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The Justice and Equality Fund supported by TIME’S UP UK announces grants to five women’s groups to end sexual harassment and abuse in the UK

• The pioneering Justice and Equality Fund managed by Rosa and supported by TIME’S UP UK, awards five new grants to women’s organisations on International Women’s Day
• The Fund is backed by film industry professionals including Andrea Riseborough, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and many more

On International Women’s Day, Rosa - the UK’s only fund for women and girls, and TIME’S UP UK announce the latest tranche of grants awarded from the Justice and Equality Fund. Five women’s groups have been awarded £463,825 to address sexual harassment and abuse in the UK. 

The new grants bring the total funding distributed to women in the UK to £1.77 million, with further announcements to be made. The five women’s organisations receiving funding are:

• Against Violence and Abuse (AVA) were awarded £99,294 and are focused on tackling sexual misconduct and harassment in universities. 
• The Birmingham Rape and Sexual Violence Project were awarded £64,612 and are working in partnership with West Midlands Police and other community groups to prevent sexual harassment and sexual violence among the workforce to improve outcomes for all survivors of sexual violence seeking criminal justice. 
• The Good Night Out Campaign were awarded £99,944 and will support the night time economy to better understand, respond to and prevent sexual harassment in London and Birmingham's nightlife, focussed on the LGBTQI communities and supporting through training, policy and community advocacy. 
• The Latin American Women's Rights Service was awarded £99,995 for working in partnership with two grassroots unions representing migrant women workers in precarious employmentto increase their capacity to prevent and respond to sexual harassment.  
• The Women’s Resource and Development Agency were granted £99,980 and will work in partnership with a network ofwomen’s organisations in Northern Ireland to challenge sexism and misogyny.

Lucila Granada, director at the Latin American Women's Rights Service, said:

“No one should suffer sexual harassment or abuse in their workplace or community, which is why we are delighted to have been funded by the Justice and Equality Fund. We will work with IWGB and UVW, two powerful grassroots unions, to enable their members to speak up against sexual harassment at work. This grant will help us drive long term change and tackle the issues that migrant women in precarious employment have for too long faced.” 

The Justice and Equality Fund was launched in February 2018 by a group of UK-based women from the entertainment industry coming together to challenge the culture of sexual harassment, assault and discrimination that persists across all industries and sections of society. 

Andrea Riseborough, acclaimed British actor, producer, and initial donor to the Justice and Equality Fund said; 

“For too long women and girls have faced barriers, from harassment and abuse at work to lack of representation in senior roles. The Justice and Equality Fund throws a spotlight on the issues that have previously been dismissed or ignored and challenges all workplaces and communities to ensure no woman is left behind. 

“This Fund is directly supporting women to call out the challenges they face, to arm them with the tools they need to tackle sexism, harassment and abuse, and to support them to reach their full potential, so that together we can create a more balanced society.

“We have the power and responsibility as storytellers to tell more balanced stories and that is why the industry needs to be more representative. That is why today I am announcing my commitment to the #4PercentChallenge – a commitment to work with a female director in the next 18 months, as only 4% of the top studio films are currently directed by women.”

Samantha Rennie, executive director at Rosa, the UK Fund for Women and Girls, said:

“The Justice and Equality Fund was born of a desire to stamp out the culture of abuse and impunity around sexual harassment and abuse that has existed in our workplaces and communities. 

The organisations we’re supporting today are preventing future harassment and abuse from taking place by raising awareness, supporting women to call out and challenge behaviour and working in partnership with allies to make work and social spaces better for all of us. It takes courage to stand up against injustice and the Justice and Equality Fund donors have done just that by showing solidarity through their generous gifts.”

The full list of organisations and exact amounts awarded can be found at www.rosauk.org/news-and-events