I had planned writing on a very different topic this month. But as I was checking my emails, this morning I felt compelled to put a call to action in honor of International Women’s Day on issues that are affecting women around the world and here locally.

First, it troubles and saddens me that innocent girls in Nigeria are terrified to go to school for fear of being kidnapped. Four years ago, the world stood up and demanded action as hundreds of militant extremists in Nigeria kidnapped hundreds of girls. Now, history is repeating itself as militants have kidnapped 110 girls once again, some as young as 11 years old. Imagine, sending your daughter to school and not knowing if she’ll ever return.

We need to demand action from Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate action. Please visit thepetitionsite.com and search “Find the 110 Girls Kidnapped by Boko Haram,” to take action.

Second, living free from violence is a basic human right. Yet, one in three women are beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. In some countries, up to 70 percent have experienced some form of violence and are prevented from fully participating socially, economically and politically in their communities. Violence against women is an affront against their dignity as human beings and it should be a top U.S. priority.

The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) is a bipartisan bill that would help end violence against women. Encourage your members of Congress to support IVAWA and help end violence against women globally! Either email them directly or visit act.amnestyusa.org and search “The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA)” to sign the petition.

Last but not least, every day thousands of women across the United States are trafficked in businesses that include massage parlors, beauty salons, restaurants, hotels and more. This happens not only in some far off country, but right here in Orlando and right here in our backyards. Learn the signs, which can include:

• Avoiding eye contact
• Injuries on their body
• Branding or scarring indicating ownership
• Third party answers for them

Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888, or to learn more visit polarisproject.org. Polaris has several great articles to learn more but also has an option of just simply making a donation to help end human trafficking. If you want a more hands-on approach or would like to make a donation locally, find out more about the Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force at www.orlandodiocese.org.

Okay, so I know I said I would keep things simple, and now I’ve asked you to take action on three different things, so if you can’t do all, just pick one. But really, making a difference is just one phone call or one click away.

As women living in America, we have so many freedoms that others do not, so I urge to speak up for those without a voice and do your part for International Women’s Day and Every Day!