Women'sRightsDirectory ofOrganisations

Annabel Du Boulay originally compiled this Women’s Rights Directory of Organisations when she published her first website and women’s rights novel The Serpent’s Tale in 2009. The list has now been updated with some new additions.

Please email us if you would like us to add your organisation to the Directory

Header photo from V-Day

UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)

Established an international bill of rights for women & an agenda for action by countries to guarantee the enjoyment of those rights.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cedaw.aspx

Beijing Declaration & Platform for Action at the 4th World Conference on Women (1995)

An agenda for women’s empowerment to accelerate the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/intergovernmental-support/world-conferences-on-women#beijing

UN Women (UN Entity for Gender Equality & the Empowerment of Women)

Created by the UN in July 2010 to accelerate its goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women, UN Women delivers programmes, policies and standards that uphold women’s human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential.

http://www.unwomen.org/

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Designated November 25 by the UN General Assembly.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/ending-violence-against-women-day

TAKE ACTION

The UNITE to End Violence against Women initiative is a multiyear effort to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, created to support the civil society led 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign around the world.

Managed by UN Women, UNITE calls on governments, civil society, women’s organisations, young people, the private sector, media, and the UN system to join forces to address the global pandemic of violence against women and girls.

Access the Toolkit here:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign started by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991, which runs from November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, International Human Rights Day to emphasise that violence against women is a violation of human rights.

TAKE ACTION: 

https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/16-days-of-activism

Reclaim the Night

Since 2004, the London Feminist Network has organised the national ‘Reclaim The Night’ march against rape and all forms of male violence against women. The march takes place each November as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence and demands the right to live without the fear or reality of rape and male violence.

TAKE ACTION: http://www.reclaimthenight.co.uk/

The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC): Men Working to End Violence Against Women

The largest worldwide effort of men working to end violence against women with campaigns in 55 countries. White Ribbon is the UK’s leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls.

Their mission is to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes. Their aim is to change long established, and harmful, attitudes, systems and behaviours around masculinity that perpetuate gender inequality and men’s violence against women.

White Ribbon Day is held on November 25.

TAKE ACTION: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk

Womankind Worldwide 

For over 30 years, Womankind Worldwide have been supporting women’s rights organisations and movements to strengthen and grow, in order to secure equal rights for women and girls across the globe.

TAKE ACTION: https://www.womankind.org.uk/take-action/

V-Day

A global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls, founded by author of The Vagina Monologues and women’s rights campaigner V (formerly Eve Ensler).

One Billion Rising is the biggest mass action to end violence against women (cisgender, transgender, and those who hold fluid identities that are subject to gender-based violence) in human history. The campaign, which launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the Earth will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.

TAKE ACTION:  https://www.vday.org

Million Women Rise

A coalition of individual women and representatives from the Women’s Voluntary and Community Sector who organise an annual march in London against male violence, coinciding with International Women’s Day in March each year, and an annual vigil on 25 November.

TAKE ACTION: https://www.millionwomenrise.com/

Me Too Movement

As a global, and survivor-led, movement against sexual violence, Me Too are dedicated to creating pathways for healing, justice, action and leadership.

TAKE ACTION: https://metoomvmt.org

End Violence Against Women (EVAW)

A group of feminist organisations and experts from across the UK, working to end violence against women and girls in all its forms.

Made up of 143 specialist women’s support services, researchers, activists, survivors and NGOs, EVAW believe that violence against women is not inevitable and work to tear up the systems that enable it, and build a fairer world in its place.

TAKE ACTION: https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/

Women for Women International: Helping Women Survivors of War Rebuild Their Lives

Supports women in war-torn regions with financial and emotional aid, job-skills training, rights education & small business assistance so they can rebuild their lives.

TAKE ACTION: https://www.womenforwomen.org.uk/