BRASILIA, 6 November 2008: — Representatives of governments and civil society organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela added their names to UNIFEM’s Say NO to Violence against Women campaign at the XX Specialized Meeting of Women from Mercosur, held in Brasilia.
UNIFEM’s Regional Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone, Ana Falú, presented the campaign to delegates and invited them to support the internet-based initiative. Ana Falú pointed out that the collection of signatures online was a powerful tool to broadcast the message that a life free of violence is the right of every woman.
Among those who added their names to the Say NO campaign were Nilcéia Freire, Special Secretary of Policies for Women in Brazil, Carmen Beramendi, Director of the National Institute for Women in Uruguay, Lidia Mondelo, President of the National Council of Women in Argentina, Maria Teresita Silvero, Vice Minister for Women from Paraguay, Florangel Parodi, Director of Prevention and Attention to Violence against Women at the National Institute for Women in Venezuela, and Rocio Gaytan, Minister for Women in Mexico. Other signatories included parliamentarians, regional experts and representatives from feminist movements and non-governmental organizations.
The UNIFEM-organized Say NO to Violence against Women campaign is a global advocacy and awareness raising effort on ending violence against women, designed to support UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s multi-year UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign.
The UNIFEM initiative aims to demonstrate that there is an ever-growing movement of people who Say NO to violence against women and Say YES to make ending it a top priority for governments everywhere. Signatures collected through the campaign will be delivered to Mr. Ban on 25 November 2008, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Kilde: www.unifem.org
