Rights of Women works to attain justice and equality by informing, educating and empowering women on their legal rights. Read more ...

News:

• New! Help us fundraise for our vital services for women. Join our team in the London Legal Support Trust sponsored walk by contacting Natasha on 020 7251 6575 or sponsor us here

• Take 5 minutes NOW to write to your MP and save legal aid for women experiencing violence

  Next Monday 16 April, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill will be debated again by MPs in the House of Commons. The House of Lords made important amendments to the Bill which will ensure that it improves eligibility for legal aid in family cases for victims of domestic violence.

  Take 5 minutes now to write to your MP and ask them to support these amendments. You can click here to use our template letter and follow the instructions below.

  How to send the letter to your MP:

  1. Go to www.writetothem.com
  2. Type your postcode into the box that appears and click "Go"
  3. You will now have been taken to a page which sets out all of your elected representatives
  4. Look at the column which is headed "Select your member of parliament". Now click on the name of your MP
  5. You will now have been taken to a page where you can enter your name, address, email address and a message to your MP
  6. Enter your personal details
  7. Now cut and paste the text of the template letter into the large white text box on the screen. Remember to insert your own name and if relevant your job title and the name of the organisation you are signing on behalf of.
  8. When you have done all of the above, click on "preview your message" and if you are happy with it, click "send message".
  9. Now check your email: you will receive an email from "WriteToThem". Click on the link in the email they send you, to confirm that you do want to send the letter to your MP. It is important to remember this step, otherwise the letter will not reach your MP.
  10. Encourage your colleagues and friends to do the same!

• To view our most recent Annual Report, click here

• Do you have a background in financial management? Want to support the work of Rights of Women? Our Management Committee is recruiting a Treasurer. Click here for more information.

• We are very concerned about the Government's proposals to change the availability and administration of legal aid.
  Add your voice and support us in our work on this issue: Read an overview of the proposed changes and how they will affect women’s access to justice here
  Read the results of our surveys on the impact of the proposals and use them in your consultation response here and our executive summary here.

• NEW: Publications on no recourse and trafficking law: we are pleased to announce the recent publication of two new legal guides for women with an insecure immigration status: Domestic Violence, Immigration Law and No Recourse to Public Funds and Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation and the Law.
  
  
• Rights of Women is proud to be a member of the Justice for All campaign. Justice for All is a campaign supported across the legal and advice sectors to ensure that all can access justice, no matter the circumstances they find themselves in. Read more about the campaign here.
  
  
• New report: Measuring up? UK compliance with international commitments on violence against women in England and Wales.
  
  Read our assessment of how current law and policy related to violence against women in England and Wales measures up to UK commitments under international law.
  
  
• NEWS: Read our latest newsletter here.

Membership:

• Become a member of Rights of Women. Join Rights of Women today and receive a free copy of our very popular handbook From A to Z: A woman's guide to the law and a Rights of Women travel card holder. Click here for more information about membership and benefits.

Training and events:

• We are now taking bookings for our 2011 training courses. To find out more and to book your place, click here

Publications:

• New: we are pleased to announce the recent publication of two sister publications to Seeking Refuge? A handbook for asylum-seeking women: Domestic Violence, Immigration Law and No Recourse to Public Funds and Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation and the Law.
• We are proud to have worked in partnership with Action for Prisoners Families to produce 4 new legal guides on parental responsibility, adoption for women prisoners, when families can't agree and when social services are involved.

Policy and campaigning:

• Implementing Section 14: see the latest here.
• Calling all London women's organisations - join our new network! Get more involved in policy and campaigning work, share your experiences and learn more about the law and policy making process. For more information about our Women's Legal Policy Network click here.
• Rights of Women is pleased to be part of the campaign to abolish no recourse to public funds. For more information about the campaign and how to get involved. Or see our briefing on no recourse to public funds here.
• Rights of Women is pleased to be part of the Still Human Still Here campaign which aims to highlight the plight of destitute asylum seekers in the UK. For more information about the campaign see Still Human Still Here.