World Relief Honors International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
November 25, 2019
CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
Lauren.carl@pinkston.co
703-388-6734
World Relief Honors International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
BALTIMORE – World Relief rejects any violence against women, and remains committed to fighting this violence by honoring the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and giving equal opportunity to women through all its programming.
One in three women has or will face physical abuse or violence during her lifetime – often at the hands of intimate partners. Much of this violence goes unseen, and oftentimes cultural shaming or broken systems contribute to ensuring those who suffer stay silent. To bring awareness, the U.N.’s General Assembly declared November 25 as a day for governments, NGOs and other international organizations to raise awareness of the plight of many women around the world.
Joanna Kretzer Chun, program resource team director with World Relief, commented: “According to the U.N., the cumulative effect of violence against women of reproductive age has caused more deaths than cancer and results in more ill effects than both malaria and traffic accidents. This is unconscionable. We can and must do better. At World Relief, we believe that women are created in the image of God. We are committed to fighting for a better future for women and girls around the world. We believe our world is a better place when women’s voices are heard, which is why in 2020 we are putting a new emphasis on women’s leadership locally and globally by ensuring they are at the table when decisions about program strategy, design and implementation are being made.”
During 2018 and 2019, over 11,000 women and men in Malawi and Burundi participated in World Relief’s couple strengthening groups, Families for Life, challenging long held norms that devalue women and improving couple’s communication. In 2018, through World Relief’s Savings for Life program, over 90,000 women gained tools to manage their finances. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, nearly 4,000 youth were trained in sexual and gender-based violence awareness. In Rwanda, World Relief’s partnership with Starbucks empowered 13,000 women to flourish through clean drinking water, healthy homes, safe relationships and economic opportunity. And in FY 2019, 1,179 women and girls were resettled by World Relief through the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program.
“Our programming and services are tailored to alleviate and prevent suffering around the world. Empowering women is one of the first steps to achieving this goal,” commented Jenny Yang, World Relief vice president for advocacy and policy. “Whether in refugee resettlement or through savings groups or Families for Life, when we equip one woman to take ownership of her health, resources and – most importantly – her voice, for herself and her family, that’s where we see flourishing take root.”
For more information about how you can partner with World Relief to empower women around the world, visit worldrelief.org.
Download the PDF version of this press release.
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About World Relief:
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world’s most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.
Learn more at worldrelief.org.