SI President’s Annual December 10 Appeal

Every year, on Human Rights Day (December 10) the President of Soroptimist International selects a project that provides direct assistance to women in extreme need. Past projects have provided: aid for refugees in camps in Malaysia; protection and help for women AIDS sufferers in Uganda and the Ukraine; scholarships for girls in Mongolia and Rwanda; vocational training programmes and shelter for vulnerable women and children in Paraguay; education and nutrition for abandoned children in Vietnam; malaria protection for pregnant women and young children in Benin, West Africa; enhanced access to education for girls in impoverished areas of Pakistan and support for long term patients at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.

For the 2009 Appeal, Soroptimist International President Hanne Jensbo has chosen to adopt a highly successful anti-trafficking project run by the Soroptimist International Union of Norway with Soroptimist International clubs in Moldova for the last 4 years. Further funding is urgently needed for the project to continue.

Young girls living in boarding schools are particularly exposed to the dangers of trafficking. Some are there because their parents are among the half milling Moldavians who have gone abroad to find work. By the age of 16 they have left school, have no support and often, nowhere to live. Learn more at www.soroptimistinternational.org

Fort Collins Soroptimist is accepting donations for the appeal. If you care to join us in support of this project, email sifortcolins@hotmail.com.

December 2--International Day for Abolition of Slavery

December 2, is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. It commemorates the date, in December 1949 that the UN General Assembly adopted a convention to suppress trafficking, exploitation and prostitution of persons. Think slavery is dead?Unfortunately trafficking of persons is estimated to be the second largest “business” of organized crime. Slavery is alive and well.

It’s been 61 years since the UN took a stand opposing slavery in all its forms, including the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and girls. Soroptimists STOP Trafficking is a campaign to end human trafficking, a form of modern day slavery. Join Soroptimist in speaking out against trafficking. Soroptimist International joined the 'Stop the Traffik' Global Coalition. Learn more at www.soroptimistinternational.org.

November 25 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Every Thanksgiving I'm reminded that I'm truly thankful to have a family free from domestic violence. You see, Thanksgiving coincides very closely with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. And, I want my children's daughters, and girls around the world, to grow up to be healthy, happy, respected women. That's part of the reason I'm committed to Soroptimist.

Soroptimist actively supports programs that educate, protect, and support women and girls with the hope that domestic violence will become a thing of the past. The archaic phrase, "what happens in our family stays in our family" is just that--archaic. It's not OK to overlook abuse, simply because the abuser is a family member and undoubtedly loves the survivor. And, it's not OK to witness domestic violence and write it off as a family matter. (33% of Americans have witnessed domestic violence.) It's critical that we as parents, friends, co-workers and neighbors open our eyes and ears to reports of domestic violence in our community. It is not enough to say "they are always like that after an argument", "they're married--it's none of my business", or "she/he must have had it coming".

"On 17 December 1999 by resolution 54/134, the General Assembly designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to raise public awareness of the problem of violence against women. We renew our commitment to fight for the right to a life free from brutal attacks on women's physical and emotional well-being. Step by step, every day of the year, we will continue to work towards our goal: the complete elimination of violence against women. At the end of the day, to eliminate violence against women we desperately need to ensure that women have the voice, influence and resources to assert their priorities for achieving peace and security in an increasingly violent world." -- Noeleen Heyzer, 2003 Executive Director, UNIFEM

Don't write off domestic violence; help eliminate it.