Nicole Kidman and UNIFEM at the United Nations

Today actress Nicole Kidman spoke at the United Nations in New York to discuss her role as United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Goodwill Ambassador.

Kidman, and a panel of representatives that included Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, UNIFEM Executive Director Joanne Sandler, and UN Foundation President Timothy Wirth, discussed the organization’s Say NO to Violence against Women campaign.

The Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign is an internet-based education and advocacy campaign intended to both encourage world leaders to speak out against gender-based violence, and raise the public’s awareness of violence against women. According to the panel, one in three women world-wide are subjected to violence, both domestically and as an instrument of terror. Thus far, the website has attracted the interest of some world figures, and it’s on-line petition has received over 200k signatures.

The panel representatives all indicated that that although they receive requests for over $100 million in assistance, they currently operate with a budget of approximately $15 million.

UN Foundation President Tim Wirth indicated a particular concern over climate change and food shortages, stating that [climate change] will “stress society in every way.”

Kidman first became involved with UNIFEM in 1996.  She became interested in the organization after a BBC story highlighted some of the organization’s  struggles for publicity.   After two years of work, Kidman stated “I still find it impossible to wrap my head around the fact that just by being born a woman, you are at risk of the most appalling and probably most widespread human rights violation of our time.”