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We are dragonslayers – UNiTE!​

Posted on by admin_mcf
  • CATEGORY: MY CHOICES FOUNDATION

We are Dragonslayers - UNiTE!

Today, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) marks the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Gender-Based violence campaign and concludes on International Human Rights Day (December 10). This year’s theme, UNiTE! Activism To End Violence Against Women and Girls! resonates so deeply with the core of My Choices Foundation.

Brazen violence against women and girls is a sign of the deepening loss of our collective humanity – it is one of the most invisible, but highly prevalent forms of human rights violation across the globe.

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) remains the most widespread and pervasive human rights violation worldwide affecting more than an estimated 1 in 3 women, a figure that has remained largely unchanged over the last decade. The most recent global estimates showed that, on average, a woman or girl is killed by someone in her own family every 11 minutes.

Approximately 736 million women, experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner across their lifetime. Closer to home, 45% of women across Asia and the Pacific experienced domestic violence at least once in their lifetime.

Another staggering fact about innocent children is that around 223 million child brides live in India and 102 million were married before turning 15 - 40% of all child brides globally reside in India. COVID-19 further exposed the deep inequalities with the worst consequences, women and girls across the world faced a pandemic within a pandemic. Every 12 minutes a young girl, as old as 12 years gets trafficked into sexual slavery, getting raped up to 20 - 30 times per day.

Today, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) marks the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Gender-Based violence campaign and concludes on International Human Rights Day (December 10). This year’s theme, UNiTE! Activism To End Violence Against Women and Girls! resonates so deeply with the core of My Choices Foundation.

At the heart of our work are the smiles of the little children, the assured confidence of young girls and incredibly strong women who are making their choices to live lives free of abuse, violence and exploitation.

We, at My Choices Foundation, call ourselves ‘Dragon Slayers’ - a metaphor for our people who go out there every day, slaying dragons in the field.

During a decade of a truly fearless and unstoppable journey, we have travelled thousands of miles and met millions of women and girls. When we see real pain up close, it shatters us into pieces and at the same time gives us tremendous strength. The pain and the sorrow that women and girls face because of the violence and abuse become a force that drives us and continues to remind us to move forward with sheer determination and immense passion every single day.

We have made huge strides to educate and empower girls, women, men and boys about the varied aspects of gender-based violence, but it is still a long way to go.

We, My Choices Foundation, join the UNiTE campaign and continue to shout against all forms of gender-based violence, and we call upon supporters, activists, governments and partners to increase awareness, galvanize efforts, share knowledge and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, but every month and every day.

Nothing can be an excuse for violence against women and girls. We must stand for every woman and girl; for the right to a life free from violence, the right to access to services and the right to be heard and believed. Truly, we can create a free and safer world for girls and women to live and thrive.

My Choices Foundation

This post was authored by the My Choices Foundation communications team. Our mission is to keep you informed on the cause, and hopeful that transformation is possible one story at a time.

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4th Asian Anti-Trafficking Forum Opens With A Renewed Ambition To Combat Human Trafficking

Posted on by admin_mcf
  • CATEGORY: MY CHOICES FOUNDATION

4th Asian Anti-Trafficking Forum opens with a renewed ambition to combat human trafficking

We discussed on cross-sectoral collaborations and harnessing the power of data to address the current challenges of human trafficking, encourage a coordinated action and scale up solutions for maximizing results on the ground encouraging an even more coordinated action and scaling up of solutions.

The three-day event was kicked off on the eve of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with the launching of our Impact Report: A decade of fearless glow with our strategic partners from Quantium, International Justice Mission, Kin Nepal, Justice Ventures, Aide et Action International and Implementing Partners from across the country.

We discussed on cross-sectoral collaborations and harnessing the power of data to address the current challenges of human trafficking, encourage a coordinated action and scale up solutions for maximizing results on the ground encouraging an even more coordinated action and scaling up of solutions.

Convening under the theme, Strengthening Partnerships and Accelerating Technology to combat human trafficking, the 4th Asian Anti-Trafficking Forum of My Choices Foundation will bring together grassroots level organisations, government officials, women’s rights activists, counsellors, policymakers to share knowledge, combine strengths and amplify collective efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking.

In her keynote address, Elca Grobler, Founder of My Choices Foundation stated, “Trafficking is a swirling vortex; the vortex wields a soft pull which manifests into a strong force and innocent families and children get sucked into it. It is dangerous and we all know it” and she emphasized “the time for going slow, being complacent and staying quiet is no longer an option and our work is a proof to that. The silence on abuse against women and children has been broken with our strong partnerships and our joint force is building a stronger and everlasting safety net for all our girls.”

Entering the 11th year, My Choices Foundation has always been known for its bold and pioneering approach to fighting human trafficking, particularly women and child trafficking for the purpose of labour and sexual exploitation. Elca Grobler and our strategic partners released a comprehensive ten-year impact report ‘A decade of fearless glow’. “We never lost sight of our mission. Our 10-year impact report is more than a summary of the action. It is solid proof that when a group of committed and passionate people come together, we can make a difference. We believed that 10 years ago and we will continue to believe that for many decades to come”, Elca commented.

My Choices Foundation is at the forefront of change and progress, moving the fight forward against trafficking in the spirit of unity and collaboration.

My Choices Foundation

This post was authored by the My Choices Foundation communications team. Our mission is to keep you informed on the cause, and hopeful that transformation is possible one story at a time.

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Your donations make it possible for us to give women and girls the choice to live a life free from violence and exploitation.

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