(This post is from guest-blogger TonyaJ, who sent this as a comment - but it needed to be a post. Here also are a couple of featured links: the Nothing But Red book project to benefit Equality Now and Amnesty International's International Violence Against Women Act. )
On May 20, 2007, Joss wrote a stunning essay about Du'a Khalil Aswad's murder, violence against women depicted on film, and violence against women in general. Because of this impassioned plea for sanity in the world, I started doing more, a little at a time. I joined Equality Now awhile back and contribute "X" dollars a month to their causes. I write blogs once in awhile on subjects that are meaningful to me and try to be more aware and compassionate about what is happening to people, every single day.
Joss's essay: Let's Watch A Girl Get Beaten To Death.
It's also on the main page of this blog.
I received the email below last Friday morning, the 28th. Below the text of the email are three links; one is to a gathering honoring Du'a Khalil and other women who were victims of honor killings, as well as what you personally can do to honor Du'a on April 7th, 2008, the anniversary of her murder. Last is a link to a discussion blog:
From The International Campaign Against Honour Killings
Date: Saturday 12 April, 2008
Time: 5.00-9:00pm
Address: University of London Union (ULU)
Room 3D, Malet Street London WC1E 7HY
Closest underground: Russell Square
Hello,
A year after the world was stunned by images of a 17 year old girl being stoned to death in Iraqi Kurdistan; an international panel will debate the rise of honour killings, violence against women, gender apartheid and political Islam in Kurdistan/Iraq and the Middle East.
The high profile speakers are women’s rights activists, academics and experts from Kurdistan, Iraq, Iran, Sweden, New Zealand, and Britain and include:
• Dr Sandra Phelps: Head of Sociology Department, Kurdistan University
• Houzan Mahmoud: representative of Organisation Women’s Freedom in Iraq
• Heather Harvey: head of women’s campaign-Amnesty International in UK
• Maryam Namazie: Spokesperson of Equal Rights Now
• Maria Hagberg: Cofounder of Network against Honour Killings in Sweden
• Azar Majedi: Chair of Organisation for Women’s Liberation in Iran
• Chair: Maria Exall, Communication Workers' Union National Executive in UK
For more information and to confirm please contact the organiser:
Houzan Mahmoud, houzan2007@yahoo.com Tel: 07534264481
Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq - Abroad representative
Also:
• 7th April: A day against 'honour' killings - What you can do
• Conference in San Francisco: Violence Against Women, Honor Killings
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(from QuoterGal: I haven't been at all active on this blog... got all strikey-involved and then there's that other RL stuff... but if you send me comments, I will post them as guest blogs...)
