New Book on Peaceful Solutions for Women's Advancement Across Cultures

On Friday, March 17 in the Salvation Army Auditorium, African Views promoted 100 Peaceful Solutions for Women's Advancement Across Cultures, a new book and global call to action which has been in the works for over eighteen months. Curator Wade Idris Aijbade was present, along with other authors and families of authors who contributed to the book. The soft launch and panel was moderated by Padmini Murthy, MD, and Regina Askia Williams, RN. 

The event began with keynote speaker Madame Innocence Ntap Ndiaye, President of the High Council on Social Dialogue by Decree and international lecturer from Senegal; her French presentation was translated by an interpreter. She discussed Senegal's Constitution of 2001 which includes a set of principles to promote women's rights and access. Her country has also ratified international policies on the subject, including CEDAW, and a national strategy for social justice and gender equality SNEEG. Women are concentrated in the informal economy, meaning unpaid work that remains invisible in statistics and discussions. Highlighting the context of vulnerability generated by inequality, she stressed the importance of education and social dialogue as "a means of producing social justice through consensus of main actors and democratic means of involvement." 

The first panelist, Ora Welch, M. Ed., President and CEO of Hopes CAP, Inc. (HOPES), focused on respect and early education. She stated that all people need to learn how to respect themselves and each other from a young age, so that we stop mistaking abuse for love. Abuse is tied to education, and poverty will not go away until we fix education. Young people, and particularly girls, need safe spaces for dialogue and support to become well-rounded and self-sustainable. Too many young girls are searching for approval; they need good mentors to help them understand what they are feeling.

The second and final panelist, Terry D. Ince, a human rights activist with expertise in women's economic and political empowerment from Trinidad and Tobago, reminded participants that "change starts with us." She described an incident in her country during Carnival last year where a young women's movement made their voices heard, successfully removing a man from office following his distasteful comments about a young girl's death. Women should be able to walk down the street wearing whatever they choose without being harassed, attacked, or having their space invaded, and these women exemplify the power of civil society in demanding equality and rights. 

Ince also cited CEDAW in the expectation of women and girls to be protected by the government and called for participants to put pressure on their governments to uphold the treaty in practice. For countries that have not ratified CEDAW, including the United States, Murthy encouraged participants to look into Cities for CEDAW, which aims to "Make the Global Local" by passing legislation establishing the principles of CEDAW in cities and towns across the United States. 

During the Q&A portion, the following topics were discussed: 

• Williams said, "These men didn't come from Mars, we raised them." How can we correct inequalities caused by our parents (ex. gendered ways of sitting)? 
• In order to overcome institutionalized inequalities, we must gain the respect of those (parents) we are trying to inform. By carrying yourself with respect and projecting the change you want to implement, you can talk to people one-on-one about the development and growth of their children and make a difference.
• Self-empowerment first, then social engagement. 
• Growing up, girls are encouraged to be affectionate and to be drawn to affection. Caregivers are often the source of this affection, so what advice can be given to victims of molestation by these caregivers? 
• We need protectors in the community that victims can talk to and we need to stop victim blaming. We cannot let silent suffering go on any longer. Safe spaces for dialogue and support will open the door of trust and raise awareness, enabling victims to build networks between mentors and other young people. 

100 Solutions for Peaceful Advancement of Women Across Cultures

Held in the late afternoon of March 17 at the Salvation Army building, “100 Solutions for Peaceful Advancement of Women Across Cultures” served a a soft launch of the brand-new book by the same name. Available online and soon available in print, this interdisciplinary book provides solutions for the advancement of women. Authors and other involved in the development of the book were engaged in this panel session.

The session began with the singing of the national anthem by one of the author’s family members. Upon the conclusion of the anthem, the panel moderators, Padmini Murthy and Regina Askia Williams, introduced the keynote speaker. Mrs. Innocence Ntap Ndiaye, who currently the President of the High Council of Social Dialogue by Decree and has held multiple ministerial positions in Senegal, spoke about the steps that Senegal has taken to promote gender equality. Feeling more comfortable in her native language, she gave her talk in French, with another member of the panel translating. At the conclusion of her brief talk, she was presented with an SDG pin, in honor of her work on gender quality and as an inspiration to continue fighting.

Ora Welch, CEO of HOPES CAP and the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, spoke next about the importance of education in breaking patterns of gender inequality and violence. With particular attention to early education and the education of young people, she described the role that education plays in breaking cycles of violence. Specifically, Mrs. Welch explained that women need education to become self-sustaining, and that the respect they receive (and feel for themselves) once they are economically empowered, will lead to a reduction in violence. She also discussed the importance of women’s education addressing love, noting that girls must be taught that love should feel good and not hurtful, and that they must be supported by their community when they choose to leave domestic relationships in which violence is used as a proxy for love.

Next, Dr. Murthy and Regina Williams introduced the audience to the inspiration behind 100 Solutions, and discussed their perspectives on what can be done across cultures to promote women’s empowerment. Regina draw attention to the role that caregivers, especially women, play in breaking cultural patterns that maintain gender inequality, while Dr. Murthy took an opportunity to thank the feminist men in the audience who are also working towards gender equality.

Finally, Mrs. Terry Ince, a human rights activist and entrepreneur, spoke about women in peace and peaceful ways to get there. Using the recent example of a woman’s death during Carnivale in Trinidad and Tobago, she described how women’s empowerment starts with women. Women coming together to make their voices heard can lead to change, as it has in Trinidad and Tobago. However, international conventions also make a difference, and women in Trinidad and Tobago have been able to point to CEDAW to hold their government accountable when women aren’t getting the protection that they need.

The audience then had an opportunity to ask the panelists questions. The questions were wide-ranging, covering topic such as how communities can come together to make sure that girls have safe places to go when they are experiencing violence to how the recent changes in US governance will impact the worldwide women’s empowerment movement. To conclude the session, all of the book’s authors present (and their families) were called to the stage, where they were presented with flowers. Two authors’ children read poetry, and a third led the audience in singing Bob Marley's “Three Little Birds” to end the session on an inspiring note.