5. Who Is Driving Change?

Gender equality begins with the law, yet only 14 countries have full legal equality. In this episode we explore the extent and global impact of legal inequality on women and girls everywhere. Guests include Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President for South Africa and Executive Director of UN Women; Ayesha Malik, the first female judge of the Supreme court in Pakistan; and Mona Sinha, the Global Executive Director of Equality Now.

Legal inequality is a product of the same colonial, patriarchal systems that continue to perpetuate other forms of gender inequality. In this episode, we explore the impact and legacy of religious and cultural traditions on how women today are treated under the law. Guests include Margarette May Macaulay, Jamaican Commissioner and former President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and Jody Heymann, Founding Director of WORLD Policy Analysis Center.

In 1995, governments from around the world came together at the 4th UN World Conference on Women in Beijing to agree on a plan for gender equality. In this episode, we reflect upon this historic event and examine the progress made since. Guests include Beverley Palesa Ditsie, leading LGBTQ+ advocate; Xenia Kellner, co-founder of Young Feminist Europe; and Antonia Kirkland, Global Lead for Legal Equality and Access to Justice at Equality Now.

Progress toward gender equality is rarely easy, nor is it guaranteed to last. In this episode, we look at the factors holding global progress back, and discover the importance of female representation at leadership level. Guests include Professor Michelle Ryan of the Global Institute of Women’s Leadership at The Australian National University; and Dr Michele Goodwin, Director of the UCI Law Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy.

All human and civil rights movements are driven by collective action. In this episode, we shine a light on those whose activism is shaping the ongoing global conversation around gender equality. Guests include Gloria Steinem, world-renowned journalist, activist, and bold pioneer of second-wave feminism; Omar Samra, Egypt-based human rights activist and feminist ally; and Faiza Jama Mohamed, the Africa Regional Director of Equality Now.

The journey toward global gender equality is far from over. In this final episode, we look to the future – where do we go next, what might the future look like for the next generation of women and girls, and how can we hold our governments and leaders to account? Guests include Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia; Thelma Fardin, Argentinian actress and feminist campaigner; and Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director of Equality Now.

We Change The Rules is a brand new podcast by Equality Now, tackling the issue of gender inequality in the law globally. Launching in September 2023, award winning journalist Samira Ahmed is joined by guests including former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, and the former Deputy President of South Africa Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, to explore the state of gender inequality around the world, and what we can do about it.