Today, the U.S. Department of State observes the 10th #DayOfTheGirl!The United States celebrates the rights and empowerment of girls and young women in all their diversity around the world. We recognize girls as a growing proportion of the world's population and leaders in their communities, countries, and on the global stage. Girls are a powerful force in the march toward #GenderEquityAndEquality.
On this International #DayOfPeace, we recognize and value the humanity in one another. Together, we can end racism and xenophobia, create a future free from discrimination and hate, and build peace to advance respect for human rights and equity for all. As we invest in democracy, we strive for the highest ideals of peace with the knowledge that we must address global challenges together. Democracy and peace are inherently connected and mutually reinforcing. With so much at stake, we cannot allow conflict and division to hold us back from reaching our full potential. We owe it to future generations to build a foundation of peace, collaboration, and appreciation for the rich value inherent in every human being.
At the #SummitForDemocracy, the U.S. charted an inclusive vision that puts us on the right track to advance tech for, not against, democracies.
To realize that vision, we've proudly joined the Copenhagen Pledge. Get involved: www.techfordemocracy.dk
#YearOfAction
International Day of Democracy - Vice President Kamala Harris
As democracy continues to evolve, we continue to improve it. Whether through government action, civil society pressure, or individuals exercising their human rights, every person has a role in shaping the democracies of tomorrow.
#DayOfDemocracy #DemocracyDelivers
Tech for Democracy Copenhagen Pledge
Human rights must be protected, both offline and online.
The U.S. is proud to join stakeholders from across the globe in signing Denmark's #TechForDemocracy #CopenhagenPledge.
Together, we'll take concrete action to help ensure technology is used to create a better world. Learn more: https://techfordemocracy.dk
Did you know? America’s annual Labor Day is the result of the U.S. labor movement, which also helped pass laws establishing a 40-hour workweek, workers' compensation, job-protected leave, workplace safety protections, and more – improving conditions for America’s workers and strengthening our economy.
Across the world, unions continue to lead the charge when it comes to advancing worker protections and ensuring people have a voice on the job. Thanks!
Media workers and human rights defenders play a vital role fighting disinformation and documenting abuses in war and conflict. They often face increased risk of harassment and attacks. Journalist Roksolana reflects on her work in Ukraine.
#DemocracyAllies #StandWithUkraine
Harrowing to hear the stories of refugees fleeing Putin’s brutal violence against Ukraine, including persons with disabilities who are most vulnerable in crisis. We cannot forget them. We commend Moldova for accommodating over 85,000 refugees from Ukraine.
- Sara Minkara, U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights
📍 Chisinau Refugee Center, Moldova 🇲🇩
#SpecialAdvisorDisability #UnitedWithUkraine
U.S. Embassy Moldova
Kimberly Zieselman - Intersex Awareness Day 5
"I have benefited from the work of intersex activists and pioneers here in the U.S. and globally who came before me. Some are still doing this work and some have faded into the background because of the understandable burnout from doing this work. I would say to folks that are intersex, and particularly those that are speaking out and being visible, self care and pacing is important. I have to remind myself of that. I bring a little bit of a sense of humor to all of this, because otherwise it's just so crushing. We all need a little sense of humor. I think more visibility is how we're going to empower more and more intersex people, more parents and decision makers to open their hearts and really do what they can do to change the harmful practices that exist today. We need all healthcare providers to be brave enough to be allies, to take their Hippocratic Oath of 'do no harm' seriously, to understand the harm and to speak up.”
- Kimberly Zieselman, Executive Director of @interACT
#IntersexAwarenessDay
Kimberly Zieselman - Intersex Awareness Day 4
“One of my most proud moments: we were car shopping, and I got this ping on my phone from young intersex activists that we had been working with through our youth program. A few weeks earlier, news commentators were debating whether or not it was right to have male and female students wear different colored graduation gowns. That turned into this joking about gender, and one of the commentators said “yeah now there's even intersex, whatever that is!” and just made fun of it. A couple of our youth got wind of that, got together online behind the scenes, and we helped them draft an open letter to the news outlet. The same commentator broke out of their regular story, saying that they hadn't realized or understood what intersex meant, that intersex people have suffered a lot, and apologized on air. I'll never forget being in the car dealership looking at my phone saying: 'Wow, we have power! Like, this works, right? This can work.' ”
- Kimberly Zieselman, Executive Director of interACT
#IntersexAwarenessDay
Kimberly Zieselman - Intersex Awareness Day 3
“I would say, peer support has been vitally important to my own personal journey and in feeling empowered and brave enough to do the work that I do.
Anne, the founder of what would become interACT, is the one that pulled me into this work and taught me a lot about the movement in the early days and connected me with some other intersex people. Back in 2006, I was her first full-time hire. When I came to interACT, I had no real formal advocacy training related to the intersex community. She taught me a lot about the dynamics in the community, who the players and stakeholders were. She was very supportive, and it was always her mission to have someone step up who was intersex to carry the torch. She laid the groundwork for me to be able to take over the role of Executive Director a year later and move forward."
Kimberly Zieselman, Executive Director of interACT
#IntersexAwarenessDay
Intersex Interactive: A Dialogue with International Activists on Intersex Awareness Day
Intersex Interactive: A Dialogue with International Activists on Intersex Awareness Day
Kimberly Zieselman - Intersex Awareness Day 2
“I met my husband Steven when I was in law school in Boston. I was dragged out by one of my friends to a St. Patrick's Day party. I didn't want to go; I was kind of nerdy studying on a Saturday night. He didn't know anybody else at the party, I didn't know anybody else at the party. And we were introduced, and then the rest is history. We ended up doing a long distance relationship – New York and Boston. Not for very long, only about six months before getting engaged, which is incredibly fast. I can't believe I did that. But luckily it worked out!
I discovered this huge thing about myself – the fact that I was born intersex – when I uncovered my medical records just 15 years ago. So, about halfway through the life of our marriage at this point, that really rocked my world for a while. Realizing that I was lied to, that I didn't know these crucial things about my body or my experience as a child. That was a lot for him to have to go through and support me on, but he did so amazingly and unconditionally.
- Kimberly Zieselman, Executive Director of interACT
#IntersexAwarenessDay
Kimberly Zieselman - Intersex Awareness Day 1
On Intersex Awareness Day, hear directly from Kimberly Zieselman, Executive Director of interACT:
“I am an intersex woman and human rights activist. My core values that keep me committed to the movement are bodily autonomy and integrity, choice, personal freedom, and how that impacts individuals at a very human real-life level, not an esoteric or academic level. So not feeling erased, feeling visible, not feeling shame and discrimination about who you are, or in the case of the intersex community, what your body looks like. I think those things are so fundamental to all of us as humans. I feel really strongly about children having a voice about their own bodies, gender identity, and choices in life at as young of an age as possible, and stopping the harmful medically unnecessary surgeries that are done on babies and children. Those are some of the things that really drive me to the work that I do as a human rights activist.
#IntersexAwarenessDay
Happy International #DayofSignLanguages!
Sign languages are fully-fledged natural languages. We celebrate every person who uses sign language 🤟, their linguistic identity and cultural diversity, and support increased visibility/inclusion for these languages.
Today and every day, we join our #DemocracyAllies around the world to champion our shared values: http://ow.ly/Ddg650G9nom
Our mutual commitment to inclusion, transparency, freedom, equality, and other democratic principles leads to strong collaboration on diverse global issues.
#DayOfDemocracy
On International Youth Day we recognize and celebrate the important role of young people in shaping future democratic societies. Watch below to hear from global democracy champions what democracy means to them. #DemocracyAllies
"Growing up I knew that I would be locked out of certain opportunities if I lived openly. I faced very real choices between serving my country and finding love." Watch Secretary Pete Buttigieg's message for #PrideMonth below.
As we continue the work of dismantling the legacy of slavery and racial injustice, and advancing our highest ideals of liberty and equality, the federal government has made #Juneteenth an official holiday, marking the occasion as America’s “Second Independence Day.”
#Juneteenth reminds us of the progress still needed to end systemic racism and ensure equal protection of the law. We reflect on our painful history and today’s racial injustice and equity challenges, and commit to pursuing true, lasting freedom for all.
“Celebrating this holiday alongside us and in solidarity with us as Black people is the answer to really healing and to everybody being able to experience the American dream where everyone is honestly liberated."
- Mahogany Jones on what #Juneteenth means to her.
According to @Alliance8_7, globally there are 152 million children age 5 to 17 engaged in child labor. About half (72.5 million) perform hazardous work that places their health, safety,or moral development at risk. We must commit to #EndChildLabor2021.
Debt bondage, children in armed conflict, children working in mines or organized beggary — these are examples of the worst forms of child labor. In these conditions, children are exposed to exploitation and abuse. #DayAgainstChildLabor #WDACL
It’s World Day Against Child Labor. United Nations Members pledged to eliminate child labor by 2025. This is a promise to our children and our future. Together, we must act urgently to protect the lives of children.
LGBTQI+ Inclusion, Human Rights, and Faith Communities
The Office of International Religious Freedom (J/IRF) and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) will hold a joint digital interactive event, hosted by Department Spokesperson (SPOX) Ned Price, on Friday, June 11 from 3:30-4:30pm EDT. This event will convene LGBTQI+ activities and faith leaders to discuss their efforts to increase respect for the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons in religious faiths and spiritual spaces and further demonstrate the administration’s deep commitment to advancing human rights as a key U.S. foreign policy objective.
Human rights start at home. That's why, as we recognize a year since George Floyd's murder, we're reflecting on the ensuing racial justice protests and taking inspiration from these leaders and activists fighting for a better tomorrow for all people, no matter their color or creed.
"For months, the Belarusian people have made their voices heard—demanding democracy, respect for human rights, and the preservation of fundamental freedoms. I applaud the courage and determination of Belarusians fighting for basic rights, including journalists like Raman Pratasevich and opposition leaders like Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski. The United States will continue to stand with the people of Belarus in their struggle." - President Joe Biden
#FreeBelarus #StandWithBelarus
http://ow.ly/hGyu50EUVnM
The United States is committed to supporting Asian American and Pacific Islanders, and combatting racism against their communities. They are integral to the U.S. Department of State, serving on front lines around the world. #DiversityMatters #AAPIHeritageMonth
Word Press Freedom Day
Word Press Freedom Day
