I am Dmitriy
from Novomoskovsk Ukraine.
Made 4 good things for the last 2 years.
1. Cleaned small garbage waste. Just noticed who have done it and after 2 month of beurocracy fight with local authorities they cleaned it.
2. Helped to submit bibliomist grant and we won 12 computers, so people would have access to free Internet four libraries of the town. I gave one fifth of my monthly salary for installation of door in one of the libraries. Told that will be tech support volunteer.
3. Gave pushu for reconstruction of unic cathedral(Unesco heritage-built without any iron nail)by dismissing pries because he have been hiding information that he is balance holder. It took 8 month and after resonance he had been dismissed and government gave 10 million hryvnas for reconstruction this year and will give 20 million next year
4. Change government law to increase charges from 5 to 10 times. By fighting 5 month already with plant(6000 employees)and corrupted system. Plant dumped 10 000 olympic swimming pools(23 mln. cubic meters for 9 month)of industrial waste and government charged 16 hrybnas(2$ us dollars per swimming pool!!!)
I am just average income Ukrainian who even don't have car.

HOW PEACEFUL IS CAMEROON?
Yes! Cameroon has a reputation as a peaceful island in a conflict plaqued continent, thus little attention is paid by International organizations. When i pondered on the realities in a local context, I realized alot of discrepancies as regards local peace. When my Organization Lifeaid, that deals with youth empowerment and peacebuilding carried out a project in Ndop-Cameroon, we realized a lot of cultural/political divide; farmer-graziers conflict, boundary conflict, intermariage taboo etc.
We then worked with our target group- youths, to make a peace march in Ndop, we now intend to organise a training workshop that will regroup the Chiefs of the 13 Cheifdoms. But i realize we could not go further without inculcating certain experience, norms and values as regards bridging divides. It is when i read through the CAUX website that i realized much more still has to be done. We thus intend to empower our selves through the CAUX-led initiatives befor we could be able to attain our utmost objectives.
MBUIH ZUKANE

Osama’s journey started in Beirut, Lebanon just before reaching eleven years old. At that time, the civil war broke out. Along with his family and defenseless civilians, he was caught in the middle. He lived inside a combat zone for fifteen harrowing years. Only a half a mile away, religious massacres were committed. He was told that the world, circumscribed by religious differences and political affiliations, was normal. When peace treaties were signed no one reimbursed his family for their destroyed home, re-grew amputated body parts, or resurrected the dead children. The cycle of provocations and retributions continues. He had lived where I had big dreams, but no plans. Today, however, he strives to do his part to end the cycle of escalating violence and bring lessons learned to his community and new homeland.

After twenty years in the USA, he resolved to leverage the war stories for a better world. Three years ago, he left a prestigious position in a software firm to spend time reflecting and writing. He produced a body of work—a novel that addresses the root causes of conflicts especially in the Middle East, a region that had, to a great extent, divided the world. Within its pages, he embedded the route map for peace, The Journey to Civility. During the last revision, the biggest realization occurred to him. He found himself naturally thrust into his calling: To be a grassroots catalyst for peace.

In the quest to catalyze peace, he gives talks everywhere he can and to anyone who will listen. He includes anecdotes and lessons learned. He impresses upon the listeners to consider changes they too can make. To date, the audience praises the Journey to Civility as authentic and credible. The message is spreading. He is nominated to be one of three global trustees for the North America region at United Religions Initiatives, he is a member of the Comparative Religions committee at Temple Beth El, the chair of the Food for Thought committee at Mecklenburg Ministries.

If you like to know more about Osama, please go to www.osamawazan.com. Feel free to call or email me for questions or a dialogue.

I Will Go Where You Will Never Find Me…

Violence against women is “never acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable.” The UN Secretary-General

March 8, 2011 marked the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD). Since 1911 when the day was first celebrated in Russia, many milestones have marked the gains made since the women’s movement started. This year, I joined other women from around the world to celebrate the day in Mombasa at the Kwetu Training Center, where a Women’s Listening event had been organized by a partnership of women from Australia, Canada, Kenya and Britain. The Women’s Listening Event was a time to listen to the stories and experiences of women in the face of struggles against poverty, disease, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and illiteracy.

When I returned to my village after three very inspiring and empowering days, I discovered that a neighbor had killed herself because she was tired of frequent beatings form her husband. She had run away from him many times, but every time she left, after a couple of months, he would send elders to go for her; she would go back because ‘a woman never says no to elders.’ Every time she went back, she would hope that this time around, her husband had changed for real. The last time she came back and her husband beat her to near-death, she said to him, “I will go where you will never find me.” She took poison and she died.

Last weekend, I co-facilitated a Youth Peace training that International Peace Initiatives convened for youth from all over Kenya. I heard unbelievable, heart-wrenching stories, like the following: Martina (not real name) was married and realized that her husband was cheating on her. She refused to sleep with her husband, who did not deny having a girlfriend because, as she put it, “she did not want to get HIV-infected.” Her husband went out and came with four men who gang raped her in her house as her husband watched. He said to her “you refused me so that you do not get AIDS. I have brought you people who will give it to you.” Martina did not know that if she went to the hospital within 72 hours she might have been saved from contracting the disease. Today she is HIV-positive and, with the help of some lawyers, is seeking help to initiate legal action against her husband.

These two cases took place in Kenya in 2011. Not in the 1780s or 1890s – in 2011, present-day Kenya. In 2011 Kenya, a husband can bring a gang of men who are HIV infected to gang rape his wife because she refuses to sleep with him due to his infidelity. In 2011, a woman commits suicide because of a violent husband. And in 2011, Kenya took part in nationally celebrating 100 years of International Women’s Day. We have made progress because in the 1990s we never celebrated this day as a nation.

Today, Kenya has created what has been called a progressive constitution that supports women’s rights and offers space for women to claim an equal playing ground with men for leadership positions. Article 27 (8) of the new constitution for example, guarantees women at least a third of all public appointments. In addition, the constitution clearly points out seats in parliament that must be filled by women. On another front, Kenya is a signatory of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 of 2000 in support of women’s rights, in addition to many UN and African Union women’s human rights documents. Kenya is currently preparing a National Action Plan to implement UNSCR 1325, which requires governments to include women in decision-making positions and involve them in peacebuilding processes in their nations.

In spite of Kenya’s new women-friendly constitution and these international, continental and local documents, many women in this country do not know their rights and have no idea where to go for help when their rights are violated. That is why my neighbor committed suicide by taking herself where her husband could no longer reach her. If there was a place where she could go for shelter and advice, she may be alive today.

Martina, on the other hand, discovered an organization that connected her with a legal advisor. However, for her, it was too late: she had already contracted HIV from the gang her husband brought to her house to rape her. If she had known she could be treated within 72 hours of that rape, she may be HIV-negative today. At least in her case she has a lawyer who is helping prosecute her husband and the rapists; I pray she succeeds!!

According to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women (CEDAW), domestic violence is “any act that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life… violence against women that shall be understood to encompass, but not limited to, physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, the community, including battery, sexual abuse of female children, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence, violence related to exploitation, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women, forced prostitution, and violence against women perpetrated and condoned by the state.”
Worldwide, discrimination and violence against women are common. That is why in 1946, seventeen women who were among the delegates at the founding meetings of the United Nations in San Francisco met and decided that the rights of women were not being given the priority they deserved. They helped establish a UN Commission on Human Rights, and pushed to establish a full Commission on the Status of Women. The UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) had its first meeting in January 1947, and the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) had its first meeting in February 1947.

Although insufficiently funded and having no secretariat or centre of its own, the UNCSW nevertheless placed women’s rights firmly on the agenda of the United Nations. Since then, many more international and regional protocols and agreements have been made and signed to further ground nation’s commitment to ending violence against women globally.

The historic UN World Conference on Human Rights was held in Vienna in 1993. In 1991, women held worldwide hearings on violations of women’s human rights and collected more than 500,000 signatures demanding that women’s human-rights issues (particularly violence against women) be placed on the UNCHR conference agenda and not merely discussed by a small group during sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). Women called for a Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, and demanded a tribunal on crimes against women. The resulting Vienna Declaration put violations of women’s human rights on the world’s agenda, setting a global stage for action.

Kenya and Tanzania are two African countries which have taken proactive action on this issue. In the 1980s, the issue of violence against women was becoming a national disgrace in Tanzania. A group of women met to discuss and take action on this growing problem. They decided to take a multifaceted plan of action. They circulated information on the rights of women throughout the country. They showed how violations of women’s rights damaged the very fabric of their society. Men as well as women were educated on the rights of women and made to understand that violence was not an answer to problems within the home, or anywhere else. At the same time, the government was lobbied to pass legislation to give women protection against violence. Safe houses and places of refuge were established, where women could escape with or without their children.

The Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) was formed, with a special mission to address the question of violence against women. Today, TAMWA has a regular newsletter, a resource centre, a crisis centre, and a refuge centre. Laws have been passed strengthening women’s rights, and female lawyers have joined the effort to put an end to gender-based violence.
In Kenya, some progress has been made in ensuring that violence against women is understood and effectively addressed. The Federation of Women Lawyers of Kenya (FIDA-K) carried out a study on domestic violence in Kenya titled ‘Gender Based Domestic Violence in Kenya: A study of the Coast, Nairobi, Nyanza and Western Kenya Provinces of Kenya’ in 2007. The study reveals that gender based violence and intimate partner violence is increasing: 74.5 per cent of people interviewed in the Coast, Nairobi, Nyanza and Western Provinces indicated that they had been physically abused within their homestead. Findings of a 2008/2009 Kenya Health and Demographic Survey (DHS) revealed that 39 per cent of women reported being physically or sexually assaulted by their husbands or partners during their lifetime.
Human rights-based and gender-aware approaches to peace, development, conflict and security highlight that concepts like development and peace must be embedded in the lived experiences of people. For example, the absence of armed conflict does not necessarily mean the end of violence. It is important to promote an inclusive peace and human security for women and men, girls and boys, around the world. In Kenya, this means securing governmental commitment to recognizing various ways violence is meted out to women, and to eradicating all forms of violence against women and children. In addition, strategies must be established for providing information to help women in distress, especially in rural areas. Critical is the understanding that for effective interventions to fight violence against women and children, women MUST be included in all peace and security decision making processes.

Kenyan women are largely excluded from most Kenyan peace and security decision-making processes, despite their enormous potential to contribute to their success and sustainability. Women’s and children’s issues and concerns are not adequately addressed in Kenya’s reform agenda and policy documents. Differential implications of reforms and policies are not fully understood or considered, thus giving lip service to actions that would mainstrean gender and women’s human rights in Kenya’s reform agenda and policies. Unless women are recognized as equal participants in all decision making mechanisms as well as peace and security initiatives in Kenya, there will never be inclusive peace and security for everyone in the nation – especially for women like Martina and my neighbour who committed suicide. This exclusion results in leaving out significant voices of women leading to marginalization that continues to make the search for sustainable peace and stable communities in Kenya elusive.

The inadequate representation of women and women's concerns in Kenya has been explained away by weak excuses framed within tough cultural terms, to maintain the status quo. Obstacles to women's inclusion include patriarchy, which is embedded in local culture and socialization processes; additionally, women are assumed to lack formal expertise or be unrepresentative of all local women. These allegations are mere excuses to keep women from participating in decision-making processes, and yet many women have been so conditioned to see themselves as third-class citizens that they cannot see the possibility of overcoming these cultural and societal barriers. There is critical need for capacity building – for women to raise their voices and increase their participation in conflict prevention, leadership, development and other peace and security processes within the framework of UNSCR 1325.

UN Security Council Resolution 1325 underlines the important role women play in prevention, response and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post conflict reconstruction. It also emphasizes the importance of women’s equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. Kenya is a signatory of UNSCR 1325 and is laudably in the processes of creating a UNSCR 1325 National Action Plan (NAP). This process requires concerted effort from stakeholders including government institutions, civil society, development partners and higher learning institutions, leading to establishment of a National Steering Committee. This Committee will provide guidance to strengthen coordination of actions towards implementation of the UNSCR 1325. Adopting a NAP on UNSCR 1325, thus domesticating it in Kenya, will be a great stride taken towards creating possibilities for inclusion of the significant voices of women in all peace and security decision making processes in the country. This will light the path to sustainable peace and nonviolent stable communities in Kenya.

Every society desires sustainable peace. Sustainable peace in Kenya cannot be attained without protecting women and children from violence, and including them in decision-making processes. Sustainable peace is only viable when the perspectives, needs and concerns of all stakeholders are voiced. The unequal and inadequate representation of women in peace and security processes is unacceptable. As long as women continue to suffer horrendous experiences like those of my neighbor and Martina, Kenya will remain a nation in gendered chains chocking the life out of sustainable peace.

Some organizations, like International Peace Initiatives (IPI: www.ipeacei.org), are taking the lead in ensuring women’s voices continue to rise and to be heard. IPI promotes human rights for women and children in the context of HIV/AIDS, poverty and violence; gender equality; and women’s full and equal participation in decision making in all positions of governance, peace processes, post-conflict reconstruction and the reform of security institutions. Through workshops, seminars and information/experience sharing forums, women come together to empower each other and transform their lives. Women are recognized as active participants in conflict, peace-builders, political actors, activists and proactive agents of social transformation. Rather than portraying all women as helpless victims of violence, the diversity of roles they play in the perpetuation of conflict, as well as agents of change in conflict prevention, resolution and transformation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding are addressed. Women are not victims of violence; rather, they are active transformation agents for peace. Women bring perspectives that help balance and bring wholeness to situations that affect people within families and in communities. Viewed in this light, it is not difficult to see that their exclusion from decision making is a regrettable loss for any family, community and country. IPI works to help raise the voices of women and highlight the important work women do for peace, security and development in Kenya.

IPI is a key player in the ongoing process of creating Kenya’s UNSCR 1325 National Action Plan. The NAP will go a long way in mainstreaming inclusive peace and security for women in Kenya, ensuring that women are included in all peace, security and development decision processes of the land; and more importantly, that their voice is heard and their views presented. To this end, IPI hopes to set up a radio program on gender-based violence, safe homes for battered women and a rescue/information center in Meru.

IPI has also initiated a Kenya Peace Partnership with the Innovation Center, USA to carry out peace trainings for youth in partnership with women as a way of building homegrown solutions to violence in Kenya. Our goal is to inspire action for building nonviolent communities in Kenya. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Kenya-Peace-Partnerships/131385443561049

In 2011, violence against women CANNOT be acceptable, is NOT excusable, and should NOT be tolerated!! My neighbor went where no one could bother her ever again. Martina now lives with the HIV/AIDS virus. In 2011, no woman, anywhere in the world, should suffer such terrible experiences again.

For more information on IPI’s peace building work, please visit the IPI website: www.ipeacei.org (http://www.ipeacei.org/programs/inpeace.html)

Putting Honesty into Practise.              

I have been with IofC 3 years now and I have particiapted in various training programs around the world.I do not intend to stop,because IofC teachings are a way of life,and I am a true witness of various personal changes since I joined.However,I still suffer from some shortcomings.

I am an extroverted young woman,and I can really talk non-stop!Problem is many a times I find myself trapped in ‘my own lies.’

I never intend to lie,but I tell one small lie to cover up something,and by tough luck,lies entail that you must remember what you said,so the chain of lies keep on adding to each other.It normally starts off as a harmless little lie to keep me out of trouble,but then,I add more huge ones to the initial ‘white lie’ and  all of a sudden,I am a prisoner of my own lies.

Take for example the complications in my love life.I truly love my boyfriend,Samuel.By far,he is the best man I have eve been in a relationship with.But I lie to him too and in the process he feels betrayed and our relationship is now on the rocks!But through improving on my weaknesses,I am certain he will be willing to give our relationship another try.

I also feel tha the IofC song of ‘Images’ pretty much depicts me,and I want to rid myself of these images I put up for people,and when I am alone,I understand and know who I really am.

Deep down,I know I am a great soul but lies really hold me back from achieving my true potential.It is for this reason that I have taken it upon myself to ‘count to ten before I tell a lie.’ I have only been practisng it for a few days now,but I am certain it works.All of a sudden,I do not need to remember what I said,and that is the liberation you get from telling the truth,how refreshing this feels!

I have gauged my life againsst absolute honesty and even though I have a long way to go,I am certain I am becoming a better peerson,one truth at  a time. :-)

It has been 2 years now since i joined initiatives of change. it has been an exciting experience. before, i had hate for some people in our society.but joining IofC really trimmed my hate to love. this is something i had carried in my heart for many days. being the firstborn in our family. i would not take in anything less than the best. there was this one family in our neighbourhood who always looked down upon me. i lived to hate them all my childhood time. by learning the moral standards of IofC, i cultivated my hate to love. at 18, i realised that its no gain with hate. i began to speak good of the family until my family noticed that something had taken an about-turn; my view about the family.today, they are the best friends that i have. i appreciate IofC for the good teachings i have gained form them. today i am a changed guy. i want to spread this to all teenagers like me who are aching out of hate for their fellow countrymen. its my story.

Excellent twists and turns have presented themselves in my life since have been living in the United States of Ameriica. Shortly after enrolling in my English program in January of 2009, I encountered an opportunity to learn about international issues directly as a result of the internship that I accepted with an organization that labors to promote the interests of the African Diaspora in international affairs.

Accepting a volunteer assignment at a DC-based non-profit organization called Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) turned out to be a pivotal decision. My initial purpose was to improve my English skills since I’m a native of Cote d’Ivoire, a French-speaking country in West Africa. BPIA soon gave me an opportunity, even as an intern, to play an important role in its operations. One of my recent assignments involved undertaking preparatory work to facilitate the presentation of Professor Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and the President of Initiatives of Change International at Rankin Chapel at Howard University. Since one of BPIA’s goals is to expand the participation of the African Diaspora in the international arena, Professor Gandhi’s message at Rankin Chapel, Howard University resonated with me especially.

The professor pointed out that when Mahatma was a young man he encountered an African American who recognized Gandhi’s distress upon facing discrimination in South Africa. This African American fellow reached out and provided a helping hand to Mr. Gandhi. This one act of kindness, by an unnamed African American, sensitized Mahatma Gandhi to the similarities in the plight of the dispossessed in Africa, Asia and America.

Mahatma Gandhi’s example of demonstrating change, tolerance and love inspired Dr. Howard Thurman and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As young students today and future leaders of tomorrow, it is our hope that we will be able to “walk the walk” of love, tolerance and reconciliation. We must cultivate the belief that if we want to make peace in the world, we must start by treating our neighbors as we would like to be treated. In this way, we will come away with a clearer vision of how to combat prejudice and build equitable societies.

Sub: A search to revive & redeem democratic values.
: To Resuscitate judicial & Administrative values in democracy.

Sir/Madam,

“The World Bank” is one of the authoritative constitutional bodies in a democratic state. The sole objective of this body is to oversee the process of judicial accountability reforms process/administration reforms process/elections to be conducted in a free & fair manner & also fast judicial process, Fund allocations.

Reforms relating to administrative system & judiciary system should be done later; firstly the department should stringently ask the officiating concerned department to redress the grievance with immediate effect.

The authorities concerned should note that the future correspondence, if any, to be done on the address as mentioned below for I take the actions taken/will & is – Hitesh H Bhatt. 35/C, Dahiba nager society, Opp: Shreyas School, Manjal pur Naka, Vadodara-390 011. Gujarat. India.

The electorate, at any given point of time in any manner at any where should not feel fearful nor should he/she/they feel pressurized by any unlawful politically motivated & backed elements while the voter is casting his/her/them vote.

The legacy of Indian polity is excessively tarnished by the tainted, illiterate, lethargic, unwanted touts politicians and surprisingly this legacy is still very much on the forefront. There are no signs of firm steps being taken to eradicate this menace once for all.

The area in which I am residing & the wrong & delay practices adopted by the local politicians including all elected & non elected member of all stages like parliament, vidhanshabha, District pachayat, Taluka pachayat, municipal councilor & bureaucrats working in civic body, all are involved in committing wrongful acts involving illegal possession of land owned by the government.

The so called politicians have always assured & attracted the electorate, when the elections are held, by raising issues pertaining to development of area. Be it an election for electing municipal councilors, be it a vidhan sabha or be it an election of Lok sabha.

Each & every candidate has always called for road to be made, drinking water to be made available & electricity to be made available, all civic municipal amenities like water connection, street light, sewerage line, cleanliness area, leading approached road as per town planning to be available to the people & individuals.

Since independence these six-seven major civic public issues are talked more in the public meeting being addressed by nominated candidate. Even for that matter almost every political party stresses the need upon having development in these six-seven issues & as is reflected in the election manifestoes.

Now, I sincerely & most humbly call upon the The World Bank to ensure it that no political party or its representative or its fielded candidate can officially & constitutionally ever talk about these six (6) issues as these six (6) amenities to me, are considered to be fundamental requirements for the people. Therefore the honorable election commission is requested to eliminate & debar these six (6) issues from incorporating them in the manifestoes or speaking in the public meeting by any political party or any politicians.

I am witnessing my adjoin residential area as undeveloped as it was 10-11 years back & during these 10-11 years so many elections have been held so far. Unfortunately the ground situation has remained unchanged. As for, it is purported that the honorable The World Bank should enforced stringent call for code of conduct in this constituency or area when the elections are declared.

The indications made above are spontaneous & the views expressed may lead to empowering democratic values resulting in restricting deceitful acts as adopted by tainted & illiterate politicians who go on mocking Indian polity & true democracy. To conclude the ideas & views expressed are not intended to seek political mileage nor I am trying to gain publicity, financial mileage.

The sitting all higher authorities in the district administrative system, judiciary system & consumer forum & the other judges all over in India who are following the practices of delaying the simple court matters to be resolved within no longer time should be removed from the official position to save on the precious time of nation & the state expenditure incurred by the state.

I am one of the honest citizens of this great country & the citizens here in referred as the people so as per the constitution of India people are known to be sovereign. And under the sovereignty of nation I have the power of freedom of expression. To express the thoughts in the best interests of nation is not a crime.

Do I expect that the steps will be taken to strength sovereignty as the experience put forth before you will invigorate you to implement electoral laws with stringency in support of this writes up?

I have many things to say which are based on my own empirical experience when facing administration system, political system & Judiciary system, social & financial systems in order to seek justice on my problems. If you need further any information in this regard, please get in touch with me on my e-mail: hiteshbhatt26@yahoo.com write to me at my mailing address as above.

Since I have been released out of my isolation as a victim living under misunderstood culture and traditional concepts, my major concern was to work for the youth people with disability in a society that lacks the implementation of human rights especially to people with special needs. As i was involved being a member volunteer in several organizations helping to integrate those persons into a normal environment life, where I use the Equal Participation as an educational method to teach creativity through leadership Workshops, lectures, seminars, School Camps etc.

I do believe that my disability is an ability for me to challenge my difficulties in getting through my ambitions, since My volunteering in this field of Youth Leadership started when I decided to build up a self-sufficient life through a social network which involved civil societies, youth building capacities, implementation of human rights to people with disabilities domestically & internationally through healing psychosocial programs, Courses, workshops, trainings, conferences, community based rehabilitation (CBR), etc. The strengthen of my spiritual soul comes from the energy of this rate of power that i own today, when ever I participate, Speak And Present i use the Word of We Cause i was a loan discriminated one Day, But Today i’ am proud to say that I was able to create a wide network of contacts, cooperation with local and international experts, international personnel networks, and communicating with a circle of well known organizations working in the field of Youth Leadership, Green Peace And human rights.

My idea is to help young Palestinian people, building up more expertise to support the Palestinian young society. In this way we Can create ‘ Youth Participation Projects’, To Engorge those young people to struggle in Palestine despite the political, Sico-Social And Economical Problems to raise a voice for clear better future.