* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *
13 February 2002
ACT 77/001/2002
28/02
"When I left class... to get home, I was confronted by some
officers, about 11 men... The first officer slapped me, kicked me
and then I saw what looked like a gun butt coming... When I woke
up in a dark room everything was gone... For 13 days, I was raped
by I do not know how many men." (Female student interviewed in
Liberia, April 2001)
Between Valentine's Day (V-Day) on 14 February and
International Women's Day on 8 March, tens of thousands of
Amnesty International student activists will be linking up with
one of the most radical political, social and theatrical
campaigns of 2002 - - the V-Day College Campaign to end violence
against women and girls
In collaboration with the International V-Day College
Campaign -- part of the V-Day movement -- students in over 25
countries will be campaigning for a 12-year-old girl reportedly
raped by a public official still in office in Guatemala, women
political detainees tortured in Lebanon, students raped by
government security forces in Liberia and Turkish activists on
trial simply for speaking out against rape in custody.
"This is a really exciting opportunity for us to show our
solidarity and take action for women who have been abused. Until
women are free, none of us are free," said Jeselle M. Papa, a
student activist coordinator from the Philippines.
Among highlights of the campaign will be an Amnesty
International action campaign at performances of Eve Ensler's
play "The Vagina Monologues" in the Philippines, an awareness
raising campaign in Togolese schools, street actions in
Venezuela, and an exhibition arranged by students in New Zealand
which will be launched by Governor-General Dame Sylvia Cartwright
on International Women's Day.
"We are campaigning for governments to honour their legal
obligations to prevent violence and discrimination against women.
Governments must send a clear message to perpetrators of violence
against women that they will be brought to justice " Amnesty
International said today.
Background
Youth and students make up over half of the global Amnesty
International membership which exceeds 1 million.
The international student campaign is part of Amnesty
International's ongoing commitment to Women's Rights. The theme
of Violence Against Women is increasingly becoming a very
important issue for the organization.
The V-Day College Campaign brings student productions of
"The Vagina Monologues" to colleges and universities around the
world to raise awareness about violence against women and girls
and funds for local anti-violence groups and women's
organizations. The "V" in "V-Day" stands for victory over
violence, Valentine's Day and vagina.
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