A legal fighting fund for women protecting their sex-based rights

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About the fund

The J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund (JKRWF) offers legal funding support to individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s and girls’ sex-based rights in all aspects of life including the workplace, sports and clubs, and protected single-sex spaces. It provides women with the means and confidence to bring to justice strategic cases that make legal precedents, enforce existing equality law, and make positive contributions to women’s and girls’ lives.

In recent years a number of courageous women have secured significant legal victories in safeguarding these essential rights. The decision of the Supreme Court in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers clarified that the term “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refers, and has always referred, to biological sex. Despite this judgment, many organisations are still failing in their duty to guarantee single-sex spaces for women and girls. For that reason, the Fund is currently prioritising cases which will help ensure that the ruling has practical effect in women’s and girls’ day-to-day lives.

What we fund

We fund legal representation for women and organisations who don’t have adequate means to raise or defend legal actions and who:

  • Have lost their livelihoods, suffered harm, loss of earnings or been discriminated against because of their expressed beliefs on biological sex being unchangeable;
  • Are being forced to comply with unlawful policies, practices or guidance which undermine protected single-sex spaces including in the workplace, activities, associations and services for women and girls;
  • Are actively challenging policies, practices or guidance which take away the freedoms, protections or safeguards that women and girls are entitled to under the Equality Act 2010 and other legislation.

The JKRWF does not offer legal advice and does not engage a solicitor on your behalf. You must already have legal representation, and a clear idea of the total legal costs, timescale and desired outcome for the legal action.

How to apply

Fill out one of the eligibility checklists below – there’s one for individuals and one for organisations. If the answer to any of the questions is no, then you should not proceed as you are not likely to be successful. If it’s a yes to all of them, you can move on to the online application form.

After initial screening, applications go through a rigorous assessment by the JKRWF board. Because of the high number of applications, the board has a duty to ensure that the funding available is used as widely and strategically as possible, and so is unable to support every case. Please note we are unable to give feedback on your application if you are turned down.

Awards are at the discretion of the board and limited to legal actions with a clear goal and timespan, and an outline of expected costs. A decision can take up to 3 months – applications are considered on a quarterly basis. When you apply, you will receive an email confirming the month your application will be reviewed.

The JKRWF is a private fund, not a charity or a trust. Details of applications and funding are confidential.

Check Eligibility