The Global Justice Center Mourns Lenora Lapidus
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 6, 2019
[NEW YORK, NY] – The Global Justice Center mourns the passing of Lenora Lapidus, Director of the ACLU Women’s Rights Project and member of the Global Justice Center’s Board of Directors. She passed away at home on May 5, 2019, after a long battle with cancer.
Lenora was a visionary lawyer and pillar in the struggle for women’s rights. She led the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project since 2001, focusing on eliminating gender-based violence and defending the rights of marginalized women. In 2008, she litigated Jessica Gonzales v. United States of America in front of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a landmark case declaring the freedom from domestic violence as a human right.
Over the course of her illustrious career, Lenora was recognized with a Wasserstein Fellowship from Harvard Law School, the Trailblazers Award from Women and Hollywood, and as one of “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” by Women’s eNews.
“In addition to an incredible career defending women’s rights, she was a warm, compassionate, and fierce woman,” says Global Justice Center President Akila Radhakrishnan. “She will be sorely missed by all of us who worked together with her to make the world a more just place for women.”
The Global Justice Center board and staff will be forever grateful for her lifetime of work on behalf of all women and for her guidance and support on our Board of Directors. Our thoughts go out to her family at this difficult time.
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Global Justice Center (GJC) is an international human rights organization, with consultative status to the United Nations, dedicated to advancing gender equality through the rule of law. We combine advocacy with legal analysis, working to ensure equal protection of the law for women and girls.
For more information contact:
Liz Olson (GJC, New York), lolson@globaljusticecenter.net +1 212 725 6530 ext. 217