(From left, UN Youth Champion Monique Coleman, UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon)

I attended a breakfast on behalf of Girl Up at the United Nations to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The breakfast room was filled with supporters for elimination of violence against women, and the excitement to celebrate the four winners of the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence Against Women t-shirt design contest was everywhere.

Not only was UN Youth Champion and Girl Up supporter Monique Coleman hosting the breakfast, but Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gave a speech about “setting an example to end violence” and encouraging political will to focus on the successful prevention of violence against women and girls all over the world.

Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, echoed Ban Ki-moon and challenged us to make a difference and change the world.

Not only did we hear a great  speech from the Secretary General, but we also celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the winners of the design contest.

The contest called for men ages 18 to 24 to design a t-shirt with a graphic that showed a way to end violence. There were 175 designs submitted from all over the world!

The winners included Mwasapi Kihongosi from Tanzania, Niragira Alex from Malaysia, Fedor Silenkov from Belarus, Ramiro Exposito from Cuba, and Bryan Juárez Romero from Mexico, and a guest designer from Australia, Henry Monaghan.

Henry’s t-shirt featured a fist wrapped around a bouquet of roses with a quote, “Real men use their fists to present love.”

At the end of the breakfast each member left inspired to eliminate violence and change the world, one t-shirt at a time.

Learn more about UN Women and all they do to protect women and girls around the world.

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