Overwhelmed? Make a list.

For the past week I haven't closed my internet browser because I have been saving articles and videos that I wanted to post about. But now that I have them all piled up, I also don't have the energy to post about them all separately, so this is a listed post of some interesting finds (or shared from others) this week:

• First, Joanna Brooks. An "unorthodox" Mormon woman who is standing up both for her religion as well as her desire to see change and openness within this religious culture. I really admire her and relate to much of that she has to say.
• It Only Takes a Girl. Beautiful and lovely (and reminiscent of the Girl Effect videos in some ways). It made me cry. Here it is:
• Really amazing letter from a former slave to his former master. Definitely worth reading!
• I really related to the author of this article. Like him, and many others, I strongly support Planned Parenthood, while also being Pro-Life (though the terms "pro-life" and pro-choice" are not my favorites, since I don't think those who support abortion are necessarily against life and that those who oppose abortion are also opposed to choice... but anyway...). And here is chart (plus article) talking about what Planned Parenthood really does and where their money goes.Targeting Planned Parenthood as a means of reducing abortion and unwanted pregnancy is completely misguided and ignorant! I personally do believe that unborn babies should be protected, but I also believe that women and expecting mothers, whatever their circumstances, must receive the best support and assistance possible. It is both women and children who suffer from this battle. And it makes me really sad!
• I also want to put in a general plug for the NYTimes FIXES blog that posts great ideas about development every week (since I have about 3 of their articles half read right now... I'm easily distracted...). Their goal is to find great ideas that are actually working well. Af there is almost always a follow-up article that addresses questions and comments about each "fix." Some of them are really interesting. You should check it out!
• Finally, I just read this article talking about the idea that we would live in a more peaceful world if women occupied more leadership positions. I think that is true, if only because it would be a sign of societal progress and decreased gender discrimination. Also, it is commonly acknowledged in the "international development world" that as women gain rights and standing in a community, the overall well-being and development generally improves as well. I see this as part of a healthy society. And women in leadership is part of how a community views and treats women. If the position of women in powerful roles is an indication of our societies as a whole we have a lot to worry about. And honestly, I think it is pretty important reflection of our societies. (The stats in this article are super interesting!)

Well, that's all for now. I'm tired and so is my computer.

Peace and love to one and all!! xo.

Treat a sister right!

This is for you, Savannah, and anyone else who read my last post and asked, "so, what can I do?" and "how can I contribute?"

What a beautiful question to ask, even if it isn't always easy to answer. I've been asking that question a lot lately myself. Here are few things that I have come up with.

A quick disclaimer:
These are things I'm obviously not perfect at. They're things I want to do better.
And I have a long way to go.

1. Be aware. Know what is going on around you locally, nationally, internationally. Read the news. Read books or articles. And talk to people. Even when I am doing my very best at following the news I still miss a lot. It's great to know people who can help keep me up to date! Maybe start by reading Half the Sky. Or check out the website (where Kristof and WuDunn have suggested several ways to get involved and made a great list of organizations that can use help and support).
   
2. Use you power as a consumer. And CONSUME WISELY! We live in a market economy. Supply and demand is real. So be careful about what you buy, what media you watch and which companies you support with your hard earned cash. When I watched the film "Miss Representation" I was struck by the realization that I financially support a lot of media that actually disgusts me. Though many of us are appalled by the degrading ways women are depicted and the lack of respect even the most powerful women receive, we continue to buy tabloids and watch movies in which women fall into the same stereotypes over and over again. We're feeding the beast even as we claim we want to defeat it. That has to stop. AND we need to be careful not consume excessively. It isn't just the environmentalist in me that begs everyone to reduce, reuse and recycle. There are finite resources in the world, and when some of us use a disproportionate amount we necessarily diminish access to resources for others. Don't use more than you need. Consume locally. Walk, ride your bike or take the bus. And know where the products you buy are coming from! Are you supporting slavery or child labor? Probably more often than you know, unfortunately. So make it your business to know, and not to waste!
   
3. Support other women. Take note of women who are doing good in the world. Notice women in your own life who have talents and skills to contribute. Then tell them. That could mean supporting an NGO run by a woman, voting for smart capable women in politics or helping a friend see her potential. We as women sometimes forget to raise each other up. Sometimes we're even tempted to push each other down. But if we love and care for one another our collective power will grow.
   
4. Excel! Do your best. Work hard. And have confidence in your own abilities. I truly believe that every person, man or woman, has something unique and important to offer the world. Find out what you're good at and what you love. Then go for it. Why not? You have the power to make the world a little more beautiful. So don't hold back.
   
5. Get out there. Find opportunities to get out of your bubble. Volunteer. And if you already volunteer, maybe consider diversifying your service. Participate in your community. Go to fairs and events. Get to know your city and your community. That is a great way to be in touch with the issues that are closest to home. And home can be a great place to start tackling tough problems.
6. Use your voice. Similar to my suggestion to use your power as a consumer, I think we all need to be a little better at using our political power. We live in a nation that purports to be "of the people, by the people, for the people" (Lincoln). If that is true, and if we want it to be true, we have to speak up. And not just to complain and gripe. We need to offer solutions, find ways to forge ahead and work to resolve issues. Vote. Write letters to your representatives. Write in to newspapers. And connect with groups and organizations that support causes that matter to you.
7. Share what you know! When you come across an important story, tell people about it. If you find an organization you really support, spread the word. There are many people who don't know what you know, and we can all benefit from hearing what you have to say. So start talking. To everyone!
8. Be creative. You know yourself. Think about what you're good at and how you personally can contribute to causes that are important to you. Think outside the box. And when you find something that strikes a chord, don't be afraid to try it, even if your way of contributing may seem a bit unconventional. That's what we need. Change. New ideas and new solutions. So don't listen to me if my ideas don't work for you. Find your own!

This isn't a comprehensive list. There are so many other possibilities I haven't come up with. But I hope some of these suggestions will spark ideas for you! So please share your thoughts. I'd love to know what you have to say!

*Please note that there are 8 ideas. And 8 is my favorite number. I call that a good omen :)

A New Endeavor

It appears more girls have been killed in the last fifty years, precisely because they were girls, than men were killed in all the battles of the twentieth century. More girls are killed in this routine 'gendercide' in any one decade than people were slaughtered in all the genocides of the twentieth century.

In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world.

-Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Half the Sky

Last week a few friends and I had our first book club meeting. I've never been in a book club before, but I was extremely excited to be a part of this one. Our topic of study is Women, Development and Equality. Our first book was Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It was INCREDIBLE! Truly. Kristof and WuDunn do an incredible job of bringing to light some of the most terrifying aspects of life for women across the world--from rape and honor killings, maternal mortality and fistulas, sex slavery and domestic abuse, they cover issues affecting women from every part of the world, and especially in developing countries. And yet, the book is hopeful and encouraging. Every chapter not only tells stories of women who have suffered under inequality and oppression placed upon women, but also stories of women who are standing up to these horrors and creating solutions and safe havens. There are some exceptionally inspirational women in this book. Women who should be our examples and our heroes.

But in our book club we want to do more than just read and learn about these issues. We want to find ways to become proactive in changing the status of women around the world. One of the things we all agreed on is that more people need to know what is happening to women in the world!

So, we have decided to try to share more about these important issues with those we know. It isn't always easy. Some people scoff at us as "feminists" (which we all readily claim! But unfortunately, many people we know use the term "feminist" in an inappropriate and negative connotation, thus casting our views aside as extreme or insignificant). Others recoil from hearing about such horrific and brutal realities. And at times people listen and agree that the inequality and disempowerment of women is awful, but they can't see solutions and they want go no further. What we realized is, maybe we aren't getting our message across in the right way. Maybe we haven't helped others to see that not only are these issues real and pressing, but we are all complicit. We all bear responsibility. And there are things we can do to effect change.

Now we just have to figure out how to spread that message. We have to figure out what people need to know and hear. And then we have to share it. For me, this involves continuing to read and learn--about problems and solutions. It means finding talking points and ways to include women, development and human rights issues in my day to day conversations. And it means stepping up to the responsibilities I have and finding ways to contribute.

As part of that, I will be posting weekly here on my blog about these issues in one form or another. I say that now to hold myself accountable. I hope you will nag me if I slack off. And I hope you will help me by posting your insights, questions and concerns. Because, ultimately, this effort requires all of us. As Kristof so astutely says in Half the Sky:

"[I]f the international effort is dubbed a 'women's issue,' then it has already failed. The unfortunate reality is that women's issues are marginalized, and in any case, sex trafficking and mass rape should no more be seen as women's issues than slavery was a black issue of the Holocaust was a Jewish issue. These are all humanitarian concerns, transcending any one race gender, or creed."

photo: Maria Elena, Bolivia 2009

Rise Up!

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Al Jazeera put up a great time-line on the uprising in Tunisia.

I am so inspired by the way Tunisians have come together to overthrow the oppressive regime that has been in power for 30 years. I pray that they will be able to establish a peaceful and stable government soon. I know it will be a long road, but I hope that with the efforts of everyday citizens, there will be progress in Tunisia and conditions will improve for their people.

God bless the Tunisian people as they fight for their rights!

real life.

The basics of what I've learned about International Development over the past 5 years in the words of Nicholas Kristof:

"it’s complicated."
"a noble experiment"
"entrepreneurs fail sometimes"
"good intentions and hard work aren’t enough"
"Helping people is hard."
"it will be only an incremental improvement. In the real world, that’s usually how progress arrives (with screams of vexation along the way)."

sometimes, that's kind of discouraging.

on the other hand...

Kristof also tells us that these aren't such bad things. I'm inspired by his article, "D.I.Y. Foreign Aid Revolution" and the incredible entrepreneurs he describes. Proof that all of us can play a role in development and have an influence for change in the world.

yes, the difference that one person makes is often small--"a drop in the bucket"--but each drop counts (for proof of this concept, visit the TippingBucket). not all of us will become leaders of international organizations or spend out lives building and living in orphanages or creating innovative ways to tackle the unspoken barriers women face in participating fully in society or regularly raising thousands of dollars for the most vulnerable populations in the world. some of us may not even be able to travel abroad. but we are all capable of doing something. and we are all capable of doing more than we are.

Please read Kristof's article.
Then read his blog.
Then take a cue from this inspiring family.
(and so many other sources. . . new suggestions are always welcome, by the way!)

Then see where this all takes you. What changes can you make in your daily life that will help you consume fewer precious resources? How can you adjust your spending so you avoid purchasing conflict materials or products that support unjust practices? How can you contribute (monetarily or otherwise) to causes that are truly important to you? How do you decide what those causes are? WHERE DO YOU FIT IN?

These are questions that I am trying to ask myself. Everyday. For me they're hard questions. Some of them might take me years to fully answer. Maybe even a lifetime.

But this much I know:
The world needs change--at home and abroad.
And it's up to us to make that happen.

Welcome to reality.
I hope you're ready to get on board...
because
the world needs you.

and i mean that.

repetition.

Here's something interesting. yet again, a message about the value of educating women-- an essential element of development for any nation. (here and here are links to what I've blogged on this issue in the past)

a few facts (i know i may be repeating myself.. but that's okay.):

educated women generally make better use of health services and have a better understanding of hygiene, nutrition and parenting.

educated women as mothers help reduce infant mortality in children under 5 (by 10% for every additional year of schooling).

educated women reduce the fertility rate by making informed decisions and using reliable practices in family planning.

educated women are less likely to contract HIV/AIDS and thus less likely to pass the disease to children

educated women receive better wages and increase productivity in their employment.

educated women promote higher levels of education for their children. . . and their children's children and so on and so forth....

the benefits just keep on coming.

however...

I think Philip Stevens, a senior fellow at International Policy Network, makes an important point when he says, "Education is not much good if the health facilities and infrastructure don’t exist. If a country is massively misgoverned, like Sierra Leone, no amount of education is going to put bread on the table for children.”

Education is essential.
Education for women is imperative.
But international development and poverty reduction require systematic change in every aspect of policy, infrastructure, governance, etc.

Yet, there is hope. and for every girl who is educated, we get a little closer to the kind of world that I want to live in!

data and quotes taken from "Educating Women Saves Children, Study Finds." Sept 16, 2010 in the New York Times.
Also see facts from the World Bank on this issue.

TIP THE BUCKET!

Check out The Tipping Bucket!! This project is amazing and every dollar you can donate helps to make it possible. Watch this short video about the GREENHOUSE SCHOOL the Tipping Bucket it raising money to fund!



I was in Bolivia this past summer and I had the opportunity to visit some projects that had been done by the organization CHOICE Humanitarian. One of those projects was a greenhouse school like the one that The Tipping Bucket is raising money to build. Please go to the Tipping Bucket site and donate $1 today! (Or more if you can!) You can help children have a warm and learning conducive environment for school! This is a great opportunity for anyone to make a difference in the world!

Take it.

Here's a picture of my friends and me in the greenhouse school with the kids and their professor.


These are some of the plants that are growing in the Greenhouse classroom. The kids help take care of them.

My friend Doug and I with the CHOICE Humanitarian staff in Bolivia!

Visiting a woman and her daughter using water from a CHOICE Humanitarian water project--one of many they have constructed in the Altiplano. It makes so much difference in these people's lives!

So here's the deal--CHOICE Humanitarian does great work. I've seen it with my own eyes! And Tipping Bucket is helping this them get the funding to make these projects possible. YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS! So, one more time, here's the website: tippingbucket.org. Donate whatever you can--$1 makes a difference!

Thank YOU!

This really means a lot to me and to a lot of amazing people in Bolivia who are hoping to give their children a brighter future!

a woman's worth

[M]arket liberalization and stabilization programs are the functional equivalent of "low-intensity warfare, except instead of soldiers dying there are children, instead of millions of wounded there are millions of unemployed, instead of destruction of bridges there is tearing down of factories, schools, hospitals and entire economies"
~ Luis Ignacio Silva
(West Africa 28 August, 1993; cited in "Gender Equity and Women Empowerment in Africa" )

What happens when women are educated and empowered?

revolutionary change

I posted about the Girl Effect in a previous post about the importance of women in development. Last night I was reading an article that reinforced for me the incredible horrors of poverty in the developing world and especially the disparity between genders. The importance of educating women to the well-being of families, communities and nations is unbelievable!

Did you know:

Women are 6x as productive as men in an hour's work
Educated women farmers in Kenya increase productivity by 24%
1-3 years of education for mothers decreases infant mortality by 15%
The child of a Zambian mother with basic education has a 25% greater chance of survival
African women provide 80% of the labor for subsistence production

Sadly...
women still account for 64% of illiterate adults--only 89 women can read for every 100 men
in 2006, the gender wage gap was 30-40% in some countries
70% of the world's poor are females
and
"in no society do women fare as well as men in political and economic opportunities"

So the question is:

what are we going to do about it?

photo taken in Guatemala 2009
all statistics cited from Geo-JaJa et al (2009). "Gender Equity and Women Empowerment in Africa: The Education and Economic Nexus." Race, Ethnicity and Gender in Education

The Power of the Girl Effect

I saw this video today and I think it is pretty incredible! Watch it; check out the website (http://thegirleffect.org); think about the power of girls to change not only their own circumstances, but those of their families, communities and nations. It's incredible that something so simple can be so revolutionary and make so much difference in the lives of those who have the least.



The most shocking fact (check out the fact sheet on the website for more info) was that the leading cause of death worldwide for girls age 15-19 is PREGNANCY. wow.