[women-rights] Women changing lives: Valeria Pandjiarjian

Women changing lives:
Valeria Pandjiarjian<http://click.email-publisher.com/maaaiypaaRr4La2wUmec/>
by Jacqueline Kozin, Digital Freedom Network

(March 12, 2002) Valeria Pandjiarjian wanted to be a dancer. She also
wanted to go into journalism and psychology, which happen to be the career
paths of her older brother and sister. Instead, she followed the profession
her family told her suited her most and became a lawyer. However, Ms.
Pandajiarjian, a native Brazilian, would make her profession her own when
she decided to use her law education to get involved in women human rights
activism.

Ms. Pandjiarjian has worked with the Latin American and Caribbean Committee
for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM) for the past ten years. Ms.
Pandjiarjian currently serves as CLADEM's coordinator for regional work on
gender violence.


Valeria Pandjiarjian (above) considers anyone truly dedicated to human
rights to be a "leader."

CLADEM evolved from the 1985 World Conference of Women, which was sponsored
by the United Nations (UN). At the conference, women from Latin America and
the Caribbean discovered that they were facing the same social and legal
problems when it came to empowering women in their countries. The
organization, which has consultative status with the UN and the
Organization of American States (OAS), was formally created in 1987 and
operates on local, national and international levels. It works to improve
the condition of women by advocating for women's human rights at
international forums and by lobbying all branches of governments:
executive, legislative and judicial. The organization promotes
communication among those defending women's rights. It also helps to
educate women about their rights by making relevant law information
available and holding seminars and training sessions on issues facing women.

While a student at the Law School of Catholic University of São Paulo,
Brazil, Ms. Pandjiarjian discovered her desire to pursue a career in human
rights. It was CLADEM's National Coordinator for Brazil, Dr. Silvia
Pimentel, who was the main inspiration for Ms. Pandjiarjian's decision to
become involved in human rights work.

"Silvia Pimentel, who was my Professor at this time—and with whom I work
still—was fundamental for my interest and development in this area,
personal and professionally speaking," Ms. Pandjiarjian said in an
interview with the Digital Freedom Network. "Because of her I had great
opportunities in life, working with CLADEM and being introduced to the
feminist and human rights universe."

But throughout her coursework, there were others who helped to sculpt her
use of law to invoke change in the world. "I got involved in the field of
human rights, not only because I am sensitive [to] social and human
issues," she said, "but also because I had great professors and colleagues
worried about the same issues, sharing with me their world's view, their
reflections, dreams, and desires. We had the same view on the critical
approach of law and the social role of law in society as a tool to change
it and not keep the 'status quo.'"

WHAT YOU CAN DO

To help promote CLADEM's mission, please visit the organization's Web site
(www.cladem.org) to participate in their ongoing campaigns. The
organization would also appreciate political support for their efforts.
Please contact their regional office to find out how your efforts can most
be effective:

CLADEM,
P.O. Box 11-0470
Lima, Peru.
Tel: +(51-1) 463-9237
Fax: +(51-1) 463-5898
e-mail: oficina@cladem.org.

Ms. Pandjiarjian has spoken on many panels about the social role of law and
women's issues. She has co-authored two books on women's legal issues with
Dr. Pimental, with whom she has also co-authored many articles and essays
on the same subject. She has also written educational material on violence
against women for police officials as well as other audiences.

As a consultant for Action in Gender, Citizenship and Development (AGENDE),
Ms. Pandjiarjian is also working on Brazil's ratification of the Convention
on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
AGENDE is a Brazilian non-governmental organization that is driving the
national campaign for the government's ratification of CEDAW, which is
often described as an international women's bill of rights that was adopted
by the UN General Assembly in 1979. CEDAW delineates the definition of
discrimination against women and how countries can work to end such
discrimination.

Although CLADEM's efforts have been successful in influencing legislation
processes, judicial decisions and police behavior, Ms. Pandjiarjian still
sees social and institutional gender violence and discrimination practices,
and the low budgets and earnings of those working in the human rights field
as obstacles to the optimal level of success.

As she continues her work on trying to remove these obstacles, Ms.
Pandjiarjian will remain an example of fine leadership in the field of
women's human rights. And for her, leadership in this field is defined by
dedication. "It is unfair to say who are great leaders. I think all of
[those] really committed [to] human rights—invisible activists around the
world, including those special ones around me—are great leaders. Leadership
in human rights is something that we construct daily in our hearts and souls."


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