Africa UNiTE | To End Violence Against Women & Girls

“Climb-Up – Speak-Out” – Africa UNiTE Climbers reach the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to commit their countries to end violence against women and girls

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Josephine

On March 5, 74 climbers representing over 36 African countries are sent off by the Tanzanian President, the Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children, Members of Parliament, UN Women Deputy Director and Assistant Secretary General John Hendra, the Africa UNiTE Organization Team and a vibrant audience of media, local partners, NGOs and stakeholders to fulfill an extraordinary mission: climbing up the highest mountain of Africa within three days to speak out and send out a loud, Africa wide call for the elimination and zero tolerance of violence against women and girls from 5895 meter above sea level! Read more…

Find more information about the Climb at: Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb, Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb say no, Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb FEMNET, Five Questions for Five Climbers

See more pictures of the climb at: Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb Flickr, Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb Facebook

Watch the Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb Video, Video& article The Parlatones participated in the climb- mtv / music for good

Cameroonian Climber follows up on commitments and convenes public forums around the country – read full article…

See below more information about the Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb Youth Leadership Forum and Solidarity Events to the Climb!

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Numerous Parallel Activities and Solidarity Events all over Africa support the Africa UNiTE Mount Kilimanjaro Climb in Tanzania, March 5-9

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Josephine

The Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb, which took place from March 5-9 in Tanzania, was accompanied by a series of parallel events and solidarity actions at the foot of the mountain as well as in a variety of other African countries from March 1-11.

Public forums, exhibitions involving local women groups, civil society and survivors of violence were organized in Arusha and Marangu at the base of Kilimanjaro.

See more information on: International Women’s Day Celebrations supported by the East African Community-EAC / Pictures; Parallel Event organized by SOAWR/ Pictures FEMNET; Solidarity Advocacy by FEMNET/ FEMNET facebook

A three days Youth Leadership Forum prior to the climb gathered over 55 young activists from over 35 African countries to develop empowerment strategies to increase the participation and leadership of youths in ending violence against women and girls in African societies. The forum culminated in the adoption of a ‘Commitments to Action’ Youth Declaration and the foundation of a Youth Network that will cooperate with the Africa UNiTE Secretariat until 2015. Read more about the Youth Leadership in the post below…

In Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Kenya, the Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb was supported through solidarity climbs, walks and runs in Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Kenya, involving thousands of people from all walks of life.

Find more information about the Solidarity Events at: Solidarity Climb in Cameroon, Solidarity Climb in Burundi, Solidarity Climb Ghana, Solidarity Walk in Kenya, FEMNET Report

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Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb Youth Leadership Forum prior to the climb mobilizes young African generations to take the lead in ending violence against women and girls

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Josephine

The Youth Leadership Forum prior to the Africa UNiTE Mount Kilimanjaro Climb kicked off from March 1-3 in Arusha,Tanzania, gathering more than 55 motivated young women and men active in promoting gender equality, women’s rights, and ending violence against women and girls from all over Africa to discuss about violence against women and girls. The vibrant debates of the youths addressed current issues affecting youth in Africa, linking them to the social root causes of the pervasive and persistent crime of violence against women and girls, and proofed their determination and leadership to develop new sustainable and successful approaches and strategies to tackle violence against women and girls in their countries!

In their declaration “Commitment to Action to End Violence against Women and Girls” the participants of the Africa UNiTE Youth Leadership Forum committed themselves to substantively contribute and work towards the achievement of the 6 outcomes of the Africa UNiTE Campaign, strengthen their networking, advocacy, social mobilization, generating and sharing knowledge and take measures to monitor, evaluate and report on the results of the campaign in their various regions and countries. They also agreed on the establishment of an Africa UNiTE Youth Network, which will be opertionalized within the next 3 months and is meant to ensure the close cooperation and effective long term involvement of youths of all African countries in the Africa UNiTE Campaign.

Read full articles: Day 1 of the Forum, Day 2 of the Forum

Read full text of Africa UNiTE Youth Forum Declaration/Commitments to Action…

See article on the drafting process of the declaration… See comment of the Declaration Drafting Team…

Find out more about the impressions of some participants…, presentation on the International Year of the Youth 2011…

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Regional Stakeholders Commemorate International Women’s Day under the theme ‘Empower Rural Women- End Hunger and Poverty’

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Josephine

On March 15, 2012, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the United Nations System in partnership with the African Union participated in a symposium in commemoration of the 2012 International Women’s Day. The symposium, whose theme was ‘Empower Rural Women: End Hunger and Poverty’, was organized by the UNWOMEN Liaison Office to AU and AUC Women Gender and Development Directorate on behalf of the members of the Gender and Development sub-cluster of the Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) namely, FAO, ILO, OHCHR, UNAIDS, UNECA,UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNOAU, and WFP. The purpose of the symposium was to share innovative strategies and success stories in empowering rural women, and their contribution to ending hunger and poverty. Read full Press Release…

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UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet’s message for the International Women’s Day 2012 under the theme “Empower rural women: End hunger and poverty”

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Josephine

“Nowhere are disparities and barriers greater than in rural areas for women and girls. Rural women and girls comprise one in four people worldwide. They work long hours with little or no pay and produce a large proportion of the food grown, especially in subsistence agriculture. They are farmers, entrepreneurs and leaders, and their contributions sustain their families, communities, nations and all of us. Yet they face some of the worst inequities in access to social services and land and other productive assets. And this deprives them and the world of the realization of their full potential…” Read Michelle Bachelet’s message…

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Meet the Africa UNiTE Mount Kilimanjaro Climbers!

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Josephine

The Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb mobilized 74 climbers representing over 36 African countries from all regions. North, East, South, West and Central African representatives will climb Kilimanjaro in less then 10 days – from March 5 to 9. They will endeavour to reach the top of the mountain on March 8, flagging out the commitments of their respective countries!

Tanzanian Officials, Celebrities, Journalists, representatives of the UN, AUC and other organizations will be accompanying the country climbers, amounting to more than 100 climbers!

See here the List of Climbers… Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climbers – 24 Feb 2012

See also the list of the bios and statements of the climbers…See Bios and Statements of Climbers…

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“Climb up – Speak out!” Insight Article on the AFRICA UNiTE KILIMANJARO Climb (5-9 MARCH)

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Josephine

In collaboration with its partners, the Africa UNiTE Campaign is organizing the first ever advocacy historic Climb to Mount Kilimanjaro, with climbers representing each African country. Over 36 African Countries from Central Africa, North Africa, West Africa, East and Horn of Africa, Southern Africa and Ocean and Indian Islands have confirmed their participation and commitment to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro from 5-9 March. Climbers are expected to reach arrive at the peak of the mountain on the 8 March 2012 which coincides with International Women’s Day where the Africa commitments will be read out…read more…

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Route for the Climb

Posted on February 18, 2012 by agnes

Day 1 Marangu to Mandara Hut 9,000 feet

Day 2 Mandara to Horombo Hut 12,500 feet

Day 3 Horombo to Kibo Hut 15,500 feet

Day 4 Kibo Hut to Summit, Descent to Horombo Hut.

Day 5 Horombo Hut to the Park Gate.

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Parlotones to participate in Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb

Posted on January 13, 2012 by agnes

Parlotones www.theparlotones.net a famous South Africa music band with double platinum status, global and national multi awards and nominees for best band and best selling CD, will be participating in the Africa UNiTE Kililmanjaro Climb from 5-9 March to render their voice to ending violence against women and girls.

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Africa UNiTE Kilimanjaro Climb 5-9 March

Posted on January 13, 2012 by agnes

‘CLIMB UP, SPEAK OUT!’

Make a Climb that Counts : Contribute to Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. Africa UNiTE Campaign, the regional component of the UN Secretary General’s Global UNiTE Campaign launched in 2010, is organising a historic climb to Mount Kilimanjora representing a climber from each of the 54 African countries to raise global awareness on ending violence against Women and Girls and seeking national commitments from all African Governments to be implemented by 2015.

Africa UNiTE Mount Kilimanjaro Climb Brochure

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UNiTE Campaign

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.

Through UNiTE, the UN is joining forces with individuals, civil society and governments to put an end to violence against women in all its forms.

Africa UNiTE Campaign

Africa UNiTE is the regional component of the United Nations Secretary General's Global Campaign and a continent-wide partnership to end all violence against women and girls. We are speaking up and speaking out in order to prevent violence, provide services to survivors and promote justice The overall objective of the Campaign is to mobilize and support governments in fulfilling their commitments to end violence against women and girls. To this end Africa UNiTE has held national and sub-regional launches, regional and sub-regional level consultations across Africa, involving national policy makers and major media outlets, among others.

SAY NO-UNiTE to End Violence against Women is a global call for action,
launched in November 2009, on ending violence against women and girls. It
is presented by UNIFEM as a contribution to advance the objectives of
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's campaign UNiTE to End Violence against
Women through social mobilization. UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman
is the Spokesperson of Say NO.

The UN Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women
(UN Trust Fund) was established by UN General Assembly resolution 50/166 in
1996 and is managed by UN Women on behalf of the UN system. The UN Trust Fund
is the only multilateral grant-making mechanism exclusively devoted to
supporting local and national efforts to end violence against women and girls.

UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action) unites the
work of 13 UN entities with the goal of ending sexual violence in conflict.
It is a concerted effort by the UN system to improve coordination and
accountability, amplify programming and advocacy, and support national
efforts to prevent sexual violence and respond effectively to the needs
of survivors.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's UNiTE to End Violence
against Women campaign aims to prevent and eliminate violence against
women and girls in all parts of the world.UNiTE brings together a host
of UN agencies and offices to galvanize action across the UN system to
prevent and punish violence against women. Through UNiTE, the UN is
joining forces with individuals, civil society and governments to put
an end to violence against women in all its forms.

UN Agencies and Offices are UNiTED