U.N. officials mark campaign against violence against women

U.N. officials on Thursday "joined millions of people around the world who are taking a stance against violence against women as part of the One Billion Rising campaign," the U.N. News Centre reports. "The One Billion Rising campaign, sponsored by the V-day Organization, seeks to mobilize men and women around the world on Valentine's Day -- observed annually in various countries on 14 February -- to raise their voices to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sex slavery," the news service writes, adding, "Dances, protests and panel discussions are being held around the world to mark the event."

In a message to mark the occasion, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "By standing together we can end violence against women and girls and build a world where all live free from harassment and fear. ... This will have benefits that reverberate far beyond the affected individuals as they become empowered to help create a better world" (2/14). The Guardian features a website compiling its coverage of the campaign (2/14). And NPR's "Morning Edition" covered events in New Delhi, where "revulsion over the fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old student deepened the significance of the global campaign" (2/15).