#genderawareness

[kingandqueen08-blog]

what can do women can not do the men do? Ano nga ba ? listening about #genderawareness ansabee !! 😄😄 @ax.dayon Ikaw kipay ano nga ba?

[caylenecastagno]

Read this book if you want your mind blown and perspectives broadened on gender equality and basic human rights!

[caylenecastagno]

Women and girls cloistered in huts, uneducated, unemployed, and unable to contribute significantly to the world represent a vast seam of human gold that is never mined.

Sheryl WuDunn & Nicholas Kristof

AUTHORS OF HALF THE SKY

[caylenecastagno]

Young boys making the girls coffee at health camp #genderawareness #campglow #healthyliving #abroad #gosomewhere #dosomething #peacecorps #ethiopia

[heatherghanabroad]

Happy International Women's Day to one and all!

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!

  Across the globe, and across the EWB network, we are joining together to celebrate the important contribution that women have to society. And as my friend Erin pointed out  (engenderinginnovation.blogspot.com). While this holiday isn't talked about so much in Canada, WE NEED TO MAKE IT A BIGGER DEAL.

  What I've seen in development is that when women are equally and equitably involved along with men we've seen bigger and better change. I've also seen women who are unable to reach their potential, largely due to the system they are in.

  For example, in a community in STK a young man (around the age of 25-30) has impregnated three young girls, one of whom is only fourteen years of age. These young girls drop out of school, in one of these cases, she was forced to "marry" this man. Now, he doesn't look after her and the child, refusing to even buy soap for them to keep clean. This is not a life that anyone deserves, but truthfully, young, rural, women are victims, and the greater community does nothing. Currently, this man is still a part of the community and no one has yet brought the police involved, even though statutory rape is illegal in Ghana as well. These compounding circumstances of poverty and youth compound to leave these young girls in a vulnerable situation.

  I believe that the time is ripe for us to become more aware of gender inequities that exist across the globe, including in our own homes. Join me in taking action this women's day!

  It is impossible to realize our goals while discriminating against half the human race. - Kofi Annan

    Some suggestions are below, but create your own activity and post what you did below!

  Organize a workshop or film screening with your workplace / family / friend group / EWB Chapter:  Check out “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” a powerful documentary about women’s pivotal roles in Liberia’s civil war. Also the book Half the Sky [ see below] was made into a documentary series. Or any of the following TED talks: Bunker Roy’s Learning from a Barefoot Movement (http://www.ted.com/talks/bunker_roy.html) , Chimamanda Aichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story” (http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html);

Theo Sowa’s “We Need the Voices of African Women” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfIQgPb7pQs); and Leymah Gbowee’s “Unlock the intelligence, passion, greatness of girls” (http://www.ted.com/talks/leymah_gbowee_unlock_the_intelligence_passion_greatness_of_girls.html)

  Celebrate all that your wife / girlfriend / sister / friend does by cooking dinner for them! Or having a special time together!

  Send messages to the important women in your life. Let everyone know just how special they are!

  Think about your work - are there ways that your workplace / organization / chapter is subtly removing spaces for women? Is your hiring process gender sensitive? Typically, majority of women do display traits that are not enhanced in a competitive, pitch-based, Dragon's Den -type of situation. Is your organization leveraging the different personality types to the best possible way?

  Read a new book to become more gender sensitive. I REALLY recommend Half the Sky. Written by a husband and a wife, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, this journalist couple travels across the globe and brings light to the variety of challenges women face, especially poor rural women. Heard of fistulas? I hadn't. But it's a plight causing horrible problems for rural women globally.

For EWB chapters, attend the other women's day celebrations on your campuses. Have a Member Learning Session about gender equity. Talk with your chAPSter buddy about their work with women. Let's get the discussion going!

  I'm sure there are more ideas that you all can do!

  Please, lets all reflect this women's day about what we are doing to make the world a more socially just and equitable place to live in.

  Because:

  Women might just have something to contribute to civilization other than their vaginas. - Christopher Buckley, Florence of Arabia

  Let's help all women get to that place where they can contribute!

  Love to all,

  Heather

p.s. check out google's homepage