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is a unique initiative that brings together leading human rights experts in Kenya, Malawi, Ghana, and Canada to conduct ground-breaking legal work on women's human rights issues, effectively using international human rights law to improve the lives of women and girls.

Join us in celebrating the official launch of this dynamic organization, learn about the opportunities to contribute to and support its work, and hear from two of its human rights lawyers: Fiona Sampson & Pearl Eliadis.

Amongst other initiatives, come and learn about its groundbreaking "160 Girls Project". Equality Effect's lawyers have joined Kenyan colleagues and politicians at their request in a legal challenge to force the Kenyan government to enforce existing laws against the sexual torture of children. The project has brought together 160 Kenyan rape victims under the age of 18 to fight for protection. Essentially, the group is trying for a Kenyan version of what Jane Doe managed when she sued the Toronto Police Department over rape-challenging the way rape victims are subsequently treated by police and the legal system.

This event is co-sponsored by the 9I制作厂免费 Law Women's Caucus, 9I制作厂免费 Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, the Human Rights Working Group, and the Sexual Assault Law Seminar at 9I制作厂免费.

Refreshments will be served.

Speaker bios

Fiona Sampson - B.A., M.A., LL.B., Ph. D.:

Fiona Sampson is the Project Director for the equality effect. Fiona originally conceived of the equality effect in 2005, in collaboration with friends and colleagues from Africa at the Osgoode Hall Law School graduate program. Fiona has worked as a Staff Lawyer and as the Director of Litigation at the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). Fiona has appeared as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada on many occasions representing women's NGO's in different equality rights cases. Fiona has worked as a legal consultant with, amongst others, the Ontario Native Council on Justice, the DisAbled Women's Network (DAWN) of Canada, Education Wife Assault, and the Ethiopian Muslim Relief and Development Association. Fiona has published numerous articles on women's equality rights and has her Ph.D. in women's equality law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.

Pearl Eliadis:

Pearl is a human rights lawyer who works internationally and in Canada on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. A graduate of 9I制作厂免费 and Oxford Universities, she is involved in pressing for social justice issues at the community level, including as past President of Equitas and of the Shield of Athena, a CSO working to prevent violence against women and children. Since 1995, she has been retained by the UN, the European Union and international consortia as a senior advisor in Ethiopia, Jordan/Iraq, Nepal, Timor Leste and Sri Lanka, as well as in Rwanda in the aftermath of the genocide. Pearl has co-edited three books on international human rights, public administration and public policy. She is the winner of the 2006 Woman of Distinction Award, the Canada 125 Medal for community service and the 2009 Montreal "Woman of the Year" award in recognition of her human rights work.