In March 2008, UUSC forged a new partnership with the creators of Tents of Hope, knowing it would be a powerful, community-building project that would inspire hope and creativity. We felt that UUSC's Drumbeat for Darfur campaign, with its focus on the protection of women and girls in Darfur, was complementary to the goals and objectives of Tents of Hope. Since then, we have been seen that this was true.

The Tents of Hope project concluded this weekend in Washington D.C., on the Mall, with a gathering of over 300 tents, from 48 states, before they were shipped to Darfur to be used in camps for internally displaced persons.

It was an amazing sight, approaching the colorful tents, as I made my way from the Metro. I saw many people walking between the tents, talking to those who had decorated them. All were beautiful works of art, some decorated by youth and some by experienced artists.

UUSC staff members were invited to share the Washington-based All Souls Church, Unitarian tent, which had been decorated by their youth along with a youth group from the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Texas. As I stood in the tent, I felt humbled knowing this tent would soon be used as a school for children in a camp in Darfur. We thank them for inviting us in.

While the presence of the tents and their intended uses are amazing in themselves, the attendance of so many concerned citizens at such an incredible time in history was inspiring.

Over the course of the weekend, two other UUSC staff members and I provided three workshops about the need for improved civilian protections, particularly for women and girls. We were heartened by the interest and energy that those who attended shared with us. In addition, while on the Mall this weekend, we were spoke to hundreds of individuals wanting to learn more about our work and how they can help.

I also want to highlight all of the UUSC members and supporters who have been involved in the Drumbeat for Darfur campaign. Over the last 6 months, we have sent Drumbeat for Darfur materials to over 160 individuals and congregations. They have shared them with their communities, helping to spread the message that women girls need particular protection strategies. We are seeing the effects of all this good work. Standing beside you, we will continue to keep the pressure on.

The following blog was written by Kisholi Perera, of We Women Against Violence, a UUSC partner in Sri Lanka, while attending the 11th International AWID Forum, in Cape Town, South Africa.

This forum, the largest recurring event of its kind, opened today with approximately 2,200 women and men, coming from grassroots groups to the corridors of power, from all over the world. The theme this year is The Power of Movements.

The ambience provides not only an opportunity to empower oneself with new tools and resources, but also to collectively repoliticize the gender and development community, strengthen alliances among women from all walks of life, and engage in an exercise and a pattern of thinking that is truly inspirational.

The conference has provided a platform for many women and men of the Global South, young women, and marginalized groups, who have had difficulty getting their agenda heard on a global stage. In an environment where one is provoked and inspired by an exceptional group of thoughtful, forward-looking, and fiercely committed women and men, one is forced to get involved in global action plans and campaigns that will emerge out of the forum, but will last well beyond it.

Participants are made to feel welcome, nurtured, fortified, and challenged by a group of like-minded activists, academics, and practitioners. With a myriad of plenary speeches, interactive sessions, workshops, debates, and creative sessions taking place, there is an abundance of learning and knowledge-sharing among participants.

The AWID conference opening was a plenary session titled Women Organizing and Transforming the World, which was remarkable for me, as it is my first time at AWID. I was able to understand the background and the way forward for this conference. Within the four days of the conference, there were sessions on very useful topics for me, but I was able to attend only one session at a time.

One of the sessions that I attended was New Insights on Religious Fundamentalisms, where I learned about the myths of religious fundamentalism. The session was based on research done by the plenary, which was good, as it led to an evidence-based discussion. Other sessions on climate change and gender issues were interesting. There was a lot of discussion on the reasons for climate change and also the actions that women's organizations can take in the future.

Another interesting session was From outrage to power: Using the law as a tool for change in conflict and post conflict situations. I found this session very useful, as it relates to me as someone from a country with a war that has lasted nearly two decades. This session discussed U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820. It also discussed the actions that could be taken when working in conflict areas, which was useful, as I am working on a UUSC project in the Eastern part of Sri Lanka.

The other big event at the AWID conference was the 1 in 9 Campaign. Delegates of AWID were invited to join a protest march to draw attention to the murder, rape, and violation of human-rights defenders around the world and the failure of criminal justice systems and governments globally to provide redress and justice. This was a call for an end to impunity for perpetrators of these crimes. There were so many other important and useful sessions that I will write to you about later.

I was able to meet other women from donor agencies and different networks, and share my experience working with the network and what we are doing in Sri Lanka as a regional network.

What does the future hold for U.S.-sponsored torture?

We here at UUSC are no strangers to butting heads with the U.S. government when there are specific policies in place that directly violate human and civil rights. As the end of the George W. Bush era rapidly approaches and a new Barack Obama era is about to start, it's a good time to take a look at an issue that could potentially change drastically in the coming months: torture.

To be honest, I'm not even sure where to begin with this because the violations perpetrated by the Bush administration have been so egregious (and numerous) that it almost seems like a bad joke. Almost. Renditions, suspending habeas corpus, Guantanamo prison, innocent civilians arrested, and the list goes on and on until it begins to resemble a potential plot of a Cohen brothers' movie:

"Rendition Expedition" is the story of a misguided U.S. administration that tries to see how many international laws they can ignore without getting caught. Wacky hijinx and wanton acts of violence ensue. Coming to theaters in January.

If the topic weren't so serious it would almost be laughable. Playing upon the fears of a shell-shocked nation, the government pushed through torture policies, all the while blithely ignoring protests, international statutes, even U.S. laws, and basic common sense. I mean, a large and persuasive body of research has shown that torture doesn't work as an effective intelligence gathering tool! And yet, here we are.

Despite the hostile climate in Washington D.C., UUSC moved forward with our work with the STOP (Stop Torture Permanently) Campaign and our continued participation with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. UUSC has been steadfastly shining a light on these illegal and immoral policies but it has been an uphill battle all the way. It's been, at times, a heartbreaking, demoralizing, and seemingly futile battle, but nonetheless, we kept on trucking.

And then?

Could it be? Is Obama seriously considering closing Guantanamo and restoring habeas corpus? Well, that just seems so... so... reasonable. Judging by the president-elect's own words, it seems like he will indeed try to make shutting down the detention center a priority once he takes office. Whether or not he'll actually be able to do it is another story, obviously, but isn't it refreshing to hear about a potential policy that upholds the rule of law and dignity of human life rather than tears it down and treats people like pawns in an elaborate chess game? A return of good judgment, I'd say.

But we're not out of the woods yet. Just because it seems like the incoming Obama administration will be much friendlier to the concept of upholding human rights than the previous administration doesn't mean that our work is done. We must hold President-elect Obama accountable to his promises and make sure he has the support and tools he needs to bring this shameful chapter in our history to a close. While the tone of the letters and phone calls to our representatives might change, the message is still the same: government-sponsored torture is immoral, abhorrent, and illegal, and must be brought to a swift and final end.

Hear, hear.

On Wednesday, November 12, the lives of several young girls in Kandahar, Afghanistan, were changed forever. While they were walking to school, they were attacked by two men who sprayed acid on them, blinding at least two of the girls. It is suspected that Taliban militants are responsible for the act. Under the Taliban regime from 1996-2001, women and girls were forbidden to attend school. Since the fall of the Taliban, women and girls have had the opportunity to attain education, much to the distress of Taliban leaders and militants. In the past few years, several school girls have been threatened, attacked, and even killed for going to school.

Unfortunately, acid attacks on women is not an uncommon phenomenon in South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh; however, it is usually practiced by men taking revenge against women who refuse to respond to a man's romantic or sexual overtures. The recent horrific acid attack in Afghanistan seems like a new tactic being used by the Taliban in their ongoing assault on girls and women practicing their right to education.

UUSC has four program partners in Afghanistan — Afghan Center, Afghan Women Judges Association, Barakat, and Humanitarian Assistance for Women and Children of Afghanistan. All of them have reported a worsening security situation that makes their work more challenging. Anyone following the news knows that over the past couple of years, many of the gains in establishing security and advancing rights for marginalized populations in Afghanistan have been lost.

One of UUSC's newest program partners, Barakat, is an organization that creates educational opportunities for women and children in Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. What began as a weaving project in the late 1980s has since developed into an innovative strategy for helping local communities shape their own future.

Barakat's programs in Afghanistan are an attempt to fill the void and expand opportunities for girls and women. Barakat's educational programs include schools, literacy programs, and women's empowerment programs. In particular, UUSC supports Barakat's efforts to raise awareness about citizens' rights under the constitution, which guarantees human rights, women's rights, and civil liberties. To achieve this, Barakat provides human-rights training to Barakat School and Literacy Course teachers, who can then introduce these topics in their classrooms.

We asked Barakat's Program Manager, Arti Pandey, on her thoughts about the acid attacks and here is what she had to say:

"It is just appalling...it really chills the heart that someone could so callously, easily, and willfully destroy the life of another individual — a stranger to them but a symbol of something they oppose! I can't imagine how much hatred they must carry in their hearts to actually perform an act like this...

I don't know how widespread it is in Afghanistan. It has been happening in India and Pakistan but most often [it] is a case of "punishing" some woman/girl for not responding to (or breaking off from) a man's romantic overtures. It is the ultimate manner (and very safe too because it is done from a distance) in which to finally humble and reduce a woman (short of rape) without actually killing her... Plastic surgery is expensive and most of these women/girls will not be able to afford it.

I do believe that the Taliban act with more impunity and openness in the southern districts like Kandahar where this attack happened... The Pashtoon population is dominant in Kandahar — there are also Hazaras and Tajiks there, though as minorities. But an incident like this has repercussions for everyone across the country. After all, even our own Country Director sends his daughters to school in Kabul (they walk to school) and something like this would chill his heart for fear of his own children's safety — that is a natural reaction — isn't it? How can it be such a curse to simply be born a girl?"

We at UUSC are committed to working with our partners in Afghanistan to create a fair and just society that protects the rights of all Afghans, especially women and girls.

To learn more about UUSC's Civil Liberties Program and how you can get involved, visit www.uusc.org/civilliberties.

Reverend William G. Sinkford, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, embarked this week on a pilgrimage to visit six African countries. His 19-day sojourn features stops in South Africa and Kenya, where he will be meeting with UUSC partners. He will also be visiting Uganda, Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria.

The goals of Sinkord's journey include learning from the experience and wisdom of leaders in South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation work (including Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu) and learning from the leaders of social justice and human rights movements, such as UUSC partners the Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP) and the Rock Women Group and KENASVIT. Other goals include renewing ties with Unitarian Universalists in Africa and bearing witness to one of the centers of Atlantic Slave Trade, Île de Gorée (in Senegal).

Sinkford is scheduled to meet with CAWP and their members on November 12 - 13. His meeting with the Rock Women Group is set for November 16 and his meeting with KENASVIT for the following day. On or around those dates, staff of UUSC's Environmental Justice and Economic Justice Programs will be posting blogs commenting on Sinkford's visits. Please be sure to visit UUSC's website!

The UUA has created a website featuring a wide menu of resources on Sinkford's trip, including background on the places and people he's visiting, a blog to which Sinkford is posting frequent reports, and an invitation for constituents to submit questions they'd like Sinkford to ask of Archbishop Tutu and other leaders.

Today I will cast my first ballot ever. I could not even vote during the primaries because I was not yet a citizen. When you cast your ballot today, remember that you are not only exercising your right to vote, but you are participating in a civic activity that is denied to thousands of people around the world who cannot choose who leads them.

Furthermore, as a citizen who had to undergo a long and tedious naturalization process, I urge you never to take your right to vote for granted. Many immigrants who are residents choose not to become citizens because it costs too much. When I applied for citizenship last year, my application cost $400. Today, an application costs more than $600. To top it all, many applicants will hire lawyers to ensure that their applications are filled out accurately and won't be denied due to technicalities that are sometimes overlooked. The process ends up costing applicants thousands of dollars. Many immigrants can not afford that or run into debt in order to become citizens.

So, do the right thing by voting today and always remember what a sacred right voting is.

The biggest threat to our democracy is posed not by partisanship, but by apathy, cynicism, exhaustion, and intentional barriers to voter participation. These keep our national voter turnout among the lowest in the industrialized world, lower than many developing countries. We have a chance to make our voices and values heard...Let's do it!

For information on your election day polling place, including location, hours, and what to bring for identification, visit http://www.vote411.org/home.php.