yes, WE CAN end violence against women

I was just reading about Oxfam Great Britain's work in Bangladesh, and stumbled across this:

Domestic violence affects nearly half of all Bangladeshi households. In many communities, social customs and attitudes tacitly condone and support violence against women.

* 47 per cent of Bangladeshi women face physical violence from their partners. A larger number undergo emotional and verbal abuse.
* Acid attacks are widespread. The majority of victims are women, nearly half of whom are under 18.

In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan, Oxfam is supporting the We Can campaign to end violence against women. This South Asian campaign aims, by 2011, to recruit five million volunteer Change Makers to help mobilise 50 million people and bring about a sea change in attitudes towards women.



You can watch a video interview with one of those Change Makers, Beauty, here.

More info about the campaign here.

You can help by purchasing a "Protect Women Pack". It will be provided to a Change Maker like Beauty to help her in her work. (Unfortunately Oxfam is sold out of these packs at the moment.)

Women & Climate Change

photo: Wangari Maathai

In many cases, women are already bearing the burdens associated with climate change.

For more info on this check out this BBC article.

This topic will be addressed at two different events scheduled to take place during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.


On December 10th from 6-8pm the founder of The Global Peace Initiative of Women, Dena Merriam, is hosting a meeting called “Voices of Hope – responding to the call of the earth”. Environmentalist Maurice Strong and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai will talk about women and climate change. The meeting will take place at the National Museum, in Copenhagen.


On December 15th @ 2pm the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Ritt Bjerregaard and Mary Robinson, along with TckTckTck are hosting a panel discussion Women’s Leadership on Climate Justice – A Global Perspective. This event will be held @ Future City Pavilion, Hopenhagen LIVE – in Copenhagen’s City Hall Square. Attendees must arrive by 1:45pm.

Panelists:
Mary Robinson, a renowned human rights advocate, was the first woman elected President of Ireland and also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. She is now President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative.

Sheila Watt Cloutier, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, former Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, was the first to launch legal action to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on connecting climate change to human rights.

Ulamila Kurai Wragg, a veteran journalist who has galvanized Pacific Island women in media from Hawaii to Fiji and the Cook Islands to lead the way in addressing climate change.

Lorena Aguilar, Senior Gender Advisor of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and author of many publications on gender and environment.

Constance Okollet, Chairperson of Osukura United Women, who has led her community’s recovery from unprecedented droughts and floods which have led to hunger and disease.

Rehana Bibi Khilji is a team leader and founder member of HOPE PK, an NGO which works on gender equality, human rights, livelihoods and security in Balochistan, Pakistan.


Even if you can't attend these 2 events in Copenhagen, you can still get engaged in this issue.

Check out the film "Sisters on the Planet" produced by Oxfam Great Britain. It tells the story of four women who are doing something about climate change.











If you live in the UK then Oxfam Great Britain will send you a free copy of the DVD "Sisters on the Planet" so that you can host a screening for your family and friends.