Coalition I-VAWA Toolkit(1)

8/12/2019 Coalition I-VAWA Toolkit(1)

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The International ViolenceAgainst Women Act

(I-VAWA)

Action ToolkitCoalition to End Violence Against Women and Girls

Globally

20 !-20 "
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=S7HuH9ExQ_g2ZM&tbnid=a3vR86fhgX6dFM&ved=0CAgQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nowcleveland.org%2F&ei=4fJOU6a1HdTTsASOnICYBA&psig=AFQjCNHrXdmzPInXoebquWyFBMRbz45gsQ&ust=1397769313555196http://womenthrive.org/


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Table o# Contents

) $ackgro%nd on I-VAWA &age !

2) 're %ently Asked %estions &age *

!) Take Action #or I-VAWA-+nline actions &age ,- end an email action to yo%r net.orks &age /- ocial media strategy &age -1aking calls to yo%r 1embers o# Congress &age 0- am&le cos&onsor letter to 1embers o# Congress &age

- am&le thank yo% letter to 1embers o# Congress &age 2- am&le blog &ost &age !- am&le o&inion editorial &age "- am&le letter to the editor &age *

") Thank o% #or Taking Action #or I-VAWA3 &age 4

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$ackgro%nd on I-VAWA 20 !

An estimated one out of every three women worldwide will be physically, sexually or otherwise abused duringher lifetimewith rates reaching 70 percent in some countries. Violence against women and girls includesharmful practices that range from rape to domestic violence, to acid burnings and dowry deaths, and so called!honor "illings.# Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, a public health epidemic and abarrier to solving global challenges such as extreme poverty, $%V&A%'( and violent conflict. %t devastates the

lives of millions of women and girlsin peacetime and in conflictand "nows no national or cultural barriers.)ost importantly, it must end.

%n August of 20*2, the +.(. government released its first ever U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond toGender Based Violence (Strategy). he (trategy is largely derived from and has long been a core componentof the %nternational Violence Against -omen Act % VA-A/ and its release is a historic and unprecedentedeffort by the +nited (tates to address violence against women and girls globally.

%n 20* 20*1, the % VA-A will direct the +.(. government to implement its (trategy to reduce violence against women and girls in at least five countries where it is severe. nhanced data collection and transparency ofresults is a core component of the bill that ensures accountability and the continued use of best practices. he% VA-A recogni3es that violence intersects with nearly every facet of women4s lives and therefore supportshealth programs and survivor services, encourages legal accountability and a change of public attitudes,promotes access to economic opportunity pro5ects and education, and addresses violence against women andgirls in humanitarian situations. he % VA-A also emphasi3es support and capacity building for local women4sorgani3ations already wor"ing to stop violence against women and girls.

he % VA-A ma"es ending violence against women and girls a top diplomatic priority. %t permanentlyauthori3es the 6ffice of lobal -omen4s %ssues in the (tate 'epartment as well as the position of theAmbassador at 8arge for lobal -omen4s %ssues, who is responsible for coordinating activities, policies,programs, and funding relating to gender integration and women4s empowerment internationally, this includesthose intended to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.

)ore specifically, the % VA-A would do the following9

Increase 5egal and 6%dicial 7rotection to Address Violence Against Women and Girls8

he % VA-A focuses on establishing and supporting laws and legal structures that help prevent andappropriately respond to all forms of violence against women and girls. mphasis is placed on promotingpolitical, legal, and institutional reforms that recogni3e violence against women and girls as a crime and trainpolice and the 5udiciary to hold violators accountable and to respond to the needs of victims. his includeshelping women and girls access the 5ustice sector and ensuring that they are safe and supported throughoutthe legal process.


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Increase 9ealth ector Ca&acity to Address Violence Against Women and Girls8

he % VA-A will integrate programs to address violence against women and girls into already existinghealth programs focused on child survival, women4s health, and $%V&A%'( prevention, care, andtreatment. %t ta"es a holistic !systems# approach and emphasi3es enhancing the capacity of the healthsector to assess the impact of violence on a woman and girl4s health and help her protect herself fromviolence.

Change ocial :orms to End Violence Against Women and Girls8

he % VA-A focuses on preventing violence by changing community norms and attitudes about theacceptability of violence against women and girls. %t will support public awareness programs to changeattitudes that condone and at times encourage violence against women and girls, and will emphasi3ecommunity based solutions. :or instance, activities supported by the % VA-A could include programs thatorgani3e women and girls who are survivors of violence to spea" out publicly or wor" with male leaders to helpother men and boys become more supportive of respectful and non violent relationships.

Increase Women;s Economic +&&ort%nity and Ed%cation8

he % VA-A focuses on reducing women and girls4 vulnerability to violence by improving their economic statusand educational opportunities. mphasis is placed on ensuring women4s access to 5ob training andemployment opportunities and increasing their right to own land and property. his would allow them topotentially support themselves and their children. he legislation also addresses the rights of women and girlsto wor" and go to school free of sexual coercion and assault.

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World Health Organization

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're %ently Asked %estions

8 What is the International Violence Against Women Actiolence against .omenand girlsiolence against .omen and girls a ma?or &roblem 6> A?%IA %6?4( (% ? >J, GH6+> 6> A?%IA %6?J

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+.(. >epresentative @an (cha"ows"y has 5ust re introduced the %nternational Violence Against-omen Act % VA-A/ and (enate action is anticipated in the coming wee"sE % VA-A is legislationthat will support on the ground efforts around the world to reduce violence against women and girls.

7lease take a moment to ask yo%r 1embers o# Congress to s%&&ort this im&ortant bill Binsertonline action link 8

he numbers are staggering9

+pwards of 70 percent of women in some countries will experience violence in their lifetimes. ach year, around million girls and womenor some F,000 girls each dayface the ris" of

female genital mutilation or cutting. An estimated * 0 million to *10 million girls and womenhave already undergone the practice.

%n some countries, as many as 0 percent of women report that their first sexual experience was coerced or forced. he younger a woman was at the time of sexual initiation, the higherthe chance that it was violent.

'ort%natelyD yo% and I can hel& make the .orld sa#er #or .omen and girls8

he %nternational Violence Against -omen Act would provide essential support for proven strategiesto prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. And it would bolster the efforts of

women and men around the world who are wor"ing to reduce gender based violence in theircommunities.

Take action no. Binsert online action link and hel& s%&&ort &assage o# the InternationalViolence Against Women Act8

ender based violence is a global problem, but you and % can play a special role in ma"ing the worlda safer place for women and girls. 7lease take action no.8

-ith ratitude,

GH6+> 6> A?%IA %6?4( (% ? >J

ocial 1edia trategy

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elow are some guidelines and sample messages for :aceboo" and witter. =lease feel free to changeaccording to your own issues and audience9 %ndividuali3edmessages do wor" better.

o accompany your social media content, you are welcome to usethe % VA-A graphic to the right. he graphic can be downloadedhere9 http:b it.ly/190tQrG .

'acebookam&le '$ &osts (to &ost on organi ational or &ersonal&ages)

Violence devastates the lives of millions of women and girlsin peacetime and in conflictand "nows no national orcultural barriers. G%4m & -e4reJ encouraging )embers of ( ?A 6>&> =J support M%VA-A today9http9&&bit.ly&**Onwl) M-omens>ights

.NG%?( > ( ?A 6>&> =J % support the rights of women and girls globally, do youL (upport M%VA-A today9Glin"to online actionJ

han"s to NG%?( > ( ?A 6>&> =J for Ghis&herJ leadership and hard wor" to end Mgenderbasedviolence.M%VA-A

-orldwide, *; 7*P of women aged *; 1K reported physical&sexual violence by an intimate partner at some pt intheir lives. M%VA-A

An estimated ;,000 adolescent girls and women are "illed by family members in the name of honor every year.(upport M%VA-AE =ls > .

-omen and girls who experience Mgenderbasedviolence can be agents of change with support. M%VA-A

*0
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1aking Calls to o%r 1embers o# Congress

7lease %se the belo. sam&le scri&ts to call yo%r enators and yo%re&resentati>e and ask them to cos&onsor I-VAWA today3

o% can reach the Ca&itol .itchboard at 202822"8! 2

*./ elephone calls are usually ta"en by a staff member. As" to spea" with the aide whohandles women4s issues or foreign affairs issues.

2./ After identifying yourself as a constituent, tell the staffer that you would li"e to leave a briefmessage.

H7lease tell e&resentati>e enator JJJJJJJJJJJJ that I s%&&ort the International ViolenceAgainst Women Act8K

./ As" for the position of your )ember of


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am&le 5etter to 1embers o# Congress 7lease Cos&onsor I-VAWA

Please feel free to utilize the follo ing sa!ple letters to "e!bers of #ongress$ blog post$opinion editorial and letter to the editor as% ritten O& use the te't as e'a!ples to (raft youro n indi)idualized )ersions that fit your issues and audien(e.

am&le 5etter to 1embers o# Congress (Cos&onsor I-VAWA)he $onorable G:irst ?ameJ G8ast ?ameJQQQQQQQQQQQQQQG%nsert the 6ffice Address of your )ember of


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LL+r ask other gro%& members and constit%ents to add their names and address to oneletter8LL

am&le Thank o% 5etter to 1embers o# Congress

he $onorable G:irst ?ameJ G8ast ?ameJG%nsert the 6ffice Address of your )ember of


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am&le $log 7ost

9el& to& Violence Against Women World.idey GHour ?ameJ

very day, women and girls around the world are sub5ect to physical and sexual violence. ender basedviolence "nows no physical or cultural boundaries, occurring in times of war and peace and in every singlecountry around the world. (hoc"ingly, rates are as high as 70P in some countries.

$%t this is a &roblem .ith a sol%tion8

he +.(. government has a critical role to play in preventing and ending gender based violence worldwide.And )embers of epresentative @an (cha"ows"y ' %8/ and soon to be introduced in the (enate,

represents a crucial step in stic"ing up for and empowering women and girls worldwide.

he %nternational Violence Against -omen Act % VA-A/ integrates violence prevention and response into+.(. foreign policy and supports proven programs that can reduce violence against women and girls.

6n any given day, horrifying news stories about such violence appears across the news9

he systematic rape of women in the 'emocratic >epublic of


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8et your )ember of espond to ender ased Violence lobally. his comprehensive strategy improves existing aid programs

with the goal of helping to prevent and reduce violence against women. his effort must be sustained through passage ofthe %nternational Violence Against -omen Act. % as" Gyour )ember of


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(upporting the %nternational Violence Against -omen Act is in the +nited (tates4 interests as well as being the right thingto do. -e must all ma"e our voices heard. ell lawma"ers to do more to stop violence against women and girls across theglobe.

am&le 5etter to the Editor

o the ditor9

:rom Afghanistan and )exico to %ndia and gypt, violence against women and girls is one of the world4s most pervasive human rights abuses and a tremendous and costly problem9 it destabili3esfamilies and communities, bloc"s economic progress, and impedes one out of three women

worldwide from creating better lives for themselves and their families.

8ast year, the +.(. government too" a "ey step to support millions of women and girls by releasing itsfirst ever +.(. (trategy to =revent and >espond to ender ased Violence lobally. hiscomprehensive strategy improves existing foreign assistance programs with the goal of helping to

prevent, reduce and ultimately end violence against women.his effort must be sustained through passage of the %nternational Violence Against -omen Act %VA-A/, a bill that will ma"e existing efforts to stop violence against women more integrated, effectiveand efficient, placing women at the center of +.(. diplomatic efforts where % believe it belongs.

% as" Gyour )ember of


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Thank o% #or Taking Action #or I-VAWA3

As members and supporters of the

Coalition I-VAWA Toolkit(1)

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Transcript of Coalition I-VAWA Toolkit(1)