National Organization for Women-NYS Rising for Women's Equality Act

ALBANY, NY (02/14/2013)(readMedia)-- NOW-NYS and members across the state will walk out, dance, rise up, and demand an end to violence against women and girls with the One Billion Rising campaign today February 14, 2013. One in three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime; with the world population at 7 billion, that adds up to more than one billion women and girls. The One Billion Rising campaign is a call to women and men to refuse to participate in the status quo of a culture that accepts violence against women and girls.

One Billion Rising is an act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers. Here in New York, we have the opportunity to rise above and pass the Women's Equality Agenda which contains important protections for women to improve the health, safety and economic well being of every woman and her family in this state. The Women's Equality Agenda is a 10-point plan to advance women's rights in New York State proposed by Governor Cuomo.

Zenaida MendezmPresident of the National Organization for Women-New York State said "I am thrilled to be joining the women of the world in this effort to end all kind of violence against women, once and for all. NOW Chapters around New York State and the country will rise up in solidarity with women everywhere to create awareness and to say we will not tolerate violence against women."

"The Women's Equality Agenda is about women's jobs, women's safety and women's right to do what they want with their bodies," said Sonia Ossorio, president of NOW-NYC

"Today as the world rises I am inspired by so many actions. The New York's Women's Equality Agenda is an action that will make it harder to discriminate against women at work and strengthen laws to make women safer in their homes." says Eve Ensler, founder of V-Day and the One Billion Rising campaign.

NOW-New York State (NOW-NYS) is the statewide Chapter of NOW in New York State. It is the largest women's political action organization in New York, reaching over 40,000 women and men in 24 chapters. The chapter is dedicated to fighting for women's equality, and to improving the status of women in New York.