I know working in human rights/ gender equality is supposed to be a difficult job but this was the worst experience I've had in this sector. Not because we were documenting and advocating against violence against women and girls on a daily basis but because of the work culture and toxic dynamics within Equality Now itself. Expect macro and micro aggressions, micromanagement, and a culture in which you are blamed for strategic failings at the management/director level. There's no such thing as work/life balance since when you're not working, you're recovering from a horrible day at work or processing the anticipatory anxiety of the next work day. This is an extremely antagonistic workspace if you are a Black or Brown person, a Gen Z or millennial woman, identify as LGBTIQ+ or espouse feminist values (which is ironic considering this is a women and girls rights organisation). Mental fatigue and disillusionment with women's rights work is a major consequence of working at Equality Now, especially if you do so for multiple years. New ideas or approaches are discouraged and in many contexts, Equality Now's work does not challenge the status quo of patriarchy and discrimination against women. This is a massively overhyped organisation. Employees who speak up, especially in the Nairobi office, are routinely pushed out of the organisation. There's a lot of turnover, which affects the quality of programs and projects. I wish I never worked here. Don't make the same mistake, especially if you're joining as a program officer or lower.
