HomeHomeDecember 2005
The Light of Understanding
Americans Rethink Their Global Role
Recently the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press released a new survey indicating that a growing number of American citizens, along with opinion leaders, believe that the United States should "mind its own business internationally." Given the "war fatigue" we are experiencing and the concerns about our domestic problems, particularly in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, this is understandable.
Each time we turn on the evening news or read the latest world news stories via the Internet, it seems the news is not good. War, economic troubles, ethnic unrest, violence, crime, ecological disasters can wear down even the most ardent news junkies to the point of wanting to "tune out" the problems of the world and the nation.
However understandable this phenomenon may be, it is no longer possible for Americans, or any other citizens of the world, to turn away. Thanks to ever-changing technology, our world is shrinking, and our knowledge base is growing. We have access to world news at the touch of a computer keyboard, something most of us couldn’t even have comprehended a mere 20 years ago. We no longer have to wait for the daily paper to arrive to learn about what is happening in the world or in the neighborhood.
The instantaneous access to information is part of our fatigue; there’s now so much information coming to us so fast, it can be hard to digest. In addition, with changing technology, we can pick and choose the stories we give our attention to, and that can lead to a narrower view of the world. Many stories are about complex issues, written simply for a less-than-literate audience. We may be consuming more, but actually paying attention to and learning less about the world than we did before!
A New Way of Thinking
The complexity of world problems and issues requires a different kind of thinking, a more comprehensive and abstract view of the world, not a black-and-white version of it. While it’s easy to become discouraged, we must remember the wise words of author Sam Keen, whom we mentioned in another edition of WITNE. In his "Hymns to An Unknown God," Keen reminds us that "a perfect world would have no need of me" and that we can find our purpose in trying to help solve the tragedies, injustices, and imperfection we find in the world.
How do we fight the tendency to want to tune out the world? By carefully educating ourselves about the issues, even if we do it one issue at a time. One of the most pressing issues of our time is the AIDS crisis.
A Call To Action: World AIDS Day 2005
December 1st marks the annual observation of World Aids Day, a commemoration of the millions who lost their lives to this terrible disease.
The Aids epidemic is now over twenty years old, and an estimated 40 million people are living with HIV worldwide. According to a United Nations report, gender inequality and poverty are leading factors in the rise of AIDS in women. The report states that in sub-Saharan Africa, 57% of patients with HIV are women. Not only that, but young women aged 15-24 are more than three times as likely to be infected as young men.
Last year, Robert Lalasz wrote an informative piece for the Population Reference Bureau on "World AIDS Day 2004: The Vulnerability of Women and Girls." In his report, Lalasz states that AIDS is the leading cause of death of African-American women ages 25-34. Also, he states that adolescent girls are facing HIV-infection rates up to 5 to 6 times higher than young boys.
And, if you think AIDS is a young person’s disease, you would be wrong. According to About.com’s Mark Cichocki, nearly 11% of all new AIDS cases involve people over 50. According to Cichocki, heterosexual transmission of HIV/AIDS is up 94% in men over 50 and 107% in women since 1991. We are deluding ourselves if we believe that older people are not at risk.
These are just a few of the facts surrounding AIDS; however, one thing is clear: this is an issue that demands our attention NOW. Activists remind us that future generations will judge us on our responses to issues such as hunger, poverty, natural disasters, and AIDS.
Solutions to these issues are long in coming, but with our time and attention and action, we can all make a difference. We can begin with understanding the depth of the issues we are facing. At WITNE, we’ll continue to spotlight organizations that educate, illuminate and create awareness of these issues. Our WITNE EXTRA this month will help you find out more about AIDS.
Teresa
tcallies@Hotmail.comNews From WITNE Friends:
We heard from Becky Thiessen, Communications Coordinator with the UN Platform for Action Committee Manitoba, Canada (UNPAC), who let us know that their latest workshop is entitled the Gender Budget Project. According to UNPAC, the budget "has the power to alleviate women’s poverty and inequality or increase it." Becky informs us that there are more than enough resources in Canada, yet there is also an embarrassingly high number of people living in poverty, including 20% of women.
Their Budget Project demystifies the provincial budget, making it transparent and participatory. You can learn more about UNPAC on their web site at http://www.unpac.ca/.
Women and Media News:
BeE Magazine premiered in October, and offers the first women’s magazine devoted to news about politics, lifestyle, and personal finance, not information on how to decorate.
Another fun magazine that’s worth a look is Travelgirl, which has been around for a couple of years. Travelgirl is "a magazine for woman on the go and the men who travel with them," and offers adventure stories about real people.
Newsweek’s October 24th edition featured a special report on "How Women Lead: 20 of America’s Most Powerful Women on Their Lives–And the Lessons They’ve Learned." Among the many women interviewed were Oprah Winfrey, who is also the on the cover, designer Vera Wang, and Brigadier General Sheila Baxter.
Meanwhile, Fortune magazine’s November issue featured Martha Stewart on the cover. The stories focused not only on Martha, but also on the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business." If you missed this issue or the special Newsweek issue, you can most likely find them in your local library.
General News, Resources, and Items of Interest:
On November 24th, in Islamabad Pakistan, the 3rd International Conference on Women and Politics in Asia was held. The Conference’s vision was "an empowered and aware Pakistan upholding principles of equity, equality & Justice; uniting to harness its collective potentials for right based development; promoting transparency and accountability; and rejecting discrimination of all types and manifestation."
Down Under, November 25th, 2005 marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, also known as White Ribbon Day.
Also, The University of New South Wales in Sydney, and the Centre for Refugee Research hosted the International Refugee Conference, "Hopes Fulfilled or Dreams Shattered?" from November 23rd to the 28th. According to the conference web site, participants will be "taken from resettlement to settlement, with a focus on the Women at Risk special resettlement program."
In New Delhi, India, an International Congress on Women, Work, and Health was held from November 27th through the 30th.
Copyright © 1995-2007 Gary Johnson Communications. All rights reserved. BraveNewWorkWorld, NewWork, NewWork News, Careers in the NewWork World, NewWorld Trends, WITNE, and WITNE: Women in the New Economy are trademarks of Gary Johnson Communications.