Support Feminist Abolitionism: Support This Conference on Sexist Trafficking and HIV/AIDS

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What follows was sent to me today by email. Thank you, to Sandra Walter. All that follows is the content of her email.

Greetings

With great enthusiasm, we wish to invite in partnership with IHDPI (Greece Investment & Tourism Board) and Garant foundation, individuals, groups, youths and organization to be part of our forthcoming combined international conference on “Human trafficking and spread of HIV” taking place in Seattle - United States of America and Athens - Greece.

The combined conferences are of two segments:

The first segment shall commence on the 19th July till the 23rd of July 2010, at Waterfront Auditorium 192 Harbor Avenue. S.W.Seattle, WA 98126 USA.

The second segment shall commence on the 26th July till 29th of July 2010 at the Pavilion Theatre, Sintgama 12, 54128. Athens - Greece.

This gathering is a venue to share data and information on the issue of sex, trafficking of women and children from various researches, case studies and individual experiences. It is also a venue to come up with unities and resolutions to effectively address immediate and long-term issues regarding sex trafficking and draw concrete plan in international information and education campaign, policy advocacy and the necessary services which can be extended to the women and children survivors of sex trafficking and how to access global fund for the purpose.

The time has come to unite and stand together to expose and oppose sex-trafficking with the continued increase in the number of sex trafficked women and children. We have noticed that this is an incredible means of interacting with different organizations of the world on a particular issue as it affects human trafficking.

The conference aims to:

1.Document data on the human sex-trafficking and spread of HIV based on the context of the global statistics and economic situation.

2.Exchange work experiences with individuals and organizations from other countries undertaking campaign against sex trafficking;

3.Draw a complete plan of action on international advocacy - an international education and public information campaign - on the sex trafficking of women and children.

4. Come up with a standard on service component and recommendations in policy-making bodies both locally and internationally.

Moreover, funding may be provided for individuals from qualifying organizations.
Provisions have been made for all delegates to this event, all round tickets to both venues, feeding and accommodation in USA by our sponsors. All delegates will take care of their feeding and accommodation in Athens, as our resources do not cover that.

Mode of application:

Interested organizations should forward the following information about their organization.

1. Aims and objectives of their organization

2. Organization profile

3. Achievements so far.

Only groups with delegates between the numbers of three and ten selected members would be allowed to participate from each of the selected countries.

Individuals who do not belong to any of the organizations but are interested to participate should form a group of at least three.

Inquiries and submission of application should be forwarded only to conference@ihdpi.org

Yours Faithfully

Mrs Sandra Walter.

A.R.P. Stands in Solidarity with Aida Quilcué, MADRE, and feminist women of color globally

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I live in a beautiful, amazing country with a horribly violent government and callous corporate policies. Both Uncle Sam and Ronald McDonald pretend that they are doing the world a big favor, pretending they are very, very good to the global community they imagine they benefit with services and products that are presumed to be needed. I needn't pick on McDonalds, although their products are contributing mightily to cardiovascular disease. Less obvious a factor in making sure women of color die of cardiovascular disease are all the many white and het male supremacist institutions that add levels of stress to the lives of women of color. All the policies, practices, and products that function to exponentially increase the stress in human lives that are surely not intended to carry that much stress, hence the death rates among various populations of women of color of cardiovascular and other stress-related illness. And, men kill women directly.

What has been especially disturbing to learn is how white men from my country have had a hand in the violence done to women all over the world. I break with those men, politically, and stand with the women of color the world over who are fighting their region's male dominance and global white male supremacy.

My life has changed in the last five years especially, from one where whites and men had been a focus of friendships and social activities to one where strong alliances and friendships with women of color, and some men of color, have blossomed in the last five years. Only a few long-time white female friends and newer white feminist colleagues remain in my life. I have grown increasingly disgusted and intolerant of white male liberalism and humanism and those who espouse these philosophies and the political practices that flow from them. There may well be worse political philosophies, such as white conservatism and fascism. But at least those don't pretend to give a shit about women of color.

I've never put the lives of men before the lives of women in my life, although when involved with men, my days were spent figuring out how to be in romantic relationship to them. It has largely been a waste of my time and energy.

I was feminist-identified by the age of seventeen. Hence no successful romantic relationships with men! lol

Before blogging, I was unfamiliar with many women of color around the world, Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous, who are made to endure conditions I have never in my life experienced.

Here is one story with an update, among the millions of others that my country's mass media won't tell me anything about because it is too busy telling me about allegedly great white men who keep fucking things up.

What follows is from here at MADRE.org.

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MADRE Stands in Solidarity with Indigenous human rights defender Aida Quilcué

Posted on: Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Keywords: Colombia, Latin America, Human Rights Activism, Activist, Indigenous Rights

On December 16, 2008, Edwin Legarda, the husband of Indigenous human rights defender Aida Quilcué, was killed by Colombian army personnel when they fired 17 shots into the vehicle he was driving. Aida Quilcué had recently returned from Geneva, where she testified before the United Nations Human Rights Council concerning violence against Indigenous Peoples in Colombia. Many speculate that the attack was meant for her.

MADRE condemned this assassination after it happened and we now recognize the guilty verdict that was issued late last week against six of the seven Colombian soldiers accused of Legarda's murder. We stand in solidarity with Aida Quilcué, who continued to face death threats and personal attacks throughout the duration of the trial. Despite these obstacles, she remains a leader in the Indigenous community, and MADRE is proud to be able to support her work.