Ms. Foundation for Women Celebrates Beijing & Beyond: Global Week of Action for Women's Ri

The Ms. Foundation for Women Celebrates Beijing & Beyond: Global Week of Action for Women's Rights

2/28/2005 3:30:00 PM

To: National and International Desk, UN Reporter, Minority and Social Issues Reporter

Contact: Alice Leeds of the Ms. Foundation for Women, 212-709-4450, 917-523-5029 or aleeds [at] ms.foundation.org

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Ms. Foundation for Women joins women's coalitions and organizations across the globe to celebrate Beijing & Beyond: Global Week of Action for Women's Rights. Over the next eight days, thousands of women's rights activists will gather at teach-ins, marches, workshops, cultural events, in-person and online all over the world to reaffirm the Beijing Platform for Action, which encourages political participation, education and the protection of human rights for women. This year's campaign marks the 10-year anniversary of the1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. From March 1 to March 8, the Ms. Foundation for Women and other organizations will commemorate this historic occasion in the women's movement by honoring women's achievements, galvanizing political and public support for women's issues, and taking action to demand accountability for women's rights everywhere.

The Ms. Foundation, along with many premier human rights organizations, has forwarded a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calling on her to help ensure that President Bush joins and cooperates with other countries "in the unequivocal reaffirmation of the Platform for Action."

"Today's kickoff of The Global Week of Action for Women's Rights-Beijing and Beyond promises to be a powerful force energizing activists, governments and organizations to action, and amplifying the messages of women across the globe," said Sara K. Gould, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women. "We, women all over the world, stand together to remember our victories and strengthen our resolve to advance together for the good of all women."

As part of the Ms Foundation for Women's delegation to the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, Ms. Gould joined 33,000 women to strategize for the improvement of women's lives on a global level. She conducted workshops on economic development and girls' issues along with the Ms. Foundation's Beijing Network that was comprised of 120 women, including 35 grantees.

"Challenges to the struggle for women's equity and inclusion are not bound by time and place, said Ms. Gould. In 1995, as today, the Ms. Foundation champions a just and safe world for all. As we remember Beijing, we also remember the women who still live every day in violence, poverty and powerlessness."

The weeklong campaign calls for women's groups to mobilize in their local communities by lobbying government delegations, conducting workshops, connecting with other women's groups at the national, regional and global levels, and attending the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in New York City.

"At a time when women's rights are under attack here in the US and abroad, we must continue to both hold governments accountable for protecting and advancing the rights of ALL people," said Margaret Hempel, VP, Program, Ms. Foundation for Women. "As a leading funder of women's rights in the United States we understand and know that to build permanent change for women we must connect our issues and our movements within and across borders. This week provides women from around the world the opportunity to join together locally and across nations to hold our governments accountable to the promise and commitments of the Beijing Platform for Action", she emphasized.

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The Ms. Foundation for Women, Inc., founded in 1972 with headquarters in New York City, is the first and the leading national women's philanthropy. We lift women's and girls' voices and promote their power to create a more equitable society. The Ms. Foundation for Women provides approximately $4 million in grants and practical training to community-based and national activist women's organizations throughout the U.S. each year. Our support makes these organizations stronger and more capable of driving social change and public policy advances in the areas of health and safety, economic security, and women's and girls' leadership. The Foundation is the creator of the award-winning national public education program, Take Our Daughters To Work(r) Day, which began in 1993 and evolved to Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work(r) Day in 2003. For more information about the Ms. Foundation for Women, please visit our Web site at http://www.ms.foundation.org. Media Contact: Alice Leeds, Director, External Communications 212-709-4450 office 917-523- 5029 mobile aleeds [at] ms.foundation.org 120 Wall Street, 33rd floor New York, NY 10005

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