Ahead of International Women’s Day, the Delhi Hub of the Global Shapers Community (GSC) underlined its vital concern of women’s safety in the capital city of Delhi. GSC is a network of hubs developed & led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, achievements and drive to make a contribution to their communities.  An initiative of the World Economic Forum, GSC currently consists of 213 hubs across the world. The hubs undertake local projects on relevant issues to improve their communities that have a global impact.
 
In response to the brutal gang rape in the city that deeply shocked us all and shook us out of our passivity, this young group committed itself to developing a solution-based approach; and thus organized a panel discussion on ‘Creating a more gender sensitive Delhi: Challenges and Tangible Solutions’ in collaboration with UNIC New Delhi. The discussion led by an eminent panel addressed a carefully selected empowered youth audience who posed vital concerns & proposed solutions to some of the key concern areas such as political reforms, legal framework, judicial measures, police, education & society at large. The panelists included Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Government of India; Prakash Singh, former Director General, Border Security Force; Vani Tripathi, actor, women’s rights activist and politician; Geeta Luthra, Senior Advocate; Madhu Kishwar, academic, feminist and writer; and Vrinda Marwah, Program Coordinator, Global South Knowledge Resources, CREA, an organization addressing issues of sexuality, violence against women and gender rights.
 
Speaking on the occasion, the Law Minister underlined that that the Government was open to suggestions from all stakeholders on the issue of women’s safety. He also congratulated the Delhi Hub of GSC for having organized the event. “Issues such as these should not only be a prerogative of the government but should concern the society at large. Youth in India are a vital part of such dialogues. It is a pleasure to see youth leading such an initiative and acting as torch bearers committed to creating social change,” the Minister said.
 
In her inaugural statement, UNIC Director Kiran Mehra-Kerpelman urged the youth group to continue taking a stand against gender-based violence – in their own homes and in public spaces – and encouraging others to do the same.
 
Action ideas that emerged in the discussion included a call for public policing of the police; installation of CCTVs at all police stations in the city, better street lighting and enhanced neighborhood vigilance.

El 25 de noviembre pasado, fecha en que se conmemoró el Día Internacional para Eliminar la Violencia contra la Mujer, se presentó un video clip preparado por la Campaña Únete Paraguay contra la violencia hacia la Mujer, producido por varias agencias de las Naciones Unidas en Paraguay:

ONU Mujeres
Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas (UNFPA)
Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD)
Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia (Unicef)

El video clip sienta las bases para una identidad paraguaya de la campaña global de las Naciones Unidas para erradicar la violencia hacia las mujeres. El Día Internacional para Eliminar la Violencia contra la Mujer, se recordó en Paraguay con varios actos oficiales y una Feria Abierta en la Plaza del Panteón de los Héroes, con la asistencia de representantes de organizaciones civiles e instituciones del Estado y la participación especial de la Dra. Myrna Cunningham, Presidenta del Foro Permanente de Asuntos Indígenas de las Naciones Unidas y la asistencia de un numeroso público.

Las representantes de los Ministerios y Secretarías del Poder Ejecutivo hablaron sobre sus acciones y compromiso de lucha contra la violencia hacia las mujeres y las niñas. En representación de la Secretaría de la Mujer estuvo la señora Teresita Silvero, Directora del Gabinete; en representación de la Secretaría de la Función Pública estuvo la Directora General, Ana María Ferreira y en nombre del Viceministerio de la Juventud, habló Sunia Valinotti, Directora de Planificación y Cooperación.

En nombre de la sociedad civil actuaron como anfitrionas Cristina Román, del Colectivo 25 de noviembre y Miriam Candia, directora de Radio Viva.

Carmen Echauri, Asesora Técnica de ONU Mujeres, Mirtha Rivarola, del Fondo de Población y Regina Bachero, del PNUD, se refirieron a la Campaña Únete del Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas.

Vínculo para ver el video: http://youtu.be/wZjXJc-ggmw

“I entered the competition because I am interested in art and design, but then I realized that the subject had touched my soul” ...

These were the comments made by Gjoke Gojani, the public vote winner at the UN Regional Information Centre’s (UNRIC) in Brussels exhibition of the 30 finalists of the "Say No to Violence Against Women" Ad Competition, realized in partnership with UN Women and with the support of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The exhibition was open to the public from 19 October to 6 November at the Harlan Levey Projects Gallery in Brussels. The vernissage, on the 19 October, was attended by Mrs. Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education and Culture and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Goodwill Ambassador, Ms Goedele Liekens.

During the award ceremony Dagmar Schumacher, Director of the UN Women Brussels Office, stated that violence against women is a global pandemic of alarming proportions which has no national, social, economic, cultural or religious boundaries.

Afsané Bassir-Pour, UNRIC Director, praised the enthusiasm with which Europeans joined the competition saying “our aim was to raise awareness on this issue, help break the taboo, and to do this by reaching out to the European creative community. A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. So thank you Europeans.”

More of this story can be found at http://www.create4theun.eu/say-no-to-violence-against-women-ad-competition-danish-designer-wins-first-prize/

An official of the Iranian Ministry of Justice, Dr. Seyyed Mehdi Saberi, said that the ratio of divorce to marriage has increased in Iran in the past decade.

Addressing a one-day seminar organized jointly by UNIC Tehran, UN Association of Iran, the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence (ODVV) and Family Planning Organization of Iran at the UN conference room on 16 May, he added that the divorce rate in Iran was 11.87 percent.

Government officials, university professors, NGO members and journalists participated in the seminar held on the occasion of the International Day of Families.

The conference started with the ODVV Director, Sivash Rahpeyk’s remarks who emphasized the importance of commemorating the International Day of Families because families constitute the very fabric of all communities throughout the world.

Professor Ezatosadat Mirkhani, of Training University said religious and humanitarian values have enhanced families in Iran and for the same reason the number of divorce cases in Iran is less in comparison to the number of divorce cases in many other countries. Other speakers at the seminar were Dr. Anvar Samadi Raad, from the Allameh Tabatabaee University and Mr. Ali Zarean, from the Children’s Programme Unit of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) TV Network 5.

UNIC NIO Mohammad Moghadam read SG’s message on the International Day of Families 2011.