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What we’ve been up to the last 16 days [Photos]


December 10, 2008
By The IRC
The IRC is committed to ensuring that women and girls are safe to live their lives with dignity and human rights. Photo: Jeneba Aruna, Sierra Leone

The IRC is committed to ensuring that women and girls are safe to live their lives with dignity and human rights. Photo: Jeneba Aruna, Sierra Leone

Photo: The IRC

Photo: The IRC

Guest blogger Heidi Lehmann shares what the IRC has been up to during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence (November 25 - December 10), a global campaign of activism to support the right of women and girls to live their lives free from sexual and physical violence.
For the past 16 days, the IRC has actively engaged in raising awareness about gender violence (GBV) both at our headquarters office in New York and in our field programs.

In the Kiryandongo refugee settlement in northwestern Uganda, where the IRC helps Sudanese and Kenyan refugees, IRC staff moderated a lively discussion with members of the community on women’s rights issues. Jolly Juruga, the IRC’s gender-based violence officer in

Photo: The IRC
Photo: The IRC

Kiryandongo, asked participants whether women should be free to make their own decisions. The assembled crowd of men and women responded with an emphatic: “Yes!”

In Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya, Dr. Symon Wambugu spoke about the potential health dangers of early marriage. “I tell people ‘It’s not us saying don’t let your young daughters get married, it’s their bodies saying that’ and they seem to accept this message.”

The IRC brought two of our staff from the field to Brussels to talk about their experiences. Marie Honorine Chiribagula and Najwa Kefayeh met with key European donors to highlight what the IRC does to help women affected by violence around the world.
Photo: The IRC

Photo: The IRC

 “Their representation of the atrocities women experience and who we help clearly demonstrated the IRC’s GBV expertise,” said Shannon Meehan, director of advocacy and policy in Brussels. “The IRC will now be called by the European Commission and Council for our knowledge in GBV.”

However, this is just the beginning.  Although the 16 Days campaign is drawing to an end, violence against women and girls occurs throughout the year. You can continue to make a difference in the lives of women and girls: Stay Informed:

Join our global family. Sign up for free e-newsletters that will keep you updated and connected to the IRC. Donate:

Even the smallest contribution can make a difference.  To donate online go to www.theirc.org/donate . To give by phone please call 1-877-733-8433 or by mail please send your check to International Rescue Committee P.O. Box 96651 Washington, D.C. 20090-6651.  Thanks to friends of the IRC, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar until December 31.

 

Photo: Michael Scharff

Photo: Michael Scharff

Take Action:

Add your voice to the IRC’s advocacy campaigns. With support from people like you, we were able to collect and deliver 50,000 signatures in support of the International Violence against Women Act.

 Thank you!

 

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2 comments

Comments

I think that the congoi woman

Submitted by Dawnya johnson (not verified) on May 26, 2009 - 8:30am.

I think that the congoi woman have very low luck and do deserve another chance at there love life it's only the fair thing to do they'er humans just like we are

This is a vey devistating

Submitted by Dawnya johnson (not verified) on May 26, 2009 - 8:28am.

This is a vey devistating thing here in the united states I think I have it bad well I've figured out that america has it the best we are lucky women to have the free will that the congo women never had we should take advantage of that oppurtunity

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