Tapora and Sarah are going to New York

Dear friend,

Tapora is one to the courageous women on their way to the UN next month, thanks to your help.

A few days ago I introduced you to two of the most extraordinary women I’ve ever met.

Tapora and Sarah live in Papua New Guinea. They are women’s rights champions in a land where women are frequently regarded as second class citizens at best; raped as retribution in tribal conflicts at worst. Now, thanks entirely to your overwhelming generosity, Tapora and Sarah will be boarding a plane to New York to publicly hold their government to account at the United Nations.

Thank you for making this happen. I’ve often reflected, sometimes in between moments of anger and tears, how PNG women endure some of the most horrifying crimes I’ve come across in my role as Stop Violence Against Women Campaigner. But that only makes my admiration for courageous women like Tapora and Sarah that much greater.

And I am not alone. Here’s a small selection of the hundreds of inspiring messages you left for Tapora and Sarah, which I have personally shared with them today:

Thank you for your example of strength and courage. It is through the example set by inspirational women like you that we have hope for our own daughters.

It is an honour to be offered the opportunity to support your work for a world that works for all. Thank you for all that you do.

Stay strong and put your message to the leaders of our world. The way I see it: we're all in this together.

Your courage and resilience in the face of hostility and brutality are an inspiration.

It's easy for me to lend financial support but I could never find your courage.

You make a way for women everywhere doing what you're doing, it makes me proud to be a girl when strong women like you stand up and make such a difference.

This week Sarah and Tapora took part in a training session to prepare for their journey of a lifetime. They were excited, nervous even, but never daunted. The truth is, it’s a long way from the highlands of Papua New Guinea to the centre of global diplomacy - but with you standing alongside them, shoulder to shoulder, they’re ready for the great challenges that lie ahead.

Once more, on behalf of Tapora, Sarah and all the women of Papua New Guinea: thank you. I know that hearing these women’s powerful testimonies is absolutely vital to pressuring officials and taking our campaign to the next level - and it simply couldn’t have happened without you.

Hannah Harborow
Stop Violence Against Women Campaigner
Amnesty International Australia

PS. The only reason the PNG Government is even discussing their efforts to curb violence against women is because of the tireless work of women like Tapora and Sarah -- and sustained pressure from supporters like you. If you would like to continue to support this campaign, there’s still 12 days left to make your tax-time donation towards our work defending the rights of men, women and children around the world.