Rural Development: Clearfork Community Institute

A couple of the panelists from Rural Development Leadership Network was from Tennessee and provided information in regard to the organization that they were representing.  Being from the Northeast I am not too familiar about states such as Tennessee so hearing Marie Cirillo and Carol Judy from Clearfork Community Institute talk was new and interesting to me.  They provided background information about their non-profit organization and what they have been doing and the issue that they face.  They offer support to families in the coal mining community which is located in the rural Appalachia area.   Some of the things that they have done is purchase and hold lands for local residents who might otherwise be landless.  The reason why Clearfork started was because a lot of corporations out of state and out of country purchase land in that region and families did not have places to live.   The institute is a place that teach those that do not know how to preserve the natural beauty of the mountains, they raise awareness and provide the necessary help.  The United States is known for being industrialized and these ladies wanted to remind people how important Mother Nature is and preserving the world.  They mentioned the importance of our natural resources since “people need a certain amount of water, air, and energy (food)”.  I agree with them and as global warming is becoming a greater issue people are beginning to Go Green in hopes that are natural resources do not diminish.

 

 Photo: Panelists from Clearfork

Photo: Clearfork

Challenges of Rural Women

My day started on the 11th floor of The Church Center for the United Nations, in a packed room full of women (and a few men) ready to discuss the challenges facing rural women in the United States, Africa, and Haiti. All of the speakers were passionate, and the audience participated by sharing their own stories during the question and answer period. It was great to see so many involved women that cared about the issues being presented.

The discussion started with a rousing presentation by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of the Third District in Connecticut. Along with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Representative DeLauro has co-sponsored the Equality for Women Farmers Act. She discussed systematic discrimination facing female famers in the United States, telling stories of loan applications denied and abuses of power by USDA officers. One woman, in applying for a small farm loan, was denied and told to return with her father or husband. In another case, a woman was asked to perform sexual favors in exchange for approval of her assistance application. Aside from the obvious erosion of dignity, these actions have led to woman holding smaller farms, and to women-run farms failing at a higher rate than the national average. Rep. DeLauro is calling for damages compensation similar to those announced for to African-American farmers in 2010. She noted that current compensation schemes in use by USDA for women farmers carry a higher burden of proof, and women are expected to file complaints with their local USDA office. Often this means filing with the same person that performed the abuse in the first place! The abuses of power and deep prejudice described by DeLauro was shocking, although judging from the audience reaction many of the women in the crowd could share similar stories.

The next speaker, Shirley Williams McClain, spoke on behalf of the Rural Development Leadership Network (RDLN), describing her own experiences growing up in poverty. According to their website, the RLDN is "a national multicultural social change organization founded in 1983, supports community-based development in poor rural areas through hands-on projects, education and skills building, leadership development and networking." McClain told of her own work in North Carolina, which involves legislative advocacy. Rural women are far from the centers of power, and many are even unaware that they have the right to attend local political meetings. She described African-American farmers being surprised that they could say their peace at a town council. One very cool activity performed by McClain and the RDLN is taking rural men and women to Washington D.C. to meet their Senators and Representatives face-to-face. Some of the participants have never spoken for themselves in public forum, and now they are expressing their grievances directly to their Federal representatives!

McClain, in discussing, the latest rounds of cuts to social programs said that rural women needed "A fair handshake, not a handout, but a hand up." In many ways this could serve as a theme for the entire NGO conference. (Here are some additional words written by McClain from last year's CSW.)

More on this session and other sessions later!

Rural Development and Cultural Imposition

I've noticed that absent in all of these panels and events is the issue of cultural difference. There certainly is discussion of culture, but it's used in a negative way to discuss the obstacles to progress. There seems to be a consensus that traditional roles are always forced on women and that it necessarily leads to their oppression. While I tend to believe that to be true myself in many circumstances, I also live in a country (Morocco) where I see traditional roles valued by both men and women for their ability to preserve families.

Even as I pursue development work myself, I sometimes wonder if we have a cultural superiority complex that looks only at the problems of poorer populations with a lens of despair. Why do we feel like we need to swoop in and save them? Are our lives that much better? When I get thinking like that, I look at the developed world and I think about the cost of individualization and self-advancement. We are often addicted to strive for success and independence, moving away from our families to "improve" our situations. We send our children off to day-care, work all day, and get very little vacation time in return. We are always working towards "bettering" ourselves, and wishing we had more time to spend with our families. Are many of our psychological and physiological problems a consequence of our "development"? Sometimes I even humor myself thinking about rural families forming international development agencies to teach first-world countries the value of communal living, sharing resources, and a solid family network.

Now I should point out that I don't necessarily think what I just said is the truth, but it is my cynical analysis when I'm in that mode of thinking. The fact is that I'm torn on the matter. My experience here in Morocco, and in particular, living in a large household complex that is made up of several nuclear families, has given me a glimpse into a living arrangement that was once the norm but that is virtually non-existent now in urban areas. What stands out to me most is that the family members with whom I live are very considerate towards each other, generous, and communally-oriented. Seeing how content they are makes me well aware of my need for privacy and my own personal space, which at times makes me feel spoiled dependent on independence.

Also, although the families function along traditional lines, the men and women show a lot of respect towards each other and seem just as happy or happier than many of the men and women in more modern arrangements in the US. I remember a conversation I had with one of our classmates with whose opinion I highly respect, and she expressed to me her belief that women make better caretakers. She suggested that some of our notions of feminism and women's rights have actually led to the breakdown of families. We can argue if that is true and if so, if that is a good sign (because it signals women standing up for themselves) or a bad sign (the implicated societal problems in that statement), but it still a very valid argument-- and one that was made by a very strong, educated women no less. I tended to disagree with her on a point by point basis, but I can see her point of view on the matter.

I know this seems like a tangent, but my point in all of this is that I think any conference that addresses rural development and women's rights has to be aware of its own cultural footprint. I am in no way denying the many obstacles and problems faced by women in the countryside, and in fact, have devoted much of my graduate work to reaching disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, including but not limited to girls and women. However, I do think we should be careful about how we approach the issue of culture and not inadvertently impose our own values on others. Development, I think, should start with access to services and extreme poverty social nets, ensuring that the basic needs of the community are met, and giving traditional women a door to new roles and opportunities for them to open if they choose to without pushing them forcefully through it.

Trafficking: the Modern Day Slavery

The last session I’ve attended today was about human trafficking worldwide. Although it was a heavy topic, more than 70 people turned up and some of them were just standing at the back due to the room capacity. Apparently, the issue is becoming a global concern and happening at many levels like within developing countries, within the US or cross countries.

There were 2 speakers invited to talk about their thoughts and experience regarding human trafficking. Dr. Susu Thatun who has been involved with the research topic for 10 years and gave a brief lecture about 3 key perspectives(institutional, individual and social culture) on how to exam this problem and interventions we should take. However, I felt like her presentation was too academic, like torturing graduate students about how to do a research paper about human trafficking. For example, she used an amount of formal words like “root cause”, “3 pillars, paradigm shift ” or even “discourse” and “3R approach” where I am not quite sure if it is appropriate to target the audience this way  who are just concerned about this issue but may not understand all those terminologies or methodologies.

Another brilliant speaker Ms Kris wade, in my eyes, is a very brave and legendary woman. She was a victim of woman trafficking and was sold to the US from Mexico when she was 18 years old and forced to become a sex worker. She turned out to be elegant now and told her sad story smoothly, so it is hard to believe this tragedy had ever happened to her. She is now devoting herself to helping the victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking who are considered as financial commodities. Her first-hand experience is an important source for audience to learn more about this serious social problem. She also pointed out that the drug suppliers/dealers could be main fascinators to contribute to buyers. Those women who were trafficked suffered constantly from being abused and many of them were murdered without being noticed. So it should bring people’s attention to how to prevent this problem and how to protect victims and survivors.

Unlearning Gender Stereotypes and Recreating a Sustainable Environment

​The parallel session titled "Ethics, Rural Ecology, and Poverty" was held by The Temple of Understanding; this New York based, interfaith NGO advocates for global citizenship and peaceful coexistence. While the panel of women was quite diverse, (Dr. Pam Rajput and Rucha Chitnis from India, Maame Yelbert-Obeng from Ghana, and Nina Simons from New Mexico) the issues they discussed all revolved around the hope that women are for re-creating a healthy, sustainable, thriving environment. Different contextual examples from each speaker were given on how women are positively impacting their environment; some of these included collective farming, biodiversity training programs, and BIO-SUN water filtration systems. 

 ​It is clear that women are working to address some of the most dire environmental problems. The greatest tragedy however is that many women do not see themselves as change agents. Despite doing 80% of all the agricultural work in India, women are still not considered farmers and have no access to land titles. Rucha Chitnis told a story of an agricultural training program for rural women in India where other women from the region served as the instructors. At the beginning of the program the women were asked to draw a picture of a farmer; after posting all the pictures on the wall, they quickly noticed each drawing depicted the farmer as a man. The gender stereotypes were so prevalent and internalized that despite being women farmers themselves, these women thought of farmers as being male. ​

Maame Yelbert-Obeng told a similar story of women working in Ghana to help build a school. As these women were mixing concrete the female students were shocked and surprised to see women working as masons. She spoke of the importance of changing women's mindsets so that they acknowledge all they are already accomplishing as well as all that they are capable of. The girls of Ghana should not be shocked when they see women working as masons, carpenters, and engineers. Mrs. Yelbert-Obeng ended the panel with another story of a woman in Ghana that was training other women how to mix concrete and breastfeeding her baby at the same time. "Women are holding it down!" exclaimed Mrs. Yelbert-Obeng. This image stuck with me and seemed to serve as a glimpse of hope. In a previous parallel session hosted at Lehigh University, Dr. Peggy Kong and Dr. Yuping Zhang mentioned the marriage/motherhood penalty that many women are faced with; this is the notion that women often must pick a family or career. As more women begin to find their place in sectors often reserved for men as a result of our patriarchal society, I think these gender stereotypes will decrease...or rather hold less of a claim over women. As the speakers noted, it is important first and foremost for women to be confident and believe they can hold these power positions and affect change in their communities; it is time to unlearn the gender constricted roles society has placed on women. It is important for women to believe in the other women who are doing great things around them as well. Lastly it is important to note, as Mrs. Yelbert-Obeng did, that we cannot leave the men out of this equation. A truly sustainable world needs both men and women working together.  

1000 Days, Improving the Nutrition of Rural Women提高农村妇女营养水平1000天计划

全球4名儿童中就有一名营养不良。这个巨大的隐患对世界数百万人的寿命造成影响。每年有350万的儿童由于营养不良而导致死亡。发展中国家有半数的孕妇在怀孕期间缺乏维生素等所需营养。这些数字触目惊心，所以大会提出提升妇女的营养水平是解决问题的关键。营养不良对儿童的身体和智力造成极大伤害。会议中主讲人展示了一张照片，其中一名7岁的墨西哥儿童因为营养不良个子还不及边上一名来自美国的3岁的营养均衡的小朋友。研究表明从母亲怀孕起到儿童2岁期间的1000天的时间段是对儿童的健康起到了关键性的作用。这段时间摄入充足的营养让儿童能更好成长，接受教育，提高智力水品以及将来摆脱贫困，也决定了社会长远稳定和繁荣发展。

另一方面提高对于营养健康知识的水平也很重要，印度儿童营养不良人数居全球之首，5岁以下儿童死亡率最高。但是印度90%的妇女没有营养不良相关方面的知识。大会还举了日本的例子，说明营养和提高国民健康的关系。我们知道二战前，日本人身高都不高，但是战后在学生中推行牛奶计划，在全国中小学生中免费提供牛奶，结果平均升高增长了12厘米。

由世界拯救饥饿组织和1000天计划等机构在全球发起的这项活动旨在促进妇女儿童的营养水平，宣传母乳喂养，重视食品生产和加工环节的，争取让更多的孩子健康成长。这项活动也得到了美国国务卿希拉里的支持。20年的成果对比数据推广这项计划还可以节省患病儿童的治疗费用，对于国家经济发展有利，让跟多的过会或议会中的政策制定者意识到这样计划的重要性。世界范围内农村地区的女性是最弱势的群体，受教育程度和更低，整体对艾滋病防御知识少，所以更要得到额外关注。大会提出了很多向柬埔寨，南非，印度等贫困地区的措施，比如利用当地学校作为健康中心促进信息分享，创办小额经济，25岁健康检查体系。在当地，全国和全球范围内一起推动这项计划保证儿童获取充足的营养。大会也提出在一些国家由于政治，文化的原因，有些宣传活动受到阻碍。所以还有很长的路要走。

Violencia hacia las mujeres y niñas en las zonas rurales: Experiencias y soluciones

El panel de discusión que asistí en el Church Center fue sobre la “Violencia hacia las mujeres y niñas en las zonas rurales: Experiencias y soluciones”, me pareció que es un tema muy interesante porque es un problema actual y que las mujeres no sólo en las zonas rurales sino también en las zonas urbanas están viviendo. En este panel hablaron de la situación en el Salvador en donde las mujeres sufren violencia por parte de los hombres, así como otras mujeres compartieron las experiencias que viven en sus países. Las causas por las que se presenta esta situación son por: La falta de autoridad, la cultura y las tradiciones de la familia, falta de educación. Mencionaron que el Salvador es un país muy peligroso y que no se cuenta con el apoyo suficiente en cuanto a servicios para canalizar a las mujeres por lo que es importante crear esos servicios dentro de las comunidades. Una de las situaciones que comentaron fue sobre la importancia de que las mujeres estén informadas y educadas para evitar que sean víctimas de la violencia y sobre todo que las mujeres tengan las herramientas necesarias para resolver este problema. Una de las participantes dijo algo muy interesante, esta persona mencionó que hay una cultura del silencio y por tal motivo las mujeres víctimas de violencia callan por miedo o por sumisión.  

Por lo que distintas organizaciones no gubernamentales presentes en la sesión, dieron distintas opciones de intervención y solución para las zonas rurales. Una de ellas fue a través de la educación informal en donde participen toda la comunidad en diferentes actividades los hombres, las mujeres y los niños; educar a toda la comunidad pues no sólo las mujeres deben ser educadas sino también los hombre; así como la implantación de políticas en donde las personas tengan conocimientos de ellas y de que existen para su seguridad.

Summary:

This panel of discussion was about “Violence against women and girls: Experiences and solutions”. They talked about the situation in the Salvador and also many women shared their experiences in their countries. They mentioned that violence against women is not only a problem in rural areas but also in urban areas. Some of the causes of violence are: Lack of authority, cultural traditions, lack of education.  There is a culture of silence where women in this situation don’t say anything about it.

Some examples for intervention and solution in rural areas are: Non-formal education for the community, women, men and children; counseling the family system, educate the whole community; legislation are needed and have to be implemented and it is also important to inform the community about these legislations.

女性和时尚创业 Empowering talented rural women through fashion entrepreneurship

今天早上会议的主题很特别，是由澳洲BPW, Belmont BEC 和环球TCF几家联合发起旨在帮助女性实现自己的创业梦想，教授处于地理环境劣势地区的有手工才艺的女性如何创业，帮助她们搭建贸易平台和网络，让她们的手工服饰有机会赢得更多人的喜爱。主席台上琳琅满目地铺满了来自非洲，柬埔寨等地的印花围巾，做工精美又不失民族风。全球有无数从事家庭作坊式制品的女性，虽然拥有出众的才华，擅长制作精良的手工服饰制品，但是因为气候，地理位置等原因，常常周围人迹罕至，她们苦于无法找到合作伙伴和顾客，商品等不到推广，着实可惜。所以如何同她们取得联系，提供培训课程和技巧，提高女性收入，实现经济地位的平等，这些都刻不容缓。有趣的是，会上还请来了时尚网站的资深编辑，介绍当今流行趋势，目的是提醒创业者也要把握潮流脉搏，跟上时代的步伐，将市场需要和自身产品与众不同的个性相结合，才能更好地全球市场中占一席之地。来自尼日利亚的工作人员还介绍了在当地成功举办的时装周，将世界的目光更多关注非洲精美的传统女性服饰，也推动了当地很多女性加入了服装设计制造的行业。

会上还提到去年BPW在中国重庆成功将从事瓜果蔬菜种植的一批女性引进成为沃尔玛的供应商。我认为今天的议题很有启发意义。中国地大物博，拥有56个名族，很多女性，特别是有些地处偏远的少数民族地区，虽然能够设计制作很精美的民族首饰服装，但是不擅于商业渠道的拓展和开发，无法真正实现商品的价值。如果能帮助她们开展市场推广，不仅可以增加她们的收入，实现自给自足，也能让世界更好地了解中国文化。帮助贫困地区的女性提高社会地位，可以从提升她们的经济地位开始。在日益全球化的今天，中国也应该有相关公益创业者或者非盈利性组织积极借鉴国外成功经验，开展一对一的深入发掘工作，将有才华的女性设计师的作品早日推上国际舞台，这条道路任重道远

Proactive Strategies to Eliminate and Prevent Violence against Women and Girls

I listened to a fascinating discussion on the proactive strategies countries are using to confront the issue of violence against women and girls. Representatives from Ghana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe described different mechanisms in their respective countries currently in place to prevent and address gender-based violence. Intervention plans such as clear and effective government policies, the implementation of community forums and response systems, and creating dialogue among different groups is a step toward uniting key stakeholders and developing sustainable solutions. The Ghanaian speaker highlighted her nation’s efforts at educating men, women, boys, and girls through school programs (such as anti-domestic violence clubs), utilizing media to raise awareness, and foster community activism and outreach. I was really interested in how they are using popular musicians to educate others through songs. It seems like another creative way to connect this issue to young people in society.

The discussion also focused on the topic of culture and its particular impact on the elimination and prevention of violence against women. The representative from South Africa, who was moderating the conversation, spoke about efforts in her country to engage traditional leaders with regard to gender specific cultural practices that negatively affect women. She reiterated the need to reinforce positive cultural practices that teach respect and dignity for all. Many of the speakers, including one from Zimbabwe, discussed the need for a regional and/or international conference on this topic. This would be an opportunity for individuals and groups to share experiences and strategies across national contexts. It reminded me of the importance of creating meaningful partnerships to solve common issues. Reliable funding was mentioned as well. Efforts to eliminate and prevent gender-based violence must be adequately supported. Some of the speakers talked about the development of men’s organizations and the role they can play in educating young boys. Creating dialogue (among families, communities, and local/national/international actors) and relevant action will contribute to real progress in this area.

I was definitely inspired by the work being done in each of these countries (with much more to be done). As a high school humanities teacher, I am looking forward to presenting this issue (and discussion) to my students. It will be very interesting for them to examine what is being done (especially in rural areas) to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls, the challenges that exist, and how they can actively contribute or participate in transformative and meaningful ways!

Rural Widows’ Needs and Roles: Inheritance, Land Rights; Food Security; Widows in Conflict Areas

This panel discussion was the last one I attended for the day and the structure was quite different from those I previously experienced.  After Margaret Owen, director of Widows for Peace and Democracy gave a brief background explaining the current movement for getting the word widow in the draft agreed conclusions, and the clarification that women are not homogenous and that widows exist of all ages, she presented the challenges existing in addressing the rights of widows such as the lack of available data, illiteracy, and patriarchal law in rural villages.

There was also presentation by WHR (Women for Human Rights) from Nepal.  The organization showed a brief clip of the types of work they do and what help they provide for widows such as organizing and mobilizing rural women, lobbying for widows’ rights, and advocating for legal and policy changes.  The organization asks the question that how can women who are subject to subordinate rules placed on them by a patriarchal society survive without a husband. 

Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Chair of the United Nations NGO/DPI Executive Committee, then made the interesting statement that the meeting would not go any further into the problem but rather finding a solution and that the resolution must happen collectively.  Dr. Nwadinobi is an inspiring and accomplished woman.  I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Nwandinobi speak in a more intimate setting the day before the event.  She came to Lehigh University and gave a presentation to my Global Health Issues class about the social and health implications of violence and abuse of rights against widows.    

Recommendations that were agreed upon by the audience included education of women and men to provide empowerment, projects around data collection which generate widows talking about themselves, the importance of obtaining land for economic independence and self assurance, and the criminalization of actions which deprive widows of inheritance. 

During the open discussions for recommendations a woman from Rwanda spoke about the current situation and status of women after the genocide.  Her words silenced the room as women nodded in approval and appreciation for what the women from a war torn country have accomplished.  The speaker relayed that the women of Rwanda rebuilt their society, rebuilt their country, and rebuilt themselves.  I wanted to make sure that I mentioned that segment because I believe success stories regardless of size or nature are essential for the continued hope that conditions for women especially in rural parts of the world will improve. 

Unfortunately we ran out of time to continue collaboration on suggestions and recommendations, however, Margaret, asked for our support and agreement on the “(Suggested) Recommendations From Rural Widows’  Roundtable” that she would present to the Deputy Secretary General.  The suggestion/recommendations included:

  To:  UN, International Community, Governments, and CEDAW

·         Appoint a Special Representative on Widowhood

·         Commission a Special Report on Widowhood in Developing/Conflict afflicted countries

·         Adopt a UN Resolution on Womanhood

·         UN to endorse the WIDOWS’ CHARTER as a UN Document

To:  Governments and UN Women

·         Mainstream widowhood  issues in all gender/equality/Human Rights policies and laws

·         Ensure implementation of International and modern laws to eliminate discrimination against widows takes precedence of discriminatory customs and traditions

·         Support widows’ to “band together” to form their own associations

To:  CEDAW; BPFA; UN SCR 1325; MDGs

·         Criminalize actions that deprive widows of their inheritance, property, and land rights

·         Develop special “land allocation” schemes, and registration of title to ensure rural works can own and cultivate land for food security

·         Protect widows from physical , sexual, and psychological violence

The list of recommendations I have provided above are not a comprehensive list and are a mere sample of the multitude of suggestions that will be presented to the Under Secretary General on widows’ behalf as well as the behalf of any individual or organization interested in or concerned with the rights of  widows.  During the panel a statement was uttered that I believe not only to be true but of also vital importance for the addressing and resolving of the current situation.  A woman stated that widowhood is not a women’s issue but rather a societal issue affecting society as a whole, for instance with the expansion of poverty across generations, and needs to be addressed accordingly.      

Listen Before You Help

The session on “Rural Women in Food Security” appealed to my interest in environmentalism and the role of women’s involvement in sustainable development.  I was in for a pleasant surprise, however, as the topic quickly changed from educating girls in order to decrease illiteracy and dropout rates to issues such as migration, trafficking, and the need for African women to help themselves.

I was utterly inspired by the director of Nation to Nation Networking, an Ethiopian NGO.  Her passion and devotion manifested itself differently than appeared in the other women present at the event.  Throughout the entirety of the session she remained composed and reserved.  She acknowledged and congratulated the passion of each woman who approached the microphone and commended them for their work.  She spoke of the issues in Ethiopia concerning migration and security.  Although she did not raise her voice or call for a rally of agreement, no one doubted how deeply she felt about the issues concerning her people.  The issue of migration was particularly interesting because they called for the help of the United States (a melting pot) to help Africa learn how to adequately deal with the diversity resulting from migration.              

 The session eventually turned into more of a forum for discussion opening the floor to any person who wanted to speak about an issue important to them.  Issues of empowering women, corruption, and listening to the needs of women were areas of particular importance and energy.  There was a conversation between an attendee and a panelist, Mary, from South Sudan.  Mary’s response to the commonly asked question of what can NGOs do was that organizations need to include African women in the solution and that if an organization wants to interfere internationally - they better do so properly. 

Another problem that was addressed was the issue of corruption in Africa and where the development money goes.  The audience and panelists agreed that the issue of corruption needs to be on the agenda of the UN Women.  Mary, however, wanted to bring attention to the Sudanese belief that if problems exist with their leaders that Africa should be able to handle the issue in their own way.    

An important lesson I took away from the panel discussion was the necessity of NGOs to listen to the needs of the people they want to help.  A representative from the NGO Mothers to Mothers spoke of how she personally will sit down with an individual and learn what actions or resources will most directly and effectively help their situation.  This notion goes back to Mary and the director of the Ethiopian NGO for the empowerment of women to allow them to better their own situation.  The Ethiopian NGO director ended with a challenge to the audience suggesting “If you can help the NGOs on the ground-do it.  You are the funders, resources, voices.”   

Fight Abortion-Not Women

The panel on the “Reproductive Rights of Women and Sexuality:  Between Traditions and Modernization” consisted of four women panelists from Russia holding various titles from gender researcher to feminist to journalist to political activist.  They discussed the reproductive rights of women in Russia in the face of a regressive movement.

The panelists cited the fall of the Soviet Union, a major Russian Orthodox religious comeback, and a focus on the family as a unit fundamental to society as underlying causes of the regressive movement for women’s reproductive rights.

During a comeback of traditionalist and nationalist movement, women in Russia are charged with solving the demographic crisis of a decreasing population.   In order to correct the declining population, the government has passed laws limiting abortions and women are encouraged by the government as well as the church to have as many children as possible regardless of financial situations.  In addition, sex education was completely removed from schools creating a lack of access to reproductive information.    

The session continued with the showing of a documentary depicting the life of a rural woman Russia in order to illustrate not only the trials and tribulation experienced by a marginal population but also the strength and voice they find within themselves to create a life worth living. 

The woman in the documentary was sold by her mother for marriage in exchange for two bottles of vodka.  Her life that followed was filled with obstacles that to me seem unimaginable and unbearable.  She recounted one of the 7 times she gave birth.  Her husband was too drunk to drive her to the hospital so she was forced to hitchhike down the highway where she was picked up by a truck driver who made her wait until after he was done with his deliveries.  The baby, however, was not willing to wait.  She started giving birth and the man pushed the baby back inside of her. 

The women in the documentary explained how she was not allowed to get an abortion and was forced into having 7 children.  She eventually found the strength and divorced her husband who was an alcoholic and abused her.  She now works as a dairy farmer and serves as the head of household for herself and her family.  I was inspired by her message as she spoke not with anger or regret but rather conviction.  In a social space where resources were unavailable and support nonexistent she created a home that appeared to me to be filled with mutual love and respect. 

After the showing of the documentary, one of the panelists spoke about a campaign entitled “Fight Abortions-Not Women.”  The purpose of the campaign was to address the reproductive rights of women through picketing, demonstration, lobbying, and generation of public awareness.  One of the major ideas of the movement was that the issue of focus should be on decreasing abortions that are a result of unwanted pregnancy due to a lack of education and family planning. 

The panel seemed slightly disheartened as the results of the campaign were not as successful as they would have hoped.  Their efforts were commended, however, by the audience members as one woman stood up and declared that they were doing everything right by starting at the grassroots and progressing towards larger movements such as lobbying and directly reaching out to the government.  The panelists agreed that although the campaign might not have achieved the intended resolution of discrimination against the reproductive rights of women, there was at least a buildup of a women’s movement. 

Empowering and Educating Rural Women

As I attended briefings in New York yesterday at the Church Center, I was struck by a theme that seemed to come up during every briefing.  While the empowerment and education of rural women is key, many of the discussions came back to how we are living in a patriarchical world, where men are the ones in power and charged with making the decisions. 
If women are to be empowered and educated, men need to see the dire need to change the cultural norms and customs that locate women behind men.  Men need to realize that more progress can be made if women are given an equal voice in every discussion.  Treating women as second-class citizens or pieces of property can no longer be tolerated anywhere in the world.  Everyone is in the battle to make the world safer, more sustainable, and better suited for our future.
But how do we make men see this issue?  How do we take the power from men and redistribute it equally?  Many cultures, histories, and religions designated men to be the leaders.  How do we refocus the lense so that internationally, men can see where they have been wrong and see where they have disrupted progress by denigrating women?

Panel 2 : The Role of Gender-Responsive Governance and Institutions for the Empowerment of Rural Women

Among the most pressing issues in rural areas is the presence and effectiveness of institutions and governance. Coming from Mali, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, and Moldova, the panelists spoke about the problems they face in each of their countries and the solutions that they are working towards. The presentation by the representative from Moldova, Victor Lutecno, an adviser to the Prime Minister, resonated the most with me. He described his country's efforts to put together the Joint Information and Services Bureau (JISB) to serve rural women and vulnerable groups. This office brings together 10 service providers (chamber of commerce, rural extension services, etc.) into one physical building situated next to the weekly market. This creative strategy saves rural women and villagers the time and resources spent on traveling back and forth between distant administrative offices by making everything easily accessible in one conveniently located place. The project was initially launched as a pilot in a few districts, but because of its success, it is now being rolled out to a large area of the country.

Rural development challenges require new and unique ideas. Moldova's JISB certainly fits that criteria and it struck me as being the most concrete solution discussed during the panel. Another panelist, Lilly Be'Soer from Papua New Guinea, similarly spoke about her organization's efforts to collaborate with national and local service providers to increase access and networking with rural communities. However, while I think her work is desperately needed and well-valued, it seemed to me that her approach requires external monitoring and could collapse in her absence. The JISB, on the other hand, is institutionalized, physically situated, and is positioned to sustain itself independently in the future with the appropriate support and funding. Other institutional solutions that were presented that could have a big impact include Mali's National Gender Policy which was enacted as an implementation tool in the fight against poverty and South Africa's Commission on Gender Equality that is charged with ensuring that other governmental departments adhere to gender provisions and is empowered with the authority to investigate issues of inequality.

The Women's Consortium of Nigeria, a representative of the NGO table, made an important point about the need for transparency. She said that poverty and gender programs are often terribly underfunded, they lack adequate monitoring, and many beneficiaries are not even aware of them. From my experience, not only is this true, but it seems that implementing parties are often looking for a success that they can show to their funders and as a result do not share formative evaluation reports with necessary stakeholders and only highlight the positive aspects of the programs. Another NGO representative made an inspiring comment about building bridges between the government and civil society, public and private sectors, family and work, and men and women. She noted that this is not a competition and in fact, collaboration is needed. I think that creating a stakeholder map of governmental and non-governmental organizations and the work they are doing at the district level could help foster transparency and communication. It seems to me that there are too many cooks in the kitchen who do not have the faintest idea of what the others are doing. For that reason, institutionalizing a system of cooperation could be the best best way to bring about efficiency and long-term sustainable results.

Empowering Rural Girls

Today, Thursday March 1, UNICEF House was the meeting place for several hundred participants and a panal entitled-  Rural Women: From Invisibility to Agency, including Dr. Michelle Bachelet. Her words, "No work done concerning women without women. No work done with girls without girls" were passionate.
3 Panelists were young rural girls: Theresa (Sierra Leon), Elizabeth (Malawi), Marian (Pakistan). Each one were young "ambassadors" for the cause of equal access to education, free from violence and discrimination.
What a joy for me to meet 3 different French-speaking African women today. Aissa from Cameroon, Christiane from Cote d' Ivoire, and Faye Marie from Senegal. I am curious to become a member of an organization FEMNET which is an NGO that organizes effort of women in English and French West Africa, my home for many years.
When I inquired by email to RSVP this side event to the UNCSW they responded with a first come first serve invitation. I was so pleased that I went and surprised that even lunch was served at no charge.

I left feeling like a real stakeholder invited to be an "actor" in the process. We all do what we can...but we cannot do anything without inviting rural girls and women to the process of their own empowerment.

Շրջանային քննրակումներու բացման օր, 56-րդ հանրային քննարկում

56-րդ տարեկան Հասարակական կազմակերպութիւններու «CSW» հանրային քննարկումը սկսաւ հետաքրքրական բացման արարողութեամբ մը Փետրուար 26, 2012-ին։ Ձեռնարկին ներկայ էին ՄԱԿ-ի ներկայացուցիչներ, միջազգային հասարակական կազմակերպութիւններ, եւ քաղքացիական հասարակութեան զանազան անդամներ։ Տեղական նիւթերուն նուիրուած քնարկումի մը ժամանակ, աշխարհի տարբեր կողմերէն եկած ներկայացուցիչները բարձրացուցին կանանց դիմագրուած բազմազան հարցերը, որոնցմէ է կանանց մասնակցութիւնը ւաղաղութեան կերտման մէջ, կանանց եւ փոքրերուն հանդէպ բռնութեան կանխարգիլումը, եւ կառավարական պաշտոններուն մէջ կանանց թուաքանակի աւելացումը: Այս քննրակման ընթացքին ՄԱԿ թիւ 132 որոշման մասին զանազան ակնարկութիւններ տեղի ունեցան: Խորքին մէջ, այս որոշումը տարբեր շրջաններէ եկած կանանց ընդհանուր մտահոգութիւնները կ'արտաձոլէ: Այս որոշումը, որ ՄԱԿ-ի Ապահովութեան Խորհուրդի կողմէ ընդունուած է Հոկտեմբեր 31, 2000-ին, ՄԱԿ-ի անդամ երկիրներուն կոչ կ'ուղղէ որ ՄԱԿ-ի Կանանց Օրուան առթիւ զանազան մակարդաներու վրայ կանանց իրաւունքներու
պաշտպանութեան: Ատենախոսներէն մէկը նշեց թէ ցարդ միայն երկու երկիրներ (Ֆիլիբբին եւ Նէբալ) ՄԱԿ-ի թիւ 1325 որոշման սատարման համար երկրի մակարդակին գործնական ծրագիրներ ընդունած են: Մինչ զանազան այլ երկիրներ,
ինչպէս Ավստրալիա եւ Ինտոնէսիա, արդէն իսկ օրինագիծները սկսած են մշակելու: Ատենախոսները նաեւ նշեցին թէ շարք մը երկիրներ այս ծրագիրները սատարելու համար տարբերակներ կը փնտրեն արդէն: Քննարկումը արձանագրեց թէ մասնակցող շրջանները բաւական հեռու են իրենց նպատակներուն հասնելէն, ինչպէս նաեւ «վերջին 12 տարուայ ընթացքին կանայք այս (ՄԱԿ-ի) որոշումը կրցան ողջ պահել:»

The 56th Annual NGO CSW Forum kicked off this year’s program with an exciting opening ceremony on 26 February 2012. The event was attended by UN officials, international NGOs, among many other members of civil society. During a panel discussion focused on regional issues, representatives from the different regions throughout the world brought up many challenges women face in the regions including the need to increase women’s participation in the peace process, preventing violence against women and children, to increasing the number of women in government positions. During this panel on several occasions there was reference made to the UN Resolution 1325. In essence, this resolution captures the general concerns of the women from all regions. Adopted on 31 October 2000 by the Security Council, this resolution calls upon member states in light of UN’s Day for Women to take action on protecting women’s rights across a number of levels. One speaker noted that only two countries (Phillipines and Nepal) have adopted national action plans to support UN Res. 1325 while many other countries have drafted their national action plans like Australia and Indonesia. Speakers also noted that many other countries are looking at alternatives of implementing laws to support the initiatives. The panel noted that their regions are far from reaching these goals and that “Women have kept the resolution alive for the last 12 years." panel noted that their regions are far from reaching these goals and that “Women have kept the resolution alive for the last 12 years.”

The Gender Gap and Education Development in Rural China and Kenya

Going to this Parellel event at Lehigh which focused on the educational development and the status of Kenya and China was a very informational as well as inspiring session to listen in on!  Being an undergraduate Gender Studies major,  there are many different thoughts and ideas I have which stem from this parallel session which I will most likely split up into separate posts.

 It is great to hear that education for girls in these rural areas are now being taken more and more seriously over time and have improved so much from just ten years ago!  In the past,  education for girls has been seen as being a luxury instead of a priority, not just in the rural areas discussed  but all over the world.  It is great to know that the steps and work implemented to improve this problem are finally starting to be seen!  It is amazing to think that in an area such as rural China where once illiteracy was a growing problem, there is now free education being offered for all children (kindegarten to 6th grade)!

  In addition to this growing educational development and access to young women in these parts,  I was also very happy to hear that gender equality is growing as well!  With more and more young girls  enrolling in schools,  there is a greater chance for more young women to then be able to attend and graduate college.  Sometime I feel as though I take my own education for granted,  either complaining about the papers I have to write or studying.  It is good to be reminded of how lucky I am to have the education I have gotten, knowing that many other young women throughout the world are just fighting for their rights to attend middle or high school.  Going to this session definitely reminded me of how lucky I am to have graduated college and hopefully this access will just keep improving for all women around the globe!

Panel 1 – Economic Empowerment of Rural Women

I am more accustomed to reading news and post-conference reports than actually watching political events live. So watching the CSW panels has been a learning experience for me. It was interesting to see the format that the event took. The panelists from Algeria, Pakistan, Finland, Kenya, and IFAD (an international organization) each presented on the projects and efforts that their governments or organizations have undertaken and raised many of the concerns and issues of economic disparity for rural women.

Ms. Malika Abdelali-Martini, from Algeria and representing the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, had one of the most informative presentations, raising the main points and findings from the Expert Group Meeting on enabling women's economic empowerment. She pointed out the contrasting results of microfinance systems which, on one hand, give women access to credit and increase their decision-making abilities, but on the other hand, can lead to debt problems, conflict between spouses, and increases in domestic violence. She also discussed the importance of land, not only as an economic and productive resource, but as a source of access, security, status and recognition. She brought up a number of recommendations including investing in off-farm care services for children, elderly, and person's with disabilities to free up family dependencies on male incomes or female caretaking in those circumstances, establishing awareness education programs so women know their rights, and creating quota's for women's participation in work and government.

The panelist from Pakistan, Ms. Shanaz Wazir Ali from the Office of the Prime Minister also had some interesting comments to make. She spoke about the land program her government has put in place which grants cultivatable land to women who have not previously had access to credit or owned land. She also mentioned that Pakistan offers microfinancing loans at interest rates that are lower than traditional ones and stressed the importance of access to financial education, agricultural services, and crop and health insurance that should come along with these credit opportunities.

Country and NGO representatives had the opportunity to make comments and raise questions after all the panelists spoke at which point a women from an NGO in Trinidad and Tobago talked about her organization's work to establish a regular mango festival. This got communities working on producing and selling products and foods related to mangoes in an effort to boost the local economy. The representative from Swaziland also made a memorable comment when he brought up his government's effort to create a women-only bank. Many other informative and productive thoughts and recommendations were offered throughout the session, setting a positive tone and direction for the many panels to follow!

Ethopian NGO Director: "Give Us Opportunity and We Will Prosper"

Today at a parallel event for the 2012 CSW Conference, three panelists offered their perspectives on the role of western countries in aiding East African NGOs. The talk, entitled "Empowering Women for a Better Life in Ethiopia," was held at the Church Center for the United Nations.

Two Norwegian NGO directors spoke about their experiencing in forming a strong base within their home country before branching out to developing countries. However, it was the third talk, by a director from an Ethiopian NGO, that offered the most unique perspective in my opinion. While it was interesting to see the issues from each side of this North-South relationship, I was most touched by the dignity and hope conveyed by the Ethiopian panelist, Ms. Birikit Terefe.

In a nation that ranks among the lowest in the world in mean income and among the highest in maternal death, it might be easy to despair or to turn entirely to the outside world for support. However, Ms. Terefe explained that her organization, the Women's Health Association of Ethiopia, is not giving up so easily. Her words were truly inspiring: "We want opportunity, not charity. Give us opportunity and we will prosper." The best way to this opportunity, the panelists believe, is to form long-term partnerships with international organizations. In this way, they can share not only their expertise on fundraising, but also their knowledge and a vital network of people in the international community. The hope certainly felt contagious - under the leadership of inspired leaders such as Ms. Terefe, the women of Ethiopia may certainly find prosperity in the years to come.

General Discussion on the “Empowerment of Rural Women and Their Role in Poverty and Hunger Eradication, Development, and Current Challenges”

                The general discussion on the empowerment of rural women in economic, political, and social life across the world was informative and encouraging. Over the past few years, I have spent time working in West Africa and was particularly inspired by the addresses given by representatives from Mozambique and Cameroon. They highlighted a number of key issues and challenges facing rural women in their countries: food security, health care, education, and economic opportunity. I was hopeful and excited about government policies focusing on the active participation of women. In order to create sustainable development, it is imperative that women are fully-engaged agents in this process. 

                The speakers highlighted several initiatives aimed at empowering rural women, moving toward gender equality, and reducing the “gap” between policy and practice. For example, providing equitable access to primary school (including non-formal opportunities and incentive programs for women in rural communities), providing healthcare facilities and pre-natal assistance, training centers for nurses, improved agricultural techniques, sustainable use of natural resources, policies to protect women against violence, and placing women at the center of decision-making.  According to the speakers, promoting the social and political participation of women in rural areas will strengthen civil society. This discussion prompted me to reflect on my experiences in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, where women have become actively engaged in advocacy campaigns illustrating the challenges facing local villages.

                Another speaker from Bangladesh identified the need to guarantee equal rights and opportunities for rural women, as well as mainstream the issue of gender into government policies. By doing so, development programs will create scenarios in which women can take the lead in transformative change. I was also captivated by the discussion of food security as a human right. A theme throughout the discussion, food security and nutrition is critical to the plight of rural women and their families. By establishing strategies to address food security, local, national, and international actors will enhance the lives of so many people. The focus on food security as a human right reminded me of similar comments made by President Carter at an event I attended in Seattle a month ago.  Reflecting on this powerful discussion, I feel encouraged and inspired by the progress being made in several contexts, while realizing there are still many hurdles to overcome.

2012 NGO CSW Woman of Distinction

Dr. Mirna Cunningham is an Indigenous Miskita from Nicaragua and is knowledgeable in many fields; she worked first as a primary education teacher and then studied medicine and surgery, becoming the first female Miskita doctor. She currently serves as the Chair of the UN Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues. For her dedication to indigenous and rural women’s rights, Dr. Cunningham was presented with the 2012 NGO CSW Woman of Distinction Award. 

I’m often frustrated when challenges are discussed but no practical solutions are offered. I really appreciated how clearly and directly Dr. Cunningham expressed the needs of the indigenous and rural women of Nicaragua. Some of these included the need for sustainable management systems, equal access to land through land titles, banking services and microcredit/entrepreneurial opportunities, natural resources training, and education in indigenous languages. 

Of course not all issues have easy solutions—“Indigenous women have suffered as a result of capitalism and Western-centric development.” Dr. Cunningham also spoke of the economic and social marginalization, structural discrimination, and institutional violence that rural women face. 

Гендерный дисбаланс и развитие образования в сельской местности: взгляд из Кении и Китая

        27 февраля, в рамках 56го съезда НКО при Комиссии ООН по положению женщин Лихай имел честь пригласить трех блистательных спикеров: Пегги Конг, Юпинг Цанг и Терри Кирагу, которые поделились нынешней ситуацией в сфере развития образования и гендерного подхода к нему в сельской и городской местностях.

        Пегги Конг и Юпинг Цанг сосредоточили наше внимание на успехах Китая в достижении Целей развития тысячелетия, а именно в обеспечении всех детей начальным образованием и достижением гендерного равенства. За двадцать лет Китай смог преодолеть множество проблем и в итоге практически сравнять возможности в сфере образования для мальчиков и девочек, что конечно порадовало.

       Терри Кирагу рассказала, что за последние двадцать лет Кения движется очень медленно к прогрессу, так как на пути стоит очень много проблем и барьеров. Среди них- высокий уровень бедности, множество этнических групп с различными культурными и традиционными взглядами, где роль женщины все еще ограничивается домашним хозяйством, высокий уровень коррупции в стране. По словам Терри еще пять лет назад Министерство образования было самым коррумпированным органом в государстве. Не смотря на это, Кении удалось увеличить число детей посещающих школу, в частности повысить уровень вовлечения девочек в сферу образования. Но Кении еще предстоит предпринять множество усилий, чтобы добиться образования для всех и гендорного равенства.

Acronym for Women as presented by Hilda Chitsanzara Rozaria from Zimbawe (age 46, no secondary education, married at age 15, “war and poverty affected my education”)

W-workers

O-organizers

M-managers

A-accountants

N-narrators

NGO/CSW Forum Began
CSW 56- Sunday NYC
(Ou sont les femmes Africaines francophones?)
As a first time participant I was forever marked by the
representation of women of the entire globe. My strongest reflection of the day
was the idea of being a voice for the voiceless. In the opening keynote,
Michelle Bachelet, UN Women Executive Director (former president of Chili),
invited all of us to give our support. She reminded us that the issues are
addressed in local advisory groups, regionally, countrywide and globally. The
civil society addresses issues that are then shadowed in the UN.
Through our program at Lehigh, Dr. Alex Wiseman, has often
encouraged us to not only look at what is present but also, and maybe more
importantly, what is absent. After working myself in French Speaking West
Africa for more than 20 years, I found myself looking for the French- speaking
African participants. With strong delegations from the English-speaking African
countries I began to wonder why the countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire,
Guinea, Niger, Benin, Togo and Senegal were not more visible.
With translation available in French, I believe all would
have felt welcomed.
The issues addressed: illiteracy, violence against women and
children, sustainable agriculture, assess to landowning by women and so many
other human rights are all concerns shared by the sisters of the French-speaking
African community. They deserve a place at our table.
Their voice also needs to be heard.

第56届妇女地位委员会(56th UN-CSW)

 周日，我们同学一行人参加在纽约举办的一年一度的联合国妇女地位委员会年度大会。今年的主题是农村女性在消除贫困和饥饿、农村和发展与当前挑战中的角色。来自五大洲七大洋的女性都不远万里前来参加这次盛会，上至柱拐杖的耄耋老人下至中学生，各种肤色国籍济济一堂。会上我见到了很多传奇的女性包括前智利女总统和去年的诺贝尔和平奖得主。作为杰出女性的代表，她们即坚强但也很风趣。但是为女性权利抗争道路并不平坦，特别是在民主制度不完善的国度，比如以及也门记者兼“阿拉伯之春”推手Tawakkol Karman作为诺贝尔和平奖的第一位阿拉伯女性曾7次被捕入狱，但任然坚持为争取妇女权益和也门民主与和平努力不懈。
中午我作为志愿者负责引导午餐路线，我在纽约寒风中禁不住瑟瑟发抖哈哈，因为大多数与会者是女性的缘故，很多人都表示感谢还担心我太冷了，还有人给我大大的拥抱，感觉很温暖，是女性特有的以柔克刚的力量。

大会很圆满，但是也有一些不太和谐的小插曲就是会议结束后，虽然只是举手之劳但是很多人都把矿泉水瓶还有纸张等随地扔在了地上。女性在争取自身权利的同时我认为也应该提高环保意识和尊重别人的劳动为努力创造给美好的世界。

Panel de discusión en Lehigh University

El día de ayer 27 de febrero pudimos presenciar un panel de discusión en Lehigh University, sobre “La brecha entre géneros y el desarrollo de la educación en las regiones rurales de China y Kenia”. Me refiero a esta conferencia porque me pareció muy interesante la información que presentaron los panelistas y sobre todo porque nos dieron un panorama sobre la situación que están viviendo en esos países en cuanto a la equidad de género, así como el acceso que las mujeres tienen a la educación en las zonas rurales.  Algunos de los datos que nos pudieron compartir la Dr. Peggy Kong y Dr. Yuping Zhang es que en 10 años China ha tenido un gran avance en cuanto al acceso de las mujeres en la educación tanto en las zonas rurales como en las zonas urbanas.  China está haciendo bien en cuanto a que las mujeres tengo más acceso a la educación. Ya que como mencionaron las panelistas es muy importante que las mujeres puedan seguir con sus estudios, porque son un factor importante para el desarrollo del país.

En cuanto a la situación que se vive en Kenia, Terry Kiragu mencionó que uno de los obstáculos para acceder a la educación es la pobreza ya que la gente que vive en estas condiciones tiene menos acceso a la educación, sin embargo el gobierno está proporcionando incentivos  a las mujeres para que puedan estudiar en las universidades.  También unas de las situaciones que se mencionaron es que hay un aumento considerable de acceso a la educación, sin embargo la calidad no es buena porque hay una diferencia entre las escuelas privadas y las escuelas públicas, ya que las escuelas privadas tienen mejor calidad que las escuelas públicas, sin embargo no todas las personas puedan acceder por su situación económica. Pero como dijo Terry Kiragu se tiene que ser persistente y comprometido para seguir trabajando en esto y así poder ver los avances y mejoras en cuanto a la educación de las zonas rurales.

56 съезд НКО при Комиссии ООН по положению женщин. Советское в Нью-Йорке.

         Вчера я побывала на 56ом съезде некоммерческих организаций, организованным Комиссией ООН по положению женщин (CSW). Какие впечатления? Различные. Первое, что меня поразило так это то, что съезд проходил в Нью Йорке в высотном здании "Армии спасения", которое изнутри было пропитано атмосферой столь схожей с Советским домом культуры: серый мрамор, небольшой холл, столы регистрации накрытые красными и синими простенькими скатерками, большое помещение со сценой, с красными занавесями и роялем, деревянные сиденья, обитые красным бархатом. Не было никакого фарса и пафоса, какого ожидаешь от мероприятий уровня ООН. Все было по семейному добро и просто. Всего было около 800 участников со всех уголков мира, 99% из которых были леди. Средний возраст участников - 40-50 лет. В организации мероприятия чувствовалось некая небрежность, хаотичность и размеренность. Но все что происходило во время сессий невозможно описать словами- это нужно было чувствовать. В зале собралось столько уникальных, сильных, ярких, талантливых, неравнодушных, энергичных и влюбленных в свое дело людей, что остаться равнодушным было просто невозможно. И у каждого была своя история, свой опыт, свои знания. Энергетику зала подогрели такие выдающиеся спикеры как г-жа Мишель Башле, Нобелевский лауреат премии мира Леймах Гбови, и множество других отважных и целеустремленных женщин.

Я покидала форум уставшая от долгого дня, но вдохновленная новым опытом и знаниями!   

С Нобелевским лауреатом премии мира Леймах Гбови (по центру).

56th NGO CSW opening in New York!

Yesterday I attended 56th NGO CSW Forum.  My impressions are quite rich. The very first thing that struck me was the fact that venue was in a New York skyscraper--in the Salvation Army building which from inside was so similar to the atmosphere of the old Soviet Culture Center ("Dom kultury"): gray marble, small halls, registration tables covered with simple red and blue tablecloths , a large room with a stage, with red curtains and a piano, with wooden seats colored in red. There were no place for farce and pathos that people might expect from the events organized on the UN level. Everything was simple and family like. There were about 800 participants from all over the world, 99% were ladies. The average age of participants - 40-50 years. From organizational view point, I could feel a sense of chaos, and spontaneity. However, the energy of the event was so powerful that can not be described by any words- it should be once experienced. The Forum gathered so many unique, powerful, bright, talented, caring, energetic and passionate people that it was impossible to remain indifferent to what was going on and on. Each and every individual had their own history, story, experience, and knowledge to share. Moreover, the energy of the room was warmed up by such outstanding speakers as Ms. Michelle Bachelet, by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbovi, and by many other brave and dedicated women.

I left the forum tired, but inspired by such a great experience and a nice day!

Lehigh Panel Discusses Gender Gap in Education in China and Kenya

To celebrate the 56th annual forum for the Commission on the Status of Women, Lehigh University welcomed three distinguished panelists to their campus today in a parallel event. Their talk, entitled "Gender Gap and Education Development in Rural Areas: Perspectives from China and Kenya," offered different viewpoints from two countries working to achieve gender equality in education.

While the two nations represented in the panel are vastly different, they face some similar challenges. In each country, gender equality has shown vast improvement in urban areas, but has been a greater challenge in rural areas. Both nations are also battling against strong gender norms and societal beliefs that tend to favor males in education and employment.

Our panelists representing the Chinese perspective, Dr. Peggy Kong and Dr. Yuping Zhang, also presented the results of a research project which indicated some of the specific challenges
being faced in that country. Specifically, they noted the trend for women who start families tend to have lower levels of employment and lower overall income. This “marriage and motherhood penalty,” is an unjust societal pressure that encourages women to choose between a family and a career.

Keep checking back on our blog throughout the week as Lehigh students will be reporting live from the CSW!

Snapshot of the 56th NGO CSW Forum

As I flip through my notes from today's NGO CSW Forum my handwriting becomes increasingly less legible page after page. The afternoon sessions are unbearable to try and decipher; I attribute this to a major lack of caffeine. I will try again tomorrow but for now I hope this picture can communicate some of what the forum entailed. The Salvation Army, both the auditorium and balcony, was filled with women (and some men!) from all around the world! There were so many amazing women who spoke eloquently about their dedication and investment to the international women's movement, specifically the empowerment of rural women. It was a long day and there is much to say. Keep checking back!

Thursday UN Briefing: Nations in Transition

The focus of this year’s blog will be on the 56th annual conference for the Non-governmental Organization Commission on the Status of Women (NGO/CSW) which will take place in New York City from February 26 until March 9, 2012. However, this year’s festivities at the UN actually began informally on Thursday, February 23 with a Department of Public Information (DPI) briefing addressing “The Role of Civil Society in Building Democracy.” While not officially a part of the CSW conference, this program contained many ideas that directly apply to this year’s CSW theme of empowering rural women.

One of the speakers at the DPI briefing was Ms. Harriette Williams, a development strategist for Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS), an international women's NGO. Ms. Williams rightly emphasized womens’ roles in the protests and uprisings occurring throughout the world over the past several months. Conflict, she argued, is a setting that continues to be dominated by men. Women suffer equally from conflict but are often shut out from peace mediation and the negotiation of societal change. As it applies to the recent uprisings and nations that are adopting new governments, Ms. Williams communicated the importance of women’s participation in elections. Women must be encouraged to participate as candidates, organizers, and voters, in order to ensure accountability and equal rights in government.

A second panelist, Mr. Nejmeddine Lakhal of Algeria, offered an expert perspective on the recent uprising in Tunisia. He expressed the hope of this nation in the aftermath of their political transition, where “hundreds of new social justice programs” have been formed. The focus of these programs, he shared, must be to benefit “men and women of all generations, especially youth.” The key point is that the recent protests and uprisings are not merely political in nature. People are demanding social change, providing an opportunity for victims of discrimination to demand change for themselves as well as their nations. Through a renewed emphasis on activism, new programs and organizations can be formed to achieve equality for women. This is certainly a positive message as we look to incite much-needed action on the issue of women's equality in the coming weeks.

Welcome to the 56th NGO CSW Forum

Greetings from NYC! We came in from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania earlier this morning and are happy to be hearing the opening remarks to the 56th Annual Commissionon the Status of Women NGO Forum! This year we will continue to keep the readers up-to-date on both the parallel and side events! Follow us in our journeys documented in English, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French, and Armenian! Please feel free to comment on our posts as we try to share with you all everything we are experiencing here in this unique environment! Approximately 4,000 NGO's from around the world are present for the next two weeks to discuss issues ranging from women in conflict to climate change to sustainable development!