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… more »
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,… more »
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 »
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… 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 »
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… more »
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… more »
like it ! Excellent tool for women to protect ourselves !!
more »
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…
more »
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 »
On Feb. 16, Secretary Clinton announces a climate and clean air initiative to reduce short-lived climate pollutants. Watch the webcast live here at 9:15 a.m. Eastern time. more »
Secretary Clinton (Feb. 15): "I'm grateful for all of you and for your colleagues out in the field and for the purposeful work we are undertaking together to ensure that AID is the very best development delivery system in the entire world." more »
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Attending the DAI Annual Meeting----so much to be excited about! (@ Dayton Art Institute) http://t.co/Bi6XHF65
![Pakistani female students hold banners at a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, Mar 8, 2006. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1223_16days_m.jpg)
![Norma Cruz holds hands of domestic abuse survivors in Guatemala, Nov. 2010. [U.S. Embassy Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1210_gbv_gc_m.jpg)
![A vegetable vendor in Papua New Guinea, Nov. 27, 2007. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_122_png_m.jpg)
![A Marine Sergeant demonstrates a self-defense move, U.S. ConGen Hong Kong, Nov. 23, 2010. [State]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1130_hkvaw_m.jpg)
![A girl looks on during an event against female feticide, in New Delhi, India, March 5, 2006. [AP]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0930_gbv_india_m.jpg)
![Silhouette of rape victim behind screen at clinic in Western Kasai, Congo, undated. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0512_congo_gbv_m.jpg)
![A woman and her grandchildren outside her home near Rabuor, Kenya, June 2008. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0318_women_kenya_m.jpg)
