Organised by Universal Peace Federation – United Kingdom, celebration of the International Women’s Day 2015 – Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture It!, was held in Committee Room 4, House of Lords, Westminster on 23rd March 2015 and was hosted by Rt. Hon. Baroness Verma, Under Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, and Seema Malhotra MP, Shadow Minister for Preventing Violence against Women and Girls.
“Let us speak out and raise the flag for those who have been denied democracy” by Rt. Hon. Baroness Verma – Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
With speakers:
- Brita Fernandez-Schmidt, Executive Director of Women for Women International UK
- Rt. Hon. the Baroness Garden of Frognal, Lords Spokesperson for Women and Equalities
- Councillor Kate Anolue, Former Mayor of Enfield
- Dr. Asmaa Soliman, PhD in Political Studies, Sociology and Cultural Studies from UCL’s Centre for Multidisciplinary & Intercultural Inquiry and Youth UPF Member
- Jeevan Ravindran, President of the Human Rights Society at Saint Olave’s School.
“Every day should be International Women’s Day,” opened Baroness Verma.
Marie-Lyse Numuhoza, Chair of Friends of Victoire attended the event and after the panelist, took the opportunity to share her testimony on Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza.
“I would like to take this opportunity to introduce an exceptional woman, my sister, my hero Madame Victoire Ingabire who left her lucrative career in the Netherlands and went to Rwanda with the aim of bringing true reconciliation and peace for her people. Under the dictatorial regime, she was intimidated and later on imprisoned for 15 years. My point here is that in a country with 67% women in parliament, they did nothing to support the cause of reconciliation and unity that Madame Ingabire was advancing which could have ended the humiliation that the Rwandan women are experience today. To me those women are just seat warmers and have no voice to defend the rights of the citizens that they are voted to represent. We have sisters who have aspired in leadership already and they need our support and our empowerment so that they can also empower us. ” [Read entire speech here]
Mary-Lyse Numuhoza, Chair of Friends of Victoire
“We, women we have the determination and resilience to achieve what we set ourselves to do. However we should also remember that we are also the bedrock of humanity and strive to end the suffering of the people worldwide for the survival of the future generation.”
“Women can achieve empowerment if we work together and support one another. But one needs to choose area of expertise as women empowerment is needed in all level of society not only in domestic violence or health issues.” Mary-Lyse Numuhoza
