Candice Knezevic's blog

Next Monday, March 8, will mark International Women's Day. It’s a global day during which women and men around the world join together to highlight the accomplishments of women, as well as call for their political, economic, and social empowerment. 

Here at the Enough Project, we believe that the key to a peaceful and prosperous future in Congo is the protection and empowerment of its women. That’s why we launched the RAISE Hope for Congo campaign a year and a half ago – to make this goal a reality.

But we think that a day is just not enough to celebrate the accomplishments of women in Congo and around the world, as well as advocate for their empowerment. So we’ve decided to celebrate International Women’s Day all month long. 

We’re kicking off our celebration with a march and rally on the Arlington Memorial Bridge here in Washington, D.C. on March 8 as part of Women for Women International's "Join Me on the Bridge" campaign, which strives to unite societies and people in peace across the world.

We will march in solidarity with women from around the world, and in particular, with women from Rwanda and Congo, who will also join together in peace on a bridge between their countries to demand an end to war and to demonstrate that women can build the bridges to peace and development.

After the march, we’ll listen to inspiring remarks from Congolese and women's empowerment advocates. Sign up to attend here.

If you’re not in the D.C. area but want to attend a rally, check out Women for Women’s website for rallies in your neighborhood, or download a toolkit to learn how you can host your own rally. 

Then the following week, on March 17, tune in for a special episode of NBC’s hit show, Law & Order SVU, which will highlight the issues of violence against women and conflict minerals in Congo. 

I hope you’ll join us this month in celebrating and empowering women in Congo and around the world. This truly is the most pressing cause of our time, and we owe it to our sisters, nieces, daughters, and granddaughters to stand up now and act.
 

Candice Knezevic is the campaign manager for RAISE Hope for Congo.

Technorati Tags: Advocacy Conflict Minerals Eastern Congo Prevention Protection Sexual Violence Violence Against Women

Don’t miss Nicholas Kristof’s column today in the New York Times. He writes about Lisa Shannon, whom he met up with in the city of Bukavu, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Inspired by an Oprah episode about the rape epidemic in Congo, Lisa ran 30 miles to raise sponsorships for Congolese women through Women for Women International. What started as a lone run has since become a global movement that has provided a lifeline to thousands of Congolese women and their children. (There’s also a moving video accompanying Kristof’s piece about Lisa and some of the sisters she sponsored.)

I’ve gotten a chance to get to know Lisa over the years, and I am constantly in awe of her drive and passion. She is a relentless warrior for peace in Congo. I recently spoke at a Run for Congo Women event with Lisa in Portland, Oregon. During the event, Lisa pointed out her mother, Ann, whose support she says is instrumental in the work that she does.  In fact, Ann is meeting with her senator today to push him to sponsor the Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009. 

What’s so great about Lisa’s story is that she and her mother are shining examples of how each of us has the power to make an immeasurable impact on this world. When Lisa decided to do that first run, she had no idea that she would one day be at the helm of a global effort to support Congolese women, be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, or have a Congolese baby named after her.  But she took that blind leap of faith – she turned her compassion into action. And it has paid off. Yet Lisa’s story also involves countless other actors – from the Oprah producer, who pushed to do a show about rape in Congo that ended up inspiring a movement, to Lisa’s mother, whose commitment to helping others and looking beyond her borders inspired her daughter to go out and make a difference in the world.

No matter your station in life, you have the unique ability to impact the world. What may start out as one small action could turn into a global movement. It’s the “butterfly effect” of social activism. It may not be obvious, and sometimes it requires a blind leap of faith, but it’s at your fingertips.

To learn more about how you can take action for the women of Congo, visit www.raisehopeforcongo.org.

Photo: Lisa Shannon with the Congolese Lisa named after her, and the girl’s mother. (NYTimes/Nick Kristof)

Technorati Tags: Advocacy Eastern Congo Protection Sexual Violence Violence Against Women

I just had the incredible opportunity of meeting the woman who inspired me to pursue a career in human rights.

When I was a sophomore in college many years ago (I won’t say how many), I had the opportunity to attend the Nobel Peace Laureate Conference. I was so incredibly inspired by the stories shared by the Dalai Lama, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Betty Williams. But it was something that the phenomenal Jody Williams said that has stuck with me to this day and inspired me to dedicate my career to promoting human rights. She said, “Tears without action are wasted sentiment.” It was at that moment that I decided to dedicate my career to acting on the issues that I care deeply about. Her words made me realize that empathy alone wasn’t going to cut it. I needed to do something.

So you can imagine my excitement when I attended a luncheon yesterday hosted by The Institute for Inclusive Security, and sitting at the table next to me was none other than Jody Williams. As I rushed to her table to introduce myself when the luncheon ended, it dawned on me that those words are more relevant than ever. Congo’s women do not need more sympathy. They need action. They need to feed their children. They need to be able to walk safely to the market. They need health care. They need education. All of us can help meet those needs. 

So the next time you find yourself shedding a tear for the women of Congo, please match that tear with an action. It will be action, not tears, that will flood Congo with change.

Learn how to take action for Congo’s women here.

Learn more about Jody Williams’ Nobel Women’s Initiative here.

Technorati Tags: Advocacy Eastern Congo

It’s that time of year to pull out your holiday wish list and add to it the myriad things you’ve been dreaming of. I’m about to move into a new place with an underwhelming kitchen, so for me, it’s a new dishwasher. I know—not that exciting. For you, maybe it’s a new necklace. (Or a new iPod or a Nintendo Wii.)  Whatever your pleasure, chances are you or your loved ones have a new gadget or jewelry on the wish list.

But before you join the throng of holiday shoppers, here’s something to consider. The chances are all too high that the gadget or gold watch you’ve been lusting after was manufactured with Congo’s conflict minerals.  As a recent 60 Minutes episode pointed out, Congo’s multi-year, catastrophic conflict is fuelled by a mad scramble for its natural resources—namely gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum—which wind up in our jewelry and electronics products.  So if you end up spending money on a new gadget or jewelry this holiday season, there’s a good chance that a piece of the profit is flowing to some of the world’s worst human rights abusers.

So what to do?  The good news is that it is possible for companies to make conflict-free products.  By tracing and auditing their supply chains, and then certifying their products as conflict-free, companies can provide you with conflict-free choices.  By purchasing those conflict-free products once they become available, you can help cut off the funding stream for perpetrators of violence and be a part of the solution for peace in Congo.

So ‘tis the season to let the industry leaders know that if they take conflict out of their products, you’ll buy them.  And ask your friends to do the same. We even created a handy little holiday e-card that you can send to your friends to get them involved.

If we create enough noise, we can force companies to listen.  So send our holiday e-card to your friends and family now and help us ramp up the pressure.  Let’s make next holiday season the year we can finally give conflict-free gifts.

Technorati Tags: 60Minutes Advocacy Conflict Minerals Eastern Congo Peace Prevention Sexual Violence Violence Against Women War Crimes

It’s hard to believe that we are nearing the end of 2009.  For Congo, this year has seen a lot of challenges and upheaval, but also perseverance and hope.  That hope is first and foremost a product of the bravery and determination of the Congolese people. But it is also a product of the contributions that you have made to the movement for peace in Congo.  You have helped us achieve so much this year:

* Earlier this year, you conquered the Congo Challenge by recruiting thousands of new activists to the cause and sending tens of thousands of emails to electronics companies urging them to make their products conflict-free.
* In the spring, you submitted dozens of creative and compelling videos for the COME CLEAN 4 CONGO video contest, and helped us spread the word by sharing them with your own networks. As a result, Enough’s COME CLEAN 4 CONGO YouTube channel received over 100,000 views, and the contest videos received over 300,000 views.
* You have helped us change the dialogue on Congo from addressing the consequences of the conflict to tackling the root causes and promoting long-term sustainable solutions.  The media, companies, and our leaders are listening:

•    U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited eastern Congo in August and asserted that "the international community must start looking at steps we can take to try to prevent the mineral wealth from the DRC ending up in the hands of those who fund the violence.”
•    Congress has begun tackling the issue, with the introduction of the “Conflict Minerals Act of 2009” (S.891) in the Senate and the Conflict Minerals Trade Act (HR 4128) in the House of Representatives, both of which have garnered bipartisan support.
•    Enough is in dialogue with 17 of the leading electronics companies, as well as the various industry associations, who all report a spike in calls, emails and letters from consumers about this issue. In response, several of the largest electronics companies are taking proactive action to urge industry reform and support legislation on Capitol Hill.
•    Several publications have run pieces on conflict minerals, including Fortune Magazine, The Global Post, and CNN.
•    The most successful broadcast in television history, CBS' 60 Minutes, turned its attention to the scourge of conflict minerals in Congo.

None of this would have been possible without you.

We now have a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the momentum you have already built and make 2010 an even more successful year for the movement for peace in Congo.  Now is the time to turn the pressure up on our leaders and get the conflict minerals legislation passed into law, as well as get the Obama administration to articulate and execute a sustainable, diplomatic strategy in Congo.  Now is also the time to turn the pressure up on companies that for too long have benefited from Congo’s misery while turning a blind eye to their culpability.  If we make enough noise, companies will have no choice but to clean up their supply chains so that Congo’s worst human rights abusers aren’t turning a profit on the suffering of the Congolese people.

So as the New Year approaches, I hope that you will continue to raise your voice for Congo and stand in solidarity with the millions of women, men and children that are fighting for peace.  If we work together and stay persistent, we can and will make a difference for Congo.

Photo: Three Congolese women. (Enough/Sarina Virk)

Technorati Tags: Conflict Minerals Eastern Congo Peace Prevention Sexual Violence Violence Against Women

If you happened to catch 60 Minutes last night, then you know that not enough has been done to ensure that our consumer purchases, such as gold necklaces and cell phones, aren't fueling some of the world's worst human rights abusers in Congo.  Last night's "Congo Gold" episode revealed how the mining of gold and other conflict minerals fuels Congo's war, the deadliest in the world.  Now learn how to stop it.

Join us tomorrow for a special discussion with Enough’s John Prendergast, International Rescue Committee's Brian Sage, and Run for Congo Women’s Lisa Shannon, to get an update on the humanitarian crisis, find out what's being done to end the scourge of Congo's conflict minerals, and learn how you can be a part of the solution.

Date: Tuesday, December 1
Time: 4:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. PST
Congo's Conflict Minerals Conference ID: 44050208
Toll-free Dial-in: 887-254-9825
International Dial-in: 281-913-8965

Photo: A gold miner in eastern Congo (Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly)

Technorati Tags: 60Minutes Advocacy Conflict Minerals Eastern Congo Prevention Sexual Violence Violence Against Women

Tomorrow, we will recognize Matthew Smith of Bend, Oregon, who produced the COME CLEAN 4 CONGO contest’s winning video, “Life Should Be Free,” in a star-studded event at the Hollywood Film Festival.

Actor Emile Hirsch, women’s advocate Muadi Mukenge, and Enough’s own John Prendergast will discuss the world’s deadliest war in Congo as part of the Festival’s first-ever human rights symposium, which will focus on ending violence against women in Congo. Actress and COME CLEAN 4 CONGO guest judge Sonya Walger, as well as YouTube’s Steve Grove, will present Smith with his award.

Smith’s video adeptly expresses the urgency of the cause and leaves viewers with a resounding call to action that is hard to ignore.

During the panel discussion Hirsch, Mukenge, and Prendergast will talk about the ongoing conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the resulting epidemic of rape, and one of the key drivers of the violence there: the illicit trade in Congo’s conflict minerals that wind up in our cell phones, laptops, and other electronics products. They will also discuss how we, as American citizens and consumers, can be a part of the solution that will bring lasting peace to Congo.

The Enough Project partnered with YouTube in May to launch the COME CLEAN 4 CONGO contest as its first-ever Video for Change campaign. Enough and YouTube challenged the YouTube community to create one minute videos that raise awareness about the link between our cell phones and the violence in Congo. We received dozens of creative and compelling videos from all over the country, and those videos received hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.com. True to form, the contest kick-started what has become a growing global movement to end the scourge of Congo’s conflict minerals.

So before you turn off your computer, I encourage you to take at least two minutes to make an impact for Congo. Share Smith’s video with 10 of your friends and encourage them to join the movement. As a consumer and a citizen, you are part of the solution.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area this weekend and would like to attend the Ending Violence Against Women in Congo symposium at the Hollywood Film Festival, click here to register. 

Technorati Tags: Emile Hirsch Sonya Walger

Matthew Smith of Bend, Oregon, for his exceptional video “Life Should Be Free,” which creatively shows the links between conflict minerals used in our cell phones and the war in Congo, the deadliest since World War II. As the winner of the Come Clean 4 Congo video contest, launched in May by Enough and YouTube, Smith and a friend will be VIPs at the Hollywood Film Festival in Los Angeles this fall.

The idea for the video, says Smith, came from a recent trip to the Congo where he saw first hand the tragic impact that conflict minerals have on the Congolese people. He created the video with a small team of volunteers committed to making a meaningful impact in the Congo. "We entered this contest because we have all been moved by the suffering in the Congo,” said Smith. “We want to use our gifts and creativity to help raise awareness and bring hope to the people in Congo."

"Life Should Be Free" will be screened at a human rights symposium at the ArcLight Hollywood Cinemas. Actress Sonya Walger from ABC’s "Lost," and Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics at YouTube, will present an award to Smith at the symposium, which will feature a panel of expert speakers to address the issue of violence against women in Congo.

The Come Clean 4 Congo video contest was the first installment in YouTube’s new Videos for Change program, and YouTube’s Steve Grove commended the winner for the example he set. "We're extremely pleased with the caliber of submissions that the contest received," said Grove. "We hope that Matthew Smith's entry will inspire other YouTube users to use their cameras to shine a light on issues that are underexposed." Check out all of the submissions on Enough's YouTube channel.

The video contest is part of Enough’s RAISE Hope for Congo campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the crisis in the Congo and empower the women and girls who continue to be targets of horrific sexual violence in that country.

Technorati Tags: Advocacy Conflict Minerals Eastern Congo Peace Prevention Sonya Walger

UPDATE: We have a winner! Just as soon as we notify him/her, we'll let you know who it is. Check back soon...

...

There are just hours left to vote for the best video in the Come Clean 4 Congo YouTube contest. Voting ends at midnight tonight, so vote now for one of three semi-finalists that our celebrity judges selected. All of the videos do an exceptional job of creatively addressing the links between the trade in conflict minerals that we support through our insatiable demand for electronics devices and the sexual violence that has made eastern Congo the most dangerous place in the world to be a woman or girl.

Vote for your favorite here and help send the winner down the red carpet at the Hollywood Film Festival, where the video will be specially screened.

We’ll tally the votes tonight and announce the winner tomorrow.

Technorati Tags: Advocacy Conflict Minerals Eastern Congo Peace Prevention Protection Sexual Violence Violence Against Women

With less than a week left in the Come Clean 4 Congo video contest, it’s time to cast your vote and help decide who should win the grand prize and be flown to Los Angeles for the Hollywood Film Festival.

From the many excellent videos we received, our celebrity judges – Oscar-nominated actor Ryan Gosling, actress Sonya Walger from Lost, and Oscar-nominated director Wim Wenders – narrowed the field down to three. Now you can help decide which video is the best.

Voting ends next Tuesday, September 8th, and the winner will be announced the next day. The creator of the winning video will be flown to Los Angeles in October, where the video will be screened at the first-ever human rights symposium during the Hollywood Film Festival at the ArcLight Cinema.

When the Come Clean 4 Congo video contest launched last spring, contestants were asked to create videos that illustrate the links between the sexual violence plaguing eastern Congo and the trade in conflict minerals that power our cell phones and laptops. Many people submitted videos to the contest, and some celebrities and members of Congress even decided to create videos to raise awareness about the scourge of sexual violence in Congo. Check out the full collection of videos at the Enough Project’s YouTube channel.

Technorati Tags: Advocacy Eastern Congo Protection Sexual Violence Violence Against Women War Crimes