Women and Environment in Nigeria

The final day of the Commission on the Status of Women conference offered just as powerful messages as the first day. It was fitting to end the conference knowing that the next generation is actively working towards the sustainable development goals. Lehigh’s United Nations Youth representatives, De’Anna Daniels and Lyasha Bishop, ’16, presented on behalf of the Center for Women’s Studies and Intervention (CWSI) based in Abuja, Nigeria. This NGO educates women in Nigeria about world problems and how to create change or be part of the solution. Daniels’s and Bishop’s presentation, called Women and Environment in Nigeria, discussed the ways in which women can be part of the solution to the organization’s goal of sustainable development. Daniels pointed out that Nigerian women are absent from all levels of policy making, and one goal of the CWSI is to address this gap. “This presentation will present a strategic action plan needed for sound environmental management that will require involvement of women,” Daniels said. The CWSI began work in 1999 in Abuja, Nigeria on social and legal rights, specifically women’s rights and the elimination of gender based violence and training.

The presentation for the CSW focused on the strategies for action for Nigerian women to be active in policy conversations with a critical role of woman and as stewards of the environment. Daniels and Bishop addressed the strategies by categorizing each issue and solution based on the SDGs. The main focus being SDG#15, Life on Land. Due to gender divisions of labor, women in many parts of the world shoulder responsibility of agricultural work, water, and fuel collection in order to provide food for their families. Environmental degradation and lack of access to, and control over natural resources, have consequently, had an especially severe impact on women.

The United Nation’s charge on the environment calls for women to play an import role, given that they are the ones that have a hand in the ecosystem and access to resources. Women’s contribution as a critical determent for the implications of the environmental policies, as noted in the the first World Conference of Women in 1975 in Mexico City and conference there after have brought up these issues. The conversation continues to points towards the need to step up gender equity in environmental decision making like water collection, especially in areas heavily affected by HIV AIDs given that the lack of water expedites deaths.

Daniels and Bishop shared six specific ways Nigerian Women are affected by environmental problems by grouping them with the sustainable development goals,in order as presented:

-       The principle fuel for cooking in rural areas in Nigeria is wood. Such extensive reliance on wood causes erosion and changes in microclimate, this is a concern of SDG#7 Affordable and Clean Energy.

-       Deforestation, the illegal logging and clearing of forest has depleted the forest in Nigeria and large scale construction were women primarily engage in agricultural activity and depend on the resources, without regard of environmental effects, this is a concern of SDG#15 Life on Land.

-       Decertification, or coastal entrenchment and erosion this has resulted in migration, dysfunctional family loss of villages, conflict, lose of livelihood and internal displacement, cultivation of land in inappropriate places, this is a concern of SDG#14 Life below Water coastal environment.

-       Lack of information on environmental issues, so many Nigerians are unaware of environmental issues and very few women are involved in natural disaster management this is a concern of SDG#4 Quality Education.

-       Absence of gender mainstreaming and environment, Nigerian women are absent in all levels of policy formulation and decision making in discussions on policies including environmental issues such as pollution and population explosion, this is a concern of SDG#16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

-       Exploration of solar minerals has led to loss of land property decline in economic activity, particularly affecting women, changes in social life of women, increase of poverty level, this is a concern of SDG#12 Responsible Consumption and Production.

The strategies for action put fourth by CWSI are holistic, multidisciplinary, and intersectional approach.

-       Awareness creation, education is key in order to understand environmental issues and take action

-       Government and civil society action need to play a large role

-       Funding alternative energy sources for cooking, as a direct action

Overall, the presentation laid out the issues women in Nigeria currently face, where those issues concern the sustainable development goals, and specific strategies for action. The call for action is clear, and our youth seems well equipped to take them on.

Experience the CSW with me!

To mix it up, I decided to create a vlog (video + blog) showcasing the Lehigh's presence during the last day of the CSW- enjoy!

A Dialogue of Empowered Disabled Women: impairment does not make us disabled but rather the accessibility of society

Of the many CSW sessions I observed, I found the Dialogue of Survivors in a Disabling Environment powerful, disturbing, yet inspiring. The panel was moderated by Eleanor Lisney, a founding member of the Sisters of Frida. The Sisters of Frida is an experimental collaborative group that allows disabled women a space to share experiences, provide mutual support, and foster relationships with different networks.

Speakers at this panel included Alexia Manombe-Ncube, the Deputy Minister of Disability Affairs in the office of Vice President, Namibia. She described the obstacles of growing up with disabilities in a village in rural Namibia where she was never taken seriously, viewed as an object to be swept aside because of her limitations, and how she personally experience intense gender-specific turmoil at an early age. Another speaker, who was extremely passionate, was Lucia Bellini. Lucia is an advocate for disabled women and domestic violence. She believes that disabled women deserve the right to make choices and that societally constructed limitation toward disabled women internalize a negative view of each individual which oppress disabled women both physically and emotionally. The third speaker was Suzannah Phillips, a legal advisor to Women Enabled International. She passionately stated that the rights of persons with disabilities is a human right and that the UN must promote policies that reflect these specific need. Also, that the UN must provide accessible information to women with disabilities avoiding complex jargon because it further limits their individual circumstances. Lastly, Michelle Baharier, the final speaker, founded a disabled lead arts organisation that promotes a different perspective of disabled women within mainstream society. Being a disabled activist artist, she discussed the victimization of disabled women in psychiatric wards and how forced medication can cause long-lasting emotional and physical abuse.

A few of the main points touched on during the panel discussion had to do with identity and empowerment. For example, Michelle professed the need for women to accept their disabilities and work together to support one another. Lucia Bellini explained how disabled women still see themselves as sexual beings. As a result, they oftentimes fall victim to sexual violence because they rely so much on their partners because they view themselves as unworthy of finding someone else. Another notion of identity discussed had to do with intersectionality. Eleanor, in response to a question asked by an audience member, described the concept of intersectionality and how overlapping identities can cause gender/racial-specific obstacles. These tragic yet empowering stories described by these women left a lasting impression on my overall experience of CSW and my perspective of women empowerment as a whole.    

The Edutainment Change Agent in Mozambique

Where does a media push fit in to educate and move people's opinions on domestic violence? According to the moderators at "Beyond Struggles and Inequalities: The Resistances and Alternatives of Women and Girls", it belongs in Mozambique as part of an overall effort to eradicate domestic violence against women through policy and personal change. N'weti, a Mozambican non-for-profit, launched a multimedia edutainment campaign entitled "Say NO to Domestic Violence" and shared their efforts at the 2016 Commission on the Status of Women.

Prior to 2009, domestic violence in Mozambique was not an actual crime, and by many measures, was an acceptable form of marital interaction. Through a concerted effort to sway public and government opinion on the subject, Law 29/2009 was officially put on the books and not only is domestic violence now a crime, but the state was made responsible for protecting women and holding perpetrators accountable.

Though the law has now been on the books for seven years, it had been an ongoing struggle to keep the thought of passing such a relevant issue. The challenge to lawmakers has been advocated for since about 1993, and N'weti's media run including television, radio, public debates and online outreach was instrumental in creating an understanding of how the tradition and potential law against it was viewed.

As part of a larger overall strategy for women's rights which included gender economics, violence, political representation/participation, and reproductive empowerment, N'weti brought the issue to the forefront and challenged assumptions based on narratives from many past generations. Though there are remaining obstacles to overcome, the efforts in this case support the strength of large-scale multimedia outreach as a tool to change the path of women's and human rights.

Disabled Women versus Women with Disabilities - is there a difference?

Yes, there is a difference. The panelists from A Dialogue: Survivors in a Disabling Environment: What Does Empowerment of Disabled Women Mean Globally?, which was sponsored by Sisters of Frida CIC, National Alliance of Women Organizations (NAWO), and Women Enabled International Inc, clarified for for all of us listening. 

We are not disabled by our impairments, rather, we are disabled by our societies, due to exclusion and lack of accessibility provided by them. The difference between “disabled women” and “women with disabilities” is stark in light of this. 

The societal barriers to disabled women are many. From childhood, it is largely taught that having a disability is negative, a lifelong limitation. With this mindset, many disabled women enter adulthood with a negative view of themselves, which can lead to abusive and violent relationships that are difficult to break away from. Concerning mental disabilities, many women in psychiatric institutions are not afforded basic rights when it comes to medication, as complete compliance is required. Those who request a change to medication are often labelled as angry, and in turn their medication is increased, leaving them powerless. 

How can societies empower disabled women? The panelists described that independent living is a strong form of empowerment. This does not necessarily mean living alone in literal terms, rather independent living is having the power and control to do things in life that you prefer. There are policies in place, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which serve to support and protect disabled people at the policy level. In order to make these policies accessible, organizations such as Women Enabled International Inc work to translate these policies to local governments and civil society in order to uphold them. Another panelist described that peer services at the local level, which are led by disabled women who serve disabled women, are important for support and local empowerment. Sisters of Frida CIC is an organization which aims to create networks of disabled women to share experiences and build a collective voice. 

To learn more about the members of the panel - their experiences and positions in their local contexts - please click here.

In Concert with Women's Resilient Voices

In most workshops, there is the standard podium or table, the PowerPoint, the attendees sitting in chairs, hearing, learning, making sense of some important topic.

Not so much at the Young Women's Resilient Voices for Empowerment Through Performance parallel session at the 2016 Commission on the Status of Women. This was a fully engaged gathering of complete participatory theatre. A program conceived and designed by Dr. Beth Osnes, Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Chelsea Hackett, PhD student in Educational Theatre at NYU and the Starfish School in Solola, Guatemala, now directed by Vilma Saloj, "Her Infinite Impact" is a 12-session introduction to expanding vocal range and efficacy through exercises, games and theatre activities. 

The session involved voice and body warm-ups, group imagery creation and partner discussions which culminated in the entire group of about 16 and then smaller groups of approximately four each contributing to the expression of what it means to empower women and how that would look as a statue-like representation. Commentary was then offered on the perceptions that each presentation elicited within each participant.

Developed as a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project, the program itself is now mainly used in Guatemala at the Starfish School. Its larger purpose, however, is adaptation to any group that wants to physically empower womens' voices through the creation of strong, stable and secure manifestations of the environment needed to do so and ultimately to transfer that to the women themselves.

In the near future, the program will be introduced in Tanzania, New York City and Boulder, Colorado, and it is working to develop opportunities for women to advocate in communities through their vocal and civic strength.

Women opposing Islamic Extremism: The need for change and support

This panel discussion was hosted by the Women’s Freedom Forum a women’s rights education organization affiliated with the United Nations Department of Public Information. This organization aims to raise issues relating to women’s equality, human rights, and empowerment. They believe in the need to uplift women in the middle east through legitimizing their voices and shared experiences.

In the first half of the panel discussion two women discussed their understanding of women living in societies oppressed by Islamic extremism. The first speaker was Antonia Felix, a political biographer for 25 years. She described stories of Islamic extremism in which women still endure disturbing consequences for their actions such as stoning, acid, and female genital mutilation. In order overcome such helplessness and brutality, she believes that it is important to incorporate women in the peacemaking process, provide women with an optional view of Islam, enforce laws that oppose violence against women, encourage women to join police forces and enact change themselves, and, lastly, use social media to gather support.

The second speaker named Fran Belisle, a former diplomat at the U.S. embassies in Algiers, Ankara and Canada, as well as an expert relating to military, international issues, politics and law, discussed women empowerment under Islamic extremism by describing a close friend who risks her life working with the United States in Algeria. Being a career women, a mother, and a practicing Muslim, her friend illustrates a clear example of women empowerment in the face of Islamic extremism.

While the first section of the panel was helpful in setting the overall landscape of women experiencing Islamic fundamentalism, the following discussion provided a powerful example of the frustration and passion of actual women experiencing this issue. For example, a major frustration talked about in detail involved how to combat fundamentalism in locations with a less functional government. The speakers explained that once empowered women are involved in their respective societies there is a faster transition toward stabilizations. Once women are empowered, the government begins to stabilize. However, this is not necessarily a short-term solution because women are not protected by law. In order produce change, mothers must speak to their children about opposing fundamentalist groups, and women must work together and share their concerns during times of need. Another example of the frustration felt by women under Islamic fundamentalism involved religion and interpretation based on context. As one audience member expressed, Islam does not promote violence but does not necessarily advocate gender equality. Therefore, women must provide an education for their children that encourages gender cohesion and resistance against fundamentalist groups.  

This discussion truly provided a face to the immense frustrations felt by women who have experienced the oppressive nature of Islamic fundamentalism. There need for feasible solutions and support is undeniable.

Grassroots Initiatives and the Empowerment of Women

The session began with the description of a grassroots survey implemented by the Grassroots Taskforce of the NGO Committee on Social Development. It was circulated in Spring of 2015 and its main objective was to learn more about community-based economic initiatives on a global scale. The survey received 70 responses from 26 countries. The topics measured included factors contributing to the effectiveness of projects, the sustainability of projects, the project’s impact on individuals, and the project’s impact on the community. Certain findings I found interesting included how most of the respondents claimed that their projects were sustainable. They discussed that variables outside the project’s control, mainly environmentally based, imposed on the believed sustainability of their projects. I was also fascinated by how the survey claimed that the effectiveness of projects related specifically to highly, participatory group approaches, projects that relied on monitoring and evaluation, and projects that understood local conditions and thus implemented feasible initiatives.

The second portion of the session consisted of four female lead NGOs who described economic initiatives in four different contexts. The first NGO was run by the Daughters of Charity located in the Fiji Islands who recycled trash into trinkets and goods such as purses and bracelets. Their aim is to empower women through developing skills and providing economic empowerment. The second NGO located in Albania and implemented by the Mary Ward Loreto Foundation. Their goal is to limit human trafficking through vocational training and youth development. By using youth projects, this NGO promotes self-understanding of young women to where they become self-aware and, through vocational training, become economically resilient and empowered. The third NGO, situated in a highly impoverished section of  Zimbabwe, is run by DOMCPP (Diocese of Mutare Community Care Programme). Using economic support, they purchased a grinding mill for the community that developed a sort of trickle down effect empowering women and men alike. Lastly, the final NGO located in India and called the Social Impact of the Economic Empowerment of Women in Kodaikanal, India. Using self-help groups to rally and connect women, they promote change within their patriarchal society through protesting capacity building.

Each group maintained that economic empowerment is key to reducing the multi-burden women in developing countries experience. Through economic resiliency, women and mothers can produce societal change by educating boys and girls at a young age regarding gender equality, help women reach new levels in their respecting government, reduce religious extremism by teaching a positive interpretation of scripture, help to foster family/ parenting-friendly spaces, will promote cohesion among genders, and develop expanded and reliant communities that help one another in times of need. In the end, I found all panelists inspiring by their dedication within their particular contexts, as well as their determination to promote gender empowerment around the world.

Depriving women ownership of their bodies: Revenge Porn a Global Issue

The first CSW session I experienced discussed eliminating cyber violence against women and the challenges on revenge porn and legal action. The session was conducted by the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation (TWRF) and included 5 speakers who touched on different examples of revenge porn and the complexity of the phenomenon as a whole. For example, all speakers expressed the need to changed the name of revenge porn to non-consensual porn because such porn is not always out of spite but rather motivated by other social needs such as entertaining friends, hacking, etc. 

Carry Goldberg, a well-established lawyer in New York City, grounded the victimization of women by non-consensual porn through a story of an English professor who was filmed unknowingly performing sexual acts by her ex-boyfriend. After she decided to end the relationship, she was threatened to have the footage released unless she complied to his demands. In response to being blackmailed, she sought assistance from police officials but discovered that they were unable to do anything in response. As a result, the footage was auctioned off to a random stranger for 5.00$ and she was deprived of her privacy and body. All speakers explained that revenge porn can cause emotional and psychological harm because victims are not only abused by their offender, which most of the time is a close partner, but also by those who consume this form of pornography and the websites that make it accessible.

Another example, which focused on revenge porn in Taiwan, proved that this phenomenon to a global issue. The speakers explained that in Taiwan there are no strict criminal laws to oppose revenge porn. Because revenge porn can cause intense community backlash and foster an unfriendly cultural atmosphere, society flips the blame onto the victim instead of the perpetrators. To combat victimization of women by cyber violence, methods must incorporate strict laws to protect the victim’s privacy, promote awareness and understanding of victims and their community, as well as work closely with law-enforcement officials to bring greater consequences to the perpetrators

Furthermore, Chang Kai-Chiang, a spokesman from TWRF, stated the need for a stronger globally interconnected community. A highly collaborative NGO network could help to further collect data of shared stories from those victimized by cyber violence, urge governments to take a stronger stand on non-consensual porn, and act as a body to monitor, report, and follow-up on revenge porn cases. In order to combat cyber violence in the form of non-consensual porn, we must provide physical and emotional assistance to victims, continuously spread awareness within both the local, national, and global communities, and truly empathize with victims not strictly through a gendered lens but at human level.

"Are we not human too?"

Image retrieved from UCP case study report

Working together for their community to promote peace, the women in South Sudan are helping to combat domestic violence and creating a safe environment for women to simply live their lives as normally as possible during a time of conflict.

The CSW60 session on Women Peacekeeping Teams using Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) in South Sudan, focused on building well-trained, large-scale professional forces. Wearing pink shirts, these teams live in communities where people are directly affected and are made up of women from the community that are non-partisan and are there to protect civilians. These teams are proving that the presence of well trained unarmed civilians on the ground works, but it takes time. These efforts are linked to sustainable development goal #16, Promote Peaceful and Inclusive Societies, specifically protecting women and girls from violence in South Sudan.

Mel Duncan, Director of Advocacy and Outreach for the Nonviolent Peace force introduced the efforts and colleagues who are on the ground as international peacekeepers, and shared their experiences. A case study in Bentiu, South Sudan provides specific background and methods for protecting civilians.

The population has risen more than tenfold in South Sudan, with severe overcrowding, clan conflict, political divides and frequent flooding have led to an overall increase of violence. Women and girls forced to leave the camp are at extremely high risk of sexual violence outside the camp. Civilians are not safe, and rape has become, as described by the community as ‘just a normal thing’ for women caught in the conflict in South Sudan. Many say ‘If you run, they will kill you’, ‘We thought women and children would be safe but we were very wrong. Can we do anything?’

There is a proactive presence in direct protection, prevention and response. Peacekeepers patrol frequently and engage the community. Women’s peacekeeping teams in South Sudan aid in protective accompaniments and support to women and girls that are survivors of sexual violence. Thousands of women and girls are supported during firewood patrols, traveling together is a necessary need when leaving the camps for firewood and other materials. This has been in response to extreme levels of sexual violence and requests for women’s protection.

It is a women’s own initiative, made up of mothers, sisters, and daughters. The groups are formed by engaging the local community, specifically women, encouraging community development, and most importantly building relationships with all sides involved in the conflict. Teams are made up of representatives of the host community, international peacekeepers, and a few men (that do not hold leadership positions). They are dealing with issues such as sexual violence, education for girls, protection in the community, forced marriages, and revenge killing.

The methods used are direct protection, construction and execution of pathways, finding additional ways to motivate, and most importantly being there on day to day basis. The woman in Southern Unity, a team in Juba South Sudan, put in place in 2013, called out ‘Are we not human too?’ After begging and pleading for 6 months for the international community to respond, they became a model of what unarmed nonviolent peacekeeping can look like, and is now being implemented in various areas of conflict around the world. South Sudan is continuing to prove that, well-trained, unarmed peace forces can work. It is cost effective and currently with 50 nongovernmental organizations in 35 countries, it is creating a positive message, capacity building and a sustainable method to peacekeeping.