International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM: Working Together To End a Devastating Practice

Posted by Melanne Verveer / February 07, 2013

A Masai girl holds a protest sign during the anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) run in Kilgoris, Kenya, April 21, 2007. [AP File Photo]

On February 6, 2013, in observance of the tenth anniversary of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, I had the privilege of leading a panel discussion at the State Department to help bring global attention to a harmful traditional practice that risks the lives, dignity, and well-being of women and girls in far too many places around the world.

I was honored to be joined by such dedicated leaders and practitioners as Amina Salum Ali, Ambassador of the African Union to the United States; Dr. Nawal Nour, a Sudanese-American from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston; Bacary Tamba from Tostan, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Senegal; and Jessie Hexpoor from Hivos, an NGO based in the Netherlands. They each have made, and are continuing to make, extraordinary contributions toward putting an end to female genital mutilation/cutting… more »

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President Obama Signs Memorandum Institutionalizing the Office of Global Women’s Issues

Posted by Melanne Verveer / February 01, 2013

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama pose for a photo with the recipients of the 2012 International Women of Courage Award, on the 101st Anniversary of International Women's Day, March 8, 2012, at the State Department in Washington. [AP File Photo]

I am happy to share some very good news. On Wednesday, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum ("the Memorandum") that will help ensure that advancing the rights of women and girls remains central to U.S. diplomacy and development around the world -- and that these efforts will continue to be led by public servants at the highest levels of the United States government. Secretary Clinton was proud to be at President Obama's side as he… more »

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Closing the Internet Gender Gap

Posted by Melanne Verveer / January 24, 2013

Female Indian students pose with tablet computers in New Delhi, India, Oct. 5, 2011. [AP File Photo]

About the Authors: Melanne Verveer serves as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. Ambassador Verveer co-authored this entry with Shelly Esque. This entry appeared first on The Huffington Post.

There is no doubt that over the last decade, the Internet has created a revolution. Never before has information been so widely available or people better connected to one another. The Internet can be a great equalizer. And yet, access to it is not equally distributed. Notably, Internet access for both men and women in North America is nearly five times that of Africa.

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