In commemoration of the 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,… more »
November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The days that follow, culminating on Human Rights Day on December 10, form the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign. Speaking in support of day and the campaign, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's IssuesMelanne 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… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre published a joint op-ed on the role of women in building and maintaining sustainable peace to mark the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The piece appeared in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten and Denmark's Berlingske Tidende. Later this week, both the United States and Norway will participate in an international conference in Copenhagen focusing on women and global security issues. The editorial… more »
Secretary Clinton spoke today at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, on "Women, Peace, and Security."
The Secretary said, "...here we are at the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and we're here to reaffirm the goals set forth in this historic resolution, but more than that, to put forth specific actions, as my colleague, the foreign minister of Austria, just did in such a commendable set of proposals. The only way to achieve our goals -- to reduce the number of conflicts around the world, to eliminate rape as a weapon of war, to combat the culture of impunity for sexual violence, to build sustainable peace -- is to draw on the full contributions of both women and men in every aspect of peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peace building.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Former British First Lady Cherie Blair delivered remarks today on international support for increasing women's access to mobile technology. The event launched the GSMA mWomen Program, a project of the GSMA Development Fund and the Cherie Blair Foundation, to promote mobile technologies as tools for women's empowerment and international development.
Secretary Clinton said, "Now, we know that it goes without saying, it is so obvious, that mobile technology has reshaped the way that people work, learn, and communicate. And here at the State Department, it has also changed how we pursue our twin missions of diplomacy and development. We are using cell phones and mobile applications to help us coordinate disaster relief, track the results of our global health programs, engage directly with people whose contact with us would… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered remarks at the 12th Annual Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit on October 6 in Washington, DC. Secretary Clinton spoke about the power of mentoring, and supporting women and girls.
The Secretary said, "I am a firm believer in the power of mentoring. There are women and girls in our country and around the world who have the talent, the intellect, the drive to succeed, but who lack the support. I have become convinced that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. And you never know when what you do or say can open that door to opportunity for someone who is ready to walk through it, but could not get under, around, or over it without your help. And still in too many places, support for women is in short supply. But through mentoring,… more »
Today, following a Security Council meeting, Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations commented on the mass rapes and attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ambassador Rice said:
"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,… more »
On May 13, 2010, Secretary Clinton met with women ministers representing the Afghan government, including Minister of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and the Disabled, Minister Afzali, acting Minister of Health, Dr. Dalil, and the Director of Gender and Human Rights in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Osman. Secretary Clinton said:
"I am delighted to be meeting with these women because the Afghan Government has made very important contributions and commitments to the dialogue between our two countries. And at every step along the way, the roles and rights of women has been remembered and included. We know that women are central to long-term stability and our strategy to promote security, good governance, and economic and social development inside Afghanistan.
"The United States will continue to target assistance to women in areas ranging from girls'… more »
"[W]omen are doers and achievers and thinkers and innovators, leaders, and problem-solvers. And we need each and every one of you to lend your entrepreneurial skill and energy to meeting the global challenges of this new century.
"As I said yesterday, President Obama is committed to promoting entrepreneurship to help seed conditions for broader and deeper economic progress. And this week's summit has focused on our efforts in Muslim majority countries. I know and you know that women are essential to this effort. There isn't any way we can increase peace, prosperity, stability, and security… more »
Today, Secretary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the annual International Women of Courage Awards at the Department of State. To mark International Women's Day, the annual award recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights and women's advancement.
Secretary Clinton announced the 10 winners of this year's International Women of Courage (IWOC) award: Shukria Asil (Afghanistan), Col. Shafiqa Quraishi (Afghanistan), Androula Henriques (Cyprus), Sonia Pierre (Dominican Republic), Shadi Sadr (Iran), Ann Njogu (Kenya), Dr. Lee Ae-ran (Republic of Korea), Jansila Majeed (Sri Lanka), Sister Marie Claude Naddaf (Syria), and Jestina Mukoko (Zimbabwe). Read… more »
like it ! Excellent tool for women to protect ourselves !!
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Gary in Washington DC writes:
I agree that men and boys play critical roles in addressing the violence against women, and the government and NPOs should keep educating males to respect…
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John in Indonesia writes:
live in harmony in our family, no violence at all, positive thinking, hoping that our neighbour will see and copy us.
more »
May 24: Secretary Clinton and Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Michael Posner will release the 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices at 10:30 a.m. more »
May 23: The State Department, through its office of the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), is pleased to announce $1.5 million in funding to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to support open governance and political participation in the Middle East and North Africa. more »
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