Twelve is a magical age, where life is poised to leave childhood behind while reaching out toward the mysteries of women. Dolls sit on shelves but remain dear friends and babysitting becomes something to strive for, to feed the blossoming feminine need to nurture as well as to earn money for little dreams. Yet on September 11th, for Fawziya Abdullah Youssef (a 12-year-old who should have been a flower girl instead of a child-bride) life ended - awash in pain and blood. Fawziya bled to death after three days of hard labor, a child forced to become a mother before her time. For most WOMEN it is a traumatic experience (pain of any kind for anyone is debilitating) but to force a CHILD to suffer through it for THREE days is a devastating commentary of sadness and disbelief. Yet, Fawziya is not the first Yemeni child-bride, nor is she to be the last. Unless something is done now to educate and legislate changes to protect these girls from the same kind of horrors Fawziya suffered through, thousands more will follow in her bloody footsteps. Without a minimum statutory age, there is no way to even begin to punish those responsible for this sick slavery. This is where the hard working efforts of organizations like Equality Now help to make a difference all over the world. Recent reports find that anywhere between 25% to 50% of the females in Yemen are married off before the age of fifteen - giving them the ghastly earned sobriquet of “the brides of death.” Many li

This week’s Why We Are Here is a special one.  It is dedicated to all of the caring fathers out there in the world.  Equality moves both ways, and we need to remember that when walking and working with our male counterparts in humanity’s symphony.  There are plenty of wonderful courageous men who work hard for equality right alongside the womenfolk and who practice doing the right thing.  At the same time, there are many who have dedicated themselves to learning how to do the right thing, in spite of thousands of years of cultural influence.  It is because of the education and other programs backed by Equality Now (and other worthy institutions) that these seekers of truth and equality have the chance to change the imbalance. I was asked an honest question the other day, about keeping the signal going and if it really worked.   The question was not derogatory; this was not an attempt at knocking the efforts of the quest for equality.  Instead he wanted to know with hope in his voice and heart, if the actions of Equality Now and individuals connected with EN and other viable organizations, really were making a difference.  “Yes!”  I said.  Then I proceeded to give him examples of how Equality Now achieves victories in world law, perception and deed with their impassioned campaigns and illuminating education. In the process of telling and showing, I came across something more.  I found out about the courageous men who are fighting culture and their place

In the past few weeks, I’ve shared some stories about the cold, cruel and unbalanced world around us and the need to keep the signal going.  But what happens when you do speak out?  Do things change?  The answer is yes - they do.  Some change faster than others but action and speaking out do make a difference. That’s why today’s “Why We Are Here,” is about the positive side of working to make the world a better and more equal place.  There are two stories I am going to reference today, where Equality Now has helped justice prevail and the winds of change sweep far and wide. Our first story deals with Zambia and the horrific rape of school girls by their teachers.  Not for the first time, Edson Hakasenke raped one of his students by luring her to his house on the premise of collecting schoolwork.  He threatened her, like so many others, with her expulsion, shame and guilt.  But the girl’s aunt spoke out, forcing the authorities into action. Nonetheless, justice was not swift.  First Hakasenke fled the country.  Then, upon his return, they arrested him but LET HIM GO, citing there was too much delay in the reporting of the crime.  The aunt found a lawyer willing to take the case pro bono, but they were going against a huge hurdle. And this is where Equality Now came into play. Where does the money we raise go?  One place is Equality Now’s Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund.  With this fund they were able to assist the family’s lawyer with

“ . . . Because it’s no longer enough to be a decent person.” - JW This week’s, “Why We Are Here” marks the anniversary of the post which changed my life.  On May 20, 2007, Joss Whedon wrote his impassioned poignant plea on Whedonesque entitled “Let's Watch a Girl Get Beaten to Death.” “ . . . I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red.” - JW For 30 minutes, Du’a Khalil Aswad was stoned to death by more than 20 men (while 2,000 or more looked on) some of them family and friends.  Her own family lured her back, promising all was forgiven, all was well.  Some participants threw rocks with one hand and captured it all on their cell phones with the other.  Security forces stood by doing nothing - and she died in the name of “honor.” Du’a’s crime?  She loved a boy from another faith. She didn’t consummate this love, in fact she died an innocent.  No, Du'a merely defied tradition and stained her family's name with dishonor, JUST BY LOVING THIS BOY.  She became a victim of a real life, perverted twisting of the “Romeo and Juliet” story. AND SHE WAS INNOCENT.  Yet, somehow she was branded EVIL and executed accordingly - and these people, these supposed human beings, believe they are justified and entitled to their sadistic actions. “. . . If we were all told the sky was evil, or at best a little embarrassing, and we ought not look at it, wouldn’t that tradition eventually fall apart?”  - JW Many

Freda Adler, a US author, educator and theorist states: “Rape is the only crime in which the victim becomes the accused.”  Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow of Kismayo, Somalia learned this lesson the hard way - a way that ended in her death. Imagine you’ve been raped by three men on the way to visit your grandmother, and that you are brave enough to report it.   It is hard to put yourself in Aisha’s place isn’t it?  Because rape is a disgusting, uncivilized sickness - one, we don’t like to talk about.  The courage it takes to come forward is almost inconceivable.  Even if the rapist is caught and brought to justice, his victims who survive suffer for the rest of their lives. Aisha and her family came forward seeking help and healing.  Instead she was buried up to her neck and stoned to death by more than 50 men in a stadium - as a thousand others looked on.  She was dragged there, already bruised, violated and terrified at a time when she needed hugs and human compassion.  Then, she was executed for “committing adultery.”

Mother’s Day - we celebrate it on different days around the globe, but it means the same thing.  It is a day when children of all ages say thank you; a day we can tell our moms how special they are and how much we love them. Yet in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, many mothers will only receive meaningless silence and painful tears, instead of flowers and family hugs.  They will not be celebrating with their daughters this year. And indeed for some, ever again. Just across the border from El Paso, Texas, Death struts about performing his horrible magic tricks.  Countless women disappear.  Some have never returned.  Those that do are only recovered as mutilated pieces.  It is as if Death owns the town - and maybe he does.  He certainly seems to have some help from high places, officials and others who cover up, or even worse, ignore his tracks.  Fourteen-year-old Esmeralda Herrera, Seventeen-year-old Laura Berenice Remos Monárrez and twenty-year-old Claudia Ivette Conzález Banda are but three of Death’s victims who will never again get