January 11, 2010
Actress and Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman helped to break ground on Friday on a new centre located in San Francisco to combat violence against women, part of an initiative between the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Family Violence Prevention Fund.
According to UNIFEM, data suggests that up to 70 per cent of women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime.
“There is no doubt that ending violence against women remains an urgent issue and belongs on centre stage,” says Ms. Kidman, who has served as Goodwill Ambassador for UNIFEM since January 2006.
“Solutions require action and investment, and strong partnerships like the one we’re announcing today between UNIFEM and Family Violence Prevention Fund,” she added. The latter works to prevent violence within the home and in the community and to help those whose lives are devastated by violence.
Among its activities, the new International Centre to End Violence aims to serve as a crossroads where activists and leaders from across the globe meet to share experiences and lessons that advance policies and solutions to end violence against women and children.
“We are proud to be a partner to this path-breaking global centre. It will be a space which will open doors to many whose voices are yet unheard, where practitioners, activists and survivors will share and learn from each other, and contribute to solutions on the ground,” said Inés Alberdi, UNIFEM Executive Director.
Source: United Nations
about 2 years ago
It is refreshing to know that a superstar such as Nicole Kidman is helping fight violence against women, a social cancer that has affected so many lives on a global level. Gender discrimination has existed for thousands of years and even in the 21st century, women are still subjected to unspeakable crimes that range from genital mutilation to control over reproductive rights.
The Bureau of Justice reported that 232,960 women in the U.S. were raped or sexually assaulted in 2006. That's more than 600 women every day! Whether we are a celebrity or not, we all must step up to the plate and write to our local legislation for tougher laws that will protect women from becoming victims of violent crime. We need more government funding to provide safe havens for victims of abuse, and we need more programs to educate women and men about preventing violence within the home.
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