Gender Equality United States Project #10736

Help Us Create a World without Violence

by Women Thrive Worldwide

Project Report | Jul 10, 2014
Fighting Gender-Based Violence Together

By Christine Bond | Organizational Advancement Intern

In the past few months, we have seen two mass abductions of Nigerian girls by rebel group Boko Haram, a horrid hate crime driven by Elliot Rodger’s feelings of entitlement to female companionship, and three young women raped and hanged in India and Pakistan.

Clearly, gender-based violence (GBV) is not the problem of one nation but rather an issue that the entire globe must face together. Thanks to your donations, Women Thrive Worldwide is able to continue our work to ensure that GBV becomes a problem of the past.

We believe that no country will reach its optimum economic or social potential as long as its women and girls are living in constant fear of physical harm and sexual assault.

In order to eradicate this fear, with your help, we have been engaging Congress to support the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women as well as the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA). However, we’ve come to realize that these efforts, although important, are not enough.

It is imperative to make the world aware of the loss it experiences when half of its population, women and girls, is neglected its basic human rights.

Ritu Sharma, president of Women Thrive, has witnessed firsthand the need to include women in the process of overcoming global poverty and strife. In her newly released book, Teach a Woman to Fish, Sharma chronicles her experiences living side-by-side women throughout the world in various regions and cultures. Although each woman and girl Ritu meets throughout her book is uniquely powerful and beautiful, her dogmatic want for a better life and her willingness to sacrifice to obtain it remain consistent.

Pairing a compassionate depiction of the injustices, including GBV, that rob women of their basic rights with a hopeful vision of possible reform, Sharma artfully invites the reader into the fight for female liberation.

We would love for you to join us in this fight by picking up Teach a Woman to Fish. This read will not only make you acutely aware of the daily travesties that global women face but also the steps that you can take in ending such oppressive forces.

Thank you for your continued support to Women Thrive. Together, we will make known that men and women must work in unison to change the world.

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May 7, 2014
You've helped us take action to #BringBackOurGirls

By Mina Alemzadeh | Associate, Organizational Advancement

Ojonwa Miachi, Nigerian girls' education activist

On April 14, 234 girls between ages 16 and 18 were abducted from their school in Northern Nigeria by the Islamist armed group, Boko Haram.

With the support of donors like you, Women Thrive took immediate action with our partner Ojonwa Deborah Miachi—a passionate girls' education activist in Nigeria. Women Thrive posted Ojonwa's petition to Secretary of State Kerry and Nigeria's Inspector General and National Police on TakePart (https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/demand-action-for-abducted-schoolgirls) that demanded action to bring the girls safely home, bring the perpetrators to justice, and increase measures to protect girls and boys in school so that something like this will never happen again.

Within a few days, Women Thrive's activists sent over 32,000 messages to the U.S. State Department. On May 2, Women Thrive's President, Ritu Sharma, spoke on To The Contrary to talk about the developing events in Nigeria as well as the the issue of violence against women and girls globally writ large.

Thanks in part to the attention and noise we've helped generate on this issue, Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned the actions of Boko Haram, and committed U.S. support in the search for the abducted schoolgirls: “We will do everything possible to support the Nigerian government to return these young women to their homes and hold the perpetrators to justice.”

Thank you for your support, but our work is not done. Just today our Senior Vice President, Lauren Supina released a statement on the latest Nigerian abduction, demanding a response from the U.S., Nigeria and the international community.

As long as women and girls live in fear of physical harm or sexual assault, Women Thrive will continue to push forward policies—like the International Violence Against Women Act and the Women, Peace and Security Act—that work toward ending violence against women and girls.

Please continue to stand with us in these efforts. Today is a Global Giving MATCH Day—the perfect time to make your money optimally count. TODAY ONLY, Global Giving will match 30% in funds for each donation given. This potential increase in funds allows Women Thrive to expand our outreach efforts to officials in the U.S. as well as maintain our grassroots network of organizations that we work with on a personal level.

Thank you for committing to protect women and girls worldwide. Together, we can make a difference. We appreciate your belief in our work, and we are grateful for your support.

Warm Regards,

Mina Alemzadeh

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Apr 23, 2014
No1Nowhere Should be a Victim of Violence

By Mina Alemzadeh | Organizational Advancement, Associate

Actor Mayim Bialik of Big Bang Theory and Blossom

Women Thrive, along with organizations in the Coalition to End Violence Against Women has just launched an exciting photo advocacy campaign called, “No1Nowhere.” (Website: http://www.no1nowhere.com) Please join us in raising awareness and building support to end violence against women and girls globally.

To join the campaign, all you have to do is write “No1” on one arm, “Nowhere” on the other and then cross them, and snap a picture (or get someone to help you). After you are done, you may either email your photo to jholzer@womenthrive.org or upload it directly to the “No1Nowhere” website.

The campaign slogan denounces the fact that 1 in 3 girls will be raped, abused or even killed because of gender-based violence. Our mission is to help create a world where domestic violence, intimidation, sexual assault, rape and other forms of violence become a thing of the past. This photo campaign will prove how important the issue is to people everywhere. We will be holding a photo exhibit in May on Capitol Hill to showcase the support that we have gathered among activists around the world.

Speaking up is the first step to making a safer world for women and girls. But we can’t do it alone. In order to send a strong message, we need your help. Visit www.no1nowhere.com and submit your photo today!

Thank you for your ongoing support to Women Thrive.

Warm Regards,

Mina Alemzadeh

Associate, Organizational Advancement

P.S. If you are local to Washington, DC or in town this week, please join us TOMORROW for a Happy Hour launch party of our “No1 Nowhere” photo campaign. There will a digital social booth to take photos along with great drink specials.

When: Thursday, April 24th 5:30-8:30 PM

Where: The Big Hunt 1345 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036

RSVP Here: http://ow.ly/vTOdw

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