Members of AAUW, Stockton branch proudly stood up for equality and education for women at a candlelight vigil Wednesday night, October 17th, honoring Malala Yousufzai, 14, who is in critical condition after being shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan on October 9th. The event was attended by about 100 people.  Stockton mayor and AAUW member Ann Johnston (back row in orange on the right) was one of several dignitaries who offered heartfelt words of support.

Director Sherry Ludwig reports that over 130 educators, students, experts, victims and like-minded community groups gathered at the San Diego County Office of Education on Sat, April 28, to explore the 3 P's of human trafficking: prevention, prosecution and protection. The workshop was a full day community conference on human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and children in San Diego.  

Kudos to Anne Hoiberg and Myrra Lee, workshop organizers and longtime activists in support of human trafficking awareness, and to all members of the La Mesa-El Cajon and San Diego Branches who helped to make the day such a success.  The workshop was supported in part by an AAUW CA mini-grant and a contribution from the International Advocacy Program budget.  

• Jane Roberts, our Convention workshop presenter for Gender Inequality:  A Moral Dilemma,  left us with many facts and figures to think about regarding over population and poverty.  She's a wealth of information about the connection between poverty, maternal well-being, and human trafficking.  We were so pleased to see 45 conference goers in the audience and regret that we couldn't accommodate more of you.  When Jane returns from the AAUW NY Convention in Rochester, we are planning to send out her book to all of you who did not receive one.  If you did not sign the sheet that was passed around, please contact me or Susan Crabtree at our Sacramento Office.  You can find out about Jane and her organization by going to www.34millionfriends.org.  Thank you for your dollar contributions during convention, which totaled more than $700.

• Next weekend is the presentation of It's Global and It's Local: Human Trafficking in San Diego.

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One of the goals of CSW 56 is to set the theme for next year’s Commission.  The Preparatory Panel for 2013 met on Wed, Feb 29, to do just that.  Next year’s topic will be the Elimination and Prevention of All Forms of Violence Against Women. 

The Preparatory Panel Speakers are listed below with their topics next to their names.  
- Ms. Nduku Kilonzo, Liverpool VCT (Kenya): Provision of support services to women and girls victims/survivors of violence
- Ms. Marai Larasi, End Violence against Women Coalition (UK): Primary prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls
- Ms. Margarita Quintanilla, PATH-InterCambios (Nicaragua): Emerging practices in providing support services and primary prevention of violence against women and girls.

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Violence against Women seems to be an ongoing issue at every CSW meeting I have attended.  The United Nations has studied the issue for over 10 years in countries with UN peace keeping forces and many women’s groups have reported about on the ground situations. 

Representatives of countries like Rwanda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Argentina, India, Papua New Guinea, Nicaragua and many more countries report on gender based violence.  Again – women and girls always seem to be the first line of attack in any conflict, armed engagement or war.  They are the invisible casualty – and even when they are visible the world cannot find how to stop it. Look up words like fistula and genital mutilation.  Read about how women in war torn areas are surviving and in some cases thriving in the most incredible ways.  

In 2013, CSW 57 will turn its focus on that Violence as the theme will be “Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls”.

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This year’s theme surrounding Rural Women really takes to heart the special circumstances and problems that women face in rural circumstances.  Many things that we are able to take for granted or argue about are not even possibilities for some of these women.  Access to health care, access to clean water, safety, the ability to participate in civil society are a few of the many issues.  Ingrained patriarchal and feudalist societies create difficult barriers to overcome for women seeking to better their existence.

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Myrra Lee, La Mesa-El Cajon branch member, is the subject of Sandy Banks' column in the LA Times August 20th issue. Lee is applauded for her tireless crusading against sex trafficking and for urging her branch to make the issue a priority.  Read the column at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0820-banks-20110820,0,1893364.column

"I AM UN WOMEN," was the cry throughout the United Nations Chamber as the official launch of UN Women took place (Thursday February 24).  What an incredible moment - standing shoulder to shoulder with women and men from around the world as we reaffirmed our commitment to a better world for women and all people.

Michelle Bachelet (pictured here with Carlynne McDonnell), past president from Chile and the new head of UN Women was one of many incredible speakers. We also heard from: His Excellency UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; His Excellency President of the UN General Assembly Joseph Deiss; Princess Cristina of Spain; Ms. U Joy Ogwu of Nigeria;  Raki Sahi, the head of an woman police team in Liberia; Ted Turner; actresses Geena Davis and Nicole Kidman and more.  Each affirmed the need and their support for this new office for gender issues.    Please see http://www.unwomen.org/ to learn more.
 

Greetings from the UN!

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AAUW CA & CARE held the first event in its Speaker Series on Sunday, September 12, at the Western Justice Center in Pasadena, home to the Pasadena United Nations Association. The workshop, which featured speaker Lauren Hendricks, CARE’s ACCESS AFRICA Director from Tanzania, shared information about CARE’s microfinance programs. Giulia McPherson, CARE Advocacy Alliances Director, provided information about CARE legislation in the House of Representatives. Details can be found at www.care.org (search Growth Act and Global Moms Act). 

From left: Ginny Hatfield, AAUW CA Director; Giulia McPherson, CARE Advocacy Alliances Director; Sherry Ludwig, AAUW CA Director; Deanna Arthur, LA County Interbranch Council Chair;  Lauren Hendricks, CARE Access Africa Director and speaker for the event.

Greetings from the 30th triennial IFUW Conference in Mexico City.  IFUW (www.ifuw.org)which stands for International Federation of University Women is a collective of Federations (like AAUW) from all over the world.  AAUW was a member for many years but financial considerations precluded continued membership.  The United States is now represented by Women Graduates-USA (www.wg-usa.org).

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