence and exploitation of women and girls across the continent. In its statement to the 83rd Ordinary Session of the Commission this month, the human rights organisation called on the Commission to use its mandate to underscore the importance to governments about the need to provide reparations for survivors of sexual violence, criminalise femicide, boost efforts to end child marriage, and strengthen laws to stop digital violence. Equality Now wants the Commission to remind States of their obligations under the Maputo Protocol on Women's Rights ( Of the 55 member States, 45 have ratified or signed the protocol. Deborah Nyokabi, a legal equality and gender policy expert at Equality Now, explains, 'Women and girls across Africa are enduring violence in all its forms - including rape, child marriage, femicide, trafficking, and digital abuse - while legal systems too often fail to protect or deliver justice. These are not isolated issues but symptoms of a broader failure to uphold the rights enshrined in the Maputo Protocol.' 'African governments must prioritise legal reform, provide reparations to survivors, and close the protection gaps that leave so many women and girls vulnerable and without access to assistance when their rights have been violated, especially in conflict zones where the breakdown of services intensifies harm.' Sexual violence reparations According to figures ( released by UNICEF last year, more than 79 million girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa have been subjected to rape or sexual assault as children. The region has the highest number of child sexual violence victims in the world. Yet research by Equality Now found that survivors of sexual violence are being denied justice. In its report, 'Barriers to Justice: Rape in Africa, Law, Practice and Access to Justice' ( the NGO exposed key gaps in rape laws in 45 African countries, which included allowing rape in marriage, perpetrators to walk free from court if they agree to marry their victims, and judges to define evidence based on the complainant's behaviour. In its statement, Equality Now called on the Commission to urge member States to urgently integrate the Niamey Guidelines ( on combatting sexual violence, adopted by the Commission in 2017, emphasising governments' obligation to provide reparations to survivors. Criminalising femicide The NGO called on the Commission to implore governments to criminalise femicide - the most extreme and brutal manifestation of violence against women. Equality Now's report 'Gender Inequality in Family Laws in Africa: An Overview of Key Trends in Select Countries' ( revealed that the most devastating facet of inequality within the family is sexual and gender-based violence, including domestic violence, marital rape, economic violence and femicide, which is the intentional murder of a woman or girl because of their gender. In 2023, an average of 140 women and girls were killed ( by a partner or family member every day. Current and former intimate partners were the most likely perpetrators. Yet not enough is being done to end the crisis or hold offenders to account. In South Africa, a national femicide study ( found that three women a day were killed by an intimate partner in 2020/21, but in 44% of cases, police had failed to identify a perpetrator. In Kenya, 170 cases of femicide ( were reported in 2024. A petition ( calling on the government to make femicide a distinct crime has received more than 78,000 signatures. In Cameroon last month, Bekobe Eric, accused of murdering his wife Diane Yangwo, received ( a five-year suspended sentence and a fine of 52,000 CFA (approximately $90). The sentence was immediately denounced by women's rights advocates. Earlier this year, the African Union took a significant step to address the crisis by adopting the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls ( which included an explicit definition of femicide. Equality Now wants the Commission to seize the momentum to encourage governments to recognise and criminalise femicide as a distinct crime, and outlaw marital rape and domestic violence. Safeguarding rights in Sudan and the DRC Equality Now urges the Commission to encourage Sudan to ratify the Maputo Protocol to provide essential legal protections for women and girls. Sudan is now in its third year of conflict, facing widespread destruction, significant civilian casualties and an unparalleled humanitarian crisis. Women and girls are bearing the brunt of Sudan's war ( with sexual violence being weaponised by both sides. The destruction of healthcare infrastructure, however, means there are inadequate medical and reproductive health services to support survivors of violence, which has led to more unintended pregnancies, miscarriages and maternal deaths. Increasing rates of maternal mortality are also being recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where decades of conflict have severely damaged healthcare services. The Commission should encourage both countries to integrate sexual and reproductive health rights into their humanitarian response. End child marriage In its statement to the Commission, Equality Now expressed deep concern at the continued high rates of child marriage across the continent. Fourteen of the 20 countries with the highest prevalence rates are in Africa. Child marriage is a serious human rights violation ( Girls are often forced to drop out of school, restricting their life chances, and are likely to give birth at a young age, which poses severe health risks. One of the reasons child marriage is continuing unchecked is because of weak legal protections, which must be addressed, said Equality Now. All AU member States should raise the minimum age of marriage to 18, without exceptions, and implement measures and programmes to end child marriage in line with recommendations ( made in 2017 by the Commission and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. End sexual exploitation The Commission was also asked to encourage member States to address the surge in trafficking of women and girls across the continent. UNODC's 2024 global report on trafficking ( found that a third of all cross-border trafficking flows involved Africans. In sub-Saharan Africa, 98% of victims were trafficked within the region, 21% for sexual exploitation. About 42% of trafficked victims in sub-Saharan Africa were girls. Member States have enacted anti-trafficking laws and policies, but they are not being adequately enforced. Meanwhile, the systemic factors that make women and girls vulnerable to sexual exploitation have not been meaningfully addressed. Digital spaces are also becoming more dangerous for women and girls. Online abuse, including sexual harassment and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is rising in tandem with increased internet penetration. Technology is increasingly being weaponised to attack women and girls, including women politicians, journalists and human rights defenders. Digital violence is being exacerbated by weak legal protections, underreporting and the limited capacity for law enforcement to investigate tech-related crimes. Governments need to enforce and tighten existing laws on online sexual exploitation and invest in digital safety initiatives, in line with the recently adopted UN Global Digital Compact ( said Equality Now. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now. Notes to editors: For media enquiries, contact: Tara Carey Global Head of Media Equality Now Tcarey@ T. +44 (0)7971556340 (available on WhatsApp and Signal) About Equality Now: Equality Now ( is an international human rights organisation dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of all women and girls worldwide. Its work is organised around four main program areas: Achieving Legal Equality, Ending Sexual Violence, Ending Harmful Practices, and Ending Sexual Exploitation, with a cross-cutting focus on the unique challenges facing adolescent girls. Equality Now combines grassroots activism with legal advocacy at the international, regional, and national levels to achieve systemic change, and collaborates with local partners to ensure governments enact and enforce laws and policies that uphold women's and girls' rights. For more information about Equality Now, visit and find us on Bluesky @ ( on Instagram @ equalitynoworg ( Linkedin at Equality Now (
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Amidst Global Rollback of Women's Rights, Elevate Prize Foundation Pledges $1M to Equality Now Over the Next Decade
'This isn't just about funding. It's a call to action - especially to men. Men need to step up and stand beside the women who have carried this fight for too long.'— Joe Deitch, Founder and Chairman of the Elevate Prize Foundation MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, May 14, 2025 / / -- Equality Now, along with their Global Executive Director, S. Mona Sinha, has been awarded the 2025 Elevate Prize Founder's Award in recognition of the organization's transformative role in the reform of 120 sex-discriminatory laws—from child marriage and rape to digital safety, inheritance, and citizenship—that deny women and girls their rights and full potential around the world. The Elevate Prize Founder's Award celebrates innovation and purpose, recognizing game-changing social entrepreneurs or endeavors. The award comes with an unrestricted grant designed to drive greater impact and meaningful change. In recognition of the vital work Equality Now is championing in creating a just and equal landscape that allows women and girls to reach their full potential, the organization will receive $1 million over the course of 10 years, marking a decade-long commitment to supporting Equality Now's work. Gains in gender equality are increasingly under threat from rising authoritarianism, shrinking civic space, and deep cuts to funding for women's rights. In response, the global human rights movement is calling for renewed, sustained investment in the rights and futures of women and girls. According to the United Nations, it will currently take nearly 300 years to achieve full gender equality, despite a global pledge to do so by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals. 'This isn't just about funding. It's a call to action - especially to men,' said Joe Deitch, the Founder and Chairman of the Elevate Prize Foundation. 'We are so much more, so much better, when we have access to each other's perceptions and talents and strengths. Men need to step up, speak out, and stand beside the women who have carried this fight for too long.' For over 30 years, Equality Now has driven global legal reform for women and girls through expert advocacy, strategic litigation, partnerships, and grassroots collaboration. As a recognized international human rights expert, convener, and reformer, the organization shapes better laws, unites powerful movements, and holds power to account—delivering systemic change and advancing equality worldwide. 'Receiving the Elevate Prize Founder's Award is a powerful affirmation of our mission,' said Mona Sinha. 'Legal equality is not just a technical goal—it's a promise to women and girls everywhere. It means a girl can walk safely to school, a woman can own her own home, raise her voice, earn a living, and shape the society she lives in. This award shines a light on the transformative power of law to unlock their full potential.' Recent research confirmed that gender equality indirectly benefits whole populations. Allowing women to achieve their full economic potential could add trillions of dollars to the global economy. The unrestricted grant Equality Now is receiving from the Elevate Prize Foundation will enable the organization to expand its global strategy, which targets the root causes of legal inequality through five interconnected pillars. These include engaging governments and international bodies to adopt or reform 75 laws and standards that strengthen multilateralism and human rights protections as well as improving legal access for women and girls worldwide; strengthening women-led movements in over 60 countries to sustain reform and resist democratic backsliding; and ending gender-based violence by advocating for survivor-centered legal systems in 10 nations. Additionally, it will champion women's rights-informed digital rights to safeguard privacy and combat tech-facilitated violence, while its economic justice agenda seeks to reform laws that restrict land ownership, inheritance, and divorce. 'Legal equality is a first step—but not the last,' said Sinha. 'The law must be a catalyst for cultural transformation. And that requires allies. It is especially powerful to see a leader like Joe [Deitch] stand in solidarity with women and girls. Joe's leadership reflects a growing global movement of men standing as true allies in the pursuit of gender equality—a vital step toward transforming the harmful social norms that hold back entire communities.' ******************************************************************* About Equality Now: Founded in 1992, Equality Now is an international human rights organization that works to protect and promote the rights of all women and girls around the world. Our campaigns are centered on four program areas: Legal Equality, End Sexual Violence, End Harmful Practices, and End Sexual Exploitation, with a cross-cutting focus on the unique needs of adolescent girls. Equality Now combines a unique blend of legal expertise, advocacy and partnership to achieve legal and systemic change to benefit all women and girls and works to ensure that governments enact and enforce laws and policies that uphold their rights. About the Elevate Prize Foundation: Founded in 2019 by businessman and philanthropist Joseph Deitch, the Elevate Prize Foundation is a global nonprofit on a mission to Make Good Famous. To ensure lasting impact, the organization is committed to bringing visibility to the work of changemakers and inspiring audiences on an international scale. The foundation's signature program is its annual Elevate Prize, which is awarded to 10 global leaders tackling pressing issues in innovative ways. The Elevate Prize Catalyst Award, another one of the foundation's programs, recognizes prominent individuals for their commitment to inspiring global social action and using their influence for the good of humanity. The foundation also operates the Elevate Prize GET LOUD Award, a monthly grant to fuel grassroots movements and organizers on the frontlines committed to collective action and building power among communities. The foundation's latest endeavor, Elevate Studios, was launched in 2025 to finance and distribute purpose-driven content. For more information, visit and follow @ElevatePrize on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Tara Carey Equality Now +44 7971 556340 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Zawya
13-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
New Study Reveals Changing Attitudes to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Among Sudanese Communities in Egypt
Since Sudan's devastating war erupted in April 2023, over a million people have fled to neighbouring Egypt seeking refuge. Both countries have laws banning female genital mutilation (FGM), but despite this, Sudan and Egypt have some of the highest rates of FGM globally. A timely new study, Female Genital Mutilation Amongst Sudanese Migrants in Greater Cairo: Perceptions and Trends, by Equality Now ( and Tadwein for Gender Studies, provides valuable insights into how migration and exposure to new cultural environments and social networks are influencing FGM practices amongst Sudanese families in Egypt. In-depth interviews revealed positive attitudes toward abandoning FGM. Younger, educated individuals and women with personal experiences of FGM harm voiced some of the strongest opposition to continuing the practice, while men often cited FGM's negative impact on marital intimacy as a key reason for discontinuation. However, FGM is viewed by some as a means of maintaining cultural identity and status, and as essential for social acceptance. Many interviewees thought families who embraced FGM in Sudan would likely continue it in Egypt. Dr. Dima Dabbous from Equality Now explains: 'Our study reveals complex and diverse ways Sudanese migrants in Egypt are upholding, modifying, or rejecting deep-rooted cultural practices like FGM. Migration brings both challenges and opportunities for abandonment, and understanding how communities perceive and respond to their new situation is crucial for designing and implementing effective, culturally sensitive, and context-specific interventions.' FGM in Sudan and Egypt FGM is internationally recognized as a serious human rights violation involving the partial or complete removal of, or injury to, external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Found in at least 94 countries ( and impacting over 230 million women and girls ( 144 million in Africa—it has no health benefits and it is deeply rooted in gender discrimination and attempts to control the bodies and sexuality of women and girls. Data from Sudan's 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, which is the most recent national-level survey available, showed that 86.6% of women aged 15 to 49 had undergone FGM ( dropping to 66.3% for girls from birth to 14. FGM is regarded as a means of upholding family honour and enforcing ideals around purity, modesty, and control over female sexuality. Conducted as a rite of passage into womanhood and a prerequisite for marriage, many families fear that uncut daughters may struggle to find husbands, and pressure is intensified by the stigma surrounding unmarried women and the perceived shame reflected on relatives. Religious misconceptions also play a significant role, with many mistakenly believing that certain types of FGM are a requirement of Islam. In Egypt, approximately 86% of women aged 15 to 49 have undergone FGM ( according to the 2022 Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) Report. Both Egyptian and Sudanese women often feel pressured to conform to traditional practices upheld by families and communities, and without support from husbands or social networks, it can be extremely difficult to resist. Women with higher levels of education and wealth are more likely to reject FGM and refrain from cutting their daughters. A trend toward medicalization has been occurring in Sudan. The shift is even more pronounced in Egypt, where an estimated 74% of FGM procedures are conducted by health practitioners — one of the highest rates globally. Medicalization is wrongly perceived as a safe alternative, but it doesn't eliminate the physical and psychological risks. FGM remains a fundamental breach of human rights, and the involvement of medical professionals does not make the practice safe, ethical, or legal. Egypt has stringent laws to combat FGM, including lengthy prison sentences for parents and those performing FGM, with higher penalties for medical professionals. Escorting a victim to be cut is also subject to criminal sanctions. However, the law is rarely implemented as many still support FGM, and do not want family members prosecuted, meaning cases are not often reported to authorities. Continuation or abandonment of FGM Awareness about laws prohibiting FGM in Sudan and Egypt varied significantly among those interviewed for the study. The assumption that Egypt has strict anti-FGM penalties has fostered a cautious approach, with some fearing legal repercussions, including deportation. Although older generations were generally more informed, they were unable to specify legal penalties. In Sudan, older women are often the primary decision-makers regarding FGM and tend to be supportive of continuing the practice. However, with some older family members remaining in Sudan, this has helped reduce family pressure on Sudanese girls in Egypt to be cut. Most of the study participants described how Egyptians commonly hold negative perceptions about Sudanese migrants and this can make relationships fragile. As a result, interviewees thought many Sudanese families are less likely to seek information about FGM from Egyptian sources, nor ask doctors in Egypt to perform FGM—an avoidance that interviewees suggested could contribute to the abandonment of the practice. Economic hardship and the need to provide basic necessities like housing and food have contributed to FGM's delay or discontinuation. Dr. Amal Fahmy, from Tadwein for Gender Studies, explains: 'What we are seeing is a quiet but powerful transformation away from FGM. Women are leading the way in protecting their daughters, often choosing to prioritize food, shelter, and education over cultural traditions.' However, financial incentives can also perpetuate FGM. Some see it as a way to improve daughters' marriage prospects and secure their economic future, while the need for traditional midwives to earn income poses a risk of FGM being performed. The migration of Sudanese families to Egypt has led to the creation of a close-knit social network nicknamed 'Small Sudan.' While most survey participants spoke against FGM's continuation, some acknowledged there are families who remain deeply attached to customs such as FGM. Older women were particularly sceptical about the law's deterrent effect, believing determined families would covertly circumvent restrictions. Concerns about stigma and suspicions surrounding daughters' sexual behaviour were cited as reasons for maintaining FGM. Some viewed it as a way to control sexual conduct, especially after relocating to Egypt, where they feared their daughters might engage in perceived unacceptable activity if left uncut. Recommendations Key recommendations include expanding awareness amongst Sudanese migrant communities about Egypt's anti-FGM laws and negative legal and health consequences. It is essential to empower parents, particularly mothers, with accurate information and practical tools to resist societal and familial pressures. Engaging trusted figures within the 'Small Sudan' community—such as elders, grandmothers, midwives, and faith leaders—is critical to shifting attitudes. Outreach efforts need to challenge misconceptions that FGM is a religious requirement, and tailored advocacy should promote an understanding of human rights perspectives that address how gender inequalities sustain FGM. Ending FGM among Sudanese migrant families requires a holistic, community-centred approach that addresses both the causes and evolving dynamics of the practice post-migration. Investing in further research—especially longitudinal and community-based studies—can help track shifting attitudes and practices over time and inform more targeted, effective interventions. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now. Notes to editors: For media enquiries, contact: Tara Carey Global Head of Media, Equality Now Tcarey@ T. +44 (0)7971556340 (available on WhatsApp and Signal) About Tadwein for Gender Studies: Tadwein for Gender Studies ( as established in 2016 to spread evidence-based awareness on gender issues, implement projects, formulate policies, and take necessary actions to enhance the status of women in Egyptian society and reduce violence against women and girls in general. For more information, go to and Linkedin at Tadwein ( For more information about Tadwein for Gender Studies ( visit and find us on Facebook at Tadwein ( تدوين ( Instagram at tadwein_gender_studies ( Linkedin at Tadwein for Gender Studies ( About Equality Now: Equality Now ( is an international human rights organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of all women and girls worldwide. Its work is organized around four main program areas: Achieving Legal Equality, Ending Sexual Violence, Ending Harmful Practices, and Ending Sexual Exploitation, with a cross-cutting focus on the unique challenges facing adolescent girls. Equality Now combines grassroots activism with legal advocacy at the international, regional, and national levels to achieve systemic change, and collaborates with local partners to ensure governments enact and enforce laws and policies that uphold women's and girls' rights. For more information about Equality Now, visit and find us on Bluesky @ ( on Instagram @ equalitynoworg ( Linkedin at Equality Now MENA&North Africa ( For more information about FGM around the world, please check Equality Now's 2025 report, The Time Is Now: End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, An Urgent Need for a Global Response – Five Year Update ( And to assist media professionals and others with reporting about FGM, please refer to Equality Now's 'Journalists' Handbook on Female Genital Mutilation,' Africa ( and Global ( editions.
The Guardian
24-03-2025
- The Guardian
‘Shifting the shame': the young gang-rape survivor spreading awareness on sexual violence
When three men were sentenced to 25 years each for the gang-rape of a teenager in north-eastern India in 2017, the impact on their home village was profound. For 14 months between the attack and the verdict, the community ostracised, threatened and vilified the survivor's family as they pursued justice for 13-year-old Kiran* – a story captured in the Oscar-nominated 2022 documentary To Kill A Tiger. But the landmark ruling led to an immediate cultural shift in the rural community. Neighbours who had told Kiran's father, Ranjit, that he should marry his daughter off to one of her rapists to avoid bringing dishonour to the village admitted they were wrong; men and boys stopped taunting and objectifying women and girls. 'The severity of the sentence left the men of the village shaken; they felt it in their souls. It gave them a hard lesson in how they should behave as men and toward women,' says Ranjit, who still lives in the village in Jharkhand with his wife, Jaganti, and three younger children. 'They have changed how they are around women and how they see women and girls; the level of safety has improved.' Seven years on from the court case, Kiran is 21 and in the third year of a five-year undergraduate course majoring in Hindi. She loves fashion and dancing – and hopes to become a police inspector. 'I would be the first woman police inspector from my village and that's really important,' she says. 'I want to give back to the community – and I want to be different.' Her ambition and fearlessness has rippled through the village and inspired other girls to follow in her footsteps and continue their education, and dress how they want. Now she is using her influence as a spokesperson for #Standwithher, a global gender justice initiative launched in New York this month following a screening of To Kill A Tiger, hosted by UN Women and attended by Kiran, Ranjit, the film's director, Nisha Pahuja, Ziauddin Yousafzai – the father of the Pakistani activist Malala – and the directors of Equality Now and Equimundo. 'The campaign is about being there for the survivor and listening to their story and making sure they have resources and encouraging them to speak about themselves,' says Kiran. 'I hope to reach more people and spread awareness of the issue [of gender-based violence]; and that the legal system should encourage survivors to come forward.' Pahuja, who founded the campaign, says the goal is threefold: to support survivors and survivor organisations; to work with men and boys to understand that 'patriarchy is a prison'; and to create an anti-gender-based violence curriculum that will reach up to 50,000 schools in the US before expanding globally. 'I knew this story had the potential to unite people,' says Pahuja. 'What Kiran achieved was shifting the shame – she moved the shame to where it belongs.' The screening was held during the Commission on the Status of Women where the UN secretary general António Guterres warned that women's rights were under siege globally. 'A surge in misogyny, and a furious kickback against equality threaten to slam on the brakes, and push progress into reverse,' he said at the opening ceremony on 10 March. It was the first of 25 screenings to be held across nine US cities over the next two months. Pahuja says the campaign is starting in the US because 'this is a global issue. I wanted to ensure that was the messaging around it – that this happened in a small village in India but the barriers to justice and the stigma of shame, misogyny and patriarchy are all global.' After touring the US Pahuja, Kiran and her father will return to India where Kiran will join the Orange Ribbon Survivor Coalition, a group being set up to challenge the social and cultural taboos that prevent many from reporting sexual violence in India. The name of the group is inspired by the ribbons Kiran is seen tying in her hair in the opening scene of To Kill A Tiger. In the film they are a symbol of her innocence and youth. Today, they have become a symbol of her strength. Kiran says that watching her younger self in the film is 'difficult' but she also sees how she has grown as a person. 'All that has happened in the last eight years has helped me find a sense of identity and freedom. I know how I want to spend my time, who I want to be friends with. I feel comfort in knowing who I am.' Sign up to Global Dispatch Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team after newsletter promotion Asked how she found the strength as a 13-year-old to go first to the police, and then to trial, in the face of intimidation and harassment, she says: 'The situation forces you to become strong. I realised that if I didn't take a step forward no one else would. Coming from a space of weakness I wouldn't be able to continue. My strength came from knowing I needed to protect myself.' She adds that her parents were also steadfast in their support, something Yousafzai acknowledged during the post-screening Q&A. 'This family filled my heart with huge respect for them. Ranjit is a man all men should be proud of, the father all fathers should look up to,' he said. Globally, 736 million women – almost one in three – have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, and every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed. In India, a woman is raped every 16 minutes, and 80% of such cases go unreported. Lopa Banerjee, the director of the civil society division in UN Women, who introduced the film, said that in this context stories of equality and justice were needed more than ever. 'To Kill a Tiger is set in India but exists everywhere.' In one scene in To Kill A Tiger, after Kiran has given her testimony in court, the pressure and fear that have been etched on her father's face for most of the film are replaced with relief and pride. He smiles for the first time. Seven years later his pride in his daughter is just as strong, whether she is speaking on a global stage or visiting his village. 'No one else was wearing jeans [before she started],' he says, 'then the girls starting following her style. If they see her wearing loose pants, everyone else copies her. She is like an icon.' *Kiran is a pseudonym
