Collaborate
Catalyze
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN MENTORSHIP PROGRAM:
In a collaborative effort to create a coalition of global advocates for women’s justice, the Avon Program for Women at O’Connor House, the Diane Halle Center for Family Justice at the Sandra Day College of Law at ASU, and Vital Voices Global Partnership co-hosted the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women Mentorship Program in May, 2011. Funded by the Avon Foundation for Women, this program hosted 10 women leaders of Non-Governmental Organizations from around the world, including Egypt, Russia, Jordan, Czech Republic, Brazil, India, Mexico, Turkey, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo traveled to Phoenix to learn local and national best practices to prevent, document and effectively intervene against domestic violence and human trafficking in their individual countries.
During the first week of this two week program, the leaders traveled to New York and Washington DC to meet with US leaders involved in women’s justice issues. For the second week, the leaders traveled to Phoenix, Arizona to meet with Justice Sandra O’Connor and participate in one week of training, discussions and mentoring on a variety of issues related to violence against women.
The Arizona portion of the International NGO Mentoring Program was designed to serve as the academic component for the participants – capitalizing on the local availability of nationally recognized experts and speakers, such as Sarah Buel, Executive Director of the Hall Center for Family Justice at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and retired US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, founder of the O’Connor House.
The program combined classroom work, one-on-one mentoring with local leaders and experiential learning opportunities. Highlights included a private lunch with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, personal coaching with best-selling author and Oprah’s life coach Dr. Martha Beck, workshops with Sarah Buel – Executive Director of the Halle Center for Family Justice, Daniel Rothenberg – Executive Director of the Center for Law and Global Affairs at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Dr. Jon McCaine – Clinical Director of Bayless and Associates, former Phoenix Councilwoman and human rights advocate Peggy Bilsten as well as visits to Homeward Bound, SEEDs and a ride along with the Phoenix Police Department.
This experiential learning and mentorship program has provided unparalleled opportunities for global efforts against domestic violence and all violence against women and children.