News From Washington
Washington File
Dave McKeeby for America.gov: In the wake of Kosovo’s February 17 declaration of independence, the United States has joined many other countries in recognizing Europe’s newest nation. But others still are taking stock of the new state as it moves forward after independence.
Washington -- Kosovo may be Europe’s newest nation, but its significance extends well beyond the region, especially to the Muslim world.
“To be able to secure a Muslim-majority state inside the European whole is a terrific signal that the Muslim world and the non-Muslim world can live side by side in peace and cooperation, one with the other,” says Ambassador Frank Wisner, U.S. special envoy for Kosovo.
Washington -- The “greening” of U.S. campuses is gaining momentum. Many college and university presidents are committing their institutions to a reduction in their carbon footprint -- the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by human activity over the course of a year.
Washington -- It can be a lonely job fighting for women’s rights. But Farhiyo Farah Ibrahim, just 25 years old, has found the fortitude to withstand severe ostracism in her fight for a better life for women in Africa.
Her bravery in the face of rejection by her family and community has won her recognition in the United States: On March 10 she was honored with the International Women of Courage Award.
Washington -- Optimism and trust are in short supply in Mitrovica, a city in northern Kosovo, where the Ibar River divides ethnic Serbs in the north from ethnic Albanians in the south. Despite the fear, bitterness and anger that continue to divide the two peoples, Valdete Idrizi, herself displaced by the violence that has racked Kosovo, defies ethnic hatreds and insists on reaching out to bridge the divide.
Washington -- Human trafficking is big business in the triborder area where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay converge.
The area, known for its porous borders, is a hot spot for diverse criminal activities and has a long-standing reputation for prostitution and sex tourism. Many of those trafficked are impoverished women and children from rural areas who were tricked into involuntary servitude.
Washington – In the first ceremony of its kind at the U.S. Department of State, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice March 7 paid tribute to 10 women from around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership. The honorees represented Afghanistan, Argentina, Indonesia, Iraq, Latvia, Maldives, Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe.
Washington -- Trafficking and women’s health issues are among the priority items for the U.S. delegation at the 52nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
In her remarks at the opening of the session on February 25, Ambassador Patricia Brister, who is leading the U.S. delegation, emphasized the U.S. commitment to fighting human trafficking.
On March 4, at 8:30 a.m. EST (1330 GMT), join Ambassador Patricia Brister to chat about U.S. achievements in advancing the status of women in America and around the world, including the areas of violence against women, health care for women, humanitarian assistance, women’s economic empowerment and women in conflict situations.
News From Washington
Washington File
Electronic Journals
