On May 16, 2018, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) organized a briefing series exploring each element of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, “Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls Everywhere.”
SDG5 has identified the need to adopt and strengthen enforceable legislation at all levels of government for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. During this event, we explored one specific aspect of legislating to protect and promote gender equality and empowerment: policy solutions to address violence against women in politics (VAWP). Our panel of speakers discussed this from a variety of perspectives, specifically by talking about the personal impact of VAWP, existing legislation to address VAWIP and recommendations for future legislation, including the U.S. Civil Society Working Group’s new policy brief on VAWIP launched at the event. We took a special look at how harassing, abusive and aggressive behavior is affecting women in social media and in online spaces.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee hosted the event, which was moderated by Dr. Chantal de Jonge Oudraat, President, Women In International Security (WIIS). Panelists included:
- Gabrielle Bardall, Senior Gender Specialist, IFES
- Jeni Klugman, Managing Director, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program, Kennedy School, Harvard University
- Luz Patricia Mejía Guerrero, Technical Secretary, Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI), Organization of American States
- Crystal Patterson, Government & Politics Outreach Manager, Facebook