Please read.

• Throughout the world, one in three women has been raped, beaten or violently assaulted.
• Seven hundred million women were children when they were married.
• More than one hundred and thirty three million girls and women have experienced some form of female genital mutilation (FGM).
• More than twenty thousand women a year are victims of “honor killings,” usually murdered by their father, uncle, or brother.

This is not a historical recollection of past times and crimes. These lines are quoted from the Parliaments of the World’s Religions DECLARATION FOR THE DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN. This is happening today to women around the globe.

Each faith has the right to establish the morals, ethics, and principles by which its followers live their lives. No religion has the right or justification for setting values for anyone else. No faith or government has the right or reason for marginalizing more than half of the human race. It is abominable to think that women's rights are not on par with men's.

I call on all people of a good conscience, particularly those who identify as male, to sign and make their intentions felt.

“We call upon the world’s religions to honor and uphold the dignity, well-being, and human rights of women and girls.”

Onward.