"We can’t say, 'Okay, I won’t speak out because nothing will change anyway.' If you remain silent, then it’s true: nothing will change. "
My
name is Rana Husseini and I am a journalist, feminist and human rights
defender in Jordan.
I wrote a newspaper article that broke the silence surrounding so-called “honour killings” in Jordan. Now we are pushing the government to stop these crimes against women – and it looks like public pressure is finally getting the government to take positive action.
Yes, I have received threats because of my work. And I have been called a voice for Western values. But I don’t need anyone in the West telling me that killing a woman is wrong.
We just can’t keep silent about these crimes.
Here are some ideas for how you can get involved in the 10,000 Voices campaign:
- Involve your friends in 10,000 Voices.
- Challenge degrading behavior against women.
- Send an on-line appeal each month.
- Arrange a speaker or public event.
- Support/volunteer with a group in my school of community.
How to …
involve your friends in 10,000
Voices.
- Send an email to your friends and Invite them to visit the www.10000Voices.ca website to get involved.
- Order free “10,000 Voices” sign-on flyers – then distribute these to friends, at your school, at work, in your place of worship, and in resource centres, cafés and bookstores. Sign-on flyers will be available soon - check back here in October 2005.
How to …
challenge degrading behavior against women.
- Support any woman who is subject to this behaviour. Quietly let
her know that if she needs comfort or support, you are here for
her. Don’t take action on her behalf unless she asks you to
do so. Offer kinds of support that let her be in control of the situation.
- If the person committing the abuse is a family member or
friend, calmly confront them. Tell them that you feel their
behavior is
painful, wrong and unacceptable. Encourage them to seek professional
counsel. If they persist, seek advice by contacting your
community Distress Line or Women’s Crisis Centre.
- If you are part of conversation where a woman is being talked about in a degrading way, explain that you feel that this is disrespectful, wrong and unacceptable. Possibly use the opportunity to discuss with your friends the impact on women of these kinds of remarks, and the values and attitudes behind them.
How to …
send on-line and printed appeals to stop violence against women.
- Return to www.10000voices.ca each month to send a new quick online
action.
- Join our Urgent Action Network and ask to be sent appeals focused
on stopping violence against women. Click
here.
- Order free, easy-to-use postcard appeals focused on stopping violence against women. Send them yourself and distribute them to friends. To order, go to Resources for action.
How to …
arrange a speaker or public event on women’s
human rights in your school or community.
- Phone Amnesty International toll-free at 1-800-AMNESTY, ask if
there are Amnesty members in your area and how to contact them,
then (where
there are local members) ask them if they can provide a speaker.
Local Amnesty members are also listed online under “Members” at
www.amnesty.ca.
- Organize a benefit event with musical, theatre or artistic friends – and
contribute the proceeds to Amnesty International’s Stop Violence
Against Women campaign or to a local women’s shelter or self-help
group.
- If you are involved with a sports club, or know someone who is,
arrange for a speaker or discussion focused on building respectful,
healthy identities and relationships.
- Create a publicity “event” by putting up Amnesty’s “Stop Violence Against Women” campaign posters – or distributing campaign flyers – in resource centres, lunchrooms, libraries, bookstores and cafés, fitness centres and pubs.
How to …
volunteer with or support a group in my school or community that
is working to stop violence against women.
- Approach the group of your choice, ask how you can help, then
lend a hand by pledging time each month for a year. To find out
who is working
in your community or school to stop violence against women, look
in the yellow pages under “Women’s Organizations and Services” or
go to www.hotpeachpages.net for agencies in your region.
- Find out what women’s shelters and resource centres exist
in your community, learn about their work, then support the shelter
or centre of your choice with a financial donation.
- Offer your time to an organization that supports youth. Become a mentor or friend to a young person to assist them in learning how to develop a healthy identity and healthy relationships.
