The Best and Worst Places to be a Mom

Today, PBS Newshour has a special report up on their website entitled 'The Best and Worst Places to be a Mom'.

What would you guess are the best and worst? Norway came in at #1, Niger was dead last, and the U.S. ranked #25. Surprised? {I wish I could say I was, but I think the U.S. is now notorious for it's lack of mother support systems.} It's a fascinating look at how mother's are treated around the world, I highly recommend it! Go here to watch it.

HRW: Putting Women on the Agenda in Cartagena

"It’s the Americas’ largest reunion. Happening every three years, the Summit of the Americas brings together the heads-of-state of the region to talk about pressing concerns. Over the weekend in Cartagena, Colombia, the theme will be 'Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity'..."

This is an excellent essay about the vital importance of discussing women and women's issues at the Summit of the Americas this year. Click here to continue reading...

GlobalGiving Highlight of the Week: Mexico

I'm so excited to announce my new project!!

Starting this week, GlobalGiving and I will be highlighting one country, area, or issue that is in need of attention. We'll give you an array of opportunities to help out, so if you find that the issue or country is near and dear to your heart, just follow the links to learn more and give generously. And if there is something or somewhere you'd like to see us highlight, leave it in the comments and I'll make sure we add it to our list. 

As always, thank you for making a difference!
xo
Lindsey

GlobalGiving Highlight of the Week: MEXICO

I absolutely love Mexico. My husband was born and raised there and we've spent a lot of time visiting his family and exploring up and down Baja.

Unfortunately, between the drug wars, slowing tourism, even slower economy, negative US influences, and poverty levels, it's a struggling country these days. So I'm always on the lookout for ways to help.

Here's a round-up of my favorite GlobalGiving projects currently going on in Mexico:

Microloans Help Poverty-Stricken in Mexico

Help Mexican Youths Fight Violence Through Art\

Support Indigenous Women to Market Their Products

Microfinance for Marginalized Communities, Mexico

Give Safe Water to 1000 Families in Latin America

A donation as small as $10 will make a big difference for any one of these projects {some of which are very close to meeting their goal!}, so don't hesitate, even if you only have a little to share. As our neighboring country, only good can come to both of us if Mexico continues improving the lives of it's people. And we can help.

What is the Girls20Summit, you ask?

The G(irls)20 Summit

The G(irls)20 Summit brings together one delegate from each G20 country, plus a representative from the chair country of the African Union. The delegates debate, discuss and design innovative ideas necessary to empower girls and women globally. While the agenda is the same as the G20 leaders and focuses on economic innovation – the participants are all girls, aged 18-20.

The delegates participate in panel discussions, attend workshops (media relations, social media, business planning) and caucus to discuss and promote tangible, scalable solutions toward economic prosperity, culminating with a communiqué that provides a blueprint on how to utilize and engage one of the best resources in the world – girls and women.

The first G(irls) 20 Summit took place in Toronto, June 2010. It was a great success! The delegates, debated, discussed and designed ideas and spoke with political, corporate and non-profit leaders from around the world. Last year's themes focused on education, leadership and maternal health. At the end of the Summit, the delegates drafted a communique that was delivered in a press conference and to all the G20 Summit Leaders.

In our inaugural year (2010), we were overwhelmed with the calibre of the delegates and the debate. Our partners included Google, Dove, MasterCard Foundation, Aeroplan, Veritas Communications, MacroBlu, the Globe and Mail and more than 40 national and international NGOs. The summit garnered more than 128 million global media impressions in 160 countries and kick started a global conversation that highlighted to the G20 leaders the prowess of the 3.3 billion girls and women around the world. To review last year's campaign, please visit the G(irls) Summit Toronto 2010 page.

Sending aid to the South

After the worst tornado storm in decades, this news is coming in from Alabama and surrounding states:

The recovery of more bodies pushed the death toll in Wednesday night's twisters to 318, making the outbreak the deadliest in the U.S. since 1932. The news came shortly after President Barack Obama toured some of the destroyed neighborhoods and met with devastated residents.


"I've never seen devastation like this," Obama said after touring the Tuscaloosa area. "It is heartbreaking."

The powerful tornadoes — more than 160 reported in total — combined with storms to cut a swath of destruction heading west to east. It was the worst U.S. natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed up to 1,800 people.

Want to help? Donate to the American Red Cross here

Our thoughs and prayers are with all those affected and their families.

Marking Birth Certificates?

State lawmakers associated with the group State Legislators for Legal Immigration proposed this month to mark birth certificates of children born in the United States whose parents don’t hold US citizenship or have permanent US residency, even though these children are US citizens under the Constitution.

The proposal doesn’t attempt to change the requirements for US citizenship, which would require an amendment to the US Constitution. However, if enacted by state legislatures, such laws would violate the right to equal protection under US and international law and encourage discrimination against US citizens based on their parents’ immigration status.

Equal protection under the law is a cornerstone of international law as well as US law, where it is addressed by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. States should reject this proposal as abhorrent to US values.

Go here to read more

President Obama gives hope to Africa

During its recent investigation of the Lord’s Resistance Army’s (LRA) crimes, Human Rights Watch researchers noticed hundreds of people in the Central African Republic wearing t-shirts bearing US President Barack Obama’s image. For them, and for LRA victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Obama is a hero. Many even had personal messages for him.

In May, Obama signed into law legislation requiring the US to develop a strategy to protect civilians from the LRA and to stop the rebel group’s violence. The new strategy is due by November 24.

Between May and September, our researchers spoke with hundreds of the rebel group’s victims, taking their testimony, and recording their messages to Obama and other world leaders.

WATCH THE POWERFUL VIDEO FROM AFRICA HERE

The LRA has carried out horrific atrocities across central Africa. It reinforces its numbers by abducting children, who are then forced to fight and kill. Across northern Congo, southern Sudan, and CAR, the LRA has killed 2,385 people in the past two years and caused more than 400,000 to flee their villages and abandon their fields.

Even in the crush of politics at home, President Obama should respond to the cries of the LRA's victims. His leadership is needed with other governments to protect civilians and arrest those responsible for the LRA’s war crimes.

September News- reports from around the world on Women's Rights

WUNRN lists news reports and articles from around the world that pertain to Women's Rights- such a wealth of information! Some good, some bad, but all of it is essential to learn about the pressing issues women face today.  Here's a sampling*: (my favorite is the report on divorce ceremonies in Japan- clever!)

 

-Beijing China wrote a new Platform for Action on the system of abuse against female children in their country: Beijing Platform for Action Chapter IV, The Girl Child

-UNICEF presents a new plan for progress on children's rights and equality: PROGRESS FOR CHILDREN - EQUITY ISSUES

-A protest of mothers and daughters: Mothers of Palestinian Prisoners in Israel Mark Eid in Protest

-The Philippines debate a new divorce bill: PROPOSED DIVORCE BILL STIRS CONTROVERSY

-Yemen questions the safe age of marriage for young girls: Safe Age of Marriage in Yemen- a case study

-Acid attacks are a growing problem in Pakistan: Acid Victims Try to Rebuild Lives

-An interesting new divorce trend in Japan: Tokyo sees rise in 'divorce ceremonies'

-Prostitution news in Sweden: Sex for sale: Why Sweden punishes buyers -Fiji women restricted in the military: FEMALE SOLDIERS WARNED ON PREGNANCY ISSUES

-The USA calls for equality in the workplace: Pay Equity and Workplace Opportunity:A Simple Matter of Fairness
  -Jordan questions teen marriage:Teen marriage a restless topic in Jordan
-Women win the Prize for Creativity in Rural Life Award: Winners, WWSF

*Many more reports can be found here

Fingers to the Bone: Child Farmworkers in the United States