Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/481579
24 toward applying the principles of C EDAW in local policy. On January 20, 2015, Cities for C EDAW conducted a nationwide phone conference, with over 500 reg- istered participants from across the US. Yvonne Hileman, communica- tions specialist for the Louisville Coalition for CEDAW said of the conference's energy and message: "The call was amazing. Just before we signed off, we were asked to say goodbye as a group, and hundreds of voices chimed in. Ambassadors from Tonga and Croatia spoke to the group about their commitments to CEDAW and about pulling together men at the UN to join the effort." The call was a unifying experi- ence, and only the beginning of an exciting day. That same evening, cities around the United States hosted their own local events to spread awareness and educate the public about CEDAW and local issues pertaining to women and girls. The Louisville coalition hosted a panel discussion and reception. Ensuring Health Panelist Gabriela Alcalde, vice presi- dent of policy and program at Foun- dation for a Healthy Kentucky, spoke about the need for CEDAW in terms of heath care. She said, "We need healthcare facilities and providers that are accessible in terms of location, time, affordability, cul- ture and language, and that demon- strate understanding of cultural populations. The part about women that separates them from men, which often gets to be the only thing men- tioned in health care, is their repro- ductive system, but that's not the only health care that women need. However, it is an area where women get burdened with undue, dispropor- tionate responsibility, and where women suffer more than men. So, it is an important piece to pay atten- tion to." She spoke about advancements in Kentucky as a result of the Afford- able Care Act, and encouraged atten- dees to understand the whole issue, beyond just the topic of "reproduc- tive health care." We live in an era in which women's health is often at the whim of the employer, and until there is equality, women's health will always be jeopardized. Understanding Violence and Prevention Another panelist, Marta Miranda, CEO of The Center for Women and Families, discussed the need for CEDAW from the perspective of the community. With regard to violence against women, she explained, "This is not an individual i ssue. This is a community issue. This is a population health issue. This is a social justice issue. And, it's going to take all of us, regardless of our plumbing, to end it." She went on to say, "It costs the city, in taxpayer money, for one domestic violence homicide, $5 mil- lion. It takes us about $893,000 per year to do prevention. Do the social return on investment, people." She urged attendees to shift their mind- sets regarding violence, pointing out that, "We continue to burden the survivor in asking 'Why does she stay?' as opposed to asking 'Why does she get beaten?'" She encour- aged those in attendance to be more prevention-minded, thinking more about why it is happening in the first place in order to prevent it. Panelist Gretchen Hunt, staff attorney at the Kentucky Associa- tion of Sexual Assault Programs, spoke about the need for CEDAW to help us face the harsh realities of crimes and violence against women and girls. She pointed out that with proper investigation and tracking, the numbers will rise in documented cases. She encouraged attendees to "move past that. It's actually a good thing when you look at a map of Here's What You Can Do Nationally The CEDAW Project is collecting signed postcards to deliver to senators, educating them about the importance of U.S. ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Each postcard has a preprinted message and leaves room for a personal note to your senator. Order enough for your circles and gatherings. Order free packs of 10 from Presbyterian Distribution Service, 800/524-2612; item PWR11227. Locally Urge your city to adopt CEDAW principles. Talk with others in your community who are concerned about ending violence against women and girls. Then meet with local government leaders. Visit http://citiesforcedaw.org for more information, including tips on talking with government representatives. T