You are invited to take the June 2009 Soroptimist Snapshot online survey. Look for the link in your email this week.
There are just 7 quick questions and should only take about 5 minutes of your time. The intent of this survey is to gauge interest and satsifaction in their quarterly publication of the Best for Women magazine. Some of the questions are multiple choice with an opportunity to write what you’d like see improved in future editions. I find the most helpful section is the Renaissance Campaign tips/tricks. They are very helpful for SOLT and generate new ideas for the committee chairs.
There are also polls in the general members area that you can participate in (see the right side panel). One example is: Would your club pay a nominal fee for customized services from headquarters (e.g., personalized ads and brochures, meeting planning)? As of today there have been 596 votes: Yes 47% | No 53%. What’s your opinion?
CEDAW HAS EXPANDED THEMES FOR ATTENTION IN UN MEMBER STATE REVIEWS
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women. Two new working groups have been set up by the 42nd and 43rd session of CEDAW. One on the “Rights of Older Women” and the second on the “The Economic Consequences of Divorce”.
This is important because CEDAW is a “Binding Convention” for those UN countries that have ratified the general recommendations of the CEDAW Committee. These two important areas will now also receive attention in the member state reports and the work of CEDAW, whose committee consists of 23 experts on women’s rights from around the world.
An excerpt from Assistant Programme Director Margaret Cook’s report as our SI UN Rep to Rome – Else recently went to Rome for the Annual Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference for FAO. Read more on the Soroptimist Programme Blog »
Sustainable agriculture – learning from women! There was an acknowledgment that women are often the farmers – particularly in the South – and a valuable asset for developing good practice in sustainable agriculture.
I attended COAG (Spanish: Livestock and Farmers Cooperative) with Else Larsen, our UN Representative at FAO. We did a lot of networking – establishing useful links and ensuring that the work of Soroptimists is known well in FAO. The Gender Equity Department was particularly helpful – they were very interested in what we achieve and I know that this contact will help us develop our presence at FAO.
Our new Juniper Café is soon to be opened near the lake at Desta Mender, and set among many juniper trees! It is near our teaching or conference centre where we hope to attract groups, who want a pleasant place to hold a day conference, and where they can buy food from our café. We are enormously grateful to the Soroptimist International organisation for raising all the money for this café through the 2007 and 2008 President’s Day Appeals, called “Restoring Dignity”. We want to thank the President of the Soroptimists for those 2 years, Margaret Lobo, for choosing the Hospital to be the recipient of this large donation – which also paid for a hard-top vehicle for use at Desta Mender. We hope Ms. Lobo will visit us for some celebrations in May or June and will then be able to unveil a plaque in the café telling of the assistance provided by so many Soroptimist women.
We are sure this will be a great attraction, not only to help us financially, but to make known the plight of so many fistula sufferers in this great country.
Dr E. Catherine Hamlin AC
About Desta Mender: Rural Village for patients who cannot be completely cured
A small number of patients (about 3% of those treated) are so badly damaged in childbirth that they cannot be cured. These patients are fitted with an external bag for their urine. Continuing medical care is essential. Yet despite this affliction, most of the patients are able, and want to do some light work.
In 2000, the Ethiopian Government gave the hospital a parcel of 21 hectares (60 acres) of rural land outside of Addis Ababa for them to build a “self-help” village for these patients. A large dam to provide water for the gardens and livestock, has been built.
A “Design Plan” for the overall development of the site was prepared by an Australian Architect, Mr Ridley Smith. An Ethiopian firm of Architects, Abba Associates from Addis Ababa, has supervised the construction.
The building development of the village has been completed. Patients are moving into occupation. The village will initially provide accommodation for 100 women. There are ten self-contained cottages. Each cottage accommodates ten patients. A supervisor lives on-site and there is adequate staffing.
The residents of the Village are being taught skills in agriculture, farming and craft work.
Join us on Wednesday June 10, 2009 at the Waterfront Centre in Hamilton at 7p.m. to celebrate the 30th anniversary of SI Hamilton-Burlington.
Tickets are $30 which includes great jazz music by the Suzanne Ramsay Trio and guest appearance by jazz dancer John Charles Vaughan.
door prizes and raffles
canape buffet with a cash bar
All proceeds will go to our ongoing service projects supporting women and girls in our community. Please wear your pearls!!! View the flyer for more information »
You can purchase your tickets through our president Barb.
Today is International Women’s Day – a celebration of women’s accomplishments and a reminder of what is yet to be accomplished. Hear what Margaret Lobo has to say »
What Soroptimists do is tangible: we provide blankets for new babies, scholarships for women, raise public awareness of domestic violence against women and the fact that women are being trafficked as sex slaves in our own home town! Why we do it is not always easy to articulate. It is the satisfaction of knowing a mother will have a toy under the tree for her child this year at Christmas; witnessing tears of joy from a Women’s Opportunity Award Winner; recognizing a humble woman who dedicates her life to serving her community; and sponsoring the construction of new children’s centre for facilitated parent visitations. Above and beyond all these wonderful occasions, we have fun!
Over 5000 delegates from Non Governmental Agencies ( NGO’s ) have registered for the 53rd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – held at UN headquarters in New York from 2-13 March 2009. CSW’s priority theme will be “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS”. For more information and ongoing updates about the event, visit the SI Programme Blog »
Each year a small cadre of Soroptimists who are well versed in the advocacy process have been intimately involved in the working groups with their government’s missions meeting at CSW. SI is working toward improving our advocacy efforts each year and will be developing a little advocacy kit for attendees next year. The Commission on the Status of Women has published the Official Documents for this year’s session of which SI has been an active participant »
SI Statement:
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/7
SI co-signed Statements:
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/19
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/21
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/22
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/30
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/41
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/42
E/CN.6/2009/NGO/43
One of the constant things we hear from people is that they know who Soroptimists are, they know what we do, and they are impressed that we put action to our words.
Dawn Marie Lemonds, SI Programme Director
The following are excerpts from a written statement submitted by Stephanie Seguino for the interactive expert panel on the “Emerging Issue: Gender perspectives of the financial crisis” at the CSW on 6 March 2009.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has selected the emerging issue, “Gender Perspectives of the Financial Crisis” as the subtheme of the 53rd session of the CSW. There has been increasing concern among women’s organizations, networks and agencies about the impacts of not only the global financial crisis but the food, fuel and climate change crises on women. Gender advocates are looking at how to engage in further dialogue with the key political players and at key moments to ensure policy proposals include a gender perspective in the solutions of the global crises.
How is the global financial and economic crisis impacting development? The impact of the financial crisis is affecting the whole world and is threatening long term objectives like the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals .
Not only the developed countries, but increasingly emerging economies and least developed countries are suffering the effects of this global financial crisis.
Financial markets have collapsed, lending and investments opportunities are declining and exports are falling as demand decreases.
In addition, developing countries, facing already higher food and energy prices, lack the means and resources to protect their financial institutions or banks from bankruptcy.
The results are falling stock markets, rising interest rates, and less government resources for socio-economic investments that benefit the poor.
How is the global financial and economic crisis affecting women? Women’s jobs tend to pay lower wages, in part because women tend to have a higher rate of part-time employment, and are often not covered by social safety nets. Moreover, in countries without social safety nets, the impact on women is even more severe.
Employment losses or a slowdown in job growth is expected to contribute to growing unemployment. This finds women at the risk of being hired last and dismissed first.
Developing countries will be affected by the drop in remittances from family members in developed economies. Remittances give women greater autonomy and control over family matters.
Female-headed households are at greatest risk, with few if any savings to weather the crisis, and limited ownership of wealth and other assets, as compared to men.
Ethnic groups that are less powerful and immigrant groups will suffer in many of the same ways because they are similarly situated in the paid economy as women. Even in developed countries such as the US, Black and Latina women face particularly high rates of poverty.
The effects on women and therefore children will be transmitted through cuts in public sector budgets, due to falling tax revenues and foreign aid.
As food and fuel prices soar and adding stress and hardship to families, incidents of violence against women and communal violence increase.
What are policy and advocacy inputs to improve the situation for women?
Past experiences have shown that financial crises and neoliberal policy responses, such as Structural Adjustment Programs, have disproportionately affected women in negative ways. It is critical to recognize gender equality as a fundamental human right and an issue of social justice essential for economic growth, poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, and development effectiveness.
New indicators must be developed to measure the impact of gender inequality on economic growth by measuring the value of women’s unpaid work as well as by developing performance indicators to measure progress in introducing and implementing gender-responsive approach to public finances.
To be efficient, effective, and accountable, public finance management systems and practices need to support rather than undermine principles of participatory and gender-responsive budgeting.
Information and resources This information sheet primarily referenced the following papers and websites:
Interactive expert panel: Gender perspectives of the financial crisis, Issues Paper, 2009.
Registration is now open for the Soroptimist Women’s Leadership Institute, which will take place on July 3-4, 2009, at the Westin Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois.
Do you know the “ingredients” for a good leader? This two day seminar, which includes a special networking lunch and collaborative learning exercise, is an outstanding value at only $349 for Soroptimist members. Attendance is limited to the first 400 and open to all Soroptimist members. We have also secured a special Soroptimist room rate at the Westin Michigan Avenue: $169.00 per night single or double (plus tax). Be sure to make your own reservations today!
As the Renaissance Campaign nears the end of its fifth year, SIA has hired Kerr-Downs, a full-service market research firm, to conduct a new study that will help measure the campaign’s success and determine next steps. It will be open through May 31, 2009 and although it takes a little while to complete, it is well worth it so headquarters knows how to move forward. Make sure your voice is heard!
An excerpt from Alison Sutherland, Quadrennial Project Liaison, on the memories and experiences of those who recently attended the first project tour:
People are working so hard to survive and feed their families. The lack of infrastructure and industry. The hardest thing was to say no when we have so much, and to realize how selfish our own society is.
Experiencing the dust, colours and sounds of village life; seeing the water pumps, thatched houses and the way people live. The dawn drive to Kamakwie through villages and bushland; women watching over a cooking pot on small wood fires; walking to the stream for water, laundry and bathing, or to the farm with pans, utensils or bundles of wood carried on the head; babies secured to their mother’s back with a cloth; meagre verandah market stalls, with a few cassava roots, pineapple or bottles of kerosene for sale; no vehicles for miles on the dust roads.
The grace with which we were received everywhere. Nothing seemed too much trouble. Arrangements were adjusted, dates changed, yet wherever we went, people gave us their time, welcomed us with open arms into their homes and communities.
