I read an interesting article (seriously - I couldn't stop reading it) in the NYTimes called The Women's Crusade: Saving the World's Women.
The article is largely excerpted from an upcoming book -
"Nicholas D. Kristof is a New York Times Op-Ed columnist and Sheryl WuDunn is a former Times correspondent who works in finance and philanthropy. This essay is adapted from their book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” which will be published next month by Alfred A. Knopf. You can learn more about “Half the Sky” at nytimes.com/ontheground." - a book I can't wait to read (much as I may have to).
Friends, let's be real: "The global statistics on the abuse of girls are numbing. It appears that more girls and women are now missing from the planet, precisely because they are female, than men were killed on the battlefield in all the wars of the 20th century. The number of victims of this routine “gendercide” far exceeds the number of people who were slaughtered in all the genocides of the 20th century."
Everything I can think to say (I'm still pretty overwhelmed by the article and the burgeoning knowledge of my own naivety) seems trite and cliche - so please just read the article. But here's the important part - when you finish, discuss it with someone. Thanks.
5 comments:
Hallo over there,
This is a village and nobody has ever disappeared from here.
So there is not much to discuss with anyone.
Cheers
Georg
Georg: I'm very happy for you and your village that no one has ever vanished. Might you be interested, then, in sharing why that is? How other areas in the world might learn from the example of your village...?
Hallo Aimée,
Well, these disappearances and abuses, I hear about it at the telly news, certainly once a week.
It happens mostly in towns.
But this is a village in central France, 250 people, everybody knows everybody, more or less. Either the people earn their livelihood as farmers or have a job in the nearby town and the others are simply retired.
There are no loafers, junkies, pimps, only some drunkards. That is Old Europe. People here are not very religious nowadays but they have values.
Georg
Georg: If it's not a matter of missing persons in your community, are there other areas in which your village could explore a fuller realization of the equality of women and men?
In education, in the workplace, etc?
Bonjour Aimée,
Frankly, I don't think "gender equality" is a subject in this region. But to make sure, I asked my wife, she is French, born in Paris: "is there gender equality over here, you included?".
She said yes, I think so, nothing special to complain of.
Could be, we have other problems over here. Too many old people, the young ones leave for the towns to find work. And the consequence of this is that here, in this village, there are no more shops, no post office, just one restaurant/bar.
These oare our unresolved problems.
But we have ADSL, meaning broadband internet connection.
Life is great. Come over here and have a look. Peaceful place where nothing ever happens.
Georg
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