See the historic trip you made possible
Dear friend,
 You made it happen: see how two courageous women took their stories to the United Nations. © Tim Bell Last week I had the honour to accompany Sarah and Tapora – two extraordinary women’s rights activists from Papua New Guinea – to the United Nations in New York. There, they did something that took remarkable courage: they looked their government in the eye, and with the international community watching, told the truth.
From the seat of global diplomacy, Sarah and Tapora spoke frankly about their government’s systematic failure to protect women and girls from harrowing rates of sexual and gender-based violence. Being in the room, I can tell you that because of these women’s powerful testimony, top-level officials took notice – and committed to proper funding for women’s shelters and new laws against domestic violence.
You made this trip possible. Click here to see Sarah and Tapora's report back for yourself.
We’ll be keeping up the pressure on the PNG Government to transform their words into action. But now top level officials know first-hand the reality behind the statistics, and the women of PNG know you’re standing with them. After I delivered your 40,000-strong petition, Sarah and Tapora shared your messages of solidarity with officials in an intimate meeting, where they spoke openly about the issues facing women in their country.
Because of you, Sarah and Tapora will return home with a different message for the women, men and children of PNG: women matter; we have rights and we will not suffer in silence anymore. It may be a long road, but as Tapora says, “a foot in [the door] is a mile for the women of PNG. Many miles.”
Watch the video of their historic journey now, and hear the heartfelt thanks directly from Sarah and Tapora.
Thank you for making this possible,
Hannah Harborow
Stop Violence Against Women campaign
Amnesty International Australia
PS. Our campaign doesn’t stop here. Next week I’ll be at the Pacific Islands Forum to advocate for the rights of women and girls not only in Papua New Guinea, but throughout the region.
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