HERvoices: From Sindh

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kaytee O’Neill, Public Relations Chair, UNIFEM/USA/NCC. 202.721.1530  

 

HERvoices: From Sindh

The National Capital Chapter of UNIFEM/USA

Brings a Multimedia Presentation Highlighting Women’s Stories

to Washington, DC on September 21, 2005

 

Washington, DC, September 7 – The National Capital Chapter of U.S. Committee for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM/USA/NCC) is proud to bring the innovative multimedia project HERvoices: From Sindh to Washington, DC for its Washing-ton DC premiere on Wednesday, September 21 at 7 p.m. to the office of International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) at 2121 K Street, Suite 700. The event also includes a reception and a question and answer session with HERvoices founder, Emma Reinhardt. There is no charge for the event and it is open to the public. Donations will be accepted to benefit the work of HERvoices, Inc.

 

HERvoices: From Sindh is slide-show presentation, in which twelve Sindhi women and girls, ranging from 14 to 90 years old, share their ideas about education, motherhood, global relations, war, and being a woman in the Sindhi province of Pakistan. These women come from different educational, economic, and family backgrounds. In the presentation, one young woman reflects on the then-imminent war in Iraq: “Will we be next?”. Another woman, struggling in a poor family with a domineering husband, explains: “I am proud to be a woman because I can understand the needs of my daughter.” Women from the audience will read these and other Sindhis’ testimonies as the slide show delivers the visual reality of their lives.

 

The idea for HERvoices evolved from founder Emma Reinhardt's experience working in the field of human rights advocacy and nonviolent conflict-resolution research from 1998, including working with groups such as Women Waging Peace, the American Anti-Slavery Group, and the World Sindhi Institute. Throughout her experience, Reinhardt noticed that women in these communities had nowhere to speak or to be heard. This void motivated her to create a safe space for these women to vocalize their experiences and concerns. The voices that emerged proved essential in conducting effective advocacy work and resolving societal conflicts. Thus, Reinhardt created informal quiet corners as well as public programs where those who were being advocated for could tell their own stories.

 

While working with The World Sindhi Institute in Washington, DC, Reinhardt resolved that the Sindhi women must also be included in the advocacy movement. She began collecting personal testimonies from women and girls living in Sindh, Pakistan and created a presentation about their lives. The success of this initial project, "Her Voices from Sindh" helped inspire the founding of HERvoices, Inc. and its first presentation entitled HERvoices: From Sindh.

 

HERvoices, Inc. is a series of touring, multimedia presentations, each of which profiles a different community of women and girls who have not previously spoken about their lives publicly.

 

The Washington DC premiere of HERvoices: From Sindh is sponsored by UNIFEM/USA/NCC, IREX and WSI.

 

UNIFEM/USA National Capital Chapter is one of seven chapters in the United States working to support UNIFEM/USA’s mission of working toward a world where women live free from violence, poverty and inequality. Together with UNIFEM/USA, the National Capital Chapter raises funds and awareness to support UNIFEM’s projects around the world, focusing on reducing feminized poverty, ending violence against women, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls, and achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war.

UNIFEM/USA/NCC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

 

IREX (the International Research & Exchanges Board) is an international nonprofit organization specializing in education, independent media, Internet development, and civil society programs. Through training, partnerships, education, research, and grant programs, IREX develops the capacity of individuals and institutions to contribute to their societies.

 

The World Sindhi Institute’s (WSI) mission is to bring to the attention of the international community to the grave situation in Sindh, Pakistan through nonviolent advocacy, and activist and academic campaigns. With support from contributors and volunteers, WSI strives to achieve human rights and security for Sindhis in a stable Pakistan. WSI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

 

For more information:

HERvoices – www.hervoices.org

The World Sindhi Institute – www.worldsindhi.org

 

If you are interested in co-sponsoring this event contact:

Kaytee O’Neill, Public Relations Chair, UNIFEM/USA/NCC

Email: unifemusadc@yahoo.com Phone: 202.721.1530

 

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