ABSTRACT
Women's rights are human rights' is a powerful concept that resonates globally today. Awareness of the routine violation of women's rights has grown exponentially in recent years, particularly with regard to domestic and state-sanctioned violence. The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) reaffirms Vienna language on the universality of women's human rights and focuses on human rights and on violence against women (VAW). The world conferences of the 1990s still stand as beacons of hope that concerted collective action can advance respect and the realization of women's rights. Networking across boundaries and dividing lines was key to those achievements, and the challenge today is to find new forms for such collaborations. New generations of women around the world must now carry this message forward. Fortunately, they are rising up everywhere, often in surprisingly brave ways, and frequently with support from young men.
