Decent Work and Economic Growth: Approaching UN International Human Rights Day, Part 5
Updated: Dec 10, 2020
UN SDG #8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
In order to perform to the absolute best of their abilities in school and the workplace, women need to feel safe in their personal lives, the marketplaces where they trade, universities, and places of work.
In other words, everywhere and all day long. This includes feeling safe from intimidation, sexual harassment and all other types of bullying and violence.
While we believe that there should be programs teaching people not to intimidate, harass and bully, we know they are only part of the solution. Because while we can commit to reducing the numbers of people who perpetrate violence, there will always those who are not going to behave in healthy ways.
And this is why we believe that the skills and techniques taught in Empowerment Self Defense are key to solving the problem of violence, especially violence against women and children.
The best way to reduce fear is to teach skills to handle situations as they are developing.
The best way to reduce fear is to teach skills to handle situations as they are developing.
The best way to empower women is to encourage them to step into their power, to use their voices, and to push forward, even when the world tells them they can’t or shouldn’t.
ESD teaches women to step into their power, to embolden their voices, and to break through archaic beliefs that keep them down.
Examples from graduates:
"For about six months, I would go out a lot to photograph in the field. There were two incidents with a film crew. Several men and me… Someone made a threat and I was the one who got him to back off. I felt the ability to scream that I developed during the course, and on two occasions people said it was great how I got him to back off."
"It works for me even on a daily level. For example, at work when I saw that I didn't like the tasks they give me, I went to talk to the person in charge using the tools from the course and I discussed it with her.”
"I set boundaries by using my voice in several instances and caused the person who had made me feel uncomfortable and threatened to go away."
"I set boundaries by using my voice in several instances and caused the person who had made me feel uncomfortable and threatened to go away."
"Someone came too close to me and I used the tools from the course and my voice as deterrence so that he would move away, even just by means of words and firmness."
"A client at my workplace kissed my hand and I responded automatically by pulling it back and shouting at him."
"I was part of a delegation that went abroad and there was a guy who choked me in a friendly way, in a cute context, and I responded by freeing myself without thinking twice, and the guy was really shocked."
"I set boundaries by using my voice in several instances and caused the person who had made me feel uncomfortable and threatened to go away."
"Someone came too close to me and I used the tools from the course and my voice as deterrence so that he would move away, even just by means of words and firmness."
"I was at the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv early in the morning and someone started walking close to me. I told him to stop, like we learned…"
"It works for me even on a daily level. For example, at work when I saw that I didn't like the tasks they give me, I went to talk to the person in charge using the tools from the course and I discussed it with her.”
See more examples at ESD Global Inc.
