CAFRA

ARTICLE

Flavia Cherry — 2010-02-06T07:05:00Z

It is good to see that some efforts are being made to reach women in desperate need, but those of us on the ground are yet to see this happen in many of the areas where there is desperate need for food and relief. AID agencies MUST find a more humane way to reach out to the women and children who are most vulnerable and desperate. I know that the need is great, there is no excuse for what is the reality on the ground here in Haiti as Caribbean citizens offered help and mmany have even been denied entry. It is obvious that the aid agencies, (well intentioned as they may be) are unable to handle the scale of the problem here in Haiti. So why are they not being inclusive and involving more Haitian and Caribbean institutions in the relief and recovery efforts? Something is very wrong about the picture here in Haiti because while international agencies are dropping the ball in an attempt to monopolize aid efforts, Haitians are dying. Apart from lines for women, there is an urgent need for volunteers to go into the camps to reach women, children, disabled and elderly people who are unable to move.

It is a disgrace for so much money to be circling around to all kinds of aid groups and every single day I see so many people hungry, desperate. This situation is simply not acceptable. There are women in camps who have not had anything to eat for days. There are many available Hatians who are willing to assist as volunteers to get the aid to those who need it and CARICOM was willing to send help, but something seems to be really wrong. Why are Caribbean Goernments not allowed to play a more pivotal role, especially as there are many CARICOM citizens and regional security officers who speak creole and would be able to communicate better with the people of Haiti.

What I see on the ground is lots of big fancy air conditioned vehicles moving up and down with foreigners, creating more dust and pollution on the roads. Thousands of millitary officers everywhere, heavily armed like they are in some kind of battle zone. The girl guides and boy scouts of Haiti are also out in their uniforms, but unlike the army of troops, they are up and about, assisting in many ways. I saw of group of the boy scouts and girl guides directing traffic today, Sunday!

From the very beginning, I have been asking why aid agencies did not arrange separate lines for women, children and disabled people. It is obvious that if you leave people hungry for 5 to 8 days without food, they will be desperate and when food finally arrives, it will be survival of the fittest. The international agencies allowed confusion to reign supreme for more than two weeks while sensational and racist media people were merrily portraying images of hungry people fighting for food. At least now that they have suddenly realized the need for separate lines, I hope that this happens at every single distribution point, because as I am writing this email, that certainly is NOT the case.

I would like to share two separate events which I witnessed yesterday.

The first one is what I call a miracle birth. A young lay who had both legs amputated delivered a healthy baby on the ground, under a bed sheet. Not only were both legs amputated, but she had bandages all over her hips. Because of her condition, this expectant mother should never have been left out there on the streets at that advanced stage of her pregnancy because the chances of having a normal delivery in her physical coniditon were very slim. At the time of the delivery, people were everywhere, men, women, children, all huddled together under those sheets, for shelter from the sun. If there were complications, both mother and baby could very easily have passed, as no one in the camp had any transport or means of getting the mother to a medical facility. Other mothers were there with their newborns. This poor mother had nothing, no milk, no clothing for the baby, nothing! A doctor eventually came, but the mother was left there, with her baby, so we brought milk and supplies, including a sleeping bag. I know these are not normal times, but it is exactly for this reason, international aid agencies should be more inclusive and engage all those who are willing and capable of providing support.

The second incident happend in the heart of Port Au Prince yesterday where the largest number of people are living under the most inhumane conditions. I was taking pictures, when suddenly everyone started to run towards the Palace gates. I stood on top of a vehicle and realized that it was President Preval who had ventured onto the lawn and people starting shouting out to him, saying that they were hungry. President Preval came to the fence and hundreds of people kept running towards the fence. Many of them were shouting ¨Lavalas, Aristide, Lavalas, Aristide¨. Several others were asking President Preval why he had not addressed his people and told them what was happening. One woman put it this way: (I have not had anything to eat for four days and no one is hearing anything from the President, we have no idea what our Government is doing). I am using brackets because I cannot find quotation marks on this french keyboard.

President Preval spoke to those who were closest to the fence, but the large number of people who were pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of him, obviously heard nothing. At least I got a picture of the whole scene, including President Preval behind the fence with hundreds of people right next to him on the other side. Something about that scene convinced me even more, that there is really no need for such a heavy millitary presence in Haiti. What Haiti needs is an army of medical, civilian and specialist voluneers who will work with the people of Haiti to rebuild their nation - not a heavily armed millitary of more than 50,000 standing guard over them.

A CAFRA INITIATIVE

2010-02-06T06:05:00Z

OUR OUTREACH TO HAITI

(see attachment to view the pictures)

The solidarity camp is named after Myriam Merlet, a feminist activist and National Representative for CAFRA in Haiti, who was killed in the earthquake. As an outspoken activist, Merlet helped draw international attention to the use of rape as a political weapon. The Feminist International Solidarity Camp to help mobilize and transfer resources, and to open channels of communications directly with Haitian women will open next week on the frontier Jemaní between the Dominican Republic & Haiti. CAFRA continues to play an important role in this project organized collectively by women's groups in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere in Latin America & the Caribbean and beyond, the Camp will be eventually handed over to Haitian women. The international solidarity camp is named after Myriam Merlet, It is organized as a Resource Center for international solidarity efforts to send resources directly to the women of Haiti, and also work with Human Rights defenders from Haiti to monitor, denounce and demand legal action regarding violations of human rights including women's human rights during the earthquake and the aftermath. Also to be included is a Health Center to help deal the grief, injuries, illnesses and traumas of the earthquake. Coordinators of these efforts include the Women & Health Collective (COMUS) a women's human rights and health NGO, and CIPAF, a feminist NGO of the Dominican Republic that works in building social/political movement. The space will also serve as a Communications Center to include radio transmissions via Internet by FIRE (Feminist International Radio Endeavour), as well as blogs, and electronic networks organized by women's communication networks throughout the region.

Haitian activists and women in Haiti have been receiving donations from the Myriam Merlet International Feminist Solidarity Camp from January 28th 2010 when a delegation from CAFRA and the Feminist International Radio Enterprise (FARE) traveled to Port au Prince to meet with Haitian feminist activists from various organizations, among them SOPHA (The Strengthening of Public Health Associations) and ENFOFAM (Association of Women and Gender Studies from Countries in Transition). The International Solidarity Camp was named after Myriam Merlet, the CAFRA National Representative for Haiti, who died during the recent eqrthquake.

Truckloads of food, medicine, lamps, batteries, tanks of gas, camping tents, sleeping bags, and other personal toiletries were donated, going directly to activists who are reorganizing themselves in the capital to work with the most vulnerable sections of the population: the women and children. This level of assistance was possible because of the solidarity of so many organizations in the Dominican Republic and unified response of organizations and people who have quickly responded to this initiative. CAFRA Interim Chairperson Flavia Cherry was present when the first set of supplies were handed over in Port Au Prince. She has expressed appreciation to the many CAFRA members across the Caribbean regional who are sending supplies of feminine hygiene products and other much needed supplies to the Myriam Merlet International Feminist Solidarity Camp. Goods can be sent to the following address for the Solidarity Camp in the DR:

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR HAITI Sergia Galvan and Mayra Tavarez Colectiva Mujeres Y Salud Calle Jose Gabriel Garcia No 501, Ciudad Nueva Santo Domingo Republica Dominicana 1-809-682-3128 or 809-315-0571

BY: Floretta Louis, Senior Administrative Officer - CAFRA

Please Email us for more details and how to contribute to this special initiative: cafra@candw.lc or cafraregional@yahoo.com

Programme Update

2006-12-01T20:01:00Z

In this half-year, the focus of CAFRA's advocacy work has been on trade issues. Several workshops have been held on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) and its relation to the World Trade Organisation, the Free Trade Area of the Americas and the Economic Partnership Agreements within the Cotonou Agreement.

While both the WTO and the FTAA negotiations have collapsed and are in abeyance, negotiations are proceeding with hast on both the Cotonou and CSME.

In September, 2006 CAFRA conducted a regional workshop on the theme “Strengthening Gender Analysis of International and Bi-Lateral Trade”. This workshop was sponsored by Women in Development Europe (WIDE) and organised by CAFRA on behalf of the Caribbean Gender and Trade Network.

Central to this workshop was CAFRA's research findings on Gender Indicators on Trade, which warn of the dangers to livelihoods that link in the current trade agreements, and what government negotiations can do to arrive at a fair deal for the region's people.

Attention was also paid to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) which is an arrangement which allows CARICOM goods, services, people and capital to move throughout the Caribbean community without any restrictions. This will mean that the Caribbean will become one large single market space where people can buy and sell goods and travel freely.

Additionally, the thinking behind the establishment of the CSME is that the Caribbean states would have more economic and political strength as a trade grouping and therefore would be better able to deal with challenges brought on by trade liberalisation. The CSME will be explored in more depth in a separate article in this issue of CAFRA NEWS.

With regard to health conditions in the region, CAFRA has attracted funding for advocacy on HIV/AIDS. Research has been completed on violence against women with respect to the treatment of sex workers, as a group at risk of HIV/AIDS. The research targeted health workers in an effort to reduce stigma and sensitise them that sex workers should not be denied health care.

The project “Tomorrow's Women and Men” is to be implemented at national and regional level. The project applies a macro approach to the socio-economic problems of HUIV/AIDS and youth. It will train participants in life skills, HIV/AIDS prevention skills, reproductive health, human rights and women's rights, and partnership building.

Support for this effort has come from MATCH International for regional work and from the US Embassy and National AIDS Coordinating Committee for work in Trinidad and Tobago.

In the area of Women in Politics and Decision-Making, CAFRA has made significant strides through collaboration with the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC). CAFRA is currently engaged in implementing the following:

(a) Publication of a cartoon strip “Vote More Women into Parliament” in a main Newspaper in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

(b) Publication of a promotion strip “Women are just as Smart, just as Capable, Do Not Hurt Them”, produced by the CAFRA Junior League, St. Lucia, in support of voting more women into parliament.

(c) Commissioning of articles on women in politics from St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Antigua and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The articles will be published in “SHE” magazine

With regard to crime and violence, CAFRA was pleased to co-host a Roundtable in collaboration with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and the Women's Institute for Alternative Development (WINAD).

CAFRA has been associated with WINAD from its inception and has co-hosted a national and a regional conference on the illegal use of small arms in 2002.

The goal of the Roundtable was to formalise a coalition of Civil Society actors to envision, plan and implement initiatives to eliminate violent crime and promote peace. WINAD was selected as Convenor for the coalition with CAFRA as Secretary.

As resources become available, CAFRA's advocacy work will continue to be centred around Violence against Women, HIV/AIDS, Women in Politics and Decision-Making and Trade Liberalisation.

Gender Implications of the CARICOM single market

2006-12-01T19:56:00Z

The CSME seeks to deepen and expand economic and trade liberalisation in the region and mimics all the main negotiating areas found in current international trade agreements, particularly those in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), as well the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Being an agreement which focuses on liberalisation, the CSME can be expected to have the same range of impacts on the lives of women and men as do other trade liberalisation agreements. The changes that will take place in the lives of men and women as a result of CSME, EPA, and FTAA will also affect the power relations which currently exist between women and men. These effects can be anticipated because the assumptions that inform the crafting of the CSME, and all other liberalised economic and trading agreements are gendered.

When the CSME takes effect, it is not just Caribbean firms that will trade in the single market; and significantly, all firms will operate on the basis of internationally accepted rules of economic and trade liberalisation.

The effects of these issues will be experienced differently by women and men, boys and girls because of their distinct roles in society, the differences in their access to opportunities and productive assets, and importantly because of the distinct ways in which they participate in social, cultural, political and religious decision-making. In the Caribbean these various impacts are further nuanced by race and class. The CSME will have a multiplicity of implications for the lives of men and women because it will affect the economy in terms of Balance of Payments, consumption, employment, and levels of poverty. There will also be effects on local policies designed to promote local economic development, and those laws designed to protect human rights and freedoms.

The employment effects can be several in just one sector. For example, CSME has a role in reconfiguring CARICOM economies to emphasize expansion of the services sector. The services sub-sectors that are seen to be potentially beneficial for CARICOM economies – communications, off-shore banking, insurance, the money market, and other financial services – are areas in which only a very limited number of Caribbean nationals, and primarily men, are currently qualified. Economic and trade liberalisation within CSME will facilitate investing firms to bring in their highly skilled personnel under the terms of “national treatment.”

This competition for employment from ‘foreign' sources in the high end of the labour market can trigger several responses. Where men who are currently qualified access any of these jobs they will have to function in a much more output oriented environment, demanding many more hours at the computer, networking at social events, and staying ahead of the game. The gendered implications include a greater drain on women's time, energy and budget to manage the home alone, to entertain at home, and to appear at social functions important to their partners. Another response will be migration of women and men in search of competitive training outside of the Caribbean region. Those who can't consider migration will enroll, from home, in the programmes of extra-regional universities offering the required training. The financial implications of these options suggest that CSME can potentially impact on the lives of women and men by the changes it will bring about in family life, reordering of their priorities, and extension of the number of hours women work at productive and reproductive tasks, as well as skills development.

At the low end of the services market are many women and men who do not belong to the educationally and technically skilled categories of persons who have been prioritised for the privilege of free movement across CARICOM, although in principle, under CSME, all persons will eventually be able to enter CARICOM countries to look for work. Poor migrant workers, both women and men, usually enter domestic work, gardening, construction, and bar or maid tourism services. An unfortunate outcome of this fact to date is that CSME workers, some of them undocumented, are exposed to conditions they aught not to encounter in member states that are party to the notion of shared CARICOM citizenship. Both men and women workers, and the family members who accompany them, have become extremely vulnerable to inhumane practices by unscrupulous employers, landlords, and certain service providers. The lower social status of women compared to men often translate into greater challenges for the former to access good living conditions and social services at affordable prices.

In the context of this unexpected outcome of the CSME human rights standards are deteriorating for both nationals and migrants on the basis of competitiveness in the labour market. National laws designed to protect human rights and freedoms are coming under pressure through a lowering of the degree of compliance, even in respect of citizens, due to expansion of the reserve labour pool. Affected migrants from member countries of the CSME seem unable to access the benefits of these laws either because they are not unionised, are undocumented, or because relevant officials do not recognise that they are entitled to “national treatment”. Gender segregation in the workplace suffering greater employment related hardships.

The effect of trade liberalisation on government revenue will intensify as implementation of CSME (EPA and FTAA) eliminates tariffs and quotas. While CSME can serve to increase intra-regional trade, it also opens each member country's market to cheaper extra-regional goods that compete unfairly with nationally produced goods. This has the effect of undermining the local productive sector and lowering national tax revenue. Women and men will have to pay higher taxes to make up for the shortfall in government revenue, at the same time that levels of unemployment will be rising, and wages will be falling in the performing sectors. Governments sometimes try to mask tax collection by raising the PAYE threshold (for example, to $13,000 to $15,000 to $17,000 per annum over three successive years). The long-term revenue stream is however protected through increases in NIS deductions over the same period. Women whose incomes were already below the income tax threshold and remain that way during all three years will pay the increases in NIS. They do not enjoy any measure of relief as do persons within the PAYE range. Women so affected will experience declining spending power and real hardship in meeting a critical need such as the bus fare to retain very precious jobs.

In the face of the widespread application of Value Added Tax (VAT) across the CSME, new revenue collection schemes also have serious social consequences. The multiplier effects on state and household income will have a debilitating effect on women of all ages and classes, and their families, in the context of the region's fertility profile, dependency ratio, and extended family forms. Enterprising women and men, who find their efforts to create their own employment hampered, will suffer more stress related illnesses, at a cost to the state both in terms of treatment and loss of productivity with a vicious effect on the tax burden.

It might be argued that the influx of cheap goods under CSME will compensate for reductions in disposable income. This benefit will be short-term at the household level and has budgetary implications at the national level. At the household level women quickly find out that cheap goods are cheap goods. They have little durability and have to be replaced in a shorter time and leads to higher expenditure in the long run. Cheap foods are not nutritious foods and the cost of correcting problems resulting from poor nutrition is higher in terms of health care and loss of productivity at both household and state levels.

The macroeconomic effect of cheap goods importation is significant. Cheap goods are produced by cheap female labour in exporting countries. CSME members competing with each other for market share in the region will be driven to exploit the “cheap” labour of their women citizens in order to retain competitiveness. The more cheap goods CSME countries import and consume, the more they support the competitive advantage of the exporting country. Should an importing country decide to adopt a strategy of producing goods cheaply also, its women will feel the pinch of lowered wages.

The share of the national earnings contributed by industries producing these cheap goods will be minimal in comparison to existing sectors. Through cheap female labour, women's contribution to the economy is kept lower than men's contributions. Such a strategy is therefore economically counter productive and undermines CARICOM governments' efforts to meet their international commitments to gender justice. Cheap goods are produced by processes which normally do not attract male labour, thus the proliferation of “cheap goods” industries in a country lowers employment opportunities for men – who blame women for taking all the jobs. The tensions generated between men and women in the public and private spheres negatively affect the quality of their lives and have repercussions in health, education, and labour sectors of the economy.

What can Women Expect to Benefit from the CSME Although experience with economic and trade liberalisation in the region thus far does not give cause for hope, an optimistic scrutiny of the articles of the CSME reveal a range of potential advantages of women. CSME could help to relieve poverty and create new opportunities for women's advancement if implemented with attention to gender equality. [1]

When Agriculture is examined under the CSME it is clear that Article 34 – (f) which emphasizes non-discrimination in ensuring access of non-nationals to land, buildings and other property could be of benefit to women bearing in mind their traditional interest in food security and food sovereignty. Agricultural policy article 57 – 1 (f) must recognize that access to and ownership of land is still a major issue for women in agriculture and if implemented in a manner that increases their property base could assist their access to credit for ventures that add value to agricultural production.

The large majority of hagglers, hucksters and agricultural traffickers are women who operate with great industry negotiating language and currency barriers in the region. Article 44 – 1 (c) and (f) which speak to measures to facilitate the exercise of rights, abolition of exchange controls, and free convertibility of currencies, could assist such women in their self employment initiatives. This would also benefit the Informal Commercial Importers who travel across the region to purchase durable goods for resale in their home countries. Many of these women report, happily that the attitude of customs officers towards them has improved considerably over the years. Hopefully, CSME can reinforce this trend.

Shipping remains a sore point, especially for the small inter-island agricultural traders who lose as much as 20% of their goods per voyage due to poor shipping conditions. Transport policy article 44 – 4 could be of special benefit to women in agriculture, should regular shipping between islands, and refrigerated storage on vessels available. Trade policies in the CSME that speak to subsidies to the agricultural sector, and action against dumping, could enhance women's agricultural production and protect their internal markets.

In the area of Services CSME could benefit women with various categories of skill to move around and respond to the need for service providers in the regionalised market. Women across the region have been pursuing higher levels of education and training. This is an important contribution to enhancing the human resource capacity of the region. Gender sensitive implementation of Article 35 – I which provides for the acceptance of evidence of qualifications, access to, and engagement in employment and non-wage earning activities in the community would be of real benefit. This would allow women to move with their children and other dependent family members, if necessary. Articles 45, 46 – 1 and 4 (a) could favour women who are university graduates, or sportswomen, in the first instance.

Industrial Policy articles 51 – 1 and 2 (d) and (f) may hold some possibilities for women. Women in the region are known to take advantage of all educational programmes. They are also important preservers of culture and keepers of natural resources. Intellectual Property Rights article 66 is a potentially rich area for women in the indigenous populations of Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. If the necessary attention is paid to disparities in women's traditional access to investments, financial and technical resources, Articles 142, 143, 154 which speaks to Disadvantaged Countries, Regions, and Sectors could be of benefit to women. Similarly Competition policy and Consumer Protection article 184 could benefit women by recognising their principal role in the process of social reproduction.

Engendering the CSME There is an absence of a gender informed perspective in the CSME; that is, the recognition that being male or female affects one's possibilities in the economic sphere. As presently constituted the CSME accepts women as a source of cheap exploitable labour and does not seek to transform these self-sufficient human beings into citizens enjoying the right to an equitable standard of living. In recent years the Caribbean Community has recognised the value of the reproductive and productive work of women and this awareness must now be infused into the implementation of the CSME.

National governments can admit that the shift from agriculture and manufacturing to services is not creating new jobs in sufficient numbers, at family and living wage levels, to compensate for employment lost in these traditional sectors. CSME must therefore place greater emphasis on people and continuously work towards creating and environment that will enable young women and men to use their energy and creativity in the development of lucrative cultural industries.

Governments, firms and trade unions can increase the demand and use for social data and use those in continuous evaluating of the real gains from the CSME to the people of the region. Recognition of the limits of purely economic measurements of progress is currently widespread. The CSME will not occupy a purely economic space. It will also unfold in a social, environmental and political space. Alienation of the region's women and men of all ages and classes from the implementation of the CSME is already prevalent because they do not see the benefits in it for them and their families. It is not too late to refocus the CSME. The “Development Box” in the CSME may be a useful entry point for revisiting gender blindness and social issues.

The CSME is most glaringly gendered in that it is designed for the integration of economies and enterprises and treats people as mere factors of production. This factor is afforded the least mobility in the arrangements of free movement. Hassle free travel is not guaranteed in the CSME. Women agricultural traffickers, informal commercial traders, construction workers, general labourers, tradesmen, seamstresses, hair dressers, caterers and other small entrepreneurs and service providers can expect both class and gender discrimination at ports of entry simply because the CSME does not put their welfare at its center. Their commitment to regional integration may never be in their favour within the CSME.

As larger enterprises move to more competitive CSME location it is these categories of workers who will be taxed to buffer revenue shortfalls in corporate taxes and income tax lost through the displacement of workers. The current concentration of women in low paying jobs in member countries can only increase as CSME heightens the quest for competitiveness in the regional market. Men cannot be sure that they will get the higher levels of technical and professional jobs for which they train as an open market attracts extra-regional investment accompanied by the highest tier of skills. Poverty levels are already too high in a region where former generations have known the pain of enslavement and disenfranchisement. The CSME must be crafted and implemented to enhance the quality of life, not to unwittingly destroy it. Difficulties suffered by migrants could lead to ill feelings toward and poor perceptions of receiving countries, and undermine efforts aimed at regional integration.

The story is told of a young man with a bird in hand who tested the wisdom of a blind woman. “Tell me, mother, is the bird living or dead?” After thinking a while she said, “the power is in your hands whether the bird lives or dies.” Well she knew that if she said “the bird is alive”, he would kill it; and if she said “the bird is dead”, he would let if fly. The power is in our hands to create a just CSME and a just Caribbean society.

[1] Nelcia Robinson, “Strengthening Gender Analysis: Securing Women's Economic Future”, Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, 2004.

Message on the Occasion of International Day Against Violence Against Women

2006-12-01T19:49:00Z

In 1979, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Often described as an International Bill of Rights for women, the Convention defines what constitutes discrimination against women, and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

The Convention defines discrimination against women as “any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human right and fundamental freedoms in the political economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field”.

The Convention was the culmination of more than thirty years of work by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, a body established in 1946 to monitor the situation of women, and to promote women's rights.

In 2006, after almost another 30 years, “extensive discrimination” against women continues to exist within the legal system by persons inside and outside the home, by organisations and enterprises.

The Beijing Platform for Action which governments signed on to in 1995 drew attention to the twelve areas of concern affecting women:
The persistent burden of poverty
Unequal access to education
Violence
Armed conflict
Inequality in Economic Structures
Inequality in the sharing of power
Insufficient mechanisms
Human Rights violations
Stereotyping in the media
Environment
The Girl Child

While concern remains critical in all twelve areas, it is the area of violence that is eliminating the lives of women. According to a recent World Bank Report, the onset of sexual initiation in the Caribbean is the earliest in the world, except Africa where early sexual experiences take place within marriage. The proportion – 20% of adolescent Caribbean males who carry fire arms is extremely high. Gang violence is also high.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, according to one noted consultant paediatrician, at least 90% of teenage mothers that give birth at a hospital are impregnated by an older man or relative.

Throughout the region, Newspaper headlines tell the tale of women being killed by their husbands when they attempted to leave abusive relationships.

As male privilege and government helplessness continue their onslaught on women's lives, they inadvertently force enlightened women to build the feminist movement – a wall of resistance – that like a wall of fire will both halt and transform the perpetrators.

The bricks for this wall are manifesting themselves daily through the body of consciousness raising exercises, and research on the situation of women. This is supported by lobbying and demonstrations focusing on communities and policy makers at all levels, and as more and more feminists, including young women, stand tall on their mothers' shoulders.

As the movement continues to build the wall of resistance by making public the commitments made by governments in the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, and other human rights instruments, and by stimulating peoples action, let us remember the passion and commitment of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic.

So formidable was this small group of women that they paid the ultimate sacrifice. They too are part of this wall of resistance, continuing their struggle through this day – November 25. As we salute them, let us draw hope from the words of Professor Joycelin Massiah, winner of a CARICOM Triennial Award for Women:

“On the human rights of women – The first part of my vision sees our region up front, forthright and fearless in upholding the human rights of women. My vision is that a human rights approach to gender will become an integral aspect of programme design and implementation that strong and well-resourced gender units will become a reality, and that their location will signal the commitment of our political directorate to the universal human rights which we claim to uphold.”

Nelcia Robinson

Coordinator

CAFRA

Letter to Jeanie

2006-12-01T19:40:00Z

Hello Jeanie I got news fo you girl. Here I am in St. Lucia attending a workshop on Gender Justice, Trade and Women's Livelihoods. Yo want to know, when I go Sin Lucia – if not just Tuesday yo see yo in Sin Vincent. Yo want to hear bout dis workshop?

What is this Gender Justice thing?

If it is a man? Girl, get serious! We learn how sex and gender different – that we born male and female – biological yo know? An dem socialize we to become man and woman. Yo eva hear anything so? We learn how to be man and woman – dis is we gender role!

What yo say? Gender is male an female?

No, girl, no, yo need to read “Gender Matters” den yo go understand better. O, all yo hear what she saying – dat she always know I crazy, because since she five, she know gender is male an female Jeanie, listen to me, a going to mek yo a present of that little book Gender Matters. Okay, yo want to hear what else we did? Well, we learn about globalization an how de human agenda get lost in the agenda to profit. Poverty increasing, women and men can't get decent work, more women dan men losing jobs and we boy children turning to crime.

You want to know if it have a human gender an a profit gender?

Girl, yo getting deaf or what – I say agenda – AGENDA – dey so concern about making profit dat they forget people have to live too, like when they take away agricultural lan to build cricket field fo the World Cup?

What yo say? De World Cup going bring in money fo so, an you planning to go live by yo mother an rent out your house since all the hotel can't hold people? Well, let me tell you, if you do dat, yo might have to spen back all the rent money fixing yo house? Professor Cecilia, one lecturer tell we dat places that host Olympics and World Cup before still paying detts!

So you want to know if the government dem crazy? Why dey doing that?

Well, it have dis ting called World Trade Organisation, dat de government dem join, an dat have some children who like money – two a dem is twin call de IMF and the World Bank, and dem have trade rules controlling essential things like agriculture and services – right now, we consuming more imported thing than we own local ting. We get so dependent on foreign ting!! Now after all dat – we governments trying to form de Caribbean own WTO – dem calling it the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) an we go learn bout dat today!

You telling me dat is a recipe fo death, an what we doing bout dat?

I got better news fo you girl – we women going to form we own CSME “Caribbean Sisters Monitoring Eye” and we going question an lobby the government – we even going to form frien' wid de business sector, an encourage dem – men and women – to invest in dey country, and we going join wid dem to lobby government to give dem incentives.

Yo coming to Glen Castle because yo like resolution , and yo want to hear more?

Hello, hello! De girl hang up on me, before a could ask all yo if she could come!!!

Domestic Workers Speak Out

2006-12-01T19:17:00Z

The National Union of Domestic Employees (NUDE) participated in an International Conference, held from November 8 to 10, at the headquarters of the FNV Trade Union Federation, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The theme of the conference was “Protection for Domestic Workers” which was attended by domestic workers and representatives of domestic workers, trade unions, associations and regional/international networks, global unions, national trade unions and supporting NGOs from around the world.

Common outrage was expressed by domestic workers and their representatives with regard to:

The continuing failure to recognise domestics as workers under employment legislation in many countries;

The exploitation of domestic workers across the globe, particularly of highly vulnerable migrant workers (many forced to be undocumented) and children who do this work;

The lack of recognition of the contribution that domestic workers make, without which societies and economies could not function/

Domestic workers from South Africa, Peru, Bolivia, the Philippines and the USA, who were involved in self-organising with other domestic workers in their different organisations, spoke on their experience as domestic workers, the difficulties in organising and the different strategies they used in getting attention from policy-makers. Domestic workers from Peru and Bolivia felt strongly about the name “domestic workers”; they felt it should be “household workers”.

The National Union of Domestic Employees, IPROFOTH from Peru and CNV International from the Netherlands made presentations on the struggle for legal reform. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) reported on the ILO research on projects connected to legal rights of domestic workers, the position of migrant domestic workers and the position of child domestic workers.

What was most important was the ability of NUDE to make contacts with other domestic unions and trade union federations and other international organisations like Anti-Slavery International, who were also present. The South African Domestic Services and Allied Workers Union, IUF and ICFTU, now called the International Trade Union Centre (ITUC), interviewed NUDE for their newsletter. NUDE was also invited by CONLACTRAHO to apply for membership in their trade union federation for domestic workers in Latin America.

Most participants present were demanding that a resolution be brought forward to demand an ILO convention for domestic workers. The participant from Namibia Domestic and Allied Workers' Union was vocal on the convention issue.

The meeting ended with the plan of an interim working group with representatives of the different regions to oversee all plans and commitments made at the international conference, and has the task of investigating the possibilities for greater international activity for the rights of domestic workers worldwide.

Statement on the Coalition

2006-12-01T19:13:00Z

Caribbean Round Table

Civil Society Response to Crime and Violence in the Caribbean:

Building Peaceful Communities

September 4-5, 2006

University of the West Indies

St Augustine

Trinidad and Tobago

Statement on the formation of a Caribbean Civil Society Organisation For the alleviation of violent crime and the promotion of peace

On September 05, 2006 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from eight Caribbean countries and one regional organisation agreed to form a Caribbean civil society organization to mobilise citizens and organisations across the region to envision, plan and implement initiatives to alleviate violent crime and promote peace.

The coalition intends to raise awareness about the socio-economic impact of the violence; identify best practices; and influence public policy in the region.

The decision followed two days of discussions on the human cost of violent crime in the region at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad attended by civil society actors involved in advocacy, research, policy formulation, peacebuilding, campaigning and psychology.

The meeting agreed that the escalating violence in the region has introduced a level of fear and insecurity never before experienced. This violence has resulted in families being traumatised and communities being under siege. Law enforcement has been seriously challenged by the new wave of rapid and senseless killing.

The meeting also agreed that the rage demonstrated by youth, especially male youth, has given rise to internecine fighting among groups of young men resulting in the loss of life at phenomenal rates.

The meeting noted that studies indicate that violent crime is undermining development in other regions. Further, that violent crime is fuelled by the proliferation of illegal weapons and is perpetrated by young males.

The meeting agreed that this rapidly growing phenomenon threatens to do the same in the Caribbean.

The meeting decided that there is a role for CSOs in this era of gun crime in the region.

The meeting decided that as the keepers of the peace and guardians of truth and justice, Caribbean CSOs have the capacity and responsibility to actively pursue violence prevention, intervention, peacebuilding and justice for all.

The meeting decided that the coalition of Caribbean CSOs will be committed to cooperating with State and Non State Actors to analyse the current situation impacting Caribbean way of life and to the formulation of policies and programmes designed for prevention, intervention and resolution.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will also engage in research to further understand and unearth all dimensions of the problem with the intention of recommending viable State and Non State responses.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will mobilise CSOs and citizens of the region with the intention of soliciting and utilising the collective genius residing in the region.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will formulate and implement relevant programmes and projects to build sustainable peace in communities in cooperation with State and Non State Actors.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will collaborate with hemispheric and international organisations and individuals to develop strategies for conflict prevention and resolution; and peacebuilding in order to promote peaceful co-existence and justice in communities.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will become a voice for justice and peace in the region.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will affirm citizens' rights to live free from fear and the legitimate expectation of protection from the State.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will promote alternative ways of thinking and doing with regard to preventing violent crime and building peaceful communities by advocating for global principles to regulate the transfer of all arms.

The meeting decided that the Coalition will work with Caribbean governments to secure measures within the UN system for an Arms Trade Treaty which all States will be guided by.

The meeting was hosted by: Women's Institute for Alternative Development (WINAD) American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA)

WINAD is the Convenor for the Coalition.

CAFRA is the Secretary for the Coalition.

Founding members of the Coalition are:

NAME OF ORGANISATION/INDIVIDUAL		COUNTRY
Women's Institute for Alternative Development (WINAD)		Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA)		CARIBBEAN
L'OFAT de l Órganisation de Femmes pour le Développement de Thomonde (OFAT)		Haiti
Voluntary Youth Corps (VYC)		Guyana
National Union of Public Workers		Barbados
Proyect Caribeno de Justicia y Paz		Puerto Rico
Woman Inc		Jamaica
Committee for the Development of Women (CDW)		St Vincent and the Grenadines
Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA)		Guyana
Helen De'Ann Brodie (Psychologist)		Antigua and Barbuda

Health corner

2006-12-01T16:35:00Z

What are diabetes problems?

Too much glucose (sugar) in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose (also called blood sugar) can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems. On this page are a few stories on feet and skin problems caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems.

High blood glucose can cause feet and skin problems

Check your blood glucose every day. Each time you check your blood glucose, write the number in your record book.

How can diabetes hurt my feet?

High blood glucose from diabetes causes two problems that can hurt your feet:
Nerve damage. One problem is damage to nerves in your legs and feet. With damaged nerves, you might not feel pain, heat, or cold in your legs and feet. A sore of cut on your foot may get worse because you do not know it is there. This lack of feeling is caused by nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy (ne-ROP-uh-thee). It can lead to a large sore of infection

Poor blood flow. The second problem happens when not enough blood flows to your legs and feet. Poor blood flow makes it hard for a sore or infection to heal. This problem is called peripheral (puh-RIF-uh-rul) vascular disease. Smoking when you have diabetes makes blood flow problems much worse.

Make sure you wear shoes that fit well. These two problems can work together to cause a foot problem. For example, you get a blister from shoes that do not fit. You do not feel the pain from the blister because you have nerve damage in your foot. Nest, the blister gets infected. If blood glucose is high, the extra glucose feeds the germs. Germs grow and the infection gets worse. Poor blood flow to your legs and feet can slow down healing. Once in a while a bad infection never heals. The infection might cause gangrene (GANG-green). If the person has gangrene, the skin and tissue around the sore die. The area becomes black and smelly.

To keep gangrene from spreading, a doctor may have to do surgery to cut off a toe, foot, or part of a leg. Cutting off a body part is called an amputation (amp-yoo-TAY-shun).

What can I do to take care of my feet?

Wash your feet in warm water everyday. Make sure the water is not too hot by testing the temperature with your elbow. Do not soak your feet. Dry your feet well, especially between your toes.

Look at your feet everyday to check for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other problems. Checking everyday is even more important if you have nerve damage or poor blood flow. If you cannot bend over or pull your feet up to check them, use a mirror. If you cannot see well, ask someone else to check your feet.

If your skin is dry, rub lotion on your feet after you wash and dry them. Do not put lotion between your toes.

File corns and calluses gently with an emery board or pumice stone. Do this after your bath or shower.

Cut your toenails once a week or when needed. Cut toenails when they are soft from washing. Cut them to the shape of the toe and not too short. File the edges with an emery board.

Always wear shoes or slippers to protect your feet from injuries.

Always wear socks or stockings to avoid blisters. Do not wear socks or knee high stockings that are too tight below your knee.

Wear shoes that fit well. Shop for shoes at the end of the day when your feet are bigger.

Break in new shoes slowly. Wear them 1 to 2 hours each day for the first 1 to 2 weeks.

Before putting your shoes on, feel the insides to make sure they have no sharp edges or objects that might injure your feet.

Poem

2006-12-01T16:32:00Z

EVERY WOMAN

You are woman

Sensual and gracious

You are the earth

Solid and strong yes, the feminine one

A sensitive woman

You are a mother

Bearing and nurturing

You sacrifice and protect

You make choices, give advice

You are proud and disapointed

You are a teacher

Giving lessons, imparting knowledge

You are devoted and helpful

You are attentive, frustrated, willing, exhausted

You are patient, you never give up

You are royalty

Distinguished and worthy

You will prevail as teacher

You will reign as mother

You are a queen, her majesty