March 08, 2010
Women Changing The World For Our Children
Today is International Women's Day! Did you know?
As I was tweeting about it over at Twitter, I discovered a great article in the Huffington Post: International Women's Day: 11 Women Who Are Changing The World.
In this article, I learned that some of these women are changing the world through important child abuse prevention issues. Now that's some news I love to hear some coverage about!
First, there's Nujood Ali, a 12-year-old girl from Yemen. When she was only 10 years old, she was forced to marry a man in his 30's. Of course, Nujood's new husband forced himself on her. But, one day she was able to sneak away from her new "home" and go to the courthouse and request a divorce. She was successful at obtaining the divorce and now has returned to her family and her studies at school. She now has the chance to continue her childhood. She has written a book about her victory called, I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced.
Then there's Waris Dirie, a supermodel and best-selling author who was born in the Somali desert and underwent genital mutilation at the young age of five. Now she is a tireless spokesperson and advocate working to end genital mutilation of girls. You can visit the website for her foundation here.
Next, meet Somaly Mam. Born into extreme poverty in Cambodia, Somaly was sold into sexual slavery as a child. Since escaping her captors, she has dedicated her life to helping other victims of human trafficking. Somaly's foundation helps human trafficking victims escape their plight and build the emotional and economic strength they need to build a future for themselves.
Finally, of Huffington's "11 Women Changing The World," I want to mention Eve Ensler. You may know her from her award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues. Eve is the founder of V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. It's the perfect nonprofit to end my post with, as it raises awareness in the fight to stop many of the issues I've already mentioned including: rape, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery.
Well, I'm done with the 11 Women Changing The World list for International Women's Day, but I'm not quite done with my post yet. I want to point out a couple of organizations that I get updates from on a daily basis, year round (not just on International Women's Day). These nonprofits are always calling attention to ways in which we can empower women to end the abuse of children.
One of my favorites--that I've been supporting for some time--is Equality Now. Right now, Equality Now is raising awareness and helping victims in these areas: girls sold into the sex trade in India; girls raped by their teachers in Zambia; and female genital mutilation in Somalia.
And last--but certainly not least--I support Women Thrive Worldwide. This is the organization I follow over at Twitter that told me today was International Women's Day in the first place! Many of the issues involving children that I've just discussed thrive in our world's poverty. Women Thrive Worldwide works to shape the U.S. policies that help women lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Click here to find information to help you urge your senator to support the GROWTH--Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive--Act.
Thanks for reading, clicking, linking and acting to support women changing the world for our children. And happy International Women's Day!
As I was tweeting about it over at Twitter, I discovered a great article in the Huffington Post: International Women's Day: 11 Women Who Are Changing The World.
In this article, I learned that some of these women are changing the world through important child abuse prevention issues. Now that's some news I love to hear some coverage about!
First, there's Nujood Ali, a 12-year-old girl from Yemen. When she was only 10 years old, she was forced to marry a man in his 30's. Of course, Nujood's new husband forced himself on her. But, one day she was able to sneak away from her new "home" and go to the courthouse and request a divorce. She was successful at obtaining the divorce and now has returned to her family and her studies at school. She now has the chance to continue her childhood. She has written a book about her victory called, I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced.
Then there's Waris Dirie, a supermodel and best-selling author who was born in the Somali desert and underwent genital mutilation at the young age of five. Now she is a tireless spokesperson and advocate working to end genital mutilation of girls. You can visit the website for her foundation here.
Next, meet Somaly Mam. Born into extreme poverty in Cambodia, Somaly was sold into sexual slavery as a child. Since escaping her captors, she has dedicated her life to helping other victims of human trafficking. Somaly's foundation helps human trafficking victims escape their plight and build the emotional and economic strength they need to build a future for themselves.
Finally, of Huffington's "11 Women Changing The World," I want to mention Eve Ensler. You may know her from her award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues. Eve is the founder of V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. It's the perfect nonprofit to end my post with, as it raises awareness in the fight to stop many of the issues I've already mentioned including: rape, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery.
Well, I'm done with the 11 Women Changing The World list for International Women's Day, but I'm not quite done with my post yet. I want to point out a couple of organizations that I get updates from on a daily basis, year round (not just on International Women's Day). These nonprofits are always calling attention to ways in which we can empower women to end the abuse of children.
One of my favorites--that I've been supporting for some time--is Equality Now. Right now, Equality Now is raising awareness and helping victims in these areas: girls sold into the sex trade in India; girls raped by their teachers in Zambia; and female genital mutilation in Somalia.
And last--but certainly not least--I support Women Thrive Worldwide. This is the organization I follow over at Twitter that told me today was International Women's Day in the first place! Many of the issues involving children that I've just discussed thrive in our world's poverty. Women Thrive Worldwide works to shape the U.S. policies that help women lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Click here to find information to help you urge your senator to support the GROWTH--Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive--Act.
Thanks for reading, clicking, linking and acting to support women changing the world for our children. And happy International Women's Day!
Labels: acquaintance rape, advocacy, child abuse, community, genital mutilation, human rights, human trafficking, sexual slavery, Twitter
Comments:
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Thanks for the great info and the links here!I love to read stuff like this and I am striving to be one of those women who changes the world! LOL
(WE CAN DO IT! )
Love Darlene
(WE CAN DO IT! )
Love Darlene
Hi, Darlene! Thanks so much for coming over here and commenting on my blog. And I think you already ARE one of the women changing the world! *hugs*
What a great source and movement! These women are doing such good in the world. I wish there were more of them!
Lily: Hi! Thanks for stopping by. Well, if we band together, our voices will be heard more and more and it will SEEM like there are more of us, right?
thank you marj. your post was enlightening and an important reminder of the horrors that women and children in this world face daily. and how possible it is to work to change this world. and how there are people out there doing so. like you. thank you for all you do. you are definitely a woman out there changing the world as well.
safe hugs to you. and happy woman's day~
safe hugs to you. and happy woman's day~
Matj, thanks for the time you have taken here with this article. If it is ok for you I would like to cope OR link form my blog as ell s put it on my facebook page. This is so very important that I woudl prefer your English to my Denglish. Thanks in advance
Awww! Thanks for your kind words and friendship, Katie. I think all of us who are putting our truth out there into the world are changing it. Thanks for being you! xxxx
Paula: I'm touched and honored. Please feel free to link away! Thanks! You rock!
Paula: I'm touched and honored. Please feel free to link away! Thanks! You rock!
thanks marj! and you know, i was more inspired by you than i realized at first. i just went and wrote a post inspired by what you wrote here and linked back to your blog post.
thank you again for being such an advocate and healer~
love and safe hugs to you~~~
thank you again for being such an advocate and healer~
love and safe hugs to you~~~
Hey, Katie! Wow! How cool is that? I'll come over and take a look at your post. Thanks AND you're welcome! Love and hugs backatcha, sweet one! xoxoxoxo
Wow, so much to think about. So often we are caught up in our own little microcosm. It's easy to think we are making great strides in keeping women safe if we live in a place where violence against women is the exception and not the norm. Your eye-opening world view post was really a suprise to me. I realize that I have known about a lot of these things but at the same time turned my back to them. I'm going to visit some of the links you posted now.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wow - thanks for sharing. These women are amazing.
I have emailed out the link to the huffington post to my friends.
I have emailed out the link to the huffington post to my friends.
We had a celebration at school today for International Women's Day.
BTW, just followed you on Twitter ... as EDNOSnomore
BTW, just followed you on Twitter ... as EDNOSnomore
Thank you for sharing this eye opening video and I will check out the sites you mentioned here. Sometimes I feel like it's trying to clean up the ocean to change the way women and girls are treated and regarded around the globe...sometimes it feels too discouraging and I wonder why God has allowed life to be this way..But I will do my part like you're doing to work towards change. Thanks Marjaka...
Shen: I know how hard it is to face these realities. It's heart-breaking sometimes. Thanks for your willingness to raise your awareness!
Kahless: Nice to "see" you! Thank YOU for reading and sending on the link. Cool!
Dreaming Again: Wow! I haven't "seen" you in ages! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know you're on Twitter. I'll look you up over there.
You're welcome, Sarah. And thank YOU for your willingness, even when it seems so overwhelming as it so often does.
Kahless: Nice to "see" you! Thank YOU for reading and sending on the link. Cool!
Dreaming Again: Wow! I haven't "seen" you in ages! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know you're on Twitter. I'll look you up over there.
You're welcome, Sarah. And thank YOU for your willingness, even when it seems so overwhelming as it so often does.
hi marj~ just was thinking about you today and wishing you well~ thought i'd stop by and send you some well wishes and peaceful thoughts :)
JBR: Thanks for stopping by and reading
JIP: You're right! I agree, we all have achieved quite a bit! Yay us!
Katie: Thanks! So nice to be thought of. Same to you! xoxoxo
JIP: You're right! I agree, we all have achieved quite a bit! Yay us!
Katie: Thanks! So nice to be thought of. Same to you! xoxoxo
came back to listen to this show...it really is powerful...thank you so much for posting it and the links...
Thanks, Sarah, for coming back and watching.
Hey, Wanda! So nice to "see" you! Thanks for your kind comment. You're sweet! :)
Hey, Wanda! So nice to "see" you! Thanks for your kind comment. You're sweet! :)
I love that you shared these links. We CAN make a difference and you are one of the women helping to do it.
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