North Carolina

We recently completed our second annual 5K walks to raise funds for the UN Trust Fund.   Through UN Trust Fund to end violence against women, UNIFEM has distributed more than $50 million to 304 initiatives in 121 countries since 1997.   UN Trust Fund project support the implementation of national laws, policies and action plans that address ending violence against women and girls.   For instance: In Cambodia, the Fund supports a women's organization created a radio program to inform their listeners of laws and services to protect women from violence.  Prior to the broadcast, two thirds of their listeners did not know that marital rape was a crime.; In Albania, the Fund support national and regional coalitions that combat trafficking of women and girls.; In Chile, Rwanda and India, the Fund projects are engaging men to find solutions and to end gender-based violence. Join the Say No campaign and take an action today.   UNiTE with others to end violence against women and girls.   E-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org if you want to join us for the spring 2011 walks/runs in the RTP and Wilmington area.    We hope to have the 5K walk/run at the Hugh McRae Park in Wilmington and at the Al Buehler Trail at Duke University in Durham again.   See the photos from 2010 walks.   We also want to thank the sponsors again!

How does the simple act of planting trees lead to winning a Nobel Peace Prize?   What is women's role with the environmental sustainability?   In what ways was the Green Belt Movement also a women's movement?   What is our role with the environmental sustainabilty?  What can an average citizen do to promote sound, beneficial practices and policies toward other countries?  We will answer these questions and more at the film screenings of  "Taking Root" .

"To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves"    Mahatma Gandhi

"It is the people who must save the environment.   It is the people who must make their leaders change.   And we cannot be intimidated.  So we must stand up for what we believe in."    Wangari Maathai

Taking Root tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate  Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy - a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration. Planting trees for fuel, shade, and food is not something that anyone would imagine as the first step toward winning the Nobel Peace Prize.   Yet with that simple act Wangari Maathai, a woman born in rural Kenya, started down the path that reclaimed her country's land from 100 years of deforestation, provided new sources of food and income to rural communities, gave previously impoverished and powerless women a vital political role in their country, and ultimately helped to bring down Kenya's twenty-four-year dictatorship. In 1981, Wangari Maathai received a grant from UNIFEM for a reforestation and employement project.  UNIFEM's support helped thousands of women to plant millions of trees, and the movement jump-started a glboal call for "development by the people, rather than for the people".

Participate in one of the screenings listed below and celebrate the International Day of Peace with us.

Chapel Hill
Date/Time: Tuesday September 21st 6:30PM
Location: Auditorium, Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, UNC Chapel Hill (click here for direction)

Raleigh
Date/Time: Tuesday September 21st 6PM
Location: Campus Cinema, Witherspoon Student Center, North Carolina State University (click here for direction)

Wilmington
Date/Time: Monday September 20th 7PM
Location: Randall Library Auditorium (2nd floor), UNC Wilmington (click here for campus map - building FL is the library)

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The board members of North Carolina Chapter of UNIFEM/USNC are volunteers elected by North Carolina Chapter members to lead the organization.  The board positions are two-year term and the election is held in May. Please e-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org if you are interested in serving as a board member.

 

Younghee Overly

President

 

Elaine Burgwyn

Secretary

 

Dana Mangum

Treasurer

 

Jean Billman

Vice President of Research Triangle Park Area

 

Gloria Monroe

Vice President of Wilmington Area

 

Linda Schrum

Vice President of the Greater Charlotte Area

Local Programs and Events:

In collaboration with our partners, we host educational and fund raising events September through May in various cities in North Carolina.   Last fall, we showed "Prayed the Devil Back to Hell", a documentary film that chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end the bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country.    This fall, we will be showing "Taking Root", a documentary film telling the story of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner and UNIFEM recipient Wangari Maathai.  Find out more about this event.   During the spring, we walk and run together to raise funds for UN Trust Fund to end violence against women and girls.   Find out more about the walks we just completed.

This year, we are starting a new program:  "serve locally for a global cause".   We want to partner with local organizations focused on environmental sustainability, ending domestic violence, ending the spread of HIV/AIDS, and developing women leaders.   E-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org for more information and to see if we can partner.  

National Programs and Events:

Several of us from the North Carolina Chapter are attending the UNIFEM/USNC 2010 Annual National Conference in NYC on June 11th and 12th.   UNIFEM-USNC is partnering with The National Council for Research on Women to present this conference with a focus to build collaborations to understand the intersections between violence against women and key social investiments: the economy, health and education.  Next year's UNIFEM-USNC Annual National Conference will be here in Raleigh, North Carolina at North Carolina State University on June 11th, 2011.   If you are an organization in North Carolina focused on ending violence against women and want to see if we should partner for the UNIFEM-USNC 2011 Annual National Conference, e-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org.   If you are an individual or someone representing a philanthropic organization or a business or academic institution interested in sponsoring the UNIFEM-USNC 2011 Annual National Conference, e-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org.

Global Programs and Events:

Ten representatives from the UNIFEM-USNC North Carolina Chapter and WomenNC attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW) and NGO Committee on the Status of Women in NYC in March.   The UN CSW undertook a 15 year review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action,  an agenda for women's empowerment.    Emphasis this year was placed on the sharing of experiences and good practices, with a view to overcoming remaining obstacles and new challenges, including those related to the UN Millennium Development Goals.  UN Member States, representatives of non-governmental organizations and UN entities participated in the session.  A series of parallel events provided additional opportunities for information exchange and networking.   We plan to attend UN CSW and NGO CSW again in 2011 in NYC.   E-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org if you want to join us.

WomenNC hosted several parallel sessions where four university students from North Carolina reported on their findings on CEDAW, North Carolina laws on domestic violence, best practice on solution to domestic violence, and women's health.   Learn more about WomenNC sessions.  

We want to thank the local businesses and organizations listed below who are sponsoring our second annual walk-a-thons.   We will be recognizing all the sponsors on this website and other communications.   We will also be recognizing the gold sponsors by putting their logo/names on the T-shirt given to the walkers.   Thank you again! 
 

E-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org if you are interested in sponsoring our 2011 annual walks or partnering with us.

An Restaurant 
Arbonne International
Bijuju
Carolina Woman Magazine
Clear Connections, LLC in Hillsborough
Digital Security Inc in Chapel Hill

Duke University Medical Center - Vascular and Interventional Radiology

EAP Accounting

Elliott Technologies

The Fresh Market

Great Harvest Bread Company

J&F Gemelli
Keva Juice
Kim's Asian Market in Raleigh
Lady of America

Lee Brothers Tae Kwon Do
The Links, Incorporated
LucyDog Jewelry

Margaux's Restaurant
McAlister's Deli
News and Observer
Pomegranate Books
The Printery

Psychotherapy Resources Network

Rex 3west Sharing Fund
Saffron Restaurant

Starbucks
Trader Joe's
Try Sports
Village Cleaners
yellowDog Creative

 

 

We just added our third newsletter, winter and spring 2010 edition.   We hope you will use this newsletter to keep yourself up-to-date with recent news and information about the upcoming events.   We also shared a list of books and referenced films we cherish for our minds and hearts.  We hope you will share resources you discover with us as well.

 

E-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org if you want to subscribe to the newsletter.

 

Sincerely,

Estelle Cohen and Susi Michelau

North Carolina Chapter Newsletter Editors

 

 

 

 

 

North Carolina Chapter of UNIFEM/USNC, a chapter of United States National Committee for UNIFEM, is a 501c3 not-for-profit, all voluntary organization whose goals are to educate the public, raise fund, and advocate for US policies to support UNIFEM mission. North Carolina Chapter was launched in June 2008.

Join North Carolina Chapter of United States National Committee for UNIFEM Facebook Group to be informed of North Carolina Chapter's upcoming events and to engage other like-mind citizens of North Carolina to stop the plights of women and girls across the world.  There is no fee to join this facebook group.

 

In collaboration with our partners, we host educational events and fund raise events September through May in various cities in North Carolina.   We have our annual film screening in plan for September in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Wilmington.   We will be showing "Taking Root", a documentary which tells the story of Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner and an UNIFEM recipient.  Find out more. 

E-mail us at northcarolina@unifem-usnc.org if you want to get involved and/or if you want to subscribe to our newsletter.