In commemoration of the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women and the accompanying 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, running November 25 through December 10, the Department of State will host a panel of experts speaking on the critical role of men and boys in addressing this global scourge.

Panelists will include: Ambassador Meera Shankar, Indian Ambassador to the U.S.; Nisha Biswal, Assistant Administrator for Asia, USAID; Anthony Porter, Co-Founder, A Call to Men; Nandini Azad, Chairperson of the Independent Commission for People’s Rights and Development (ICPRD), and Carol Kurzig, President, Avon Foundation for Women. Ambassador Melanne Verveer will moderate the discussion. The panel will highlight actions that governments, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations are taking to address gender-based violence. A short documentary by the NGO ICPRD will be screened, showcasing how men and boys from rural India are using street plays and performances to change negative attitudes against women.

The panel will be held November 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Loy Henderson Auditorium at the Department of State, with live webcasting and online discussion for overseas audiences, and it is open to the press. Guests should arrive at the 23^rd Street entrance.

Media representatives may attend the event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport.)

PRESS CONTACTS:

Nicole Conn
Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues
ConnNR@state.gov (202) 647-6388