According to Amnesty International, USA, women and girls often face gender-based discrimination that puts them at increased risk of poverty, violence, ill health and a poor education. The Ozarks chapter of Amnesty International has scheduled a series of events for the week of April 23-28 to raise awareness of these issues and to encourage people to take an active role in helping end the inequality.
The first event will take place on Monday, April 23 when the group will be showing a film on Sexual Trafficking. Co-hosted by the Psychology Club, the documentary film will explore what some call a modern-day form of slavery. The film will be shown at 7 p.m. in the Baldor Auditorium and will be followed by a discussion.
On Tuesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 26, Amnesty Members will hold an urgent action campaign outside of the cafeteria to promote Native American Women’s Rights. Statistics indicate that Native American and Alaska Native women in the United States face domestic and sexual violence at drastically higher levels than other women. The “Maze of Injustice” report compiled by Amnesty International revealed that 1 in 3 Native women will be raped during their lives and 2 in 5 women in Native communities will suffer domestic violence. The campaign will run from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
“Lend a hand to women in need” is the theme of an exhibit of student art work that will also be on display during the Urgent Action Campaign on Tuesday and Thursday. The exhibit will also be shown outside the cafeteria on Friday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, the film “Miss Representation” will be shown in Baldor Auditorium. Co-sponsored by the Ozarks Amnesty Chapter and Sigma Alpha, the Ozarks Sociology Club, this film explores how the writer and director Jennifer Siebel Newsom believes that the media’s misrepresentations of women have led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence.
The week’s events culminate with the annual Stop Violence Against Women Walk. The walk will proceed down College Avenue, through Main Street in Clarksville, and back up College Avenue to the campus. Participants should meet at the flag pole at the campus entrance at 4 p.m.
Convocation credit will be available for students who attend selected women’s rights events. For more information on any of these events or to find out how you can support women’s rights, contact Cinthya Grillo, with the Ozarks Amnesty International chapter at cgril8326@ozarks.edu.
Topics: Community Service