Ending FGM & Tackling Sexual Violence: A Call for Systemic Change
Equality Now
Using the law to protect & promote the rights of women & girls for 30 years.
Earlier this week, we marked International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), an opportunity to raise awareness and strengthen our global commitment to ending this harmful practice.
Throughout the week we have been sharing information and resources about our work on ending FGM. Discover these below:
?? International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM: 5 Things You Should Know About FGM ?? Uniting to End FGM/C Across the Americas: A Joint Statement
Also this week, Equality Now and our partners the CT Coalition to End FGM/C, the US Network to End FGM/C, and Sahiyo were in Connecticut to urge legislators to pass HB6596, An Act Concerning the Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation.
Over 500,000 women and girls remain at risk or are currently living with FGM/C in the US – 2700 of whom are in Connecticut.?
In our effort to get lawmakers’ attention, we set up an art installation on the capitol grounds representing the number of girls who are still at risk of undergoing this painful practice for no medical reason.?
We call all advocates for women's and children’s rights to stand with us in urging Connecticut to use this legislative session to ban FGM/C in the state. Read our press release for more on FGM/C and HB6596.?
Beyond a Verdict: Why Systemic Reforms Are Key to Ending Sexual Violence in India
Two months after the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata, a sessions court has sentenced the perpetrator to life imprisonment. But is life imprisonment enough to address the pervasive issue of sexual violence against women and girls in India? While we welcome the conviction, it is crucial to go beyond the verdict and focus on systemic changes to prevent such crimes and ensure justice for all survivors.
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Following this tragedy, Equality Now and the South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice (SAMAJ) released a solidarity statement calling for justice, alongside a set of urgent demands to address the root causes of sexual violence. These demands focused on stronger implementation of laws, survivor-centric reforms, and accountability from all institutions involved to ensure women and girls are protected from sexual violence in their private and public lives. However, as this case demonstrates, much remains to be done.
Despite robust legal frameworks, Equality Now’s Sexual Violence in South Asia report highlights critical gaps in implementation - from police inaction and mishandling of evidence to prolonged trials and a lack of survivor-centered processes. The initial handling of evidence in the Kolkata case reflects these very challenges, underscoring the urgent need for systemic reforms.
Accountability is even harder to achieve for victims from marginalized communities, as shown in our report on Dalit women and girls. Power dynamics and discriminatory practices further deepen the injustices they face in accessing the legal system.
We urgently call for:
? Better facilities and protections for women, particularly in workplaces
? Prompt, trauma-informed investigations by specialized branches
? Survivor-centric support systems, including shelters and psychosocial care
? Elimination of discriminatory legal practices
? Fair and timely trials with stronger institutional accountability
Justice cannot be a one-time verdict, it must address the systemic failures that enable such crimes. Only through decisive action can we ensure a safer, more just future for women and girls in India. Sexual violence must end, and it must end now.
?? Look out on our channels next week as we mark Safer Internet Day and highlight some of our work in online sexual exploitation and abuse.?