Anoushka Shankar features in International Women's Day song

08 March, 2013

World famous Sitar player Anoushka Shankar, daughter of late noted musician Pandit Ravi Shankar, is among the 25 artists featuring in 'One Woman' song of the United Nations to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8. The song after its release during a function at UN will be available on the Internet.

According to UN, the song calls for gender equity and celebrates acts of courage and determination by ordinary women. The song aims to become a rallying cry that inspires listeners to join in the drive for women`s empowerment and gender equality. “One Woman gives us a message of hope and inspiration," said UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet.

“This song carries a message of unity and solidarity with women worldwide and reminds us that equality, human rights and human dignity are the birthright of all of us, every human being. I thank everyone who made this song possible,” she added.

“Besides Anoushka, other singers to feature in the song are Ana Bacalhau from Portugal, Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Bassekou Kouyate (Mali), Bebel Gilberto (Brazil), Beth Blatt (US), Brian Finnegan (Ireland), Buika (Spain), Charice (Philippines), Cherine Amr (Egypt), Debi Nova (Costa Rica), Emeline Michel (Haiti), Fahan Hassan (Britain), Idan Raichel (Israel), Jane Zhang (China), Jim Diamond (Britain), Keith Murrell ( Britain), Lance Ellington (Britain), Marta Gomez (Colombia), Maria Friedman (Britain), Meklit Hadero (Ethiopia), Rokia Traore (Mali), Vanessa Quai (Vanuatu), Ximena Sarinana (Mexico) and Yuna from Malaysia,” informed UN website.

On an earlier occasion, Shankar had said in a video released for a global women's rights campaign that she had been sexually abused as a child by a family friend. “As child, I suffered sexual and emotional abuse for several years in the hands of a man my parents trusted implicitly,” Shankar said in the message posted on YouTube from her home in London.

“Growing up like most women I know I suffered various forms of groping, touching, verbal abuse and other things,” she had added.