The Initiative Advocating for a New Optional Protocol to CEDAW By Vayuna Gupta The United Nations (UN) was formed in the aftermath of World War II to promote international peace and harmony.[1] Adopted in 1945, the UN Charter affirms the principle of equality between men and women.[2] Over the decades following the establishment of the UN, various UN bodies worked to address the issues of women’s rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (enacted in 1948) emphasized equal rights for women and men.[3] Both the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (enacted in 1966) and t ..read more

Part II: Navigating International Legal Challenges: Filipinos Seeking Divorce Abroad, International Law Violations, and Progress in Domestic Legal Reform By Vayuna Gupta The first part of this article highlighted the absence of a legal provision for absolute divorce in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, creating an often-insurmountable barrier for survivors of domestic violence seeking an exit from abusive relationships. This second part explores the ramifications for Filipino women in trans-national marriages who seek divorces within the constraints imposed by Philippine domestic ..read more

VFMN Statement on Burnsville Police and EMT Domestic Violence Homicides Violence Free Minnesota (VFMN), the statewide coalition to end relationship abuse where Global Rights for Women is headquartered, joins our community in mourning the firefighter-paramedic and two police officers killed on February 18, 2024 in Burnsville while responding to a domestic violence call. We grieve for their loved ones and acknowledge the enormous impact of their deaths. Adam Finseth, Paul Elmstrand, and Matthew Ruge will be included in our 2024 Intimate Partner Homicide Report as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th confirmed ..read more

The Most Tolerated Human Rights Abuse Violence against women is more prevalent than ever.  by Cheryl Thomas This article was originally published in the Star Tribune. In 2023, twenty-eight women were killed by their husbands or partners in Minnesota where Global Rights for Women is headquartered.  Despite a drop in the overall number of homicides in both Minnesota and globally, the most recent data from 2022 confirm that the rate of intimate partner homicide actually increased. Minnesota’s statistics reflect global numbers: world wide, 89,000 women and girls were intentionally kille ..read more

Part I: Unveiling the Silent Struggle: Examining the Absence of Divorce on Victims of Domestic Violence in the Philippines by Vayuna Gupta Legal provisions allowing for divorce are important for married survivors of domestic violence in their attempts to get out of a relationship with their abusers. Unfortunately, there are some countries around the world that do not extend this right to women, the Philippines being one of them. There are two primary religions in the Philippines: Christianity and Islam. Religious personal laws specific to the two religions govern family practices, including d ..read more

International Law and Gender Based Violence in Times of Armed Conflict  By Vayuna Gupta On October 7, 2023, Gaza militants (Hamas) fired rockets into Israel territory killing more than 1400 civilians and taking nearly199 Israelis as hostages.[1] In response, Israel declared war on Gaza.[2] Since then there have been continuing atrocities in the region, including gender-based violence (GBV). This article seeks to elucidate the existing international legal framework in place for holding those responsible for GBV violations accountable. What is Violence Against Women in International Law? T ..read more

Women’s Bodies as Targets for Aggression Statement on Gender-Based Violence in Israel-Hamas War Global Rights for Women demands an end to patriarchal supremacy that perpetuates conflict and inequality through violent aggression and war. The women of the world, all of them, need all of us to continue to advocate for global change that recognizes the human right to live free from violence.  Immediately after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, we knew that women and girls would be subjected to gender-based violence in Israel and Gaza. It is what happens during disasters of all kinds w ..read more

  More women and girls killed in 2022 even as overall homicide numbers fall, says new research from UNODC and UN Women Nearly 89,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2022 across the globe, says a new research brief, Gender-Related Killings of Women and Girls (Femicide/Feminicide), from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women. The figure represents the highest yearly number recorded in the past two decades. Data currently available for 2022 suggests that the increase in female homicides occurred despite a drop in the overall number of hom ..read more

by Hanna Nussair For many years, the international community has measured success by how many girls start going to school, and it is evident that major strides have been made towards this on a global scale. For example, there is data to show that two-thirds of all countries have reached an equal number of boys and girls enrolled in primary school. While this is notable progress, girls face major obstacles in continuing and completing their education once they are enrolled. They have historically faced heightened rates of gender-based discrimination, obstacles and even violence. Because of thi ..read more

by Hanna Nussair Hollywood movies. Private islands. Organized crime. Awareness of sex trafficking has grown tenfold in recent decades. But despite its heightened recognition, the number of sex trafficking survivors has not decreased—reports even suggest that the issue is on the rise.  I first learned about sex trafficking while watching the film Taken as a teenager. In the years following, I became deeply involved in the movement to combat sex trafficking. I have spoken with law enforcement on the issue, and worked side-by-side with service providers, legal services, and anti-sex traffic ..read more