Intl Women's Day, Women's History Month, WomenNC Fellowship Reflections Forums & Message from UNWomen's Michelle Bachelet
Beth Dehghan
Greetings and Happy International Women’s Day (March 8, 2012)
WomenNC would like to share several upcoming events in light of International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month, and WomenNC Fellowship Reflections 2012 CSW (Commission on the Status of Women)– a Global-to-Local Perspective forum schedule. The events are open to the public, though several require RSVP’s.
At the close of this email is an inspiring message from Michelle Bachelet, regarding her perspective on International Women’s Day. She is an amazing results-oriented, compassionate leader in her new role as Executive Director for UN Women (President of Chile 2006-2010), who is destined to make significant strides in the momentum of rallying NGO’s, governments, and communities to address the disparities of women’s equal opportunities and to empower women worldwide.
Thursday, March 8, 2012, 6-8pm – NC Central University, Durham, Alphonso Elder Student Union Lobby
International Women’s Day Panel – Including WomenNC’s Beth Dehghan & 2012 Student Fellow
No RSVP
Friday, March 9th , 5-7pm – Cardinal Club, 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2800, Raleigh
UNWomen Host: International Women’s Day Celebration Reception
Speaker: Beth Briggs, the new Executive Director of North Carolina Council for Women
Refreshments and Cash bar!! $10 Entry
RSVP Required Beena Koshy at btk...@yahoo.com , or 919-619-4497
Tuesday, March 13th, 6-8pm – Oak Room, Meredith College
UNA- Wake (United Nations Association) – Dinner Meeting
Speakers: WomenNC Fellows – Reflections of CSW 2012
RSVP & Directions: http://una-wake.org : Dinner $8-$15, Can Attend Presentation ONLY
Tuesday, March 27th , 5:30-8pm – NC Museum of History
NC Council for Women Host: Women’s History Month
Keynote Speaker: Anita Brown-Graham, Executive Director, The Institute for Emerging Issues
Program highlighting effective women in politics, business, health, and the law
Reception 5:30-6:30pm, Program to follow
Register - call 919-807-7992 by March 23rd (no fee)
Early April, Date & Hall TBD, 7-9pm, Meredith College
Meredith College Symposium Host – WomenNC Fellows Reflections of CSW 2012
Entertainment and Light Refreshments
RSVP Preferred, TBD
Tuesday, April 17th, 6:30-7:30pm, Junior League Building, 711 Hillsborough Street, room #104
Host AAUW – Raleigh/Wake Branch – WomenNC Fellows Reflections of CSW 2012
Interested Attendees welcome, No RSVP
Other interesting opportunities:
March 1 – 31st : Women & Girls Lead Film Online Film Festival– Celebrating Women’s History Month:
featuring a collection of documentary films showcasing extraordinary women and girls who are changing the world.
http://itvs.org/women-and-girls-lead/film-festival
- Online social screenings taking place each Wednesday after March 14, allowing viewers to interact with filmmakers and other attendees.
- Visit site to get more details. Download a printable PDF Source: National Center for Media Engagement
This is just a small glimpse of local activities focused on women’s issues; please share additional events and we will consider including them on our next email.
We hope you will join us at one of the WomenNC Fellows’ speaking venues, where they will present their reflections of the CSW, having just returned from a week at the United Nations.
Their enthusiasm is captivating!
Please don’t forget Michelle Bachelet’s address below (she is an amazing speaker!). Have a great weekend and hope to see you at one of the events in the near future!
Beth Dehghan
Executive Director and founder
WomenNC, NC Committee for CSW/CEDAW
Message of Michelle Bachelet Executive Director of UN Women on International Women’s Day 2012
Posted on March 5 2012 | Exclude from Frontpage | Speeches and Statements More coverage and photos of Ms. Bachelet’s activities at CSW56 /
International Women’s Day 2012, Empower rural women: End hunger and poverty
This International Women’s Day, I join women around the globe in solidarity for human rights, dignity and equality. This sense of mission drives me and millions of people around the world to pursue justice and inclusion. Looking back at the first year of UN Women, I applaud every individual, government and organization working for women’s empowerment and gender equality. I promise the highest commitment moving forward. The creation of UN Women has coincided with deep changes in our world from rising protests against inequality to uprisings for freedom and democracy in the Arab world.
These events have strengthened my conviction that a sustainable future can only be reached by women, men and young people enjoying equality together. From the government that changes its laws, to the enterprise that provides decent work and equal pay, to the parents that teach their daughter and son that all human beings should be treated the same, equality depends on each of us.
During the past century, since the observance of the first International Women’s Day, we have witnessed a transformation in women’s legal rights, educational achievements, and participation in public life. In all regions, countries have expanded women’s legal entitlements. Women have taken many steps forward. More women are exercising leadership in politics and business, more girls are going to school, and more women survive childbirth and can plan their families.
Yet while tremendous progress has been made, no country can claim to be entirely free from gender-based discrimination. This inequality can be seen in persistent gender wage gaps and unequal opportunities, in low representation of women in leadership in public office and the private sector, in child marriage and missing girls due to son preference, and in continuing violence against women in all its forms.
Nowhere are disparities and barriers greater than in rural areas for women and girls. Rural women and girls comprise one in four people worldwide. They work long hours with little or no pay and produce a large proportion of the food grown, especially in subsistence agriculture. They are farmers, entrepreneurs and leaders, and their contributions sustain their families, communities, nations and all of us.
Yet they face some of the worst inequities in access to social services and land and other productive assets. And this deprives them and the world of the realization of their full potential, which brings me to my main point on this International Women’s Day. No enduring solution to the major changes of our day from climate change to political and economic instability can be solved without the full empowerment and participation of the world’s women. We simply can no longer afford to leave women out.
Women’s full and equal participation in the political and economic arena is fundamental to democracy and justice, which people are demanding. Equal rights and opportunity underpin healthy economies and societies.
Providing women farmers with equal access to resources would result in 100 to 150 million fewer hungry people. Providing women with income, land rights and credit would mean fewer malnourished children. Studies show that higher levels of gender equality correlate positively with higher levels of per capita gross national product. Opening economic opportunities to women would significantly raise economic growth and reduce poverty.
The time is now.
Every human being has the right to live in peace and dignity. Every human being has the right to shape their future and the futures of their countries. That is the call for equality that I hear wherever I go. For this reason UN Women will place special focus this year on advancing women’s economic empowerment and political participation and leadership. We look forward to continued strong partnership with women, men and young people and with governments, civil society and the private sector.
Today on International Women’s Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to women’s rights and move forward with courage and determination. Let us defend human rights, the inherent dignity and worth of the human person, and the equal rights of men and women.
This entry was posted in Exclude from Frontpage, Speeches and Statements. Bookmark the permalink.
