The Russian invasion of Ukraine that started on February 24 has reached a one-month milestone and continues to rage. It is devastating to add this country to the growing list of war-ravaged places in 2022: Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar.
However, the ray of hope and dare I say, sunshine,
After learning about a human rights issue that moves you or speaks to you, you may be asking yourself, “What can I do?” You just are not the same after becoming aware of the issue, and you feel that you want to move the needle.
Ascend Athletics is a global not-for-profit organization working in Afghanistan to empower young women through mountaineering-based leadership training. Recipients of a 2021 FAWCO Foundation Development Grant to create health materials for their target population of young women and their families, Ascend pivoted in August 2021 to assist its participants and their families in fleeing...
All event content (including videos of each session, speaker bios, and Event Booths) is available here: Human Rights in Focus Virtual Conference
Day 1: Thursday, November 4, 2021
The view on human rights is changing – we are growing, redefining and re-understanding that everyone deserves to live a...
On November 4, 5 & 6, 2021, the FAWCO Human Rights Team hosted Human Rights in Focus, a 3-day virtual event on the Hopin platform. The Team marked the fifth anniversary of FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation’s Symposium, Stand Up for Human Trafficking, in The Hague (2016) and were inspired...
FAWCO is bringing Human Rights in Focus during an online event from November 4–6, 2021. Our goal is to raise awareness of human rights issues for women and girls, discuss advocacy and actions you can take, and highlight the impact that both international and national member clubs have made through volunteerism, fundraising and campaigns. Check out the AGENDA. Each day’s sessions focus on a different theme:
Ending Violence Against Women is a Committee of the Human Rights Team, addressing issues of domestic violence and sex trafficking, as well as other forms of violence against women. The Ending Violence Team was created in April 2008 to address issues of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual exploitation in order to increase awareness and empower those women and children affected. Over the years, the Team has put a spotlight on the issues to get people talking about them. We also promote tangible actions that we can all take to help eradicate these forms of violence. When you look at the facts you see that we still have a long way to go.
1 in 3 women has been sexually assaulted in her lifetime;
Rape continues to be used as a weapon during war and conflict;
Globalization and climate change are having the most profound impacts on women and children who are disproportionately displaced and left without options;
Gender-based violence is an affliction that millions of women and children suffer in silence and shame. Many become victimized by those who are supposed to love and protect them.
Please share these three one-page information sheets on issues of Domestic Violence, how you can help victims of Domestic Violence, and global issues of Violence Against Women with your club members.
For a worldwide listing of domestic violence agencies, see the Hot Peaches website.
You'll find a link to the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC) website on our homepage under Domestic Violence.
For more information or to get involved, contact the Committee Co-Chairs.
Co-Chair, Global Issues, Tonya Teichert at .
Tonya Teichert (AWC The Taunus)
Co-Chair, Global Issues
Co-Chair, Domestic Violence and AODVC Liaison, Karen Lewis at aodvc@fawco.org.
Karen Lewis (FAUSA)
Co-Chair, Domestic Violence and AODVC Liaison
Women Peace and Security is a committee within the Human Rights Team. Its goal is to raise awareness about violence against women in conflict zones and the role of women in the peace-keeping process.
The theme of women and conflict resonates with the very origins of FAWCO. According to The Red Book, FAWCO: A History 1931-2011:
Caroline Curtis Brown founded FAWCO on the belief that "enlightened women, working cooperatively throughout the world, could do much to help achieve permanent international peace; and that this was especially true of American women living abroad who had acquired special experience in living in foreign lands among foreign people and foreign customs. Their American clubs not only provided a home away from home, she felt, but also served to promote sympathetic awareness of the needs and problems in countries other than the United States." Our founder's words are perhaps even more relevant today than in her own time. In our globally connected world, wars have a real impact on the lives of all of us, even when they occur in a distant land. A peaceful world benefits everyone.