Silver Spring, Maryland--With the March 8 commemoration of International Women's Day focusing attention on the status of women around the globe, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) reaffirms its continued commitment to provide development initiatives around the world that empower women, promote gender equality, and transform lives.

With a direct hand in developing ADRA's programs, Jennifer Schmidt, bureau chief for planning at ADRA International, can testify to the essential role women play in creating positive social change: "ADRA's program results demonstrate repeatedly that sustainable solutions to poverty and other social problems are really only found when women are respected, given equal opportunity, and empowered to make a difference—in their own lives, as well as in their families and communities."

Today, the face of poverty is still overwhelmingly feminine, with females comprising an estimated 70 percent of those living in extreme poverty. ADRA's programs to benefit women can be found wherever ADRA works. New and ongoing projects in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Colombia, Thailand, and Kenya provide compelling examples of ADRA's commitment to women.

In recent years, gender-based violence and human rights abuses have taken and in some cases continue to exact a huge toll on several African nations. On March 8, ADRA Rwanda will launch a weekly half-hour radio program that will reach audiences throughout Rwanda, the DRC, and Burundi. The radio program, "Women in Post-Conflict Situations," will address issues surrounding the peace-building process and the gender-based violence that has afflicted the three countries.

"The March 8 broadcast will be a special one-hour round-table discussion," shares Evelyn Wilson, the program officer for the radio project. "Panelists will include members of government ministries, representatives of the national army, nongovernmental agencies working with women, as well as survivors of sexual violence."

The weekly broadcasts, scheduled to begin airing at the end of March, will feature the stories of women who have endured violence as a result of conflict, describing how they have overcome the trauma. Shows will also address peace and reconciliation, sexual violence, domestic violence, legal rights, and provide empowering resources and information.

In addition, ADRA will coordinate community-based listener groups composed of both men and women, encouraging open discussion about the issues discussed on the radio shows and empowering women to participate in the peace-building process.

In Darfur, ADRA Sudan continues to work in several camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), constructing water wells and sanitation facilities. Without in-camp wells, the women and girls charged with the task of collecting water must often walk long distances and place themselves at increased risk of attack or rape. The ADRA-provided wells not only give women convenient access to clean water but also help reduce the risk of violent, gender-based attacks.

Operating four vocational training centers, ADRA Colombia trains and empowers hundreds of women who have been displaced by the country's long-standing civil conflict. The project recently celebrated the graduation of 240 internally displaced Colombian women and female heads of household who received training in tailoring and cosmetology. The vocational skills allow the women to generate sustainable income and offer flexible work hours and locations.

"Our graduates have obtained the skills they need to secure a stable job and support their families," shared Gabriel Villareal, country director for ADRA Colombia.

Meanwhile, the human trafficking industry continues to threaten the welfare of young girls and women in Asia and other parts of the world. For the past decade, ADRA Thailand's Keep Girls Safe project has protected underage girls from the dangers of human trafficking and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. The project provides a home, food, medicine, clothing, counseling, and life skills training for dozens of at-risk girls and young women at a shelter in the Chaing Rai province in northern Thailand.

ADRA Thailand also works in local communities vulnerable to human trafficking, raising awareness of recruiters' tricks and supporting families by providing education scholarships to keep girls in school. Currently, more than 60 community-based girls are attending school on ADRA scholarships. In Kenya, ADRA is working to combat the practice of female genital mutilation among communities in western Kenya. This controversial tradition often causes untold physical, sexual, and emotional harm to the recipient.

Through workshops, meetings, and grassroots campaigns, ADRA Kenya educates at-risk girls and community members on the dangers of the practice, teaching the girls about various issues, including reproductive health, human and children's rights, self-esteem, moral conduct, and spiritual nourishment. The training empowers girls to say "No" to the procedure, and encourages their peers, family members, and greater community to support their decision. In December 2007, 1,023 girls were rescued from the practice.

These and hundreds of other ADRA projects demonstrate the progress being made every day in improving the status of women. Yet there is much more to be done. ADRA will continue to develop and implement programs that contribute significantly towards the goal of realizing women's full and equal participation in societies worldwide.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

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Author: Nadia McGill

Media Contact: Kara Watkins ADRA International 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 301.680.6357 Mobile: 301.526.2625 E-mail: Media.Inquiries@adra.org