named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Achieving Legal Equality
Advocates for reform of discriminatory laws, particularly in family law and labor rights, using international human rights standards to drive national legal change.
Ending Harmful Practices
Works to eliminate child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and bride kidnapping through legal reform, enforcement, and community engagement.
Ending Sexual Exploitation
Combats sex trafficking and tech-facilitated sexual abuse through legal frameworks and international cooperation, including co-founding the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi).
Ending Sexual Violence
Uses legal reform and survivor-centered advocacy to strengthen laws and enforcement around sexual violence globally.
Global Coalitions
Hosts and co-founds international coalitions including the Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C, AUDRi, and the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law to amplify advocacy and drive systemic change.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 4 activities
- Advancing legal and policy reforms for women's rights globallyConducts legal advocacy to reform discriminatory laws and promote gender equality in 85 countries, contributing to over 135 legal reforms since 1992 that have impacted hundreds of millions of women and girls. Works at national, regional, and global levels to strengthen legal frameworks addressing violence and discrimination against women and girls.
- Co-founding and driving multi-organizational campaigns for legal equalityCo-founded and leads global and regional coalitions including the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition (SOAWR), the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi), and the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law to advance legal reforms and human rights protections for women and girls.
- Leading coordinated advocacy to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)Hosts the Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C, collaborates with over 940 organizations, and supported the launch of the Kigali Declaration in 2023—a global Call to Action signed by hundreds of regional and international actors to end FGM/C through joint advocacy, policy reform, and public awareness.
- Submitting legal and policy advocacy to international and national bodiesSubmits legal analyses and policy recommendations to United Nations, regional, and national authorities to influence human rights standards and legal reforms; submitted over 100 legal submissions overall and 40 to UN bodies in 2024 across 26 countries, with 75% directly influencing official recommendations.
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Law Enforcement Professional Development 1 activity
- Building capacity of justice actors and rights advocatesTrains and strengthens the skills of activists, legal practitioners, state officials, and justice actors globally to conduct gender-sensitive investigations and prosecutions, particularly in sexual violence cases, and to effectively use human rights instruments like the Maputo Protocol.
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Gender Equity Research and Advocacy 1 activity
- Conducting research and publishing policy reports on women's legal rightsProduces and publishes global, regional, and national research on women's rights issues including child marriage and female genital mutilation, with more than 50 reports and policy briefs published through its Policy and Practice Centre to support evidence-based advocacy.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$12.08M
Contributions & grants$10.19M84%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1.87M15%
Other revenue$28K
expenses
Total expenses$11.39M
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$4.84M
Grants paid out$818K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$28.43M
Cash$4.71M
Investments$21.84M
Liabilities$746K
Net assets$27.68M
Liquid reserves28.0 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +58.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharmila Mona Sinha | Global Executive Director | 40 | $287K |
| Nicola Kandirikirira | Global Director of Programs | 38 | $217K |
| Mariam Khaziuri | Global Dir, Finance & Admin | 40 | $183K |
| Amy Hutchinson | Global Dir of Fund Development | 38 | $183K |
| Emma Thompson | Global Director of Communicati | 38 | $171K |
| Faiza Mohammed | Regional Director, Africa | 40 | $149K |
| Jacqui Hunt | Head of Office-Equality Now UK | 38 | $144K |
board members · 15
- Chadia El Meouchi — Co-Chair
- John-Allen Namu — Director
- Julia Middleton — Director
- Laura Stein — Director
- Melissa Berman — Treasurer
- Omar Samra — Director
- Patricia Amira — DIRECTOR
- Paula Ravets — Director
- Philip Berlinski — Director
- Rachel Brandenburger — Director
- Ramez Shehadi — Director
- Simone Lehorgue — Secretary
- Vidya Shah — Director
- Winfred Lichuma — Director
- Yasmin Waljee — Director
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Alliance for Universal Digital Rights Partner — Co-founded and collaborates with AUDRi to advance universal digital rights and protection from sexual exploitation.
- Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi) Coalition — Co-founded and actively participates in a global coalition advocating for gender-equal digital rights and ethical governance.
- Candid Partner — Independent organization, formerly Guidestar, that has recognized Equality Now with the highest rating for transparency.
- Charity Navigator Partner — Independent evaluator that has given Equality Now the highest possible rating for transparency and accountability.
- Fundraising Regulator Network — Membership organization for ethical fundraising; Equality Now is a member committed to ethical fundraising and data protection.
- Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law Coalition — Founding member and key driver of a global coalition advocating for reform of discriminatory family laws.
- Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C Coalition — Hosts and leads coalition efforts to end female genital mutilation/cutting through joint advocacy and policy reform.
- Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C Partner — Partners with the Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C to drive collective action.
- GreatNonprofits Partner — Platform where supporters share testimonials about Equality Now.
- National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the United States Partner — Convenes and collaborates with the National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the United States to advance policy change.
- Palais des Nations Government — Engages with international legal institutions at the Palais des Nations in Geneva to advance women's rights through international law.
- Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition Partner — Founder member and collaborative partner in advocating for the Maputo Protocol and building capacity around its use.
- UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Partner — Collaborated on implementation of concluding observations through advocacy for Kyrgyzstan's National Action Plan.
- United Nations Government — Recipient of legal submissions from Equality Now on women's rights issues.
- Women Leading in AI Partner — Co-founded the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi) with Women Leading in AI to advance digital safety and rights for women and girls.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- International legal frameworks as levers for national reformmethodology: international_legal_advocacyBy leveraging international human rights laws and mechanisms, we produce pressure and accountability for national legal reforms, because global standards provide authoritative tools to challenge injustice and amplify local advocacy.
- Intersectional legal reform to address systemic gender-based violencemethodology: intersectional_gender_based_violenceBy applying an intersectional lens to legal reform, we produce more comprehensive responses to sexual violence and exploitation, because gender-based violence is rooted in overlapping systems of discrimination that must be addressed together.
- Legal and systemic change as foundation for gender equalitymethodology: legal_and_systemic_changeBy advancing legal and systemic change, we produce lasting gender equality and reduce violence and discrimination against women and girls, because codified legal reform creates binding, enforceable standards that shift both formal structures and social norms.
- Locally informed, survivor-centered advocacy for sustainable reformmethodology: community_led_survivor_centered_advocacyBy centering local advocates and survivors in legal and policy advocacy, we produce more effective and culturally relevant systemic change, because lived experience and community leadership ensure legitimacy, sustainability, and responsiveness in reform efforts.