NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sunday, March 8 is the United Nations’ International Women’s Day, and UN Women for Peace – a global organization that supports efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls – will be highlighting the key role of men in this critical issue with major related events, including a luncheon held to honor those dedicated to the cause, and participation in the third annual March to End Violence Against Women in New York City.
“Domestic violence is not a ‘women’s issue,’ it is a man’s issue. By the time it becomes a woman’s issue, it’s too late,” said UN Women for Peace board member and event co-chair Rema DuPont, a passionate philanthropist and activist for equality and freedom. “The luncheon is an opportunity for us to celebrate supporters and activists in the fight to end violence against women. The March is yet another opportunity to call attention to the fact that throughout the world – indeed, even throughout the United States – laws protecting women are inconsistent at best, and weak-to-nonexistent at worst. It is time to mobilize men and women around the world against this issue, regardless of their nationality, race or creed. We turn our attention this year to the role of men – and how they can impact the future of women and girls.”
At the UN Women for Peace annual luncheon on Friday, March 6, themed “Men to End Violence Against Women,” the organization will present a humanitarian award to actor Paul Bettany for his steadfast support of human rights. Mr. Bettany recently wrote, produced and directed the film Shelter, which portrays a homeless woman in New York City. Prominent luncheon attendees will include UN Secretary-General H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon; patron of UN Women for Peace Association, H.E. Mrs. Ban Soon-taek; Natalie Cole; Alexandra Richards; Kelly Rutherford; Richard Lui; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; AnnaLynne McCord; Jennifer Connelly; and Ron Howard.
On March 8, hundreds of men and women in New York City will join individuals in cities around the world in a global march to end violence against women. New York City participants will gather at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at 1:30 p.m., with the march to begin officially at 2:30 p.m. These marches seek to reinforce the importance of worldwide women’s rights, human rights and unity against violence and oppression.
The luncheon takes place at UN Headquarters on Friday, March 6 at 11:30 a.m. More information can be found at: http://www.unwomenforpeace.org/luncheon/. To register for the March, visit: http://www.unwomenforpeace.org/march-in-march. Supporters can demonstrate their unity on social media using the #IWalk4Women hashtag.
Sponsors of The March in March Luncheon include: Bond No.9, CIBJO, CIFA, DOHA Bank, JGROUP, Scientific Humanistic Research Foundation AM, The Sherrill Foundation, Global Citizen Forum and Universal Peace Federation.
About UN Women for Peace Association:
Founded in 2008, under the patronage of H.E. Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, the wife of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN Women for Peace helps to advance the goals of academic and charitable organizations that provide opportunities for women to partake in the global peace building process through social, cultural, educational and women-focused empowerment programs. This global multilateral grant-making mechanism supports local, national, regional and cross regional efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls, and invests much energy toward raising funds for the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. The Impact of the Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women has helped over 3 million people, including 30,000 survivors of violence. One third of all funding went to organizations working with young and adolescent girls.