The Commission on the Status of Women
As written by Christy Cunningham, WOW Board Member
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
When I asked WOW’s past president, Susan Dayton why she was always so excited about attending The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), she said, “What it boils down to is rubbing shoulders with such amazing women!” This is my second year attending and I could not agree more!
There were many amazing sessions covering a myriad of important topics such as Maternal Mortality, Hunger Eradication, The Power of Motherhood, The Empowerment of Rural Women, but Wow’s panel discussion on Women in Society-Achievement in Science, Leadership and Humanitarian, is what touched me most deeply. Why? It was because of the women that participated on the panel. It wasn’t so much of what they said, but because of whom they are, and, the reminder they gave me that, just one individual literally has the power to change the world.
I met Becky Douglas last year at the conference and was thrilled when I learned she was one of this year’s panel participants.
When Becky returned from her first trip to India, she couldn’t sleep.
Becky, a professional violinist and mother of seven had originally traveled to India because of her oldest daughter Amber who had lost her seven year battle against bipolar disease. After her daughter’s death, Becky discovered that Amber had been sending money to an orphanage in India and thus began Becky’s journey that would not only change her own life and help her to deal with the loss of her beloved daughter but would literally change the lives of thousands.
While visiting India in 2000, Becky witnessed human beings in deplorable conditions. Worst of all were the Leprosy beggars who approached her at every stop begging for help. Even though Leprosy is now completely curable, the stigma is still there; its victims are considered by many to be the scum of the earth, rejected by society, they are forced to live in leprosy colonies. Traditionally, Leprosy patients have survived by begging. They leave the colonies for two weeks at a time to travel to the nearest city where they live in the streets as beggars until they collect enough money to return back to the colony where they can sleep on the dirt floor of their own home for a few days. Then it’s back to the streets again. It is common to have the entire family on the street begging. I am sure that most of these people feel there is no other choice.
Of that first trip, Becky said, “I had a man that put his hand out to beg that had maggots crawling through his hand; and honestly, when I got home I was just haunted!” Becky decided that she could either lose sleep or do something about it.
That “something” became Rising Star Outreach.
Rising Star has given hope to hundreds of families; it is educating the children and getting them out of the beggar mind set. She showed us the picture of a beautiful child, Jennifer that had the onset of leprosy as a preschooler. The disease was arrested with $1.50 medical treatment. This child now has the hope of a great future.
Rising Star has given micro loans to women who now have flourishing businesses, a decent standard of living and in turn, are improving the lives of the entire community. Becky related another story about a man who was refused a loan until he quit beating his wife. He stopped the abuse (some people will do anything for money) and now the man’s family has a successful business.
One beggar, who used to be chased away from begging in front of the tea store, is now invited in for tea. You see, he now sells the tea to its proprietor and is a respected business man. The stories are endless; and all this because of one woman’s desire to get a good night’s sleep.
I think Becky would describe herself as just an ordinary woman, a mother, a housewife and musician. She does believe though that God had a higher calling on her life. She said even out of the worst things, God can bring meaning.
Thank you Becky for your incredible example of the power of one!
UN Human Rights Council – Session 16 – Geneva- UPDATE
Women – Right to Food, Food Security, Food Sovereignty Panel
9 March, 2011, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
An informative and inspirational meeting was held at the United Nations (UN) today regarding Women’s right to food, food security and food sovereignty. The distinguished panel of speakers was highlighted by the participation of the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Dr. Olivier De Schutter. Showing just how important this topic is not only for women but for all of humanity and how devastating it is for women in particular.
All agreed that Gender discrimination was the main concern when it came to food security. Dr. De Schutter stressed the need to mainstream gender in his work at the UN, especially in regards to food. He is planning on issuing a special report on gender and food to be released in 2012. He cautioned, though, that mainstreaming a topic, sometimes prevents a more in depth study, and he did not want to see that happen.
Dr. De Schutter see’s three main challenges to women and food security; access to resources, access to extension services and modernization. Without access to quality land, credit, fertilizers, technology and state services, women are extremely disadvantaged. While women make up 80% of agricultural workers, they own less than 1% of land. When crops are sold, whether cash crops or family crops, all money is paid to the men and therefore does not cycle back into the family for food.
To combat these challenges, Dr. De Schutter proposed four solutions; first, to eliminate discriminatory laws and cultural practices and empowering women by increasing women’s cooperatives; second, to employ more women in the extension services sector; third, titling schemes combined with broader agricultural support and issuing titles in the name of both the husband and wife; and fourth, more diverse farming practices such as diverse crop plantings and combining cash crops with subsistence crops.
Joining Dr. De Schutter in speaking out for women’s right to food was Dr. Marcela Villarreal, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) director for gender, equity and rural employment. Dr. Villarreal pointed out there are 100 million more starving people in 2009 (950 million) then there was in 1979, with the highest percentage being in sub Saharan Africa. As the price of staples such as sugar, meat, cereals, dairy and fat goes up, women are the ones shouldering the lions share of the burden. She stated the reasons for this inequity as availability, access to food, stability and food utilization. Dr. Villarreal stressed that the right to food was a human right and that without the empowerment of women, the first Millennium Development Goal of alleviating hunger would never be reached.
Devaki Jain, the well known economist from India discussed food battles vs. battling for food. She urged a better understanding of the needs of women in the south as the global GDP shifts away from agriculture towards services. She cautioned against land mines such as rising oil prices due to political upheaval in North Africa, causing a greater push for bio fuels which requires more land being taken away from food crops which causes higher food prices and less food security for the poor, namely women. She advocated a bubbling up economic theory of growth instead of a trickle down theory. If we take millions of people out of poverty, they are no longer drawing away from the economy in aid but adding to the economy with buying power and taxes and money bubbles up through the economy from the lowest levels to the highest levels.
Alexandra Spieldoch, of Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and NRM, agreed with the other panelists stressing the point that while women bear the burden of the world food crisis, women are also the solution to the food crisis. Currently women are policy takers, not policy makers, and that must change for women to experience true food security. She pointed out the resiliency of impoverished women and their efforts to carry on in the face of over- whelming environmental, economic, cultural and legal challenges. She seconded the idea of getting more women in ministerial positions at all levels of government as well as encouraging women to identify and share best practices in an effort to empower women to improve their food security.
Lalen DeVela, from Isis spoke for rural women and the ways they are coping with the food crisis and how they are improving their food security. More and more rural women are turning to organic fertilizers which cost only $6 per bag as opposed to $39 per bag, thereby keeping them out of debt and improving the quality of their land. She talked of the success of gender sensitivity classes held for husbands and village leaders in India and South America and the advantages of harvesting the knowledge of the local women in water conservation and land management.
Elly Pradervand, CEO of the Women’s World Summit Foundation, agreed with the figures presented by panelists that women are responsible for 50% of world food production and up to 80% in developing countries but still do not have food security. She stated the right to food is gender biased as evidenced by the fact that 70% of the worlds poor are women, 1 in 6 do not get enough to eat, women only get 1% of world agricultural credits, and that even though 1/5 – 1/3 of households are headed by women, women only own less than 1% of land worldwide. If we closed the gender gap in agriculture alone, we would lift almost 150 million people out of hunger.
Lois Herman, of the Women’s UN Report Network, put a feminine face on poverty and hunger as she shared stirring images of women and girls from around the world affected by the lack of food security. She stressed that the right to food intersects with ALL other human rights issues and is a foundational human right without which, all other rights are superfluous. She urged anyone who wants to understand food insecurity better, to follow the money. Killing millions of poor women and children is too high a price to pay to turn a profit.
Overall, the panelist’s presented a stirring plea for a framework to address the challenges of women in obtaining food security. The UN Special Rapporteur, Dr. De Schutter left with a specific agenda to focus upon in the coming months and the rest of us left with a renewed zeal to fight for the food rights of the millions of women and girls around the world who are starving and suffering from food insecurity.
The panel was deftly moderated by Afton Beutler, of the Worldwide Organization for Women and was sponsored by the Worldwide Organization for Women, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Women’s UN Report Network, and Women’s World Summit Foundation.
International Women’s Day
Today, 8th March 2011 is the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. This day was founded as a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday.
Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.
Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as ‘Women’s History Month’.
So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women’s Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.
