***This event has been moved online to a webinar format.***
The webinar will begin online Tuesday, March 10 at 6:15pm.
Online: https://bit.ly/nkconference
Phone: (209) 399-9966
You can join via various apps here. The Online Meeting ID is "northkorea".
Please note, for the Q&A sessions, the panelists will take questions via the chatroom. This is only available through the online webinar or an app.
The North Korea Freedom Coalition will hold its annual parallel event during the 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, presenting personal testimonies on the human rights situation for women in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. “25 Years of Repression and Regression for North Korean Women” will bring personal testimonies and expert speakers to analyze the dire human rights situation for women in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and as refugees in the People’s Republic of China. Additionally, we will be presenting the findings of our CSW 64 report, which provides detailed information supporting our conclusion that the DPRK and PRC are failing to meet their international obligations to end gender-based inequality, discrimination, and violence against North Korean women.
Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/25-years-of-repression-and-regression-for-north-ko…
Speakers
EYEWITNESS PANEL
- Eiko Kawasaki, North Korean Escapee
- Shinhae Oh, North Korean Escapee
- Suzanne Scholte, Moderator
NGO PANEL
- John Sifton, Human Rights Watch
- Ann Buwalda, Jubilee Campaign
- Greg Scarlatoiu, The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK)
- Jason West, Moderator
Biographies of Eye Witnesses
Eiko Kawasaki at age 17 left Japan as one of the over 93,000 North Korean returnees lured to the “paradise” of North Korea only to experience the tragic reality of life under the Kim regime. For over 40 years, Kawasaki studied, worked, married and started a family in the oppressive regime until she finally fled in 2003 to return to Japan where she has become a tireless advocate for human rights by founding “Korea of All” and most recently chairing Action for Korea United-Japan. She has led efforts with other returnees to seek legal remedy for their suffering including complaints filed in the Tokyo District Court and at the International Criminal Court in the Hague against the North Korean leader.
Shinhae Oh, born and raised in rural North Korea, knew nothing of freedom and human rights. Nonetheless her mother raised her to dream big and transcend possibilities. At the age of 17, she took on the toughest journey of her life to see the world beyond an isolated life in North Korea. She encountered heartless treatment as an undocumented defector living in China, where she felt disillusioned from seeing how the world functioned to benefit only those in power. Throughout the unbelievable journey, she came to realize that she has the fundamental right to live a better life, to raise her voice, and to have her dignity respected. She strongly believes that everyone deserves to live according to their values regardless of class, gender, status, race, and nationality. She desires to live a life that uplifts others beyond their imagination. She is currently enrolled at a Master of Divinity program at a seminary in Chicago.