International Women' Day 2009

Today is International Women's Day (IWD).

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last year designated a multi-year " campaign calling on people and governments the world over to unite to end violence against women and girls. The campaign will run through 2015, the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The link with the Goals is clear. We must stop the habitual and socially ingrained violence that mars lives, destroys health, perpetuates poverty and prevents us from achieving women’s equality and empowerment...." To read UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's complete address go to 'Messages' on the IWD UN site link below.

This week, in honour of IWD, his Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro launched the Secretary-General’s database on violence against women.

International Women's Day, United Nations: www.un.org/events/women/iwd/2009

UN Violence Against Women Database, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/v-faq.htm

Status of Women Canada (note the new website links) : www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/index-eng.html