Worldwide an estimated one in three women has experienced physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime, while one in five women has been sexually abused as a child. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a profound global crisis, one which our movement is working to tackle head on.

On April 16, you’re invited to a webinar led by three dynamo practitioners from Guatemala, India, and Nigeria on how legal empowerment efforts support women and girls to know their rights and take on leadership roles to end GBV. 

This webinar is led by three dynamo practitioners from Guatemala, India, and Nigeria on how legal empowerment efforts support women and girls to know their rights and take on leadership roles to end GBV.

You’ll hear from Network member Kate Flatley of Women’s Justice Initiative (WJI). Guatemala has the third highest rate of femicide in the world. Rural, indigenous women are especially vulnerable due in part to their social isolation and limited access to resources. WJI is building a pipeline of paralegals and bilingual Mayan Kaqchikel-Spanish resources that reach these marginalized groups to ensure all women and girls, including those who may not be able to leave their homes or communities, can access the legal support and counseling they need.

You’ll hear from Network member Farzana Khan of My Choices Foundation. An estimated 50% of women in India face domestic violence. My Choices Foundation trains survivors as paralegals to provide in-field counseling, rights education, and basic legal services to vulnerable women and girls. Farzana says, “We provide counseling to the survivor, the perpetrator, as well as to the extended family in order to not just end the abuse, but to break the cycle entirely.”

You’ll hear from Network member Fatima Adamu of Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative (IWEI). IWEI paralegals work with survivors, families, and other stakeholders to break the silence and mainstream justice. As one police inspector noted, “Having attended IWEI’s seminars, I now have better understanding of medical terms associated with rape and other sexual offenses…I am now better when it comes to handling cases in court. Myself and other police officers are now more enlightened about the importance of paralegals when it comes to access to justice.”

Webinar time: Tue, Apr 16, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CEST