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Proclamation

Office of the Mayor
City of New York

Text of proclamation reprinted below.

Whereas:

For 20 years, the Women’s Refugee Commission has made a significant impact on the lives of women and children refugees. The Commission aims to increase their safety, give them opportunities for employment and ensure that they have access to health care, including reproductive health services. More than simply lobbying on behalf of refugees, the Women's Refugee Commission has also always listened to their voices and supported them in their efforts to advocate for themselves.

Whereas:

The Commission’s work is of utmost importance because the vast majority of the world’s 42 million refugees are women and children—groups that are particularly susceptible to exploitation, abuse, and sexual assault. In addition, children refugees often miss out on years of formal education and are at risk of being kidnapped of inducted into the military. The Women’s Refugee Commission has not only shed light on these and other problems, but also lobbied for creative and innovative solutions that have changed the lives of countless women and children.

Whereas:

Today, the Commission celebrates its 20th anniversary with its annual Voices of Courage Awards Luncheon. The organization is honoring two former refugees from Sierra Leone and Afghanistan: Mariatu Kamara, a UNICEF special representative for children and armed conflict who is also studying to become a counselor for abused children, and Dr. Shamail Azmil, the International Medical Corps’ medical director in the NorthWest frontier province of Pakistan, who supervises health programs for more than 150,000 Afghani refugees. Both of these incredible women turned their harrowing experiences into forces for good by working to better the lives of other refugees. Their strength and courage inspire us all, and their stories remind us why this organization’s work is so significant.

Now therefore, I, Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York, in recognition of the Women’s Refugee Commission’s important work, do hereby proclaim Thursday, May 7th, 2009 in the City of New York as:

“Women’s Refugee Commission Day”

Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor