About the Author: Courtney Beale serves as Assistant Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.
From the mega-metropolises of Karachi and Lahore to the countryside near Mardan and Multan, the U.S. Mission in Pakistan is working to improve the lives of Pakistani women and combat gender-based violence. For the recent international “16 Days of Activism” campaign, we organized a series of initiatives to highlight and energize our partnerships with Pakistan's government and civil society to support women's rights. Here are 16 ways we are… more »
As in many countries, violence against women is a significant problem in Guatemala. In 2009, the Guatemalan Attorney General's office reported that it received nearly 32,000 complaints of violence against women for the year. Approximately 700 women were murdered -- almost two per day in a country of only 14 million. And those shocking figures don't take into account the number of unreported cases of violence or the collateral effects that domestic violence has on children and other family members.
Clearly violence against women is a very serious problem, with serious consequences, and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala is working very closely with governmental,… more »
In commemoration of the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women and the accompanying 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, running November 25 through December 10, the Department of State hosted a panel of experts speaking on the critical role of men and boys in addressing this global endemic problem.
Panelists for the discussion on "Changing Attitudes: What Men and Boys Can Do to Address and Prevent Violence against Women" included: Ambassador Meera Shankar, Indian Ambassador to the U.S.; Nisha Biswal, Assistant Administrator for Asia, USAID; Anthony Porter, Co-Founder, A Call to Men; Nandini Azad, Chairperson of the Independent Commission for People's Rights and Development (ICPRD), and Carol Kurzig, President,… more »
November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The days that follow, culminating on Human Rights Day on December 10, form the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign. Speaking in support of day and the campaign, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's IssuesMelanne Verveer released a video message describing examples of innovative programs in India, Senegal, Brazil, and Afghanistan that address violence against women.
Ambassador Verveer said, "The United States is working bilaterally and multilaterally to define gender-based violence… more »
As a result of Secretary Clinton's recent travel to the East Asia and Pacific region, the United States is embarking on a new initiative -- in collaboration with the World Bank Group and the governments of Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea -- to strengthen women's empowerment in this part of the world. Our emphasis on boosting women's progress is not about treating women as a special interest, but rather it is linked to the broader aims of encouraging development and good governance in the Pacific Islands.… more »
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer testified today before the Senate Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law on The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In her testimony, Ambassador Verveer said:
"...This hearing could not come at a more critical time for the world's women. Gender inequality and oppression of women is rampant across the globe. The scale and savagery of human rights violations committed against women and girls is nothing short of a humanitarian tragedy. Today, violence against women is a global pandemic. In some parts of the world, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma, and Sudan, women… more »
The day after an evening reception with Secretary Clinton, 13 of the 213 distinguished Hubert Humphrey Fellows returned to the Department of State. Sitting down for a candid roundtable discussion moderated by Diane Kelly, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Global Women's Issues, they gained a perspective on how that office works with partners around the world to promote women's empowerment, increase women's access to health, and strengthen their rights.
Sharing the vision of the future of women's advancement with the room of distinguished mid-career leaders from government, the NGO community,… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre published a joint op-ed on the role of women in building and maintaining sustainable peace to mark the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The piece appeared in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten and Denmark's Berlingske Tidende. Later this week, both the United States and Norway will participate in an international conference in Copenhagen focusing on women and global security issues. The editorial… more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
like it ! Excellent tool for women to protect ourselves !!
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Gary in Washington DC writes:
I agree that men and boys play critical roles in addressing the violence against women, and the government and NPOs should keep educating males to respect…
more »
John in Indonesia writes:
live in harmony in our family, no violence at all, positive thinking, hoping that our neighbour will see and copy us.
more »
Feb. 20: A relatively small investment in our foreign policy and diplomatic efforts results in a big return for America's economy and security. Watch Secretary Kerry's speech live here on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. EST. more »
Feb. 19: The United States has announced that it is providing an additional $19 million in humanitarian assistance in response to urgent needs emanating from the brutal conflict in Syria. more »
![Pakistani female students hold banners at a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, Mar 8, 2006. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1223_16days_m.jpg)
![Norma Cruz holds hands of domestic abuse survivors in Guatemala, Nov. 2010. [U.S. Embassy Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1210_gbv_gc_m.jpg)
![A vegetable vendor in Papua New Guinea, Nov. 27, 2007. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_122_png_m.jpg)
![A Marine Sergeant demonstrates a self-defense move, U.S. ConGen Hong Kong, Nov. 23, 2010. [State]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1130_hkvaw_m.jpg)
![Fijian women sing and dance at a polling station in Fiji, May 11, 2006. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_1119_pics_m.jpg)
![Humphrey Fellows discuss women's empowerment, State Dept., Washington DC, October 2010. [State Dept]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1103_humphreys_m.jpg)
![A woman clutches a paper dove as she attends a vigil in central Belfast Feb. 12, 1996. [AP File]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130220110522im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_1028_dove_m.jpg)
