Yesterday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I want to recognize that, albeit a day late.
In a world where around 70 percent of all women experience physical or sexual abuse during their lifetime, women simply can not allow a step backwards in their march towards freedom and gender equality.They have to refuse it with every fiber of their being. In the USA, women’s rights are in danger of being slowly replaced by a return to antique, patriarchal repressive denial. It saddens me deeply to think that in the US, those who would eliminate federal funding for childcare or prenatal and post natal care, or loans and grants for higher education for the poor are still being elected to high office, or even worse, almost being elected to the Oval Office.This empowers their continuing denial and inflames their desire for a return to repression. It was the women voters who re-elected Obama, or rather perhaps, who refused to elect Romney. That should tell you something!
Men around the globe have to learn that their best interests are served by giving women not only true equality, instead of the false version now practised, but true positions of leadership, True empowerment. The ability and opportunity and positions within government to make and enforce policy actions and decisions.
Let us measure up as men. Freedom gained for one is more freedom gained for us all. Take a stand against violence towards women. Not just in the US or here in Sweden but everywhere. Read up on how you can help to stop oppression and gender related violence world-wide. It is happening not just in the third world, not just in extremist muslim countries but right next door to where you live, or perhaps even in your own house. To quote the brilliant Desmond Tutu, “I call on men and boys everywhere to take a stand against the mistreatment of girls and women. It is by standing up for the rights of girls and women that we truly measure up as men.”
This is a brilliant article by Desmond Tutu,, please read it!
http://www.theelders.org/article/let-us-measure-men
Read the message from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
daninstockholm 