November 26 2014: Just 12 hours after watching chaos unfold in Ferguson, I sat in the United Nations for the commemoration of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Intimate stories of abuse were shared with dignity and received with empathy and respect by those assembled, most wearing orange, a color of hope.
Like 1 in 3 women, Teri Hatcher, better known for her role on Desperate Housewives, talked about devastating abuse by her uncle which silenced her and her family. That ended the day she heard the news of a young woman’s suicide because of the same man. “I am 1 of 3 women & I will be the 1 who yells from the rooftop until violence is not longer part of their story.” This was just one of many emotional and inspiring testimonies you can find @SayNo_Unite and www.unwomen.org
How do we as a community respond to such violence? UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon vowed his continued dedication. The Empire State Building was bathed in orange light. Other dignitaries made promises, shared best practices, and offered solutions, including a worldwide campaign, #OrangeUrHood and #16days of action.
But, I was most heartened by NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray who made history by signing an MOU with the UN making NYC the first to commit to the”Safe Cities” Initiative. This and the new #HeforShe campaign are taking direct aim at our epidemic of violence.
20 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a monumental global roadmap to advance women’s rights, we are closer to our goals, including ending violence against women. We have the target in sight; the tools to succeed; the imperative to protect millions of women and children; and the fate of future generations at stake.
And, most importantly, unprecedented participation of citizens and countries across the globe. NYS PowHER Network is dedicated to this issue, believing that ending violence against women is a key component to building economically sound futures for women today and generations to come.
This Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on the work ahead and grateful to be part of an extraordinary community of activists who see beyond the horizon and envision a safer, fairer world.