Saturday, June 28, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Persecution Captured on Film
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
So Similar, So Different
Nicholas Kristof talks about the difference in opportunity that one's birthplace determines in:
www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-for-these-2-women-the-lottery-of-birth-decides-opportunity.html?_r=0
www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-for-these-2-women-the-lottery-of-birth-decides-opportunity.html?_r=0
Monday, June 23, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
The Long Painful Wait
Carol Sanders writes about The Long Painful Wait as refugees wait to come to Canada:
Saturday, June 21, 2014
CNN: Nepal's Organ Trail
thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com
"Nepal's Organ Trail" will air on CNN International at these times:
• Friday June 27; 5:30am ET, 11:30am ET
• Saturday June 28; 4:30am ET, 9am ET, 3:30pm ET
• Sunday June 29; 5:30am ET; 11:30pm ET
• Monday June 30; 4:30am ET
• Tuesday July 1; 5:30am ET, 12:30pm ET
• Wednesday July 2; 1:30am ET
Friday, June 20, 2014
CNN: Tackling Thailand's Human Trafficking Problem
Check out the CNN article Tackling Thailand's Human Trafficking Problem:
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Myanmar's Persecuted Minority
An important report and video from Myanmar by Nicholas Kristof and Adam B. Ellick:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/16/opinion/nicholas-kristof-myanmar-documentary.html?ref=opinion&_r=0
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/16/opinion/nicholas-kristof-myanmar-documentary.html?ref=opinion&_r=0
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Bill C-36
I recently discovered a political columnist with the Winnipeg Free Press and part of the reason I took note of Deveryn Ross' column was what he was saying regarding Canada's prostitution laws. Check out these two articles:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/seize-property-of-johns-pimps-257622271.html
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/sex-trade-law-protects-young-girls-262987301.html
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/seize-property-of-johns-pimps-257622271.html
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/sex-trade-law-protects-young-girls-262987301.html
Friday, June 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
India, from the Outside In
An interesting article about India featured in today's Winnipeg Free Press:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/india-from-the-outside-in-262823621.html
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/india-from-the-outside-in-262823621.html
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Bringing Women to the Table to Address Sexual Violence
There are a lot of numbers in the article Bringing Women to the Table to Address Sexual Violence by Mary Robinson but I urge you not to ignore them or get bogged down by them. Focus is being given to the fact that rape is a weapon of war as various groups meet in London this week. Remember numbers like, "The oldest [rape] victim [of registered cases in the Congo in the past three years] was 80 years old. The youngest was two."
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/11/bringing-women-to-the-table-to-address-sexual-violence/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-ReadMore&version=Blog%20Main&action=Click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0#more-12784
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/11/bringing-women-to-the-table-to-address-sexual-violence/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-ReadMore&version=Blog%20Main&action=Click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0#more-12784
"Women do not only have the solutions.
They are the solutions."
~Genevieve Inagosi (Minister of Gender, Congo)
Monday, June 9, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Obsolete
I have worked at a women's shelter in the past and it's the type of job where you wish it would become obsolete - that our society and world would not be in need of shelters that protect women and children from violence in their own homes and relationships because abuse is longer tolerated by anyone. In the same breath, I wish that stories of injustice would become obsolete so that my blog could be a place where justice stories are the only ones making the headlines and would be the only thing I could blog about.
More and more stories of women in Muslim-majority countries are coming out. And I don't know if that's because there are more stories of tragedy (unlikely) or the fact that more stories are being reported (perhaps) or the fact that these women are not willing to be silent to the circumstances of their lives any more and so they are shouting for us to pay attention (I choose to go with option 3). I believe that one day in the future, longer than we'd like it to be, we will talk about the way things used to be for these women. That enough of them stood up against their fathers, brothers and other men in their lives so they could finally have an education, drive a car, cast their vote and decide who to marry, if they choose to marry at all. One day, I won't blog another story about such abuse because it will be obsolete. But until then, please read this article and think about how you can get involved and make a difference:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/police-pakistani-teen-survives-after-being-shot-thrown-in-canal-by-father-over-love-marriage-262231401.html
More and more stories of women in Muslim-majority countries are coming out. And I don't know if that's because there are more stories of tragedy (unlikely) or the fact that more stories are being reported (perhaps) or the fact that these women are not willing to be silent to the circumstances of their lives any more and so they are shouting for us to pay attention (I choose to go with option 3). I believe that one day in the future, longer than we'd like it to be, we will talk about the way things used to be for these women. That enough of them stood up against their fathers, brothers and other men in their lives so they could finally have an education, drive a car, cast their vote and decide who to marry, if they choose to marry at all. One day, I won't blog another story about such abuse because it will be obsolete. But until then, please read this article and think about how you can get involved and make a difference:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/police-pakistani-teen-survives-after-being-shot-thrown-in-canal-by-father-over-love-marriage-262231401.html
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Notes to the Future
I just finished reading Nelson Mandela's book Notes to the Future. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"The path of those who preach love, and not hatred, is not easy. They often have to wear a crown of thorns."
"We must ensure that color, race and gender become only a God-given gift to each one of us and not an indelible mark or attribute that accords status to any."
"In judging our progress as individuals we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one's social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education. These are, of course, important in measuring one's success in material matters and it is perfectly understandable if many people exert themselves mainly to achieve all these. But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing our development as a human being. Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others - qualities which are within easy reach of every soul - are the foundation of one's spiritual life."
"The path of those who preach love, and not hatred, is not easy. They often have to wear a crown of thorns."
From a message to the Global Convention on
Peace and Non-violence, New Delhi, India
January 31, 2004
"We must ensure that color, race and gender become only a God-given gift to each one of us and not an indelible mark or attribute that accords status to any."
Forty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly,
New York City, USA, October 2, 1004
"In judging our progress as individuals we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one's social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education. These are, of course, important in measuring one's success in material matters and it is perfectly understandable if many people exert themselves mainly to achieve all these. But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing our development as a human being. Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others - qualities which are within easy reach of every soul - are the foundation of one's spiritual life."
From a letter to Winnie Mandela,
written on Robben Island, February 1, 1975
Friday, June 6, 2014
Risking a Leg, Instead of Seeing a Doctor
Nicole Sganga continues to report from Myanmar and the article includes a shout-out to Partners Relief & Development who work on the ground in Myanmar every day (I've included a link with to their website as well):
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/risking-a-leg-instead-of-seeing-a-doctor/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-ReadMore&version=Blog%20Main&action=Click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0#more-12760
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/risking-a-leg-instead-of-seeing-a-doctor/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-ReadMore&version=Blog%20Main&action=Click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0#more-12760
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Prostitution Bill Outlaws Purchase of Sex
Details of the federal government's legislation regarding prostitution were revealed yesterday. Click on the link to find out more information about it:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/harper-government-to-introduce-new-prostitution-legislation-today-261811811.html
www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/harper-government-to-introduce-new-prostitution-legislation-today-261811811.html
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Portraits of People in Myanmar
Check out "Portraits of People in Myanmar" by Nicole Sganga:
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/portraits-of-people-in-myanmar/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/portraits-of-people-in-myanmar/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Girls-Only Latrines
When I blogged about the gang rape case in India the other day, I appropriately titled it "No Toilets Proves Deadly", which is the focus of the following Winnipeg Free Press article. Basic sanitation, in the form of a toilet or latrine, becomes a safety concern for many women in developing countries. And what can you do? Well Plan Canada, through its Gifts of Hope program, provides an opportunity for you to purchase a girls-only latrine for $100, which is currently being matched for a $300 value. Not only will you be providing sanitation but you will also be providing safety. Click on the link now:
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Obama Success, or Global Shame?
Nicholas Kristof usually takes the university student who wins his "win-a-trip" journey to Africa but this year Nicole Sganga (whose articles I've featured in previous days) has travelled with him to Myanmar, a country much in need of some international attention. Please see his Sunday column:
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