Saturday, December 02, 2006
World Aids Day - A day later
Trite as it might be, I'm trying to make a point writing about World Aids Day the day after the day alloted for our interest and attention to be focused on HIV/AIDS. The point doesn't relate only to World Aids Day but all cause-allocated days of the calendar. My point isn't as "Debbie Downer" as "what about the other 364 days?"
My point is to pay attention to the announcements that our governments make and then take stock of whether the commitments made in these announcements have materialized by this time next year.
As I have said in other blog posts I wrote while in Africa, I think that the best thing we can do in Western countries is put pressure on our own governments to advocate for greater gender equality in the world. The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Canada's Minister for International Cooperation made the point that gender inequality is fueling the spread of HIV/AIDS. Quoting her speech "This World AIDS Day, we are asked by every woman and girl in the world, 'Have you heard me today?' I am here to say that we have heard you, and we are acting."
The best and most effective way to act on the issue of gender equality is ensure that the United Nations implements the recommendation made by a high-level panel on UN Reform to create a a new, independent, international agency for women .
Creating and funding such an agency is what's needed to act on the issues around gender inequality. Every day that I learn more, I'm convinced that creating this agency might actually be the single most powerful and transformative act presently available to the World.
My fellow Canadians, we should make sure that our government acts in the most responsible and powerful way it can. To my friends around the world, ask your government's UN representative where they stand on implementing the UN's own recommedation that this agency be created. Let us all ask our governments to create a single world-wide agency responsible for ensuring the irradication of gender inequality.
My point is to pay attention to the announcements that our governments make and then take stock of whether the commitments made in these announcements have materialized by this time next year.
As I have said in other blog posts I wrote while in Africa, I think that the best thing we can do in Western countries is put pressure on our own governments to advocate for greater gender equality in the world. The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Canada's Minister for International Cooperation made the point that gender inequality is fueling the spread of HIV/AIDS. Quoting her speech "This World AIDS Day, we are asked by every woman and girl in the world, 'Have you heard me today?' I am here to say that we have heard you, and we are acting."
The best and most effective way to act on the issue of gender equality is ensure that the United Nations implements the recommendation made by a high-level panel on UN Reform to create a a new, independent, international agency for women .
Creating and funding such an agency is what's needed to act on the issues around gender inequality. Every day that I learn more, I'm convinced that creating this agency might actually be the single most powerful and transformative act presently available to the World.
My fellow Canadians, we should make sure that our government acts in the most responsible and powerful way it can. To my friends around the world, ask your government's UN representative where they stand on implementing the UN's own recommedation that this agency be created. Let us all ask our governments to create a single world-wide agency responsible for ensuring the irradication of gender inequality.
Labels: activism, africa, aids, hiv, politics, UN, unitednations
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