Ambassador Perry's Speeches

Elimination of Violence Against Women

Remarks for Ambassador June Carter Perry
Elimination of Violence Against Women
Event at the U.S. Embassy
Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 10:00 AM

Good morning distinguished panelists,
Ladies and gentlemen

Thank you for joining us today to discuss an issue that is very close to my heart – an issue which affects millions of people around the world. 

Sierra Leoneans know too well the destruction that violence can bring to a society.  The people of Sierra Leone worked tirelessly with the international community to end a decade of horrific violence that wrenched apart the very fabric of society here.  Just two months ago, you did the unbelievable, completing an election and a civilian to civilian transition of authority that was free of violence in a system marked by transparency and accountability.

Today, though, we are here to talk about violence that remains, violence that too often lives beneath the surface of society, unnoticed or unacknowledged.  Violence against women tortures not only the victim, but the victims’ families, friends, and loved ones as well.  In the United States alone, millions of women are subjected to domestic abuse, sexual assault, and other gender-based violence every year. 

As the President said last month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity to renew our commitment to preventing domestic violence and to assisting those who suffer from its devastating effects. Safe families are indispensable to a stable society, and they should be a place of support to instill responsibility and values in the next generation. When a family member is abused, it can have long-term damaging effects on the victim that leave a mark on family, friends, and the community at large. Our society must continue to work to prevent domestic violence and help create a loving and stable environment for our children and grandchildren.

Violence against women does not occur in a vacuum.  Equal status for women in society is the key to ending gender-based violence.  Ensuring that women have the ability to speak their minds, vote their consciences, engage in commerce and trade, own land, and serve their country in government or military service is essential to creating a society where all people are equal.  Also, women must have access to resources, health facilities, and support networks so that they are never in a situation from which there is no way out.

The United States government has a long-standing commitment to the elimination of violence against women and to gender equality in general.  In Sierra Leone, we have a Democracy and Human Rights Fund grant to an organization in Kono called Male Association for Gender Equality (MAGE).  The project's goal is to sensitize men and boys on the extent, forms, and impact of gender-based violence in communities in the Kailahun and Kono Districts to promote gender equality.  They approach the issue from a unique perspective, exploring the role of men and boys as perpetrators of violence against women and girls and the possible causes of their behavior.  The project aims to change male attitudes and behaviors, in the hopes of changing them.

Our US Agency for International Development goals in Sierra Leone fund numerous economic development and empowerment programs on women and youth.  We believe that by empowering women in Sierra Leone, we will enable them to speak out for themselves against violence and other forms of abuse. 

Access to health facilities is as important as any other efforts to better the status of women in Sierra Leone.  Women need to have the ability to get help when they are injured, but also to maintain their health in general.  The United States has played a leading role in the worldwide efforts to combat AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis as a founding supporter of the Global Fund, as well as through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  Our commitment to the health of society in general and of women in particular grows stronger each year. 

I urge you all to take the issue of violence against women close to your hearts.  We look forward to continued partnerships with the women and men of Sierra Leone who are working hard to end gender-based violence.  Now, I would like to invite three of those people to give us a sense of the work they are doing here.

Thank you very much.