http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi U.S. Department of State en U.S. Department of State 2010-12-22T21:51:27+00:002010-12-10T21:11:56+00:002010-12-02T19:55:37+00:002010-11-30T20:15:38+00:002010-11-29T13:40:43+00:002010-11-25T22:02:12+00:002010-09-30T23:36:57+00:002010-08-26T22:27:49+00:002010-05-13T02:19:16+00:002010-03-18T18:18:01+00:002010-02-09T03:13:25+00:00 About the Author: Courtney Beale serves as Assistant Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

From the mega-metropolises of Karachi and Lahore to the countryside near Mardan and Multan, the U.S. Mission in Pakistan is working to improve the lives of Pakistani women and combat gender-based violence. For the recent international “16 Days of Activism” campaign, we organized a series of initiatives to highlight and energize our partnerships with Pakistan's government and civil society to support women's rights. Here are 16 ways we are working with Pakistani men and women committed to this cause:

1. Training Police. Four years ago, the United States began a program to train women police officers focused on crisis management, first aid, and ways to work with female victims of crime and domestic violence. On November 27, nine more women police officers completed the training program bringing the total number of program alumna to 150. You can learn more here.

2. Educating Future Leaders. Sharing expertise and building networks to work on common issues are key element of U.S. government professional exchange programs. In 2010, the U.S. government invited more than 25 Pakistani women and men to the United States to build partnerships with Americans to further efforts to empower women, eliminate violence against women and combat human trafficking.

3. Engaging Students. As part of the Embassy's regular outreach to schools and students on a wide variety of issues and topics, Dr. Marilyn Wyatt participated in a roundtable discussion with gender studies students on December 8, at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad. “Violence against women negatively impacts all of society,” Dr. Wyatt said. You can watch her give her remarks here.

4. Promoting Women's Enterprise. Expanding education for women, setting up legal aid clinics, and advancing public education campaigns on women's issues -- what do they have in common? They are some of the projects being funded through the U.S. Embassy Gender Equity Program. This $40 million program provides grants to local organizations working on women's issues throughout the country.

5-8. Supporting Benazir Bhutto Centers. We are supporting four of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women's Crisis Centers in Pakistan. These centers provide health care services, legal assistance, counseling, and temporary shelter for victims of violence. Dr. Wyatt visited the Islamabad Center on December 2 to talk with women who have escaped domestic violence with help from the center. You can learn more about the visit on our Facebook page.

9. Promoting Women's Services. As Secretary Clinton said, “Investing in the potential of the world's women and girls is one of the surest ways to achieve global economic progress, political stability, and greater prosperity for women -- and men -- the world over.” The U.S. Embassy is empowering women through microfinance grants to help women become economically active and increase their incomes as well as vocational training programs to encourage women to learn “non-traditional” skills. Our efforts include programs to unite the millions of home-based women workers across Pakistan to enable them to share information, advocate for their economic interests, and push for fair treatment under the law.

10 &11. Sharing Expertise. Whether participating at seminars with think tanks, joining protests in the streets, or using art exhibits to highlight violence against women, U.S. government exchange alumni were out in force over the "16 Days" campaign. The Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network organized two panel discussions on women's issues for students in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Experts from the legal field, academia, politics, and civil society came together to share perspectives and educate the next generation on how they can work together to empower women in Pakistan.

12. Training Health Workers. The U.S. Embassy has helped train 11,000 female health workers in group counseling, childhood illnesses, and maternal health. We are further improving maternal health by training 1,600 birth attendants and providing vitally-needed equipment to 1,000 community midwives.

13. Encouraging Women Activists. The "16 Days" campaign is an important opportunity to recognize the amazing work that activists and NGOs are doing in Pakistan to eliminate violence against women. Ambassador Munter and Dr. Marilyn Wyatt met women in Lahore and Islamabad who run NGOs that help shape legislation to protect women's rights.

14. Reducing Sexual Harassment. We are partnering with Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy to combat violence against women in flood-affected areas by raising awareness about newly passed anti-sexual harassment legislation and providing vocational skills training to women in these areas.

15. Improving Agriculture. Through agricultural programs, we are helping women farmers develop skills and techniques to improve their access to markets. In the rural Baluchistan border area we have mobilized 211 women's agricultural community organizations to enable women to have direct access to markets.

16. Using the Power of the Media to Raise Awareness. To mark the last day of the "16 Days" campaign on December 10th, as well as International Human Rights Day, Dr. Marilyn Wyatt discussed the U.S. commitment to improving the lives of women in Pakistan in a nationwide interview on Pakistan Television (PTV). You can watch her interview here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/u.s._support_for_women_in_pakistan/ 2010-12-22T21:51:27+00:00 About the Author: Jay Raman is Acting Public Affairs Officer at U.S. Embassy Guatemala City in Guatemala.

As in many countries, violence against women is a significant problem in Guatemala. In 2009, the Guatemalan Attorney General's office reported that it received nearly 32,000 complaints of violence against women for the year. Approximately 700 women were murdered -- almost two per day in a country of only 14 million. And those shocking figures don't take into account the number of unreported cases of violence or the collateral effects that domestic violence has on children and other family members.

Clearly violence against women is a very serious problem, with serious consequences, and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala is working very closely with governmental, non-governmental, and international partners to help raise awareness of the issue, to provide services to victims and their families, and to ensure that perpetrators of violence are punished in accordance with the law.

On November 25, the Embassy joined with many others around the world to celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (IDEVAW) and to observe the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, which runs from November 25 through December 11. Fighting domestic violence is a priority every day, but these two events offer an opportunity to reflect on the problem and to redouble our efforts to promote a world free of domestic violence.

To "kickoff" our observance of these two important events, Ambassador Stephen McFarland joined with his counterpart from the British Embassy at a soccer match to promote a campaign entitled "Breaking the Cycle," which is designed to raise awareness of domestic violence. The two ambassadors took the field at halftime of the annual "Classic" match between the two top Guatemala City teams and tried to stop penalty kicks from fans selected from the crowd. Discretion prohibits me from commenting on the success of their efforts on the field, but I can say that the joint appearance generated a significant amount of media coverage, which brought attention to domestic violence in a new and meaningful way.

A couple of days later, Ambassador McFarland attended a public event to present a $100,000 donation to an amazing NGO, called the Survivors Foundation, which offers counseling and advocacy services to women who have been affected by violence. Survivors Foundation (Fundación Sobrevivientes in Spanish) was started by domestic violence survivor Norma Cruz, who was honored as an International Woman of Courage by Secretary Clinton in 2009. The name of the foundation alone speaks volumes. Most women who suffer domestic abuse are "survivors," not victims. And even in cases involving death -- which are all too common -- there are almost always survivors left behind who suffer the consequences.

The $100,000 donation, which was awarded through a competition sponsored by the State Department's Office of Global Women's Issues, will help the organization to provide additional services to victims to help them recover from the trauma of violence, and in some instances to pursue cases through Guatemala's justice system. The Ambassador was joined at the public event by Norma Cruz and by two extraordinarily brave women who have been helped by the Survivor's Foundation.

One of these women, Aura Suruy, suffered an unimaginable tragedy when her three daughters were kidnapped, tortured, and killed in 2008 while on their way to school. With the help of the Survivors Foundation, Suruy dedicated herself to bringing the criminals to justice, despite long odds and even death threats. Her hard work paid off earlier this year when, with Ambassador McFarland in the audience, the three defendants were each sentenced to 163 years in prison -- a landmark verdict for a shocking crime. At the donation ceremony at the Survivors Foundation Suruy acknowledged that the verdict won't bring her daughters back, but she was proud that her case would be a step forward for the cause of justice in Guatemala.

In addition to these two events, in early December the Public Affairs Section invited an expert from the United States to offer trainings on the subject of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) -- a serious problem that overlaps with violence against women. Guatemala was identified in the 2010 State Department report on TIP as a "source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically sexual servitude and forced labor." Guatemala was placed on the Department of State's Watch List for TIP and faces the possibility of losing most U.S. government aid if it does not improve in this area.

In September, a group of key Guatemalan government officials and anti-TIP activists traveled to the United States as part of an Embassy-sponsored program to introduce them to new ideas to combat TIP and to provide services to victims. During this multi-city visit the group met with Erie County, NY, deputy sheriff Elizabeth Fildes, who has been recognized for her efforts to combat human trafficking in her county. Building on the visit to New York, Deputy Fildes accepted an invitation from the Embassy to travel to Guatemala for a week-long series of presentations, lecture, and workshops to help build local capacity to fight TIP.

Deputy Fildes's visit included a visit to the state university to speak with law students, discussions with key government officials, and workshops for colleagues from law enforcement. The visit concluded with a training session for media representatives on how U.S. police work with the media to report effectively on TIP without causing additional harm to trafficking victims. Fildes's visit is a great example of the value of Department of State speaker programs, where U.S. experts have the opportunity to influence foreign counterparts on issues of vital importance.

Although the 2010 IDEVAW and the 16 Days of Activism are coming to a close, the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala is as committed as ever to eliminating violence against women in Guatemala. We will continue to do our best to look for innovative ways address the issue of violence against women and to encourage the Guatemalan authorities to aggressively prevent these crimes, to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators, and to provide effective services to the survivors.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/16_days_gbv_guatemala/ 2010-12-10T21:11:56+00:00 About the Author: Paul S. Berg is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Editor's Note: In support of the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign that follows from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we're bringing you stories from embassies and consulates on how they took up the challenge of countering violence against women.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) held its fourth annual walk against gender-based violence on November 25, led by Governor General Sir Paulias Matane (at 70 and an ardent hiker, he sets a brisk pace) and Minister for Community Development Dame Carol Kidu, the only female member of the National Parliament. The event was organized by one of the PNG organizations most dedicated to advancing the empowerment of women, Coalition for Change. The entire expatriate community participated, including many Americans, but what was most heartening was the number of Papua New Guinea men and women in the walk. No one was keeping track, but our impression is that this was the most PNG people to participate in the event in its entire four-year history; it is evolving into a true people's movement. Apparently over 1,000 people walked the walk.

American business also played a prominent role. ExxonMobil, developing a multibillion dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) project here, brought over 100 participants to the walk, led by their chair Peter Graham.

PNG is rapidly heightening its consciousness about gender violence issues. The Secretary took important steps to strengthen U.S. solidarity with PNG against gender violence during her November 3rd visit, when she and Prime Minister Somare announced important new bilateral women's empowerment programs, among them a 2011 policy dialogue co-hosted by the U.S. and PNG on effective means to improve maternal health, increase economic opportunities, and empower women economically in the Pacific region.

We're looking forward to related events on December 10, Human Rights Day, when we will again have an opportunity to support PNG men and women in advocating against gender-based violence and in favor of full empowerment for PNG's women. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/16_days_png/ 2010-12-02T19:55:37+00:00 About the Author: Masami Tanaka is a Vice Consul for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong.

Editor's Note: In support of the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign that follows from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we're bringing you stories from embassies and consulates on how they took up the challenge of countering violence against women.

Consulate General Hong Kong commemorated the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with a lunchtime session on "Situational Awareness and Self-Defense for Women" on November 23. This session also kicked off our post's new Women's Initiative. In my role as post's Federal Women's Program Coordinator, I began the session by explaining that violence against women includes not only physical and sexual abuse, but also psychological and economic abuse, and that it cuts across age, race, culture, wealth, and geography. The audience -- American and locally-employed male and female Consulate staff -- was surprised to hear that up to 70 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime.

ConGen Hong Kong's Assistant Regional Officer Tim Dalton spoke to the audience about the reality of violence committed against women in the United States, Hong Kong, and in Asia. Using real-life examples, he told women how they could reduce their chances of becoming a target of crime. Dalton told women to trust their instincts and be aware of their surroundings, and he reminded the audience that, when traveling, they should not assume their destination is as safe as Hong Kong. Post's U.S. Marine detachment members helped out in demonstrating to the audience how to break free from an attacker. Marine Sergeant Heather “Nicki” Kaufmann demonstrated three basic, but useful, self-defense/escape movements against an attacker who might be much larger than the target. Audience members asked many questions and expressed an interest in more hands-on sessions to practice the three movements. ConGen Hong Kong plans to schedule follow-up session in January. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/cg_hong_kong_womens_self-defense/ 2010-11-30T20:15:38+00:00 International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women and the accompanying 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, running November 25 through December 10, the Department of State hosted a panel of experts speaking on the critical role of men and boys in addressing this global endemic problem.

Panelists for the discussion on "Changing Attitudes: What Men and Boys Can Do to Address and Prevent Violence against Women" included: Ambassador Meera Shankar, Indian Ambassador to the U.S.; Nisha Biswal, Assistant Administrator for Asia, USAID; Anthony Porter, Co-Founder, A Call to Men; Nandini Azad, Chairperson of the Independent Commission for People's Rights and Development (ICPRD), and Carol Kurzig, President, Avon Foundation for Women. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer was the moderator for the discussion. The panel highlighted actions that governments, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations are taking to address gender-based violence. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/live_webcast_men_and_boys_vaw/ 2010-11-29T13:40:43+00:00 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign. Speaking in support of day and the campaign, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer released a video message describing examples of innovative programs in India, Senegal, Brazil, and Afghanistan that address violence against women.

Ambassador Verveer said, "The United States is working bilaterally and multilaterally to define gender-based violence not as solely a woman's issue, but one of international human rights. We are taking action on the ground, training peacekeepers on gender-based violence awareness and prevention activities, working with NGOs to ensure men's engagement in preventing violence against women, and partnering with religious leaders of all faiths to incorporate these messages into their outreach. The economic empowerment of women is also integral to any sustainable approach to eradicating violence against women, as studies show that women who control their own resources are less vulnerable to being targeted because of their gender.

"These 16 Days offer an opportunity to renew the commitment to freeing women from violence, whether the abuse occurs in the home behind closed doors, or in the open fields of armed conflict. Countries cannot progress when half their populations are marginalized and mistreated, and subjected to discrimination. When women are accorded their rights and afforded equal opportunities in education, healthcare, employment, and political participation, they lift up their families, their communities, and their nations -- and act as agents of change. As Secretary Clinton recently noted, 'Investing in the potential of the world's women and girls is one of the surest ways to achieve global economic progress, political stability, and greater prosperity for women -- and men -- the world over.' Thank you for all you are doing in support of ending violence against women."

You can read the complete transcript of her remarks here. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/november_25_idevaw/ 2010-11-25T22:02:12+00:00 About the Author: Melanne Verveer serves as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues.

Violence against women and girls cuts across ethnicity, race, class, religion, and education level. It knows no international borders. It can affect women and girls at any point in their lives, from sex-selective feticide and infanticide, to the inadequate healthcare and nutrition given to girls, to female genital mutilation, child marriage, trafficking, domestic violence, so-called “honor” killings, dowry-related murder, the neglect and ostracism of widows, and more. As Secretary Clinton has said, this violence isn't “cultural;” it's criminal. Gender-based violence isn't a “women's issue;” it's the world's issue. The challenge cannot be confronted by women alone. Men and boys are our crucial allies in the campaign to end violence against women. And in India, some boys and men are taking this message to heart.

Last November when I was in India, I launched the Garima (“dignity” in Hindi) program, a USAID- funded project that aims to enhance the ability of women to advocate for their rights in the Indian parliament and state legislatures; deter gender-based violence, female feticide and child marriage; and increase the participation of Muslim women in mainstream social, economic and political processes.

Garima helps raise awareness about these issues among the local community, including key stakeholders, such as young men, boys, and religious leaders, and it works to change attitudes about the acceptability of violence. Garima has strengthened the implementation of key pieces of legislation in India, including the Domestic Violence Act, the Prevention of Child Marriage Act, and the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technical Act. In Rajasthan and New Delhi, the program trains healthcare providers, who are often the first point of contact for women facing violence, in how to counsel women and report the violence through the justice system. The program also trains prosecutors and community-based groups, creating a network of legal and healthcare support to take care of survivors' needs.

When I returned to India earlier this month, I had the opportunity to meet with the men and women who are partners on this program. Some of the religious leaders involved in this project have encouraged communities to celebrate girls' births. As a result, over 53,000 people in one community in Rajasthan have pledged their opposition to prenatal sex selection.

I checked in with another Garima project that works with Muslim women to help them understand their rights within Islam, including their right to choose their own husbands, seek their mahr (marital gift) upon divorce, and live lives free of violence. The program is currently working with imams to help raise their awareness of women's rights, and is now providing legal aid, counseling, and microfinance opportunities to Muslim women who have been abused.

I also visited the Independent Commission for People's Rights and Development (ICPRD), a Garima project that mobilizes hundreds of men and boys from low-income and rural communities in Rajasthan and Karnataka to create street plays and performances that address the problem of violence against women.

During last year's visit, I watched Rajasthani men perform a street play that portrayed the negative effects of child sex selection, domestic violence, child marriage, and sexual harassment in their community. The message of the performance resonated throughout the community, from women and girls, to men and boys, to the young and old, and to individuals who were unable to read or understand in more formal ways. The performances had the ability to change the norms and perceptions that perpetuate violence against women; they spread awareness in the community and turned boys and men into champions for the cause.

In Chennai, I watched a similar performance. When I asked the young men why they participated in the program, I was touched by their heartfelt responses. One boy told me about his older sister, who was being forced to marry a man more than twice her age. Another young man told me the pain he experienced watching his younger sister teased and jeered at whenever she walked through the street. These young men believed the violence and coercion their sisters and mothers faced was not a women's problem or a man's problem, but was everyone's problem to address.

I was struck by the confidence, self-esteem, and pride the performances instilled in the young men. They acknowledged that while they were promoting the rights of women and girls, they were in essence empowering themselves. It was their voices that were changing mindsets; they were helping to realign values, and, in standing up for women's rights, they were protecting their families and their community at large.

On September 18th, I was delighted to present the screening of a documentary created by ICPRD entitled “Youth Forums Against Gender Based Violence,” which depicts the remarkable efforts these men and boys have undertaken. I hope this film will take the story of these young men even more widely than their live performances do.

Addressing, preventing, and raising awareness about gender-based violence is a particular focus of my office, and we are working to ensure that men and boys are an integral part of our strategy. We hope to see initiatives such as Garima blossom and flourish within India, and beyond. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/communities_address_gender-based_violence/ 2010-09-30T23:36:57+00:00
"I just want to take this opportunity to reiterate from the U.S. point of view our strongest possible condemnation of the rapes and attacks that occurred against scores of innocent civilians. We are horrified, and we are outraged, and that led us, in conjunction with the French, to request this detailed briefing this morning.

"It was a disturbing briefing, both for what we learned and what we don't know still. We are pleased that the Council swiftly and without any difficulty issued the statement that you've heard Ambassador Churkin deliver.

"But the fact is that many questions were posed, some very poignant questions, including by me and others. The Secretariat was clear in acknowledging that things did not occur as they should have, but we await answers from Assistant Secretary-General Khare and Margaret Wallstrom as to what was the actual sequence of events, where there may have been shortcomings in processes and procedures, and what steps can be taken going forward to ensure more effective, real time, advanced communication of threats to the civilian population.

"I traveled with the Council last year to eastern Congo. We met with victims of rape in Goma, we went out to villages in North Kivu, and camps where, then MONUC, now MONUSCO, had in place processes and procedures, which we were told were designed to provide early warning and rapid response. We learned today that in many instances those procedures have worked; in this instance clearly they did not, and we need to know why and what mechanisms might be put in place to ensure that this type of horror is not repeated again and again."

Read the full transcript of Ambassador Rice's remarks here.

Related Entry: Secretary Clinton's Statement on Reports of Mass Rape in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/rice_unsc_stakeout_rapes_congo/ 2010-08-26T22:27:49+00:00 About the Author: Eric Goosby serves as the United States Global AIDS Coordinator.

Last week, I had the privilege of announcing the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief's (PEPFAR) additional $30 million commitment to scale-up efforts to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in the countries we support, with a particular focus on Mozambique, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. I had the opportunity to share the news of this increase at a Consultation on Scaling up the Response to Gender-based Violence in PEPFAR. This two-day conference brought together a wide range of international experts and representatives from partner governments, civil society, and the PEPFAR teams from the three countries to discuss the state of the art of GBV programs and interventions, including the most recent research, practical implications for scale-up, programming challenges and monitoring and evaluation. This platform provides a strong information base and starting point for country teams as they focus on GBV.

Gender inequalities fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS. Gender-based violence, in particular, directly promotes the spread of HIV/AIDS by limiting women's ability to negotiate sexual practices, disclose HIV status, and access medical services and counseling due to fear of GBV.

As a key component of President Obama's Global Health Initiative (GHI), which explicitly embraces a woman- and girl-centered approach to health issues, PEPFAR is working to reaffirm and expand its focus on women and girls in the context of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care. This $30 million initiative is one way that we are doing so.

PEPFAR's increased GBV response will build upon the existing PEPFAR platforms in these three countries, working to increase the reach, coordination, and efficacy of GBV programs. Our hope is that this initiative will move us closer to our goal of sustainable GBV responses by moving small, pilot projects to tailored, coordinated and integrated national responses.

To ensure this, we will strengthen our current partnerships with governments, non-governmental organizations and civil society in Mozambique, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as other countries in which we work. We will also support comprehensive GBV response packages for victims of violence at health facilities, increase GBV prevention programs to address the underlying causes of violence, and improve linkages with other sectors and addressing policy and address structural barriers. PEPFAR will partner with countries and build synergies both across U.S. Government agencies and other partners that focus on GBV-related development issues, such as education, reproductive health, democracy and governance, and economic growth. As we move to expand the reach of programs to fight gender-based violence, we will strengthen our monitoring and evaluation efforts to ensure that interventions implemented are effective and contribute to the broader global effort

Based on my observations in the field, we tackle GBV if we are to win the battle against HIV/AIDS. PEPFAR is committed to targeted and comprehensive responses to gender-based violence, and we will work with our partner countries to meet this goal.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/gbv_aids/ 2010-05-13T02:19:16+00:00 About the Author: Nicole Peacock serves as the Public Outreach Officer in the Bureau of African Affairs.

On March 9, 2010, Rebecca Lolosoli received the Vital Voices 2010 Global Leadership Award for her efforts to end violence against women in her Kenyan community. Lolosoli, a Vital Voices Global Partnership Alumna, met with representatives from the Bureau of African Affairs to discuss her work on behalf of Kenyan women.

Lolosoli's empathy for widows and children compelled her to speak out on behalf of victims of rape, forced marriage, female genital cutting, and homelessness. In the 1990s, she too became homeless. Determined to improve the lives of others facing similar situations, Lolosoli and 15 other women created the Umoja Uaso Women's Organization in the Samburu District of Kenya.

Since the program's establishment, Umoja Uaso has become a refuge for women who refused to tolerate the cattle raids, gender-based and sexual violence, lack of property rights, and more recently the impact of small arms. The program has become both a sanctuary and a training center for those seeking to promote human rights and economic empowerment, and it promotes the preservation of indigenous art and crafts.

Lolosoli's efforts to empower the women of Umoja have resulted in their ability to provide for their children and themselves through the sale of their beaded jewelry and crafts. Under Lolosoli's leadership, the Umoja Organization has inspired change in surrounding communities. Lolosoli continues to inspire change as she works to promote women's rights and create opportunities to empower women.

To find out more about Rebecca Lolosoli and other Vital Voices 2010 Global Leadership Awards recipients, click here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/kenyan_woman_efforts/ 2010-03-18T18:18:01+00:00 About the Author: Ambassador-at-Large Melanne Verveer serves as director of the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues.

No matter what country women around the world live in, no matter what religion they are, how much money they earn, or what age they are, they have at least one thing in common: They are potential victims of violence. Violence against women is endemic around the globe.

Violence can affect girls and women at every point in their lives, from sex-selective abortion and infanticide, to inadequate healthcare and nutrition given to girls, to genital mutilation, child marriage, rape as a weapon of war, trafficking, so-called “honor” killings, dowry-related murder, and the neglect and ostracism of widows -- and this is not an exhaustive list.

Far too often, these acts go unpunished. Even when countries have laws on their books to criminalize violence against women, these laws frequently go unenforced. Even when individual cases are seen as the individual tragedies that they are, connections are too seldom made to the larger pattern of women's global inequality and the worldwide lack of respect for their human rights.

Far too often, these acts are seen as family matters, and take place behind a veil of privacy. And far too often, efforts to punish these criminal acts are dismissed as being against national customs or traditions.

I want to make it clear: “culture” cannot justify the violation of human rights. Addressing violence against women is the responsibility and imperative of every nation. In terms of its moral, humanitarian, development, economic, and international security consequences, violence against women and girls is one of the major impediments to progress around the globe. We need the kind of serious and coordinated response to it that we give to other threats of this magnitude.

On February 4, the International Violence Against Women Act was introduced by Senators Kerry (D-MA), Boxer (D-CA), Snowe (R-ME), and Collins (R-ME) and Representatives Delahunt (D-MA) and Poe (R-TX). They and other members of Congress understand the severity of this global scourge. We share Congress' view that ending violence against women must be a policy priority of the United States. While we continue to push this issue at all levels of our foreign policy engagement, we know that more work can and should be done to support effective coordination across the entire U.S. government to address international violence against women.

The proposed legislation calls for a five-year strategy to support programs to combat violence against women around the world. It would authorize a specialized office in the U.S. Agency for International Development to expand and modify emergency and humanitarian relief programs to address violence, and would support prevention strategies across foreign policy and assistance programs.

Members of Congress rightfully seek to put the issue of of violence against women in its proper context, as one that's central to our foreign policy goals. As I've said on other occasions, no country can get ahead if half its population is left behind -- and ending violence against women is a prerequisite for women's social, economic, and political participation and progress. Girls in Afghanistan can't get an equal education if they're subject to acid attacks and their schools are burned down. Women can't succeed in the workplace if they are abused and traumatized, nor can they advance if legal systems continue to treat them as less than full citizens. And female politicians can't compete for office on an equal playing field when they receive threatening “night letters” or fear for their families' safety.

Our response to violence against women must include men and women working together to elevate the problem beyond “a domestic matter,” and beyond a “women's issue.” Ending violence against women around the world is a human rights issue, and a worldwide crisis that must be resolved if we are to make gains in global stability, security, and prosperity. It is long past time that ending violence against women became a priority for us all.

Related Content: State Department Spokesman's Statement on the Introduction of IVAWA]]> http://blogs.state.gov/sgwi/index.php/entires/ending_violence_against_women/ 2010-02-09T03:13:25+00:00