This year, UN Women was launched... finally, I thought! Before the UN had different organisations dealing with different areas, now UN Women deal with it all.
Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)
International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW)
Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI)
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
A great quote from the president, Michelle Bachelet (ex Chilean president):
"Where we fail to capitalise on the potential and talents of one-half of the population, we also squander the potential to reduce poverty, hunger, disease, environmental degradation and violence."
The work UN Women is fundemental to create a more equal, just and less violent world and the more it is supported, the better it will do.
The dream is that hopefully one day, it won't need to exist ...
http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/
S
Time and time again I read articles about how rape is used to threaten, abuse and kill women, in order to win a war, make a statement or simply emphasise that patriarchy rules.
In the Congo, 48 women are raped every hour - that is such a disgusting statistic and it doesn't seem to be decreasing.
This is the latest article I've read regarding rape as a tool to change society. Apparently some men in South Africa believe that rape will 'cure' lesbian women. How? By making them realise what they are missing?!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13908662
These women need protecting, men need to be educated and need to understand that rape is not a tool for anything positive, but rather a destructive one which will ruin communities and relationships.
S
