Announcing the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters
December 10, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NNEDV Communications Team (Communications@NNEDV.org)
Washington, DC – The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is thrilled to join our global colleagues in announcing the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters, which will be held in The Hague, Netherlands, November 3-5, 2015.
“Violence against women exists in the U.S. and across the globe because social and political structures allow it,” said Kim Gandy, NNEDV President & CEO. “The 3rd World Conference will build upon the solid foundation of the first two world conferences to strengthen our global movement to end the scourge of gender-based violence – by supporting survivors and victim advocates pushing for systemic change.”
The purpose of the World Conferences of Women’s Shelters is to bring together service providers working to end gender-based violence to nurture relationships across borders, share information and promising practices, and build a global movement that works toward transforming governmental, societal, and community responses to gender-based violence.
The 1st World Conference of Women’s Shelters was held in Canada in 2008. It was the first time advocates around the world came together to network, to share proven innovations, and to learn from international experts and each other. Out of that conference, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) was created. Since its creation, regional networks of women’s shelters have been created in Africa and Asia, connecting shelters and advocates.
NNEDV hosted the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters outside of Washington, DC, in March 2012. More than 1,400 individuals attended from 84 countries to connect, share, and learn about violence against women-related issues that cut across the globe and responses that can prevent and end gender-based violence. Geared directly to service providers and on-the-ground practitioners, the World Conference provides a unique space for practice-based experiential information sharing.
“The energy in the conference was palpable,” said Cindy Southworth, NNEDV Vice President of Technology and Innovation. “It was extraordinary to be able to connect with advocates from all corners of the earth, who are on the front lines of this lifesaving movement.”
The 124 sessions were complemented by appearances of keynote speakers, including HRH Princess Mary of Denmark; former U.S. President Bill Clinton; Reese Witherspoon; U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD); U.S. Ambassador at Large on Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer; Senior Advisor to the U.S President, Valerie Jarrett; and White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, Lynn Rosenthal. Gloria Gaynor closed out the conference with a spectacular performance, singing her empowering anthem “I Will Survive.”
“Today is Human Rights Day – a time to recognize that women facing violence cannot exercise their rights in any sphere,” said Gandy. “The 3rd World Conference will help us build on our global momentum to free our world of gender-based violence.”
Learn more about the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters.
###
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) represents the 56 state and U.S. territorial coalitions against domestic violence. NNEDV is a social change organization working to create a social, political, and economic environment in which domestic violence no longer exists. NNEDV works to make domestic violence a national priority, change the way society responds to domestic violence, and strengthen domestic violence advocacy at every level.