Today all over the world people -- men and women -- will rise in solidarity and call for an end to violence against women. Why is this happening? The rising started with a handful of advocates seeking to call global attention to the violence that is perpetrated against women and girls every day and it has been fueled by awareness and concern in communities around the world that this abuse is a serious human rights issue that must end. Communities are connected as never before by technology and social media -- and the result is a worldwide call to action.
Violence against women and girls undermines their full participation in society and is found and cuts across ethnicity, race, class, religion, education level, and international borders. The numbers are staggering. An estimated one in three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in their… more »
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 »
About the Authors: Melanne Verveer serves as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, and Kris M. Balderston serves as the Special Representative for Global Partnerships.
Today, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted over 200 representatives from business, non-governmental organizations, and civil society groups to celebrate the power of collaboration. As one of the last events the Secretary hosted, the meeting was momentous. Not only for the more than $80 million in public-private partnerships announced but also because it showcased how much has been achieved over the last four years. … more »
After more than 40 years of experience in Africa -- and the ebbs and flows of hope and conflict -- I've become ever more optimistic about Africa's future. As those of you who know me are aware, I like to base my conclusions on analysis and factual observations. Here, too, my optimism is grounded in real developments: expanded democracy, rapid economic growth, and greater security and opportunities for Africa's people. It's now realistic to think that the 21st century will not only be shaped in Beijing and Washington, but also in Pretoria, Abuja, Nairobi, and Addis Ababa.
In my January 16 remarks at the Wilson Center, I elaborated about this optimism and the Obama Administration's policies in Africa. Somalia and South Sudan are two places where no one previously believed… more »
Throughout 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continuously emphasized the importance of partnering and cross-sectoral collaboration as a means to improve diplomacy and development outcomes around the world. At the Global Partnership Initiative, we have worked hard to achieve the Secretary's vision around partnerships by breaking down barriers to collaboration within and across the Department and with the private sector and civil society organizations. To say it's been a tremendously successful year for partnerships would be an understatement.
In 2012, we saw each of our four flagship partnerships grow and flourish beyond expectations and the focus on building partnerships… more »
A new year means new challenges and new opportunities. In my corner of West Africa, both were on display this week. On Monday, January 7, as I drove through the red, yellow, and green clad streets of Accra towards Independence Square, I reflected on how privileged I was to witness history in the making as Ghana's fourth president of the Fourth Republic was on his way to the Square to be sworn in, after successfully concluding a hard-fought political campaign. Unfortunately, my previous diplomatic postings did not afford me an opportunity to see a peaceful assumption of power after a democratic election.
Witnessing the on-time arrival of dignitaries and convening of the new Parliament alongside a stage full of political leaders from across Africa and notably, Ghana's former presidents John Kufuor, Jerry Rawlings and former Secretary General Kofi Annan was an unforgettable… more »
As of September 30, 2012, PEPFAR directly supported lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART) for nearly 5.1 million people -- a nearly three-fold increase since 2008. PEPFAR also supported drugs to prevent mother-to-child transmission for nearly 750,000 HIV-positive women in 2012 alone, allowing approximately 230,000 infants to be born HIV-free, and HIV testing and counseling for more than 46.5 million people over the same time period.
These are not just statistics but they represent lives saved, and hope renewed for millions of families and communities. A decade ago, almost no one in Africa was receiving treatment. Today, over 8 million men, women, and children in developing countries are on ART, with the vast majority of… more »
Why is the first stop always London? I thought we had declared our independence. Instead, over the past 20 years, we have allowed London to manipulate us…
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I wish Secretary Kerry all the best in his new job. As Secretary opf State he now has the opportunity to steer and direct America's Foreign Policy…
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The U.S. and Ukraine held the fifth meeting of the Political Dialogue / Rule of Law Working Group February 22 to discuss topics relevant to strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Ukraine. more »
Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara D. Sonenshine will travel to Boston on February 27 to speak to students and professors at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. more »
![Women participate in an event to support the One Billion Rising global campaign in Hyderabad, India, Feb. 14, 2013. [AP Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130226222832im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0214_billion_rising_m.jpg)
![A Masai girl holds a protest sign during the anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) run in Kilgoris, Kenya, April 21, 2007. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130226222832im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0207_fgmc_m.jpg)
![Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson observes elections in Dakar, Senegal, February 26, 2012. [U.S. Embassy photo/ Public Domain]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130226222832im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0228_carson_senegal_m.jpg)
![Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco J. Sanchez introduces President Barack Obama’s video message at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 11, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130226222832im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1211_potus_ges_video_m.jpg)
![Special Representative for Global Partnerships Kris Balderston introduces U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the first-ever Global Impact Economy Forum at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2012. [State Department photo by Ben Chang/ Public Domain]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130226222832im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0112_balderston_gpi_m.jpg)
![In this April 4, 2012 photo, women affected by AIDS share stories of survival at the Reach Out clinic on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda. The clinic receives money from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130226222832im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2013_0103_pepfar_clinic_m.jpg)
