Somaly Mam: Fri 22 May, 10.10am / 10.10pm

Once sold into sex slavery, Cambodian activist Somaly Mam now rescues girls from the same horrific fate.

I just got news from my boss Rose today that Cambodian activist Somaly Mam is coming to Singapore and will be speaking at the SCWO (Singapore Council of Women Organisations) event on Thursday.

This is a story I've been pursuing for years. When I was Deputy Editor of Vanilla magazine, we were scheduled to fly up to Phnom Penh to do a cover story on her, together with our best photographer and stylist. But it never materialised because Somaly was on the run. Her daughter was kidnapped. Her life is constantly being threatened.

Why? What's she doing that upsets so many people? I read her autobiography The Path of Lost Innocence - which traces her life from being sold into sex slavery to how she lives & breathes to rescue girls off the streets today - and was deeply moved.

I'm thrilled that Somaly is in Singapore this week and that I'm finally going to meet her. You will get to "meet" Somaly too, this Friday at 10.10am, with a repeat broadcast at 10.10pm. Don't miss it!

In the meantime, click here to find out more about her, or swing by the SCWO event this Thursday, or Friday when UNIFEM Singapore (United Nations Development Fund for Women) hosts her @ Insead, 7pm. It will be awesome, trust me! 

What's IWD all about?

Not too long ago, I did not know there was a day in the year dedicated to women. And even when I did eventually find out about International Women's Day, I had no clue which day it fell on.

It was only through writing a 20-page feature story on IWD for Vanilla magazine a year ago that I did some research on its history, and I came to understand that there were historical circumstances that led to the establishment of IWD.

As part of the Wonder Women in The Living Room series, I felt we had to include a segment on the history & background of International Women's Day because it forms the foundation of WHY we celebrate it.

To help shed some light on the matter, we invited Saleemah Ismail, President of UNIFEM Singapore (United Nations Development Fund for Women), to be our guest today. Saleemah shared that the first women's movement arose in 1909 when female garment workers took to the streets of New York City to demand for better wages.

That was exactly 100 years ago. It was very much an isolated event at the time, a response to unjust circumstances. But what was significant was that it was the first time women - who had no status or voice - banded together and stood up for their rights.

It was only in 1975 that the United Nations declared a Year of the Woman. And in 1977, the 8th of March was set aside each year to celebrate the contribution of women around the world. That marked the birth of IWD, as we know it.

To catch more of that conversation, tune in tonight at 11.10pm. It's a "palatable" history lesson for you, I promise.