Issues & Analysis Bangladesh's garment workers face exploitation, but is it slavery? 21 May 2013 It may be splitting hairs over what is and is not slavery, but mislabelling paid workers as slaves could harm their cause. Political Statement of Networks and Organizations Gathered in Mexico "Deepening Democracy and Rules of Law that fultill Women's Human Rights. It is about Time Already" 16 May 2013 Organizations and feminists, academics and human rights women networks from Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, here undersigned, participants of the international seminar “Incidence on the Network: The Challenge of States to Fulfill Women’s Human Rights”, held from May 7 to May 10, 2013 in Mexico City, express the following: US Embassy in Tel Aviv excludes Palestinians from reception honoring the LGBT community in Israel 16 May 2013 Aswat- Palestinian Gay Women was recently invited to attend a reception hosted by the US Embassy in honor of the LGBTQI community in Israel, planned for Thursday 16th May. Enquiring about speakers at the event, Aswat learned that no Palestinian LGBTQI activists had been approached to speak, and that only Jewish Israeli campaigners were invited to speak. Despite requests on our part to be included in the list of speakers, the Embassy repeatedly made the excuse that arrangements had been finalized and that there had not been room to include us in the list of speakers. Continue reading

Humanitarian News News that Matters Published on Saturday, May 25, 2013 by RH Reality Check by Sheila Bapat Because student debt affects a large swath of Americans who struggle to build wealth over the course of their careers, it is primarily discussed as a class and an economic stimulus issue. But student debt is also an issue of particular importance for women. According to earnings statistics, women get far less bang for their buck out of higher education. Recent proposals to reduce student debt could benefit women over the course of their lives—but they may not go far enough. Women make up the majority of higher education students, yet they earn far less than men with the same degrees. For the past several years women have outnumbered men in undergraduate and master’s programs, and as of 2010 women outnumber men in PhD programs as well. With respect to the two most expensive degrees, law and medicine, in 2009-10 women comprised 45 percent of law school classes, and as of 2011 they made up 48 percent of medical school graduates. This NPR piece from 2010 discusses how even though women are earning more engineering, math, and science PhDs than they were in previous years, women still experience wage disparities in these fields after graduation. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) found in a study last year that the student loan repayment burden is higher for women than for men for a variety of reasons, including the gender pay gap, which begins right after college graduation. According to earnings statistics, women get far less bang for their buck out of higher education. Recent proposals to reduce student debt could benefit women over the course of their lives—but they may not go far enough. (Mini graduation cap via Shutterstock) And gender-wage disparities hold true across multiple sectors. Last month the National Women’s Law Center pointed out that on average “women who work full time, year round are paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts—a pay gap that translates to $11,084 in lost wages annually.” The disparity is even greater for women of color. A study released last month from the National Partnership for Women and Families revealed that of the 50 largest urban cities, not a single one had eliminated the wage gap; neither had any state. There are a variety of causes for the wage gap:... Continue reading

ABOUT CCR The Center for Constitutional Rights is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change. LEARN MORE CCR EVENTS WHAT'S NEW Center for Constitutional Rights Responds to Obama Drone, Gitmo Speech May 23, New York – In response to President Obama’s speech this afternoon, the Center for Constitutional Rights issued the following statement: Read more >> DOJ Admission of Drone Killings of Americans Is a First Step May 22, 2013, New York – In response to news today that the Department of Justice has acknowledged killing four Americans in drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan, the Center for Constitutional Rights issued the… Read more >> Constitutional Rights Attorneys, Media Challenge Secrecy of Manning Court Martial in Civilian Court May 22, 2013, New York –Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a complaint and motion for preliminary injunction asking a federal district court in Baltimore to order the military judge in the court-martial… Read more >> Rights Group Calls for Concrete Steps to Close GITMO Ahead of Presidential Speech May 22, 2013, New York – In advance of President Obama’s scheduled speech this Thursday on his administration’s counterterrorism policy, the Center for Constitutional Rights issued the following statement: Read more >> Human Rights Groups Organize Vigil at White House to Mark 100th Day of Hunger Strike at Guantanamo May 17, 2013, Washington – Today, on the 100th day of the hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay, and amid growing pressure on the Obama Administration to close the facility once and for all, activists held… Read more >> CCR Calls Leak of City Memo on Judge in Stop and Frisk Case Outrageous May 15, 2013, New York – Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) released the following statement in response to the leak of a City memo on the judge overseeing the Center’s class action stop-and-frisk… Read more >> Rights Groups Call on DOE to Address Use of Title VI of Civil Rights Act to Silence Students Advocating for Palestinian Rights May 14, 2013, New York -- Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights and seven other rights groups sent letters to the Department... Continue reading

The Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign proclaims every 25th of the month as Orange Day! The first in a series of Orange Days was launched on 25 July last year. Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, the action strives to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month. Orange Day aims to spark worldwide interest and conversation, highlight the fact that violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights and call for its eradication without reservation, equivocation or delay. This year we’ll be using our Orange Day actions to highlight recommendations from the agreed conclusions of the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57) and in the framework of ‘safe spaces for women and girls’. In May, the campaign will focus on ‘Safe Homes for Women and Girls’. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE HOME Many women and girls face violence in the very place they should feel the safest – in their homes. Violence against women and girls in the home takes place in all countries of the world and may manifest itself in different forms depending on the context. It can occur at the hands of intimate partners or family members. The costs of violence against women and girls in the home are extremely high. They include the terrible suffering of survivors and others within the household, direct costs of services to treat and support women and girls who have faced abuse, as well as the costs of bringing perpetrators to justice. They may also include the cost of lost education, employment and productivity. Witnessing domestic violence can also impact children’s development, both during childhood and later in life. FAST FACTS The most common form of violence experienced by women globally is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner, with women beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused. Several global surveys suggest that half of all women who die from homicide are killed by their current or former husbands or partners. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that the annual worldwide number of so-called “honour killing” victims may be as high as 5,000 women. Women aged 15-44 have a greater risk of being a victim of rape and domestic violence than... Continue reading

May 24, 2013 Guatemala’s Constitutional Court has overturned the historic ruling convicting former president Ríos Montt of genocide and crimes against humanity. While the ultimate effects of this ruling remain unclear, it is certain that this is an enormous setback for truth and justice in Guatemala. The Nobel Women’s Initiative is continuing to monitor the situation as survivors and human rights defenders remain under threat in the country. Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum released an open letter regarding the Constitutional Court’s decision on behalf of The Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation. An English translation of the open letter is below. LEARN MORE Read the original statement in Spanish on The Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation website. Ríos Montt Genocide Verdict Annulled, But Activists Ensure US-Backed Crimes Will Never Be Forgotten, Democracy Now!, 23 May 2013. Guatemala’s Constitutional Court Overturns Rios Montt Conviction and Sends Trial Back to April 19, Open Society Justice Initiative, 21 May 2013. OPEN LETTER: The decision of Guatemala’s Constitutional Court, issued on May 20, 2013 – which annulled the guilty verdict issued by the Court for High-Risk Penal Sentences on the crime of genocide and crimes against humanity – damages the justice system in Guatemala and sets a harmful precedent confirming the hypothesis that in Guatemala IMPUNITY does not permit sentencing for the crime of genocide and crimes against humanity committed principally against the Maya community, as the judicial system continues to be co-opted by the most obstinate powers of the military, economics, politics and the media. It is illegal according to the laws of Guatemala, that the judges Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre, Héctor Hugo Pérez Aguilera and Roberto Molina Barreto made this ruling based on the petition of a legal complaint, since through this legal channel the judicial verdicts that have already been pronounced cannot be overturned. This contradicts that which is already established by law and through jurisprudence, in the sense that stages in processes that have already been concluded cannot be taken back, and it makes the court’s work on the ruling lengthier and more untimely. This decision, signed by three judges of the Constitutional Court, politicizes the judicial system, putting it in the service of blackmail, maliciousness and evil, as in the present case with the defence of General Efraín Ríos Montt and Rodríguez Sánchez throughout the entire debate process. We Maya have a memory that stretches back millennia and we do not forget... Continue reading

May 22, 2013 We’re so excited to have some of our wonderful partners here in town for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues! Here’s some of what they’ve been up to: Tarcila Rivera (CHIRAPAQ), Lucy Mulenkei (IIN) and Mirna Cunningham (CADPI) One of the best things about the Permanent Forum is having the opportunity to see partners from around the world all in one place! It also allows our sisters to exchange advice and stories, and offer one another support. Here, Tarcila Rivera of CHIRAPAQ in Peru, Lucy Mulenkei of IIN in Kenya, and Mirna Cunningham of CADPI in Nicaragua, also a member of the Permanent Forum, attend an event. Lucy at the working group on sustainable development goals. Lucy attended a session where a Cape Verde speaker spoke out: “Africa should be given priority in post 2015 development agenda. Agriculture is at the heart of poverty eradication in Africa.” Otilia Lux de Coti at the MADRE/RLS panel. On Monday, MADRE and the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung hosted Indigenous women from around the world who discussed and shared strategies for combatting violence against women. Read more about our work with RLS here. Follow @MADRESpeaks for more updates on UNPFII ! Continue reading

By Josh Israel on May 24, 2013 at 4:45 pm Bob FitzSimmonds and Ken Cuccinelli II Republican Party of Virginia Treasurer Bob FitzSimmonds, a former aide to and “very close friend” of gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli II (R), told Virginia blogger Ben Tribbett that he is “not a big fan of contraception, frankly.” FitzSimmonds — who was Cuccinelli’s legislative director during his time in the Virginia Senate, as well as a multiple-time state senate candidate himself — is the former executive director of what is now the Care Net Pregnancy Help Center and the former chair of the Virginia Crisis Pregnancy Center Directors Association. Crisis Pregnancy Centers are faith-based operations that seek to discourage pregnant women from considering abortion. He created an abstinence-only curriculum for area schools called the “Keep It Simple Say NO abstinence program“. At last weekend’s state party convention, Tribbett asked FitzSimmon whether he supported the distribution of emergency contraception on college campuses. “I’m not a big fan of contraception, frankly,” the Republican Party official explained. “I think there are some issues, we’re giving morning-after pills to 12-year-olds, and pretty soon I guess we’ll hand them out to babies, I don’t know.” Watch the video: FitzSimmonds also told Tribbett that sex education has caused the spread of sexually transmitted diseases: “I believe that we don’t recognize the causal effect between the type of sex education that we’ve been giving and the spread of STDs. We focus on things like abortion, cause it’s a big pressure thing. I go into schools 15-20 times a year, I run a non-profit that goes into schools and talks to kids about sex. They’re all abortion and HIV. HIV’s kind of hard to catch. Abortion happens if you get pregnant. But we’re on the track for 50 percent of the American people to have Herpes by the time these kids are my age. And that is a profound — not only health but sociological crisis facing this country.” FitzSimmonds posted on his Facebook page shortly after last November’s election, “When Obama is 90 years old and he dies and goes to Hell, he is going to say ‘This is all Bush’s fault.’” (HT: BlueVirginia) Continue reading

By Igor Volsky on May 25, 2013 at 11:34 am (Source: Yahoo) Facebook rejected an ad this week that disputed scientifically unsound claims that abortion can cause higher instances of breast cancer, arguing that the advertisement violated the company’s guidelines “by advertising adult products or services, including toys, videos, or sexual enhancement products.” The news comes as a coalition of sexual violence prevention and women’s equality organizations are pressuring Facebook to take a stronger stance in favor of women’s health and crackdown against messages that “trivialize or glorify” violence against women. “I’m a big supporter of that campaign,” Michelle Kinsey Bruns, the online manager of Women’s Media Center and the creator of the ad, told ThinkProgress in a telephone interview on Saturday morning. The ad linked to a page on the National Cancer Institute website reassuring women that “having an abortion or miscarriage does not increase a woman’s subsequent risk of developing breast cancer.” The rejected ad via Kinsey Bruns’ Twitter handle @ClinicEscort: Kinsey Bruns said she expected Facebook to disapprove of the ad, but submitted it anyway to highlight what she described as “the absolute inconsistency that Facebook is willing to apply to a woman’s body as an object of violence, but a woman’s body as a medical object is too scandalous to be approved.” Indeed, the company has come under criticism for removing images of “mastectomies, breastfeeding mothers, and other non-sexualized depictions of women’s bodies” and labeling them as “pornographic,” while allowing photographs and forums that make light of abusing and raping women. That content often falls under the “humor” section of Facebook’s content guidelines. Activists are encouraging companies that advertise with Facebook to boycott the company until they can be assured their ads will not appear next to content that promotes sexual violence and abuse. Kinsey Bruns submitted a similar breast cancer ad last year, with an illustration of a woman touching her breast, but it too was rejected. She says she plans to experiment more with the company’s guidelines, posting ads with celebrities like Nicki Minaj in outrageous clothing or showing “sideboob” to test the boundaries and inconsistencies of the media giant’s standards. Facebook’s Advertising Guidelines state, “Ads may not promote the sale or use of adult products or services, including but not limited to toys, videos, publications, live shows, or sexual enhancement products. Ads for family planning and contraception are allowed provided they follow the... Continue reading

By JENNIFER SCHUESSLER Published: May 20, 2013 The soldiers who landed in Normandy on D-Day were greeted as liberators, but by the time American G.I.’s were headed back home in late 1945, many French citizens viewed them in a very different light. Narayan Mahon for The New York Times Mary Louise Roberts has written “What Soldiers Do,” a book about sexual assaults by Americans fighting in France. Ralph Morse/Time Life Pictures-Getty Images An American soldier and a Frenchwoman kissing in a picture that raised eyebrows after appearing in Life magazine in 1944. In the port city of Le Havre, the mayor was bombarded with letters from angry residents complaining about drunkenness, jeep accidents, sexual assault — “a regime of terror,” as one put it, “imposed by bandits in uniform.” This isn’t the “greatest generation” as it has come to be depicted in popular histories. But in “What Soldiers Do: Sex and the American G.I. in World War II France,” the historian Mary Louise Roberts draws on French archives, American military records, wartime propaganda and other sources to advance a provocative argument: The liberation of France was “sold” to soldiers not as a battle for freedom but as an erotic adventure among oversexed Frenchwomen, stirring up a “tsunami of male lust” that a battered and mistrustful population often saw as a second assault on its sovereignty and dignity. “I could not believe what I was reading,” Ms. Roberts, a professor of French history at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, recalled of the moment she came across the citizen complaints in an obscure archive in Le Havre. “I took out my little camera and began photographing the pages. I did not go to the bathroom for eight hours.” “What Soldiers Do,” to be officially published next month by the University of Chicago Press, arrives just as sexual misbehavior inside the military is high on the national agenda, thanks to a recent Pentagon report estimating that some 26,000 service members had been sexually assaulted in 2012, more than a one-third increase since 2010. While Ms. Roberts’s arguments may be a hard sell to readers used to more purely heroic narratives, her book is winning praise from some scholarly colleagues.“Our culture has embalmed World War II as ‘the good war,’ and we don’t revisit the corpse very often,” said David M. Kennedy, a historian at Stanford University and the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning... Continue reading

Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/world/article/Ex-sex-slave-says-Japan-mayor-s-remark-absurd-4548263.php#ixzz2UJuy9X5N The Beaumont Enterprise Updated 7:03 am, Saturday, May 25, 2013 South Korean former sex slaves Kim Bok-dong, right, and Kil Won-ok, left, attend a meeting in Osaka, western Japan, Saturday, May 25, 2013. Kim was referring Saturday to comment by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto. He has angered many by saying Japan’s wartime practice of forcing many Asian women into prostitution for its military was considered necessary. JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT Photo: AP OSAKA, Japan (AP) — A former sex slave says a Japanese mayor's remarks about Japan's wartime sex slavery are "absurd." Kim Bok-dong, who is from South Korea, was referring Saturday to comments by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto. He has angered many by saying Japan's wartime practice of forcing many Asian women into prostitution for its military was considered necessary. Kim said Saturday that anyone who makes such an "absurd comment" should quit politics. The 87-year-old and another victim, Kil Won-ok, were speaking to their supporters to share with them their painful past as so-called comfort women. The two canceled their planned meeting Friday with Hashimoto, citing his lack of remorse. Hashimoto's comments reignited longtime resentment in neighboring countries that suffered from Japan's wartime aggression and have complained about the lack of atonement for atrocities. Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/world/article/Ex-sex-slave-says-Japan-mayor-s-remark-absurd-4548263.php#ixzz2UJvNKcrF Continue reading

Obstetric fistula is a serious problem in the world's poorest countries, where most mothers give birth without any medical help. In these cases, if a woman's labor becomes obstructed, she will endure days of painful, prolonged labor. Her baby is unlikely to survive. If the woman survives, her body is literally broken by childbirth. Uncontrollably leaking bodily wastes, these women are shunned by their families and communities. So many are young girls. And the numbers are staggering. Hundreds of thousands of women are currently living in this way, suffering from this heartbreaking, treatable condition. One woman at a time. That is how we fight fistula. By restoring health and dignity to one. One woman with the will to survive. She is still waiting. Goni’s Story Ethiopia Beatrice’s Story Kenya Nirmala’s Story Nepal Habiba’s Story Niger Continue reading

Celebrating the first UN International Day to End Obstetric Fistula Obstetric fistula is a profound traumatic injury that ruins the lives of would-be-mothers throughout history. Women affected by fistula live almost exclusively in rural areas of very resource constrained countries, and are therefore some of the least empowered human beings in the world. In the last decade since the United Nations launched its Campaign to End Fistula, visibility of the issue has strengthened dramatically, as has collaboration and coordination amongst doctors, hospitals, advocates, governments and the private sector. More women are now receiving surgeries that are changing their lives forever for the better. The Fistula Foundation is honored to be part of this Campaign and proud to have partners like UNFPA, Women and Health Alliance International (WAHA), Direct Relief and especially, Johnson & Johnson — a corporation that has done more to eradicate obstetric fistula than any other company in the world. Strong partnerships like these have been key to ending fistula for thousands of women, and strong partnerships like these will continue to be key for the hundreds of thousands of women who are still waiting for treatment. Please view our slide show to see some of the ways in which we're working together to treat more women, in more places: Click here to read a statement from CEO Kate Grant to mark the United Nations' first ever International Day to End Obstetric Fistula. Continue reading

The Fistula Foundation : Help give a woman a new life. WHERE WE HELP Continue reading

Making strides, confronting challenges Using partnerships and innovative technologies UNFPA Drives Family Planning Innovation to Reach World’s Most Marginalized, at Major Women’s Health Conference 22 May 2013 UNITED NATIONS, New York—UNFPA will launch two new initiatives that will increase access to family planning and improve maternal health in some of the most-hard-to-reach areas around the world, including post-conflict and post-disaster countries. Overcoming Fistula in Madagascar 20 May 2013 MAHAJANGA, Madagascar — Every day, 10 women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth in Madagascar. Many more survive, but suffer from untreated complications of pregnancy, including the most debilitating injury of childbearing, obstetric fistulas. Inaugural Day to End Fistula Highlights Progress, Challenges 20 May 2013 UNITED NATIONS, New York—Countries around the world will mark the first-ever International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, 23 May, with a variety of events to raise awareness of this neglected health and human rights challenge. More news Child Marriage Initiative Marrying Too Young A multimedia exhibit and statistical overview and profiles child marriage in 40 countries reveals the extent of this violation of the human rights of adolescent girls. Flagship Report By Choice, Not by Chance This year's State of World Population report explores the right of individuals to decide on the timing and spacing of their children. Social Media Campaign Campaign to End Fistula 20 May - 31 May Twelfth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 26 May 2013 - 27 May 2013 Second Global Midwifery Symposium 28 May - 30 May 2013 Women Deliver Conference More events New report Demography and climate change A framework for moving towards more evidence-based adaptation to the realities of climate change and their impact on vulnerable populations. MDGs Countdown to 2015 The 1,000 days countdown to the Millennium Development Goals target marks an opportunity to accelerate progress. Resource Page Sex Ratio Imbalance News, updates, media reports and resources on prenatal sex selection MDG5b Latest Indicators A tool for comparing, analyzing and visualizing more than 20 indicators related to reproductive health. MORE at video.unfpa.org End the Shame. End the Isolation. End Fistula. [visit the website to view this video] In 2003, UNFPA and its partners launched the global Campaign to End Fistula, a collaborative initiative to prevent fistula and restore the health and dignity of those affected by the condition. Change a life today. Narration by Natalie Imbruglia Continue reading

We advance women's human rights by meeting urgent needs in communities and building lasting solutions to crisis Who We Are Mission | Vision Staff | Board History Jobs | Internships MADRE is an international women’s human rights organization that works in partnership with community-based women's organizations worldwide to address issues of health and reproductive rights, economic development, education and other human rights. We provide resources and training to enable our sister organizations to meet these goals by addressing immediate needs in their communities and developing long-term solutions to the crises they face. We work towards a world in which all people enjoy the fullest range of individual and collective human rights; in which resources are shared equitably and sustainably; in which women participate effectively in all aspects of society; and in which people have a meaningful say in decisions that affect their lives. From the myMADRE Blog Our Partners at UNPFII! Wednesday, May 22, 2013 We're so excited to have some of our wonderful partners... A Message of Support for Midwives for Peace Tuesday, May 21, 2013 After we sent out a call asking for messages of... Hope and Happy Anniversaries in the West Bank Tuesday, May 14, 2013 "As an Israeli midwife, I always wanted to talk to... You Don't Have To Be A Mother To Be A MADRE Sunday, May 12, 2013 My beloved coworkers have a saying: "You don't have to... More » Continue reading

Tips for joint pain~ Take some tamarind leaf ( imli ki patti) and Boil leaf in water adding salt. Keep pouring the liquid on the affected area. This helps to reduce the joint pain. Now apply if you have joint pain Health benefits of Papaya~ #Papaya helps prevent constipation and also aid in digestion. #Regularly consuming papaya helps to relieve morning sickness and nausea. #Papaya has anti-inflammatory properties and anti-cancerous properties. #papaya is very beneficial to strengthen the immune system. #Raw papaya also helps in reducing menstrual irregularities for women. Papaya helps to ease the condition by promoting natural flow of menstruation. #Papaya cleans the stomach and studies have shown that papaya alone eaten for 3 to 4 days has a highly beneficial tonic effect upon the stomach &intestines. http://www.myhealthtips.in/2013/05/health-benefits-of-papaya-fruit.html Continue reading

What is AWID? Welcome to AWID! The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) is an international, feminist, membership organization committed to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women's human rights. A dynamic network of women and men around the world, AWID members are researchers, academics, students, educators, activists, business people, policy-makers, development practitioners, funders, and more. Our mission: what we do AWID’s mission is to strengthen the voice, impact and influence of women’s rights advocates, organizations and movements internationally to effectively advance the rights of women. Our vision: why we do it AWID believes that women’s rights are not only necessary in and of themselves, but that they are central to ending the challenges the world faces today. Eradicating poverty, building peace, effectively tackling the HIV and AIDS pandemics, to name just a few – no lasting solutions to these issues are possible without a strategy that puts women’s rights at the centre. AWID works to build a world where women’s rights have been achieved and where all people enjoy their human rights. Our values: the principles that guide our work Our work is built upon feminist values toward the full equality of women and human rights of all people. This includes work towards the eradication of all discriminations based on gender, sexuality, religion, age, ability, ethnicity, language, nationality, class or other factors. We are committed to work as part of a movement to build our collective voice, power and influence. We are committed to diversity and inclusion by bringing marginalized voices and perspectives to the table in the pursuit of human rights for all. In all our interactions we strive for transparency, responsible use of financial resources, fairness, accountability and integrity. We will work independently from any political party, government or religious institution. We will strive for excellence, while being creative, bold and courageous. Our outcomes: what we hope to achieve In working with diverse partners and allies and our broader constituency AWID seeks to achieve the following seven outcomes by the end of our Strategic Plan Stronger, better-resourced and more effective women’s organizations and movements advancing women’s rights and gender equality worldwide. Renewal and expansion of the agendas of women’s movements internationally through infusion of ambitious, creative and future oriented ideas and issues, and stronger interconnections, alliances and partnerships among diverse expressions of women’s organizing across regions and sectors. Stronger alliances between women’s rights movements and other... Continue reading

AWID's Friday Files Illegal Detention of Women Human Rights Defenders in the Midst of the Border Conflict of Sudan 24 May 2013 FRIDAY FILE - Sudanese people inspired by the Arab spring, and led by women and youth, took the streets of Sudan demanding regime change in 2011. Authorities violently cracked down on these demonstrations, detaining more than 150 women, who were sexually abused or tortured, injured and beaten in the protests. Since June 2012, new protests against the Sudanese regime have intensified violence against women human rights defenders (WHRDs).[1] The First Arms Trade Treaty Recognises Gender-Based Violence 16 May 2013 FRIDAY FILE - On April 2, 2013, a decades long campaign culminated in the signing of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the UN General Assembly. The ATT prohibits arms sales when there is a risk that weapons could be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law. Some Advances in Legal Rights for Domestic Workers in Latin America 10 May 2013 FRIDAY FILE - Long working hours, lack of rest time and poor treatment and compensation, in the absence of national legislation, often turns domestic work into a form of slavery in many countries. We reflect on some of the changes taking place in Latin America regarding decent work for domestic workers. Continue reading

By Izhar Harpaz and Sopan Deb Rock Center For millions of people struggling with the Great Recession, the American dream had become just another jaded catchphrase. But for single dad and Army veteran Dan Greeley, a Longmont, Colo., resident, the future looked promising. In 2011, Greeley was about to be promoted to director of operations at Sister Carmen, a nonprofit community center and food pantry, and he was certain that his higher income would finally allow him to fulfill a dream: to buy a house for his three young children, ages two, four and six. “Everything I do is for my kids,” Greeley told NBC News' Lester Holt in an interview airing Friday, March 15 at 10pm/9CDT on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams. “I can live in an apartment and be happy. But they want a house, they want a backyard. They’re going to get a house and they’re going to get a backyard.” But instead of getting a raise, Greeley was forced to take a pay cut. He fell victim to what is known as the "Cliff Effect," when a small increase in a family's income can lead to an abrupt termination of an essential public benefit like food stamps, health insurance or child care assistance. For Greeley it was child care. As the single parent of three young children he needed lots of it and it came at a high cost -- $2300 a month, almost all of his take-home pay. And that was before his rent, car payments, utilities and health care bills. Not to mention the money he needed to put food on the table. “The way I was brought up, we didn't ask for help,” Greeley said. “We just figured it out and this was the first time I had to ask for help.” As long as he earned below $50,000 a year, Greeley qualified for as much as $1,700 a month through Colorado’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), a fund jointly subsidized by the state and federal government to support working parents. But as a result of budget cuts in 2010, Boulder County lowered the income limit to 185 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of four – about $41,000. That was $3000 less than what Greeley was making. And even though his upcoming raise would have increased his income a bit more, it would not have been nearly enough... Continue reading

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Affordable Child Care and Quality Child Care Jobs. Change the Conversation on Child Care Where might we be as a nation if child care were treated as a basic foundation to our economy? And what if those who care for our children are fully valued for the important work they do? Imagine the human capital we as a society would gain if women at all income levels have access to flexible child care that fits in with their work schedules. And imagine where we would be as a nation if children from all walks of life had a running start from the get go. The Ms. Foundation believes that we must change the conversation on child care. Because child care is still considered "women's work," and the responsibility of individual families to figure out on their own, these issues are not treated with the seriousness or urgency that they deserve. Well, it's time to change that. We're working to transform the nation's child care system--for the benefit of working parents, their children, child care workers, and ultimately for the benefit of our entire society. Why Child Care Did you know that in 24 states, the average full-time daycare costs for an infant exceed the average cost of rent? Or that many families with an infant are likely to spend more on childcare costs than they do on food? Finding quality, affordable and flexible child care is difficult for middle class families, and it can be virtually impossible for low-income women. And despite the high cost of childcare, the individuals--97% of whom are women--that work as nannies and daycare providers often lack the respect, rights and labor protections that are afforded to other professionals. In fact, these women, who are disproportionately women of color, are among the least likely of workers to be guaranteed basic labor rights, like a living wage, safe working conditions, sick leave and overtime pay. From all angles, child care is a critical issue for all women with children and this issue hits hardest on low income single mothers. As difficult as today's economy is, we must invest in child care as a cornerstone to economic policy. Ensuring Affordable Child Care While Protecting Childcare Workers Parents should not be forced into these impossible choices. We're working on a variety of initiatives to change the reality for the better, from keeping the issue in the headlines, to funding... Continue reading

Women Deliver 588 Broadway, Suite 905 New York, NY 10012 USA Tel: +1.646.695.9100 Fax: + 1 646.695.9145 Email: info [at] womendeliver.org About Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization bringing together voices from around the world to call for action to improve the health and well-being of girls and women. We work globally to generate political commitment and resource investments to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health. Women Deliver builds on commitments, partnerships, and networks mobilized at the groundbreaking Women Deliver conferences in 2007 and 2010, fighting to end the deluge of preventable deaths that kill approximately 287,000 girls and women from pregnancy-related causes every year. Women Deliver’s message is that maternal health is both a human right and a practical necessity for sustainable development. We work to expand the community of partners dedicated to bettering the lives of girls and women. Our corporate forum brings together private sector representatives to collaborate on projects and solutions. We work with ministries of finance and health and global development experts to make the economic case for investing in girls and women. And, we look to the future by developing the skills of young advocates in developing countries through our workshops and online community. ABOUT LINKS The Initiative The Issue Advisory Group Staff Careers Board Members Continue reading

WOMEN DELIVER UPDATES 05.23.13 RSS Time to Bridge the Gap for Women’s Health By: Serra Sippel and Zeda Rosenberg; Originally posted on Huffington Post Nearly 20 years ago, the global community gathered at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo and declared -- for the first time -- that a woman's right and ability to control her reproductive health was fundamental to her well-being and key to global development. That meeting sparked two decades of advances for women, and the pace has been accelerating. In just the past year, the London Summit on Family Planning led to unprecedented pledges to increase access to products and services for women in developing countries, a UN Commission called for increased access to life-saving maternal health products, and the UN created new policy standards to end violence against women and girls. Read more... 05.23.13 RSS Fistula’s Youngest Victims By: Kate Gilmore, Deputy Executive Director (Programme) of United Nations Population Fund; Originally posted on Huffington Post In my role at the United Nations Population Fund, I have the privilege to travel to urban, rural and remote locations to see the range of efforts being made so that every woman might give birth safely and in dignity, supported by midwives or other skilled attendants. But in many countries, a safe labor and delivery for mother and child is still a lottery -- a roll of the dice. When services are not available, when skilled birth attendants are not in reach, when information is not provided or distance or poverty or discrimination or isolation means a pregnant woman is without access to support, the consequences can be grave, indeed. Read more... 05.23.13 RSS A Former Sex Worker’s Story About Learning to Protect Her Sexual Health and Rights By: James Kityo, The Key Correspondents Programme The Key Correspondents Programme is covering the Women Deliver 2013 global conference live from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 28 – 30. Former sex worker and single mother Rose lives in Bwaise on the outskirts of Uganda’s capital Kampala. These days Rose, 23, provides for her three children by working in a salon plaiting hair, a skill she acquired through training from the Uganda Youth Development Link drop in centre. Read more... 05.23.13 RSS Strengthening Midwifery Care: Improving Quality, Addressing Challenges Six international organizations, as well as multilateral, civil society and private sector partners are hosting the Second Global Midwifery Symposium... Continue reading

By Colin Todhunter Global Research, May 24, 2013 Url of this article: http://www.globalresearch.ca/blood-on-the-streets-of-london-who-will-protect-us-from-the-real-extremists/5336199 Two men armed with knives and gun(s) apparently hack to death an off-duty soldier outside an army barracks in Woolwich, London. As the soldier lies dead or dying in the road, one of the alleged attackers approaches a man filming the scene on his mobile phone and makes a political speech about the British state’s role in killing Muslims in foreign countries. According to the attacker, what he and his associate have just done basically represented pay back for the lives taken by British soldiers on behalf of the British government. The two alleged assailants do not flee the scene, but, with weapons still in hands, talk to passers by. The police arrive and both men are shot and wounded as they quickly approach a police car. Later on in the area, English Defence League (EDL) supporters hold a protest and express their usual anti-Islam sentiments. The EDL has had some success in garnering support in recent years by tapping into working class frustrations by using Islam as a proxy for the economic and financial woes impacting Britain. On just another day in an ordinary district, a heady mix of class, empire and retribution left their marks on a London street. But what made this particular attack so stark was the brutal nature of the incident and that the alleged perpetrators made no attempt to escape. They took advantage of the situation to tell the world why the incident took place. Over the last couple of days since the attack, there has been much debate over what happened and why it happened. A dominant narrative via the mainstream media has been that of two crazed men (at least one spoke with a London accent), possibly acting on their own, who had been indoctrinated or radicalised by strands of Islam. Questions are being asked about what can be done to stop this type of thing happening again. The media, politicians and commentators have been quick to talk about preventing the radicalisation of Muslims living in Britain. All well and good. When certain acts of terror have taken place in Britain in the past, however, senior politicians have denied any link to British foreign policy. This time, one of the alleged perpetrators in Woolwich is on video explicitly stating his reasons for his actions and linking them directly to... Continue reading

FACEBOOK WON'T FILTER MESSAGES LIKE THESE. HERE'S WHAT WOMEN ARE DOING ABOUT IT. MEET THE EXTREMIST WHO COULD BE VIRGINIA'S NEXT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CONGRESSMAN TELLS WOMAN THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO HER BRAIN-DEAD FETUS THINKPROGRESS | Center for American Progress Action Fund 1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor | Washington, DC 20005 Contributions to Center for American Progress Action Fund are not tax deductible Continue reading