Equality Now Press Advisory

Meryl Streep joins Equality Now and leading women’s rights activists from different regions of the world at the United Nations to highlight serious concerns over laws around the world that discriminate against women. Although 10 years ago in Beijing, governments pledged to revoke these laws, few have done so. In a report issued in 2004, Equality Now cited more than 40 countries for laws institutionalizing discrimination and second-class citizenship for women. Women are subjected to state sanctioned violence in many countries because laws condone practices like “honor” killings, marital rape and wife beating. In several countries laws are a severe impediment to women’s independence because they restrict women’s property, employment and citizenship rights. Since Equality Now’s first report on discriminatory laws issued in 1999, only 13 of the 45 countries included in the report have changed the laws cited. At the press conference, Equality Now will review recent developments and urge governments to appoint a new Special Rapporteur on laws that discriminate against women to accelerate the process of law reform around the world.

WHO:

Meryl Streep, moderator, member of Equality Now Advisory Council.
Jessica Neuwirth, President, Equality Now.
Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director, Equality Now.
Maha Abu-Dayyeh Shamas, board member, Middle East.
Susana Chiarotti, board member, Latin America.
Sapana Pradhan-Malla, board member, Asia.

WHEN:

Wednesday, March 2, 2005 at 11:00 AM

WHERE:

Press Briefing Room (Room S-226), United Nations, New York, NY

BACKGROUND:

In 1995, at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, governments specifically pledged to revoke all laws that discriminate against women. In 2000, at the five year review of the Beijing Conference, governments established a target date for the amendment or repeal of these laws by 2005. This is the year of reckoning. Yet, as Equality Now’s report Words and Deeds: Holding Governments Accountable in the Beijing +10 Review Process illustrates, countries around the world regardless of geo-political status continue to discriminate against women and girls by keeping them unequal before the law. Taina Bien-Aimé Executive Director notes, "Changing the law is just the first step towards addressing violence and discrimination against women. How can governments claim they are committed to sex equality if they cannot even eliminate the most blatantly discriminatory laws?"

Equality Now, an international human rights organization with offices in New York, Nairobi and London, works to protect and promote the human rights of girls and women. Equality Now’s Women’s Action Network counts more than 25,000 groups and individual members in over 160 countries.

For more information about Equality Now's campaign against discriminatory laws, please visit the Beijing+10 Campaign Press Room.

Women and girls around the world need your help.
SUPPORT EQUALITY NOW

New York Nairobi London