Women's Rights Project Report 2008

Document Date: February 9, 2009

"[R]ecognition of the inherent dignityand of the equal and inalienable rights of all membersof the human family is the foundation of freedom,justice and peace in the world."— UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS PREAMBLE

WRP employs a dynamic approach to women's rights advocacy aimed at securing gender equality and ensuring that all women are able to lead lives of dignity. Harnessing the power of civil rights and civil liberties law, and international human rights norms, WRP advocates on behalf of the most marginalized communities to end the structural oppression of women and girls. Through an integrated program that combines litigation, legislative advocacy, and public education, WRP advocates on behalf of poor women, women of color, and immigrant women who face discrimination and other systemic barriers to equality, with a particular focus on economic justice and employment, equal educational opportunities, ending violence against women, and addressing the needs of women and girls in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Cutting across our four main programmatic areas, we apply international human rights norms and integrate novel human rights strategies into our advocacy to ensure women's and girls' full equality and participation in society.

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Table of Contents

A Message From the Director and Executive Summary...5

Advancing Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunities...11

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls...37

Guaranteeing Equal Educational Opportunity...55

Reforming the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems...67

Protecting Freedom of Religion and Belief for Muslim Women...85

Making Equality Real...93

Advocating for Fair Public Health Policies...101

Bringing Human Rights Home...105

WRP Staff...111

Thank You...115

About Us...119