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Having trouble reading this email? View in browser November 28, 2022 IMPACT India’s Top Court Bans Degrading ‘Two-Finger’ Rape Test On October 31, India’s Supreme Court ruled that anyone who conducts the “regressive and invasive” two-finger test on survivors of sexual assault or rape will be guilty of misconduct. The judgment brings hope that the justice system will finally stop using this unscientific process. The “two-finger test” involves the examining doctor inserting two fingers inside the vagina of a rape survivor to assess whether the girl or woman is a “virgin” or “habituated to sexual intercourse.” “Evidence” from this test has been used by defense counsel during trials to assert that the rape survivor had “loose” or “lax” morals. This can lead to both the perversion of justice and deter rape survivors from reporting the crime for fear of being blamed. READ MORE   MEET THE EXPERTS Rothna Begum Rothna Begum is a senior women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. She focuses on discrimination and violence against women and girls in the Middle East and North Africa region, including leading the research and advocacy on the abuse and exploitation of migrant domestic workers, domestic violence against women and girls, child marriage, sexual violence in conflict, discriminatory family laws, and male guardianship policies. She has conducted research and advocacy in countries including Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen MEET ROTHNA LATEST NEWS Iranian Women’s Demands for Freedom Must Be Heard More than forty days since the death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini–who died after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for breach of the country’s strict dress code–the wave of fury unleashed at compulsory hijab laws, security forces’ brutality, and wider government repression continues to rage. LEARN MORE LATEST NEWS Qatar: FIFA World Cup Opens Without Remedy for Migrants Qatar and FIFA, even after the start of the World Cup, have not committed to remedy abuses and unexplained deaths of migrant workers who made the event possible. Migrant workers, their families, journalists, and labor experts from origin countries have spoken about abuses and called for a remedy fund, receiving public support from 15 countries, over a dozen football associations, five sponsors, political leaders, top players, and fans. LEARN MORE TRENDING Musk Chaos Raises Serious Rights Concerns Over Twitter In these early days of Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter, there’s little to be optimistic about from a human rights perspective. Musk’s chaotic, shoot-from-the hip style has uncertainty swirling around the future of the platform, leaving many questions unanswered. But what we do know is concerning at least, and in some cases outright alarming. LEARN MORE LATEST NEWS Landmark Global Declaration on Explosive Weapons After three years of negotiations, 82 countries have adopted a political declaration that seeks to better protect civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The international pledge is the first to formally address the long-standing practice of using aircraft bombs, artillery, rockets, and missiles in villages, towns, and cities – the leading cause of civilian casualties in armed conflict. LEARN MORE IN MEMORIAM Remembering Michael McGoldrick Join Human Rights Watch in celebrating and remembering longtime supporter Michael McGoldrick. Michael McGoldrick embodied life with a keen mind, observant presence, and generous heart. He was an economist and educator, whose interest in human rights accelerated after monitoring elections in Guatemala in the mid 1990's. LEARN MORE WATCH US: Child Welfare System Harms Families Child welfare systems in the United States too often treat poverty as the basis for charges of neglect and decisions to remove children from their parents, Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in a report released on November 17. The system’s disproportionate impact on Black and Indigenous families and people living in poverty, and the sheer number of children removed unjustly, make this a national crisis warranting immediate attention and action. WATCH Be a Champion for Human Rights this Giving Tuesday In times of crisis, conflict, and injustice, Human Rights Watch investigates abuses, exposes the truth through in-depth reporting, and advocates for change. When you donate to Human Rights Watch this Giving Tuesday, you’ll help support our investigations in more than 100 countries, secure justice for survivors and victims, and create a safer and fairer world for everyone.  Together, we will defend fundamental rights and freedoms for all—regardless of who we are, whom we love, or the color of our skin. DONATE NOW Top Image: Activists protest against gender-based violence, in Delhi, India, October 12, 2020.  © 2020 Amarjeet kumar Singh/SOPA Images via AP Photo   Human Rights Watch | 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor | New York, NY 10118 USA Tel: 1 (212) 290-4700 | news@hrw.org