Youth Voices

I'm learning about human trafficking right now, and in particular what im wondering about is: why would people do that? i researched my question online and this article caught my attention. "Traffickers seek out vulnerable victims and coerce them into situations of exploitation. One such example is Maria (not her real name), an 8-year old girl who was forcibly removed from her home in Guatemala by a child trafficking ring and taken to a brothel in Cancún two years ago. Maria is now staying in a shelter for victims of human trafficking in Mexico City" The quote i chose here is basically saying that the traffickers picked up an innocent 8 year old girl and turned her into a prostitute. People are disgusting and will do anything for money. They just go and pick up people and think they can do whatever they want with them. As if we were just livestock.

I'm learning more about Women Empowerment right now, and in particular what I'm wondering about is: What do women have to empower?. I was researching this question online and this news item caught my attention because it talks about Mexico launching national campaign against human trafficking. I chose this item to read because I know that this situation is the top problem in the world. The title tells makes you think tons of things like for example that they want to end this problem. There are other countries who traffics a lot. "14 April 2010 - Mexico today took the lead in putting human trafficking on the global agenda by launching its own national version of the United Nations "Blue Heart" campaign against human trafficking." The quote I chose here is basically saying that they are come with an organization to deal with the Mexican Traffickers. They want to improve. It is almost like the United Nations in the USA. They want to make their own version. I think this is strong because it makes me wonder about how all the time the traffickers have to hide from the police. Their poor family are suffering. If they get caught they are in jail or they die. They get a lot of money. I want to know out of the entire world how many traffickers are in the world.

I'm learning more about Empowering Woman right now, and in particular what I wondering about about is: Why is Human Trafficking so important, and why does it relate to Woman's rights? I was researching this question online, and this new article caught my attention because it relates to my question and human trafficking is commonly found in woman cases. Human trafficking is a nation wide problem that needs to be solved. "We have to act now in raising awareness in the whole of society, we have to act now with the determination to put an end to inhuman practices which turn people into merchandise, because human beings are not and cannot be for sale." The quote I chose here is basically saying the world should be more involved in stopping inhuman actions that affects the people all over the world. I also know why girls are constantly used for human trafficking, they rape and do horrible unorthodox actions to the girls. I think this is disgusting because people are being slaughter for their body parts. It makes me wonder how sick these people are. I don't know how people do that, woman should come together and fight against these horrid actions.

A special session to commemorate International Women's Day on 25 March at ESCAP headquarters in Bangkok, with the theme, "Women Speak Up: Voices from the Informal Sector," heard messages about valuing women's informal work and their contributions to the global economy. The event included a discussion on women informal workers, addressing accountability and the need to affirm the value of women's work in the informal sector while making linkages with migration, HIV, violence against women and women's leadership. "We must have the involvement of women and girls in finding effective solutions. It is women who raise sons and daughters and are influencing children's attitudes and values about gender equality and human rights," said keynote speaker Dr. Saisuree Chutikul, a former Minister attached to the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand and current member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. "They should have freedom to express their views, to participate in decision-making and have leadership roles in areas of their concern." "Women are more marginalized than men. And as workers, women are the bottom of the job hierarchy. They have limited access to productive resources, often working for low wages, in contractual and flexible employment, without legal or social protections or collective bargaining mechanisms, and subject to market vagaries,"

Right now, I'm learning about Women's Rights in different countries. I actually don't know a place from the top of my head that doesn't have equality for women. It makes me think how would my life be different today, if I was in one of those countries with no equality at all for women. I really think it would be really horrible and I can't imagine not having equality. It's like a nightmare almost... "The female football players in Bamyan have various plans for the future, from teacher to doctor, translator to painter. Once she completes her education, for example, Shekeba plans to become a police officer - "because so far, the policemen in Bamyan are not helping women when it is needed," she explains. " The quote I chose here is basically saying that Afghanistan doesn't have equality for women. The young girl here who says that women are not being helped by policemen is really interesting. I never thought they wouldn't...since police are suppose to...help everyone. I guess it just shows that women's equality is really important. I hope that women's rights is established in that country and others. I would take effort and it's little girls like that who dream to become something for the benefit of others that issues like this will be solved.

"UNICEF and the YICC have created a girls' volleyball, hockey and football team - the latter has 16 members and is affiliated with the Afghanistan Football Federation - with the goal of engaging girls in community development and peace-building."

I'm learning more about Girls/ Womens empowerment right now, and in particular what I'm wondering about this is how can you empower women or girls. I was researching this question online i came across this article. It caught my attention because the title is 'Promoting girls' empowerment through sport in Afghanistan.' It caught my attention because the title pretty much speaks for it's self. Girls can in fact be empowered through sports! This sparked my interest and so i began reading it. "Participation in sport is a critical part of any child's physical and social development, especially for girls. Sport can help to improve their self-esteem and self-awareness," says Dr. Atiqullah Amiri of UNICEF's Outpost Bamyan. "Sport teaches integrity and self-management by setting objective standards that girls can work to achieve." The quote I chose here is basically saying that sports can be a very big part of someones life. Sports can improve your overall self in many different ways. The ways in which are spoke about here is helping girls. It can improve their self-esteem and self-awareness, self-management and i believe it can build up great skills that can be put to use in everyday lives. Skills like team work, responsibility and so on. I think this is an very important fact. Sports can in fact help girls. It makes me wonder how powerful something can be, and how it can change something or someone like a sport. Like what is spoken about in this article.

"Wildland fires are part of a feedback loop that relates to global climate change. When trees and grasses burn, they release carbon dioxide, thus adding to the greenhouse effect and raising the risk of future heat-stoked wildfires." This is very interesting to read. Given the effects previous wildfires occur and with droughts happening the risk is even higher for wildfires to begin and start. Predicting when they would happen I guess is hard to say but at least we can figure out WHERE it would happen next i suppose. "Where drought does strike, the risk of wildland fire soars. NCAR takes a multidisciplinary approach to address this concern. "

This is surprising to me because in the city, we don't usually experience droughts or wildfire, hardly. A heatwave, maybe occasionally in the summer but the other two, hardly. And here we have breaking news about Australia suffering from heatwaves, droughts and wildfire. It must really be like hell where they live right now.

Im learning more about FGM/C right now, and in particular im wondering about is: why do women think it is OK to prefrom FGM/C. I was researching this question online, and this article showed up. (http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_genitalmutilation.html). It caught my attention because of the large number of women who still preform FGM/C to this day. "FGM/C is mainly performed on children and adolescents between four and 14 years of age. In some countries such as Ethiopia however, more than half of FGM/C is performed on infants under one year old." The purpose of this quote is to inform people on the ongoing events involving FGM/C. In particular, FGM/C on children and adolesense. I think this is very important to know about because in most societies, sexual is over looked, and given to practically anyone. However, in most places around the world, sexual activites are extremely important learn about.

Sexism is still around in the world and it seems like a big conflict as well. Women and men should have equal rights in every way. If men had less rights then women then there would be the same problem in the world probably even more chaotic. If we were treated like this it goes bothw ays we should treat others on how we are treated. ""As the police are responsible for investigating gender and domestic violence cases, they have to understand gender inequalities and gender-based violence," said Violet Kaberanze, a consultant at the Centre, which runs a hotline. "This helps them listen to victims, take violence against women as a security and human rights issue and to be compassionate to them." Well in the world there is always conflicts. Conflicts usually are resolved after a period of time. Even the U.S has suffered of sexism period and segregation. There are also problems like genocide not so long ago. We shouldn't take part in other countries beliefs even though it's not right to give women equal rights. We will have to wait and hope for their rights. It'll eventually turn out good.

I have been learning about women's rights at the moment. I actually stumbled on this article an article similar to this one before hand. This article was a previous one to the one I bookmarked before. I have been wondering though...What about the non believers?....I mean there are always people who don't believe the same thing as you and will discourage you from reaching your goals. ""My mother has been trying to discourage me from attending school since I have reached the age of being married," says Shekeba, a 15-year-old participant. "The exchange with my friends in the YICC has made me understand that we are all in a similar situation and that this cannot continue." " The quote I chose here kind of tells me about the people who disapprove of women's rights...even if they are women themselves. It's really interesting to see someone discourage something like that. I mean they're going to benefit from it too...so I don't get it kind of. I guess they just want things back to being what it usually was. I love it though how the girl in this article isn't going to listen to what her mom is disapproving and is following what she believes in. I think this is important for us, young people to do...since we are the future...

I am learning more about women rights right now, and in particular what I'm wondering about is: Is there still domestic violence? I was researching this question online, and this article caught my attention because it talks how women are being abuse around the world. "The girls on Bamyan's football team are between 12 and 20 years of age. All of them have experienced disrespect and violence at home." The quote i chose here is basically saying that at a very young age they are being abuse. I think this is wrong because everyone should have freedom. It makes me wonder if everyone is like this around the world. Domestic violence is a crime and that is wrong. The people who actually does this should put in jail.

I read this article that the evoke site has provided in the womanswatch feed link they provided with a bunch of other links. This story really stood out for me. A woman is standing up for what she thinks is right despite ridicule and harsh opinions she is getting from her community. She used to practice female mutilation in thinking it was for the practice for her Islamic religion. Its like a female circumcision. "In the Afar region, women have traditionally been subjected to the most severe form of the practice, infibulation, usually between the ages of seven to nine. In some districts it is carried out within the first few days after birth. Infibulation involves the entire removal of the clitoris, the labia minora and labia majora, followed by sealing of the wound, which leaves only a small hole for the passage of urine and menses. Figures show that 63.2 per cent of women in the Afar region have undergone infibulation (some people are now practicing a less extreme form). The practice leaves the girls with severe pain and trauma, shock, haemorrhage, sepsis, urine retention, ulceration of the genital region, and urinary infection, among other complications. Obstruction and tearing during sexual intercourse or childbirth is common." She now stops due to the seriousness that it is very bad for woman to get such treatment and can affect their bodies negatively, along with the main reason it doesn't support her religion.

Im learning more about womens rights right now, and in particular im wondering about this: why do people continue to combat ancient traditions with "new age" materials. I was researching this question online, and this blood post (http://www.unfpa.org/public/cache/offonce/news/pid/5141;jsessionid=79251EA07F4AF207A35AD2EE993377DC) caught my attention. It caught my attention because removal of genitals is a tradition, and im curious as to why people are combating that. "A smile formed on Dohra Ali's face when she recalled what her eldest daughter asked her a couple of years ago. "Mother, is there a place in this world where FGM is not practised where I could go to?" At the time, the question came as an affront to Dohra, who was herself one of the women in the community who did the cutting." The quote i chose here is basically saying, Dohra's daughter has inspired her to combat ancient traditions. I think this is a heavy impact because, when a mother sees her daughter scared and worried, that mother would do anything to protect them. It makes me wonder where our society is heading in the future if we continue to abandon ancient traditions

""Today, there are 215 million women in the developing world with unmet need for effective contraception," said Ms. Obaid. "And in both southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where the largest number of maternal deaths occur, fewer than half of all births are attended by skilled health workers. Now is the time to make universal access to reproductive health an economic, social and political priority.""

"His eyes fell upon the garden, and there across a large bed in the centre of the lawn was a vast pattern of pansies; they were splendid flowers, but for once it was not their horticultural aspects that Major Brown beheld, for the pansies were arranged in gigantic capital letters so as to form the sentence:\n\nDEATH TO MAJOR BROWN "\n\n\nThis story by British writer G. K. Chesterton was fittingly cited in the wikipedia article on ARGs as an early record of the concept behind these kinds of games. For those interested in making a connection between gaming and other more "conventional" forms of storytelling, this short story is worth the read.

I'm learning something more about Racism right now, and in particular what I'm wondering about is why girls get last to eat in a family? I was researching is question online, and this blog post caught my attention because it's about women and girls always get last to eat in the family. ""We girls and our mothers eat last, after my four brothers, cousin and our fathers have finished. Sometimes there is almost nothing left to eat - but we are used to this," Nasreena Bibi, 12, from northwestern Pakistan's Bajaur tribal agency, told IRIN. " The quote I chose here is basically saying that girls and women don't have right to sit with men and eat with them together. They always get to eat last just because they are women and girls. I think that's unfair because women have the same power and right as men.

the part that stood out for me the most is when she said "children are better than adults, because children just imagine all they want, while adults put limitations on the real world." In my point of view, this is just plain bull crap. True, older people put limitation on what they think, but that's because they know better. We all know that mass-producing transformer is nothing but a child's creative imagination, and does it make children better than adults by thinking that? I don't think so.

Well we listened to Adora Svitak who says adults should learn from kids as much as kids learn from adults. I have to say that's very true. My experience with adults is that they always say that they are right, always doing stuff for our own good...I don't think that's really true. My parents always say what I'm allowed to or not to do. It's not like in ever irrational event happens, I want to do. No, that's really not it. I obviously have weighted the consequences and chose not to do something or to do something. This classroom for an example is definitely of the lack of trust and that adults should listen to kids once in a while. A lot of us in this tell our teacher that we think whats up have no real.....effect on our education. It's not like we're lazy (sometimes we are, but not this), but we just don't get the purpose of it. I think that this is a great clip for adults to watch. I do wonder though, how many of the adults there actually took that session to heart. I wonder how many of them turned and just commented that was adorable or something? I get that sometimes when I tried to make a valid point...

I feel what this girl Adora Svitak was saying was true because parents do look at kids as childish and underestimate their abilities. I think it should go both ways, parents trust children and children trust parents.

I just saw this video called " Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids". I liked this video due to the fact that it explains a lot about kids and adults. The traits the word childish addresses are seen so often in adults that we should abolish this age-discriminatory word when it comes to criticizing behavior associated with irresponsibility and irrational thinking.