U.S. Ambassador celebrates 100th International Women's Day

March 8, 2011 | New Delhi

In honor of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer participated in a community domestic violence awareness event near Sunder Nagar Nursery.  Hosted by human rights organization Breakthrough and Nizamuddin community group The Hope Project, the Ambassador gave brief remarks to local women, including those engaged in innovative micro-enterprises.  He also saw a short domestic violence awareness skit performed by street performers and toured Breakthrough’s innovative Bell Bajao! video van.

Following the event, Ambassador Roemer remarked, “It was an honor to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day with Breakthrough and The Hope Project.  Much progress has been made advancing women’s rights in the past 100 years.  Today, women in both our countries play significant leadership roles in government, business, security and much more.  In my travels throughout India, I have seen that when women are given real opportunities to succeed, their children, families, and communities are all thriving.  We must continue to invest in girls and women, open doors and break glass ceilings for the benefit of all of us.”

Expanding the social, economic, and political rights of women worldwide is a top foreign policy priority of the Obama Administration.  The United States and India have partnered in the Women's Empowerment Dialogue to exchange best practices on enhancing women's empowerment, and senior officials of both nations also participated in the successful Vital Voices Asia Women's Summit held in New Delhi this past September. 

Breakthrough has effectively utilized the Bell Bajao! campaign to help prevent and stop domestic violence in India, and has mobilized more than 75,000 youth and community members to spread awareness of this issue. Based in India and the United States, Breakthrough addresses critical global issues including violence against women, sexuality and HIV/AIDS, and immigrant rights and racial justice. Now in their 11th year, the group strives to empower individuals and communities to stand for universal human rights by using multimedia tools that transform hearts and minds.

The Hope Project was started in 1980 by Sufi teacher who was touched by the extreme poverty of the people living near the mausoleum of his father. The Hope Project strives to help the poor help themselves and currently runs a community health centre, a creche, a non-formal school, vocational training courses, a thrift and credit program, and a women’s micro-enterprise unit.