The Fight to end FGM

Refreshing new developments!!! We must keep forging ahead.  See below

END FGM European Campaign
Dear supporters,
We hope that you are having a great 2013 so far! The movement for ending FGM is growing and going international (UN resolution adopted in December) and we are busily preparing for the finale of the ART FOR ACTION tour in Brussels next month! It certainly feels like the air is changing and we are moving closer to seeing concrete action! Enjoy the update and stay updated via our social media feed on Facebook and Twitter.
END FGM team
Highlights

The UN resolution “Intensifying efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations” was adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2012. Read our call to the EU in advance of this historic resolution here.

Important Dates

6 February: International Day of Zero Tolerance to female genital mutilation
27 February: Art for Action: Ending Female Genital Mutilation seminar and gala in Brussels

EU Developments

The European Parliament written declaration calling on the EU and its Member States to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on violence against women has not been adopted yet. Out of 377 signatures that are needed for the written declaration to be adopted, only 260 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have signed. ACTION: You can support our call by contacting your national MEPs directly by email. The last opportunity for MEPs to sign will be the next plenary session on 6 February. Contact us for more information.

The European Commission is expected to launch a consultation in March to develop a set of policies on FGM. This development has come after a long engagement of the END FGM Campaign and, most recently, a constructive expert meeting with European Commission officials, our partners and other NGOs from across Europe.

The EU Council Conclusions on Combating Violence against Women, and the Provision of Support Services for Victims of Domestic Violence were adopted on 6 December 2012. The Council calls on the European Commission and member states to consider developing a European Strategy on violence against women and the EU to consider signing, ratifying and implementing the Council of Europe Convention on violence against women.

In addition, the European Parliament released its Report on the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union 2010 – 2011, reiterating the call to the Commission to deliver a strategy on violence against women, and the member states to address the issue in a comprehensive manner.

In its EU Presidency Programme, Ireland has confirmed that it will address violence against women in the context of the Rights and Citizenship programme. Ireland also committed to ensure a strong EU position at the UN Commission on the Status of Women 2013.

On 29 January, Members of the European Parliament joined Eve Ensler, founder of the One Billion Rising movement, and danced to end violence against women in the European Parliament. The End FGM Campaign team met Eve and gifted her a brooch containing the signed rose petals. We will be rising with the rest of Brussels to demand an end to violence against women on 14 February. Find out more here.


END FGM Campaign at work

Art for Action Tour – The final leg of the Art for Action Tour will be celebrated in Brussels on 27 February. The campaign will host a seminar in the morning with the participation of decision makers, NGOs, national agencies and professionals that will address current needs and the EU’s role in the efforts to end FGM. In the evening, a gala event will be hosted in Bozar, where the four art pieces designed for the Campaign will be exhibited in the presence of decision makers, artists, NGOs and rights holders. Find out more about the tour here.

International Day of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation

6 February is the tenth anniversary of the International Day. On this occasion, End FGM European Campaign will launch a video promoting the Art for Action tour.

Events organised by END FGM partners and strong voices:
(6 Feb) GAMS Belgium will organize two events: a theatrical and musical performance, and a photo exhibition in the lobby of the North Station in Brussels. In addition, on 7 February GAMS Belgium will host a morning of information and exchange on FGM in the Brussels Parliament. Find out more here.
(6 Feb) GAMS (France) will hold events across France, including training sessions for professionals, film projections, theatrical representations and concerts. More information available here (in French).
(6 Feb) AkiDwA (Ireland) will launch their latest report, a survey on the knowledge of female genital mutilation amongst General Practitioners in Ireland. The event will take place at the Irish Aid Information and Volunteering Centre, Dublin, and will be followed by a discussion with the doctors that participated in the survey. Find out more here.
(6 Feb) Maisha (Germany) will hold an open day to share information on FGM and their work as well as providing a space of discussion for all stakeholders. For more information visit their website.
(6 Feb) Female Integrity (Sweden) will hold a panel discussion with RISK, other organisations and community members in Uppsala. The discussion will focus on the expected outcomes after the adoption of the UN resolution on FGM. Contact Female Integrity for more information.
(6 Feb) Daughters of Eve (UK) will be marking the Zero Tolerance Day by celebrating an event with Integrate Bristol. For more information, contact Integrate Bristol.
(6 Feb) FSAN (Netherlands) will be taking part in the conference organized by Platform 6/2 to raise awareness on FGM and discuss the appropriate policies to end the practice. Access the programme here (in Dutch).
(6 Feb) Aidos (Italy) is organizing a high level meeting at the Department of Equal Opportunities with the participation of the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. On this occasion Aidos will present the “United to End FGM” e-learning tool for health and asylum professionals.
( 7 Feb) Ifrah Ahmed is hosting a workshop in Dublin with Zahra Naleie from FSAN (Netherlands) for professionals from health, social services and police sector. This is to raise awareness of the new Irish law and help professionals in protecting girls and women at risk and those suffering with the consequences of FGM. More details will be available soon here.


The END FGM European Campaign is run by Amnesty International Ireland, in partnership with 14 organisations across Europe. We work to ensure the European Union develops a comprehensive approach to end female genital mutilation and protect women and girls at risk. Visit our website here.

Be one of those who end this!!!

I am writing to urge everyone and anyone who finds this heinous behavior disgusting and inhumane to join us in petitioning for the rights of girls in India. Read through this message and do what is needed to help end the mistreatment of girls and women in the world. What a way to begin the new year? At WISO we vow to continue fighting for the rights of abused. Read more about us here after your petition. www.wiso2011.org. See petiontion.

"Emma Ruby-Sachs - Avaaz.org" <avaaz@avaaz.org> 01/04/13 8:31 AM >>>
Dear Avaaz community,

A 23-year-old student has died after being gang raped on a bus for hours. This is the last straw in the global war on women. Join massive protests in India, and call on the government to strengthen laws and launch a major public education campaign to challenge and shame the grotesque attitudes that led to this violence:

She was a 23-year-old physical therapy student who boarded a bus in Delhi last month. Six men locked the door, and savagely raped her for hours, including with a metal rod. They dumped her naked in the street, and after bravely fighting for her life, she died last weekend.  

Across India, people are responding in massive protests to say enough is enough. In India a woman is raped every 22 minutes, and few see justice. Globally, a staggering 7 in 10 women will be physically or sexually abused in their lifetime. This horror in Delhi is the last straw -- it's 2013, and the brutal, venal, global war on women must stop. We can start by drawing the line in India.

The government is accepting public comments for the next 48 hours. We urgently need both stronger law enforcement and a massive public education program to change the grotesque but common male attitudes that permit violence against women. If 1 million of us join the call for action, we can help make this young woman's horror the last straw, and the beginning of a new hope:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_indias_war_on_women/?bJoUeab&v=20663

The ringleader of the woman's rapists coldly says she deserved it because she dared to stand up to him. Blaming the victim and other outrageous attitudes are found across society, including in the police who continually fail to investigate rape. Such views repress women and corrupt men everywhere. Massively funded public education campaigns have radically shifted social behaviour on drunk driving and smoking, and can impact the treatment of women. Tackling the root causes of India’s rape epidemic is vital, alongside better laws and faster legal processes.

Advertising in India is relatively cheap, so a significant funding commitment could blanket airwaves in multiple media markets for a sustained period of time. The ads should target male subcultures where conservative misogyny thrives, directly challenging and shaming those attitudes, ideally using messengers like popular sports figures that carry authority with the audience.

We have just 24 hours to influence the official Commission set up to find ways to crack down on India's wave of sexual violence. If we can show real success in shifting attitudes in India, the model can be applied to other countries. The money spent will more than pay for itself by reducing poverty and promoting development, since treatment and empowerment of women has been identified as one of the greatest single drivers of social and economic progress. Click to send a message directly to the Indian government:   

http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_indias_war_on_women/?bJoUeab&v=20663

From opposing the stoning of women in Iran, to supporting the reproductive rights of women in Morocco, Uzbekistan and Guatemala, to lobbying for real action to counter the growing 'rape trade' in trafficked women and girls, our community has been on the front lines of the fight to end the war on women. This new year begins with new resolve in India.  

With hope and determination, 

Emma, Ricken, Luis, Meredith, Iain, Ian, Marie, Michelle, Alaphia, Allison and the rest of the Avaaz team 

MORE INFORMATION

India gang-rape: Five suspects charged in Delhi (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20896031

Verma committee flooded with suggestions on rape (News One India)
http://news.oneindia.in/2012/12/26/verma-committee-flooded-with-suggestions-on-rape-1120658.html

India's 'rape culture' can be changed: women authors (Hindustan Times)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Books/Chunk-HT-UI-BooksSectionPage-LiteraryBuzz/India-s-rape-culture-can-be-changed-Women-authors/Article1-984318.aspx

Activists woe low conviction rate, long trials (Times of India)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Activists-woe-low-conviction-rate-long-trials/articleshow/17657522.cms

Delhi Gang-Rape Underscores Rising Sexual Violence Against Indian Women (IB Times)
http://www.ibtimes.com/delhi-gang-rape-underscores-rising-sexual-violence-against-indian-women-944030

Rise in rapes across India (ZeeNews)
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/rapes-in-india-rise-by-873-percent-from-1953_817894.html

70% of women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime (UN report)
http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/pdf/apromiseisapromise.pdf

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What is your Gift this Holiday?

Holidays are here once again. How nice? It is time to get together with family and friends and to bond, connect and celebrate achievements over the past one year. We all look forward to it. We should definitely thank God for the blessings we have received.

While we are thus fortunate, let us not forget that there are those who are not so blessed. In our own communities, we have neighbors, friends, colleagues and fellow human beings that are alone, needy and wondering “what did I do wrong”? They did nothing wrong. They are just unfortunate. They could be you and life is such that you could find yourself in their situation. This is what motivates me to help.

Let us tap into our humanity and reach out to them in whatever little way we can. While gifts are often appreciated, we at WISO believe that a kind gesture goes a long way. Let these fellow human beings know that you and I know about them and their welfare, and that we care and love them for who they are and for humanity’s sake. Hug them, share kind words, extend love and share gifts if you can. Parents, it is time to reconnect with estranged children, relatives and friends.

Some of us are estranged from our children for various reasons. Some of us are estranged from our spouses or parents because they betrayed us. Remember that we are all human and therefore bound to err. To some, a child who married from a different race is not welcome. To others, a gay child is not worthy of love.  The list is long. We should all remember that we are human and loved by God equally. Forgiveness is the highest virtue and blessed is he or she who is willing to extend it to others.

Surprise your neighbor by doing an unexpected act of kindness. Share gifts, a card or a simple greeting. While it takes two to tango, it only takes one to change a situation, a moment, a village and the world. In this blog therefore, I appeal to everyone and anyone that happens to read it to share acts of kindness far and wide.  I especially urge you to hug the next person you meet during this holiday season and tell them happy holidays. Put a smile on a child’s, woman’s or man’s face. Do not forget the elderly and the homeless. Pass by their house, chat and make them smile. That smile, which is worth a thousand words, is the best gift you can ever give anyone.

As the president of WISO, I want to extend our gratitude to all that have supported our efforts in various forms. While we acknowledge our task isn’t easy given the statistics of those who live in abusive situations, we believe that one act of kindness to change any one situation is worth it. Denying the existence of abuse is apathy. Taking it on to save one life at a time is worth it. With enough resources, many will be reached.  We hope you can continue to support us. If you have change that you have been putting aside, we could use it to take another girl to school, or help a woman move out of an abusive situation.

Send all gifts to WISO, 229 Orton Drive, Greenville NC 27858. You can also visit us at www.wiso2011.org. As we wish you happy holidays act in such a way to minimize acts of abuse and family violence. God created us all equals and would love it very much if we treated each other as God’s creations. Jesus, Muhammad, Gandhi Mother Theresa all cared about the unfortunate in our communities. Let us emulate them. Happy holidays to everyone!

If Only I Had Known?

Have you ever come to a point where you exclaimed: If only I had known! Perhaps, may be or maybe not. If you were to come to this point, would you change your reaction?  Most of us do hope so. But do we? This is a challenge blog for you to try to act right the first time around.

Sometimes, we may truly be confused, ignorance or unaware of inhumane behavior in our communities. But at other times, we may well be aware of abusive situations and choose not to do anything. Whatever the decision we make, we should all be boggled by our conscience. The decisions we make can make a huge difference. We may save a life, prevent harm or even lose it altogether.

Take for instance this recent story in the news that seems to bewilder most of us. For those who may not have heard about it, let me briefly restate the incident. On November 15th, 2012, a miscarrying 31 year old Indian woman died in a Galway hospital, Ireland while seeking an abortion.  Savita Halappanavar died after doctors denied her an abortion due to Ireland laws that are on the verge of banning abortions totally.  In an attempt to save the fetus that was not even likely to survive, the mother’s life was lost. Instead, the doctors who claim to have been fearful of the laws of the land left her with an infection leading to her death.  Learn more at http://www.cnn.com/2012/.

Unfortunately, the obvious decision to save life wasn’t any more obvious. Decisions like these are made even more difficult when religious matters are involved. In the process, two lives were lost. Is this abuse? Who is to blame here? I think many individuals share in the blame. Everyone in the hospital knew that it was an injustice to endanger the mother's life. And yet, they let things slide. Do you really need a God to tell you to save a life?

 I admit that this is probably an extreme example. However, there are numerous forms of abuse that we experience in our communities all the time which we say nothing to when we should.  Some of us have probably suspected that a woman, a parent, the elderly or a neighbor is being abused. And yet, all we do is watch and wait and hope that it all would somehow stop. Sometimes in the process of waiting, someone has lost a life, dignity, childhood or ended up living with serious psychological trauma. 

 In my blog today, I want to appeal to all of you who are witnessing abuse in one form or another to do something about it. Refer those individuals in need of help to counseling, authorities or at least tell someone who is likely to do something about it. Meanwhile, if you have any experience where you witnessed an abuse and found yourself conflicted and unable to do anything, kindly share with us on our blog. You never, know, someone may just learn something about it.

 As usual, remember at WISO, we do not judge the victims. We offer everyone an opportunity to share and be listened to. We hope to educate each other. We ask that we do this discretely.  Remember to visit our website at www.wiso2011.org, like our Facebook and share with our community. We appreciate your support. Remember, it takes just one to make a change. You have the power, use it. Do what is right. Follow your conscience and be blessed. Remember, no religion in the world supports abuse. Do not be misled.

Are you disgusted by Sexual Trafficking? Show your disgust by wearing a White Ribbon!

Do you know that the pornography industry in our modern society is responsible for the increase in sex trafficking? Pornography use is strongly linked to the purchase of sex, and therefore, to sex trafficking. This is why WISO is anti-human trafficking and therefore "against pornography"? Wear a Ribbon in commemoration of October 28-November 4^th as the wear a ribbon against porn week.

Often when we talk about sex trafficking, people think of foreign girls and women who are brought from other countries for sexual exploitation. While that is true in most cases, sex trafficking is an on-going activity even in our own neighborhood. Have you ever wondered about what happens to girls or young women who go missing and may not turn up for any reason at all? The odds are they are lured and sometimes kidnapped into sex-trafficking business. Sex trafficking is a serious form of abuse because it is perpetuated by powerful and rich men.  

We at WISO join everyone who feels, cares, worries and is disturbed by sex-trafficking abuse in our society to condemn the practice. We join the White Ribbon against Pornography (WRAP) Campaign to express disgust against sex trafficking and call for policies to be instituted to control and protect the rights of those who are sex-trafficked. 

WRAP began with one woman, Norma Norris, in Butler, PA in 1987 after she heard a sermon against pornography delivered by the pastor of her Catholic church. She lived in a community like ours where some may think that people don’t care about the hardcore porn being sold in our community. Norris believed she had to show that she cared. So, she gave herself the challenge to inspire her community and to send out the message: WE CARE! WE COUNT! The plan that Norma thought was too simple, inexpensive, and to catch the imagination of anyone soon became inspirational. Her idea of a simple white ribbon became a symbol of decency. As her movement caught momentum, a sense of morality became part of the discourse in her community. Consequently a call to the need for women to be respected was renewed. These are the basic human rights we should all stand for. Her movement culminated into the eviction and bulldozing of a porn bookstore. Today, millions of citizens as well as organizations around the country work daily to make WRAP a successful annual campaign.

In spite of this achievement, this fight is far from over. We have to keep reminding everyone that girls and women are human beings who should be respected and treated as humans. They are not slaves to be used and abused for sexual or other emotional or economic needs. The community has a larger role in ensuring that this mission is achieved. Talk to your children and friend about the role of porn in promoting sex trafficking. When you buy a porn movie or watch a porn movie, you encourage the abuse of women as sex objects.

We as a society have the obligation to make the right choices. We especially have the right to protect our young girls and women from sexual exploitation. As long as one promotes a form of enslavement, he or she is a slave owner, and a dehumanized being whose humanity has virtually vanished. We should reclaim our humanity and sense of worth and should treat everyone we encounter the same way. Doesn’t the golden rule tell us to ‘do unto others as we would like them to do unto us” This is a fundamental teaching of Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha, Confucius, and all wise teachers who have always cared about treating others humanely.
Wear a ribbon to show that you prefer decency and that you are disgusted by continuous actions of human and sex trafficking. Together, we will make an impact, however small it may seem.

Why it is important to Vote!!

Hello everyone. I know that some of us are still making up our minds about whether we should vote at all and who we should vote for. The first question we should ask ourselves is: Why should we vote?  Yes, it is important that we vote. Any good and responsible citizen must participate in the electoral process. It is one way to demonstrate that you care about your government, your people and your culture. It is a time that we all come together as a society, community, government to elect leaders that will represent our welfare. Decisions we make by casting a vote affect our lives. If we don’t vote, we let the decisions of others to shape our own lives. Be a responsible citizen, we know you care about your community, your people, your friends and yourself. Make sure you vote in the coming elections.  

But, who should we vote for? This is the six million dollar question. There are many qualities that go into a good leader; character, likeability, ability to be productive, caring and empathetic of his/her community’s situation. Most importantly, a good leader should be one who is willing to acknowledge realities in his and her communities without dismissing any social group as irrelevant. Such a leader cares for the welfare of all and is willing and able to fight for his/her community.

On the other hand, we should watch out for leaders who say one thing and act differently. We should watch out for flip floppers, or those who are insensitive to the needs of those they purport to represent and protect. Well, if you are reading this blog and support our course, you probably know that our values of inclusiveness and compassion will steer us toward a leader who cares for the homeless, abused women, children, and even men. We will lean towards a leader who cares for minority communities including those who have special needs or may be described in society as “abnormal”. A true leader, we believe will stand with those who are vulnerable. He will try to fix situations of those who are struggling in society. He / she will work towards ensuring that jobs are available for all to alleviate poverty in their communities and ensure that all access healthcare as a basic human rights.

As elections take place in your various communities, all over the world, pose and consider seriously what kind of future you want to see your children inherit. Do you want to see a world where those who have specialized needs are ignored as non-entities? Do you want to see a world where women are unable to access healthcare thus increasing chances of all types of cancer and unplanned pregnancies because they could not access initial screenings and birth control methods? Do you want to see a future where your daughters are raped and no one apprehends assaulters because rape is as some potential leaders have claimed “not legitimate?” The latest claim that should send a chill to every women and man’s spine is the claims that “a life /pregnancy resulting from rape is god’s will.  The choice is yours.

As the representative of a non-profit organization, I work at being non-partisan. In our organization we care about everyone, and work for everyone. However, we care about certain basic issues. We care about the human worth of all therefore we care about human rights, women’s rights, homeless rights, all human rights. We support the welfare of women, and the rights of girls to education, and to health care. We care about freedom to worship and hope that some do not impose their beliefs on others. We care about ensuring that elderly members of our community are not left to abuse.

 Although the pundits may remind us again and again that elections are about the economy and jobs, we need to be smart in connecting the dots. Economy is connected to all these other issues. We need jobs to pay for healthcare. We need jobs to pay for education and so on. Well, think about it? We have health conditions that necessitate that we get jobs to pay for our bills. They are all connected. Do these potential leaders make the connections for us?  

Well, there are many issues to consider and so we must be smart in the decisions we make. One very important decision we should make this October and November month is to go out and vote.  Our world needs peace, social justice and morality. We need to cultivate care compassion and love for all irrespective of their lifestyle, race, color, conditions. Make the right choice during this election process. The world is counting on you.

Out of curiosity, we are interested in surveying your opinion on politics as a potential electorate.  Complete the survey below if you can by filling in the correct answer in your opinion. It will take less than 10 minutes to complete the survey.

Please click on this link to complete the survey: https://atrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9sfekgmosmXGt3T

WISO Stops Abuse of Women: Because My Culture Says So!

WISO Stops Abuse of Women: Because My Culture Says So!: How many times have you heard people say, “I do it because it is my culture”? Many times, I assume. They say it all the time. You know, ...