Released on September 11, 2024

Statement by National NOW President Christian F. Nunes  

September 13, 2024, marks the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and is a day of both celebration and rededication.

Thanks in large part to President Biden, who led the original fight for VAWA in the U.S. Senate, we now have a federal law that commits resources to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

And when President Biden signed the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, he secured the highest-ever funding level for VAWA implementation, strengthened services, and made it easier for survivors to hold offenders accountable, among other changes.

We must continue to defend and strengthen VAWA, including a shift in funding away from the legal system and to culturally specific victim programs, economic and housing programs that target the pressing needs of BIPOC female survivors. This includes ending the crisis of insufficient beds and shelters to accommodate survivors—an annual survey by the National Network to End Domestic Violence of about 1,800 shelters in one day shows that these shelters turned away 13,335 domestic violence survivors and their families.

We need consistent funding and a commitment from leaders that there can be no safe harbor for any kind of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking—including the new scourge of AI generated deepfake images. We need legislation in Congress and the states to make the sexual exploitation of deepfake imagery illegal and hold wrongdoers accountable.

This anniversary is a day to recognize all that we’ve accomplished, and all that’s still left to do.

Contact: Press Team, press@now.org,

Released on September 10, 2024

WASHINGTON, DC — Donald Trump behaved exactly the way we knew he would in his debate with Kamala Harris.

He was insulting, ignorant, and mean. That’s the way he always reacts to women in power. He goes back to being a schoolyard bully.

It’s clear that Donald Trump is afraid of Kamala Harris—that’s why his treatment of her is so desperate and contemptible. But Kamala Harris rose above the attacks—showing her leadership and articulating policy proposals that can bring us together.

When Donald Trump questions Kamala Harris’ identity, calls her names and insults her intelligence, he’s giving permission to his followers to target every woman who dares to assert her own power.

The debate was not only a clash of ideas, but a test of who we are as citizens. Do we embrace Donald Trump’s dark vision of a nation divided, or follow Vice President Harris’ call for a new way forward that includes all of us?

The debate made it clear—women know that this is the most consequential election of our lifetime, and we know that women can save democracy and ensure our freedom.

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Contact: Press Team, press@now.org,

Released on August 12, 2024

International Youth Day is observed on August 12 every year to bring issues of importance to youth to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in building a culture of nonviolence, promoting peace, and countering extremism.

The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by young delegates to the first session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations.

The theme for International Youth Day 2024 is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” This theme highlights the key connection between digitalization and accelerating the progress of the United Nation’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development, emphasizing the crucial contributions of young people in this transformative process.

Here’s a video from the UN Environmental Programme about how young people are engaging in global action, and here’s more about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that can be a blueprint for a better world.

And in this video, Felipe Paullier, United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs, says,

“On #YouthDay and every day, let us learn from the creativity, leadership & resilience of young people even in tough and complex times.”

To empower today’s youth, we must close the divide between the haves and the have nots through education, skills training, health care, food security and sustainable development.  As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message: “Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires a seismic shift – which can only happen if we empower young people and work with them as equals.” 

Digital rights are women’s rights, and in March of this year, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women set out in its Agreed Conclusions, multiple actions to be taken across society to manage innovation and technology for women’s economic, social, and political empowerment and to tackle the new and unique barriers presented by engagement in the digital space. 

The digital divide is particularly harmful for young women and girls in low-income countries, where only 20 percent are connected. The gender digital divide is most pronounced among marginalized groups, such as young women and girls in rural areas and those with disabilities. It is further complicated by socioeconomic status, race, and location, among other factors. Furthermore, online violence disproportionately affects young women and girls. One global study found that 58 percent of girls and young women have experienced some form of online harassment, highlighting the urgent need for policies and mechanisms that prioritize their safety and security in digital spaces.

On International Youth Day, we recognize and honor the immense potential and contributions of young people across the globe, and rededicate ourselves to finding solutions to the challenges they face today.

Contact: now@now.org,