India’s Incredibly Powerful "Abused Goddesses" Campaign Condemns Domestic Violence “Save Our Sisters” is an anti-sex trafficking initiative. Ad agency Taproot physically recreated scenes from old hand-painted images of Indian goddesses. scoopwhoop.com The combination of religious deities with the results of violence make for a powerful message in this Indian domestic violence campaign. Featuring the Hindu goddesses Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati, the shots show the women in typical … [Read more...]
“Real Men Don’t Hit Women!”, Antonio Bandares
July 28, 2013 by
Life isn’t easy for women – anywhere in the world. I grew up in Dois Riachos – a poor, remote town in the north-east of Brazil. Our family didn’t have much money; my mother worked hard to raise me and my two brothers and sister by herself. We couldn’t even afford a football – if we had bought one, we would have gone without food. At the age of 7, I knew I wanted to play football for the rest of my life. But being a girl, the path wasn’t straightforward. Everyone from my brothers to the … [Read more...]
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Recounts 5-year-Old Girl’s Ordeal
June 25, 2013 by
SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS TEXT URGING TARGETED SANCTIONS AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE DURING ARMED CONFLICT Rape Largely ‘Cost-free’, Says Special Representative As UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Recounts 5-year-Old Girl’s Ordeal The Security Council today urged the United Nations sanctions committees to apply targeted sanctions against parties committing sexual violence during armed conflict. Ahead of a debate on the subject that attracted more than 60 speakers, the … [Read more...]
International Widow’s Day – JUNE 23
June 9, 2013 by
Plight of Widows and their Children Around the World Many people may not know anything about the discrimination against and degradation of widows. It had never been addressed by governments or the UN on a global scale; it had simply been swept under the carpet. In 2009 The Loomba Foundation commissioned a report to be researched and written on the plight of widows around the world. The Widows Research Report is a comprehensive study of every facet and factor concerning widowhood; it … [Read more...]
1993 Vienna Declaration was the Real Turning Point
June 7, 2013 by
Violence against women – the most pervasive expression of gender-based violence: Pillay "Violence against women is the most pervasive expression of gender-based discrimination", UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay told the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday during its annual full-day discussion on women's rights. Ms. Pillay said that before the 1990's, violence against women was still largely considered a private matter and not a human rights issue of concern to the … [Read more...]
Japan Taking Action to combat illicit drugs and human trafficking
June 4, 2013 by
June 2013 – The United Nations and the Government of Japan today agreed to enhance regional cooperation to fight the trade of illicit narcotics and human trafficking, as well as terrorism and cyber crime in Africa and Southeast Asia. The Joint Action Plan of Action between the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Japan was signed at the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which concluded earlier today in Yokohama, Japan. “The United Nations Office … [Read more...]
Bangladesh must address lack of protection for women from violence
May 31, 2013 by
Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras May 2013 – A United Nations independent expert today called on Bangladesh to ensure the effective implementation of laws and measures that protect women from violence, stressing that in addition to the enforcement of policies, changes in attitudes need to occur regarding women’s role in society. “The absence of effective implementation of existing laws, the lack of responsive justice systems, and … [Read more...]
RWANDA’S ‘STRONG POLITICAL COMMITMENT’
May 25, 2013 by
SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS RWANDA’S ‘STRONG POLITICAL COMMITMENT’ TO FIGHT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, CHILDREN AT NEW CENTRE CEREMONY Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the Ceremony for the Centre of Excellence for the Fight against Violence against Women and Children, in Kigali, on 23 May: It is a profound honour to join you as we lay the foundation stone for this vital centre of excellence. I see reflected in all of you, Rwanda’s … [Read more...]
EGYPT, Sexual Violence must Stop!
April 4, 2013 by
April 2013 – A United Nations envoy today expressed dismay at the sexual attacks on women protesters in Egypt, as well as the messages from prominent religious and political leaders that women are to blame. “Egypt’s story in the post-revolutionary period cannot be that of a country whose women marched in support of democracy, only to find their own freedoms denied, their lives directly threatened, and their vibrant political activism stamped out in a climate of fear and insecurity,” said the … [Read more...]
UN Women, Afghanistan condemns “honor killings” of women/girls
April 3, 2013 by
Kabul, April — Recently several cases of “Honor Killings” in Afghanistan have been reported by the media and the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN) recorded three cases of such killings across the country during the month of March. These include a young girl buried alive by her brother and father in the Kishim district of Badakhshan Province. In Heart Province, a 14-year-old girl was killed when she refused to marry her fiancé and in another case a brother killed his married sister when she … [Read more...]
Take Action – Sign petition, stop Horrific Child Abuse in Maldives!
April 1, 2013 by
It's horrific! A Maldives court just sentenced a 15-year-old rape survivor to 100 whip lashings. By threatening Maldives politicians' precious tourist income we can save this child and stop these outrageous public floggings. Let's quickly build a one million strong call, then place ads in travel magazines and websites: START HERE. It's hard to believe, but a 15-year-old rape survivor has been sentenced to be whipped 100 times in public! Let's put an end to this lunacy by hitting … [Read more...]
CSW57, Takes Action, on shocking results on sexual violence!
March 16, 2013 by
Study reveals shocking new evidence of men’s use of violence against women and girls in Asia Pacific One in two men said they had used physical or sexual violence against an intimate partner, one in four reported having raped a woman and one in 25 admitted to having participated in gang rape. These are among the shocking preliminary results of a study by a joint UN programme that surveyed more than 10,000 men on their use and experiences of violence against women and girls in nine selected … [Read more...]
