To be a woman, independent, free, healthy, happy, and alive on the 25th of November 2008, is something I personally feel very appreciative of.
Many of my sisters do not share this.
Today is White Ribbon Day.
"White Ribbon Day was created by a handful of Canadian men in 1991 on the second anniversary of one man's massacre of fourteen women in Montreal. They began the White Ribbon Campaign to urge men to speak out against violence against women. "
http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/About-WRD-34.aspx
"In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) and the White Ribbon has become the symbol for the day."
"Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world"
(Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General)
"At least one out of every three women worldwide are beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates reaching 70% in some countries."
(Amnesty USA)
"Today hundreds of thousands of white ribbons are worn by men and women across Australia - men at work; men and women in all Australian police forces; men in national and local sporting matches and organisations; men in the media; men and women in politics; men in the defence forces; men and women in capital cities and in rural and regional Australia.
The campaign continues to go from strength to strength and now boasts more than 230 white ribbon Ambassadors Australia wide, as well as more events across the country and more organisations and individuals participating year upon year.
(all from):
http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/About-WRD-34.aspx
The following nations participate in White Ribbon Day:
Africa:
Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda
East Asia:
Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Tonga, Vietnam
Europe:
Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru
Middle East / Former USSR:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Israel, Russia South
Asia:
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka"
(from White Ribbon Site..) http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/Welcome-64.aspx
"Men who want to support women in our struggle for freedom and justice should understand that it is not terrifically important to us that they learn to cry; it is important to us that they stop the crimes of violence against us. "
Andrea Dworkin
"Women are the worst affected from any kind of violence - be it domestic, development-related or that caused by corporate polluters like Union Carbide. It is up to us, the women, to join hands across the world and keep the fight for justice and against violence alive and unwavering."
Rashida Bee, Bhopal Gas Affected Women's Stationery Union, and winner of the Goldman Environment Prize 2004
I think of, pray for, and celebrate life for my sisters today... (Me).
O world-ignorance,
AlthoughYou have shackled my feet,
I am free.
AlthoughYou have chained my hands,
I am free.
AlthoughYou have enslaved my body,
I am free.
I am free because I am not of the body.
I am free because I am not the body,
I am free because I am the soul-bird
That flies in Infinity- Sky.
I am the soul-child that dreams
On the Lap of the immortal King Supreme.
(The Soul Bird~ Sri Chinmoy).
Many of my sisters do not share this.
Today is White Ribbon Day.
"White Ribbon Day was created by a handful of Canadian men in 1991 on the second anniversary of one man's massacre of fourteen women in Montreal. They began the White Ribbon Campaign to urge men to speak out against violence against women. "
http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/About-WRD-34.aspx
"In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) and the White Ribbon has become the symbol for the day."
"Violence against women continues to persist as one of the most heinous, systematic and prevalent human rights abuses in the world"
(Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General)
"At least one out of every three women worldwide are beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates reaching 70% in some countries."
(Amnesty USA)
"Today hundreds of thousands of white ribbons are worn by men and women across Australia - men at work; men and women in all Australian police forces; men in national and local sporting matches and organisations; men in the media; men and women in politics; men in the defence forces; men and women in capital cities and in rural and regional Australia.
The campaign continues to go from strength to strength and now boasts more than 230 white ribbon Ambassadors Australia wide, as well as more events across the country and more organisations and individuals participating year upon year.
(all from):
http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/About-WRD-34.aspx
The following nations participate in White Ribbon Day:
Africa:
Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda
East Asia:
Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Tonga, Vietnam
Europe:
Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru
Middle East / Former USSR:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Israel, Russia South
Asia:
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka"
(from White Ribbon Site..) http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/Welcome-64.aspx
"Men who want to support women in our struggle for freedom and justice should understand that it is not terrifically important to us that they learn to cry; it is important to us that they stop the crimes of violence against us. "
Andrea Dworkin
"Women are the worst affected from any kind of violence - be it domestic, development-related or that caused by corporate polluters like Union Carbide. It is up to us, the women, to join hands across the world and keep the fight for justice and against violence alive and unwavering."
Rashida Bee, Bhopal Gas Affected Women's Stationery Union, and winner of the Goldman Environment Prize 2004
I think of, pray for, and celebrate life for my sisters today... (Me).
O world-ignorance,
AlthoughYou have shackled my feet,
I am free.
AlthoughYou have chained my hands,
I am free.
AlthoughYou have enslaved my body,
I am free.
I am free because I am not of the body.
I am free because I am not the body,
I am free because I am the soul-bird
That flies in Infinity- Sky.
I am the soul-child that dreams
On the Lap of the immortal King Supreme.
(The Soul Bird~ Sri Chinmoy).