Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Lima, Peru, on October 15 and 16. In Peru, she met with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation. After her meeting with the President, Secretary Clinton said:
"...The United States and Peru work together on many shared challenges and priorities. We are working together to promote citizen security and to work against the drug traffickers. We are working to support you in your ongoing efforts against the terrorists who have for too long brought violence to too many people throughout… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Lima, Peru, on October 15 and 16. In Peru, she will meet with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation. She will also participate in an international conference on women's financial inclusion -- Power: Women as Drivers of Growth and Social Inclusion -- at which she will deliver remarks to the plenary.
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer… more »
This week's "Photo of the Week" comes to us from USAID/Vietnam's Richard Nyberg, who took this photo in the central highlands of Vietnam on October 9, 2012. The young girl pictured is one of the many ethnic minority girls benefiting from the support of USAID, the East Meets West Foundation, and the people and authorities in Kon Tum, Vietnam.
On Thursday, October 11, 2012, the world marked the first-ever celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child. As USAID noted on its web page devoted to the day, the occasion provides an opportunity for "reaching out and educating… more »
As the world comes together to mark the first-ever International Day of the Girl on October 11, we are filled with hope, but also a sense of urgency. Just this week, a masked Pakistani Taliban militant attempted to assassinate Malala Yousufzai -- a 14 year-old Pakistani schoolgirl -- on her school bus simply for going to school and speaking up for her right and the right of girls everywhere to get an education. This barbaric act reminds us all too painfully that in far too many places, some still don't value girls and want to ignore their fundamental rights as human beings. What is so inspiring about Malala's story is the outpouring of support she has received from every level of her government and ours, and from Pakistanis of all walks of life. So many people from around the world have stood up to say that she is like their own daughter.
Today, on the first International Day of the Girl Child, it's important to remember some of the most vulnerable girls in the world -- those living in post-conflict or other humanitarian settings. The special vulnerabilities of young women and girls -- to early marriage, unplanned pregnancies, gender-based violence and abuse -- can all be exacerbated when the normal protections of organized societies break down during times of conflict or crisis. Humanitarians have a special responsibility to meet the needs of these girls, and the United States is working with our international and non-governmental organization partners to ensure those most in need of protection are not forgotten.
Our humanitarian assistance -- including the provision of health, shelter, nutrition, and water and sanitation programs -- supports the community, the family, and through this the whole child.… more »
As the Olympic and Paralympic Games proved this summer, sports have the unique ability to bring people together peacefully.
As part of its Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports Initiative, the U.S. Department of State brought 18 young female athletes and two coaches from India and Pakistan together recently for the first joint India-Pakistan sports exchange program.
Regardless of their country of origin, these athletes and coaches became a team. They shared laughs, started a new conversation with one another, and encouraged each other to excel both on and off the soccer field.
With a focus on peace building, the India-Pakistan soccer exchange also highlights the importance of using sports as a means of empowerment. According… more »
2012 has been a remarkable year for Burma. Under President Thein Sein's leadership, we have seen electoral reforms, the release of hundreds of political prisoners, the formalizing of diplomatic relations between our two countries, and Aung San Suu Kyi's historic visit to the United States, all of which have brought immense hope and a sense of possibility to the people of Burma and all of us who care deeply about their future. Earlier this year, with colleagues from the State Department and private sector foundation leaders, we visited Burma to shine a spotlight on issues relating to women and girls at this crucial moment in history.
We have no illusions about the future. From a dearth of basic infrastructure, to the many political prisoners still languishing in jail, to the ongoing ethnic violence and continuing human rights violations against women, the road toward… more »
In May 2012, we answered a few of the most common questions about the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in the blog post Five Questions about the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. This blog post follows with additional answers to other common questions about the New Alliance and progress.
1. What has happened with the New Alliance since the G8 announced it at the Camp David Summit in May 2012?
"If half of the world's population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal and social marginalization, our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity is in serious jeopardy. The United States must be an unequivocal and unwavering voice in support of women's rights in every country, on every continent." -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
As a recent graduate entering the workforce, the issue of women's political and economic equality is a major concern for me. After graduation, I joined the U.S. Mission to the European Union's Public Affairs Office, and have been privileged to help advance this core value shared by both the… more »
The days are long for the women of Yeumbeul, a village on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal. But after hours of selling fruit in the market, house chores and caretaking for their families, they flock eagerly to the local community center for evening literacy classes. Among them is twenty-year old Kewe Ndiayea, who dreams of becoming a fashion designer, but was forced to leave the school at age eleven when her family could no longer afford the $2 monthly tuition. Today, literacy classes are helping her make this dream a reality, and now Kewe is determined to become the next Diouma Dieng Diakhate, the Senegalese couturier cum political activist.
The Senegal courses are part of the UNESCO Global Partnership for Girls' and Women's Education, a groundbreaking initiative launched in May 2011 that leverages public-private partnerships to address gender disparities in literacy… more »
Thank you, Jonathan, for this insightful post on World Food Day and the importance of strengthening our efforts as an international community to end world hunger…
more »
Spokesperson Nuland (Oct. 17): "Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Michael Posner, led a 22-member interagency delegation from the U.S. to discuss the full range of human rights issues affecting the country." more »
Oct. 16: Judith Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, held a conversation with Ann Cody, Director of Policy and Global Outreach, BlazeSports; and Kirk Bauer, Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA. more »
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, Peru's President Ollanta Humala, center, and Michelle Bachelet, Chile's former president and U.N. Women executive director, pose for photos at the opening of a conference on women's empowerment in Lima, Peru, Oct. 16, 2012. [AP Photo]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1016_clinton_peru_m.jpg)
![Secretary Clinton boards plane in Beirut, Lebanon, April 26, 2009. [State Department Photo]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0716_clinton_departs_m.jpg)
![With the people and authorities in Kon Tum and implementing partner, the East Meets West Foundation, USAID supports young ethnic minority children in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. [Photo Credit: Richard Nyberg, USAID/Vietnam]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1012_usaid_girl_m.jpg)
![Two Indian girls play on a street on International Day of the Girl Child in Hyderabad, India, October 11, 2012. [AP Photo]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1011_day_of_the_girl_child_m.jpg)
![Girl struggles against sand storm in Darfur refugee camp, Sudan, Apr. 20, 2007. [AP File]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0313_darfur_sandstorm_m.jpg)
![Melanne Verveer, left, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, gestures to Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a press conference after their meeting at her residence, May 6, 2012, in Burma. [AP File Photo]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_1005_burma_women_m.jpg)
![Women and children pick green beans at the Dodicha Vegetable Cooperative in Ethiopia. The beans will be sold to a local exporter, who will sell them to supermarkets in Europe. [USAID photo by K. Stefanova/ Used by Permission]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0927_feedthefutureprogram_m.jpg)
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton in New York City on September 23, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0924_clinton_ashton_useu_m.jpg)
![Image used by UNESCO to promote women's literacy, September 2012. [UNESCO Image/ Used by Permission]](https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121018234210im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0919_unesco_always_m.jpg)
