WORLD WATER DAY - THE RIGHT TO QUENCH ONE'S THIRST WITH SAFE DRINKING WATER!

when you have to count your drops of water to survive

you are thirsty - physically

when you cannot voice your need to the authorities

you are thirsty - for freedom

when you are denied the access of safe drinking water

you are thirsty - for your rights

when you are left to die of preventable water-borne diseases

you are thirsty - for justice

when your story remains untold and unheard

you are thirsty - for someone to stand up and plead for your cause and for the cause of the other 1.1 billion people without access to safe drinking water!!!

where shall thou seeketh justice?

indeed many a path leadeth to the truth...where shall i begin?

thou shall seeketh responsibility in the 'wells (oil)' of the rich?
in the lavish lifestyles of corrupted officials?
in the judicial courts serving the ruling clicks?

in the 'dirty hands' of puppet politicians?

or in those who toil for the prosperity of all these?

shall thou sayeth thouest 'cup' is half fulleth or half empty after all?

consider this as a call:

who shall we put as a witness to test what is said?

if they agree to drink from the sewage, (rather than from a bottle)

if they consent with washing in the drainage, (rather than in a proper sink )

if they don't object walking 5 miles to obtain water, (instead of having it delivered)

if it's alright to swallow bits of dirt etc. with the fluid, (instead of minerals, which will nourish)

if it all agrees with you 'most honored',

then sure as the day is, no one shall complain,

but propose a statement to be released, pronto, today:

Let all who are thirsty come drink from the well,

that these 'brothers' of ours so freely will lend

but if for some reason, you all become sick,

or if Fortune has it, that you are deceased,

then a note from a different kind

will surely be posted to say this:

They died believing that they were right,

not quenching the thirsty of the billion in need.

They died disregarding the welfare of all -

defending till the end - their own right and wrong

yet I doubt my fellows,

that any shall dare

to grab a cup and fill it with filth and swear:

that it is safe to draw and to quench

your physical thirst with a 'fresh' filthy sip!

So, for Your story to be heard I say

for Your voice to gain power I proclaim

for Your life to be un-forgotten I state:

THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT!

THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT AND EVERY GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING AT LEAST 20 LITRES OF SAFE WATER PER DAY TO EACH PERSON. THESE 20L OF WATER MUST BE FREE FOR THE POOR, ACCESSIBLE AND SECURE!!!

“Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity.” — Kofi Annan, prior United Nations Secretary-General

p.s. the photos are from various sites and initiatives for saving water etc.
I made a presentation on the water crisis and its negative impact on the development of impoverished societies, as well as the importance of achieving MDG7, Target3 - "Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation"
for the overall achievement of the MDGs and the sustainable development of all societies. If anyone is interested, please contact me for more info.

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"I AM POWERFUL!"

SHE HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE HER WORLD!

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO HELP HER DO IT!

www.care.org - Defending Dignity. Fighting Poverty.
Read my blog post from Nov.30 - "SHE is!"to read more about the power potential hidden within a single woman!
I cannot remember the name of the song playing on the background of this video clip, so, please, if anyone knows it, please share it with me!

As for the women in these video, all I can say is, these are the heroes of our world, often abused, mistreated, enslaved, forgotten, silenced, ignored or else...they, nevertheless, persevere and and look bravely into the eyes of the Future..with Hope and Faith, that they will have a chance to live better lives...or that they will at least have a chance to provide their kids with better lives!
I admire these women. For me, they are the pillars of society, the strongholds of all families, the fighters for survival!
Let us honor them instead of neglecting them, exalt them instead of humiliating them, empower them instead of ignoring them! Only then, will the world become a better place and we, all, will have equal chances to develop our full potential and enjoy free and happy lives!!!
My call is for all those who have ever mistreated a woman in any way, even only by verbally harassing her, to stop and think about it.


Women are no threat to men's power or honor, they are a power on their own. One kind of power does not necessarily have to collide with another, they can complement each other.
But this can happen only when men realize that women are created to be their partners, not subordinates, not slaves, not objects of sexual desire, but equal partners. Only then, can there be true partnerships between men and women and true human development based on equality and justice!
Nevertheless, we still see so many abuses against women and girls, all around the globe. Most of these 'incidents' (evil deeds) have been the acts of weak and insecure men who need to find victims to pay for their failures or just to assert their position and 'power'. Many cultures still tolerate, to say the least, these crooked 'values' and deny women free access to education, property, and equal treatment, view my article "The High Price for Pursuing Knowledge in Some Parts of the Developing World" .
We need to also acknowledge the affects that modernization and globalization have brought upon women and men alike, around the world. Often times, this transitional period - the process of modernization and development of a society - has caused much damage to women, has shaken the traditional values and cultural habits of many communities and has brought fear, insecurity and chaos. Recently, I listened to BBC news and the reporters talked about the rising degree of sexual harassment among young people in Egypt. They conducted interviews with victims of sexual harassment and with sociologists and other experts, who tried to explain the reasons behind this new disturbing trend. I wanted to write about it in a separate article, but I will just sketch briefly their arguments here. The experts (women) talked about the transitional period in which the Egyptian society is, the transformation of power relations, the hard economic times etc. They emphasized that the increase of violence against women is the symptom of the deeply embedded social problems within the society. For example, economic problems lead to the inability of young men to pay dowries, which in turn impedes them from getting married and being recognized as successful and mature men. The sense of failure leads to intensified frustration, which in turn is materialized in the form of sexual harassment. In comparison with the past, now,many more young people postpone marriage. The estimated number of single men and women over 30years old in Egypt, at the moment, is 9million! This is a striking figure for a society, in which traditionally, girls were getting married before their 20s. Of course, another reason for the delay in marriage is that women have been given the chance to pursue higher education. This trend, on the other hand, just like we discussed earlier, constitute a threat to men (or so they believe) and again materialize in the form of violence. Traditional ways have been disrupted and the process of modernization hasn't been completed, therefore, many social problems arise, and often the victims are no one else, but women!

Stereotypes, stigmas, and cultural prejudices have been serious obstacles to the empowerment of women as well, but there is one sure way out of this unequal equation and it is education! education = empowerment ! Education not just for girls and women, but also for boys and grown-up men (some Microfinance institutions have already set special courses to break the existing stigmas and stereotypes within the given communities and to assure men that it is beneficial to all if women are empowered and that they do not constitute a threat to them). More efforts need to be put in offering courses that offer redefining of the meaning of 'man' and 'masculine', because often, men act upon a certain situation as they believe their society expects them to, in order to fit the role of 'men', which they have been assigned. Failing to play that role, they believe, will cause them shame and rejection by other men. NGO's need to put more emphasis on empowering both men and women, by building up man and women who respect each other and complement each other! Men need to be told that there is nothing manly to hit a woman or rape a girl! Men have been created physically stronger, but not to hit women, but to protect them!
Women are not a threat to society but a blessing! Their self-sacrificial nature and fearless spirit are sure cornerstones for building up a truly harmonious community! Don't step on them, but let them grow and they will bear good fruits from which we, all, will benefit! Don't silence them, but let them speak up, and you will see unleashed a powerful source of energy, inspiration and love! Don't be silent! Speak up on their behalf today! Don't remain indifferent, invest in the life of one woman...and you will see big harvest!

she has the power to change her world! you have the power to help her do it!

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Human Rights Day - Dignity and Justice for ALL of us!

Today is the World Human Rights Day. In the light of the marking of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year ( http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html), it will be appropriate to reflect on these rights, their meaning and their practice around the world. It is of great importance that we acknowledge today, the progress and efforts made both internationally and domestically by most countries to conform and make these 30 articles into common practices. Nevertheless, despite the great improvements accomplished throughout the last 60 years in bringing human rights to the the front table of international and domestic debates, as well as, improving the lives of millions of people around the world, human rights abuses continue to be a major problem in many parts of the world. Often times these fundamental rights, which are meant to give an equal chance to everyone to enjoy a life during which one can develop their full potential and be happy, are denied to the individuals and are nothing more but articles on paper. Therefore, it is the duty of all humankind to defend and fight for these rights and to assure their enjoyment by all people, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status... (Article 2) ! If we fail to do that, we lose what defines us - our 'humanity'; if we choose to close our eyes for the injustices

SELECTED ARTICLES Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal. Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration... Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security. Article 4: No-one shall be held in slavery or servitude. Article 5: No-one shall be subjected to torture. Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. Article 9: No-one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest. Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought. Article 20: Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family... Article 26: Everyone has the right to education. Article 28: Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized. Article 29: Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. Do you enjoy all these rights? Think about it, if you do, you are more blessed than millions of people around the world, who have been denied the right to enjoy some (few or all) of these rights!

and inequalities that remain such a striking characteristic of our planet, then we lose our right to call ourselves human beings and we become enslaved into a vicious circle that will eventually lead to our own self-destruction. The rights of each person matter and we must not be tolerant to any form injustice, discrimination or abuse! We should not put a price to human rights and weigh the pros and cons of defending them! There shouldn't be excuses to the extend to which human rights should be pursued and realized! There shouldn't be tolerance towards some kinds of human rights abuses, or some scale of human rights abuses, because each person's life is precious and holy and it is given to him/her by God and remains for God to take it away. No man should be allowed to use force against innocent people to gain power! I repeat NO MAN!...because WE ARE ALL EQUAL!
Governments should be held responsible for not adhering to this declaration and should be held accountable for their actions, even though these actions might be within their sovereign territory!
Ignorance is not bliss as some conventional wisdom wants us to believe. Ignorance and Indifference are instruments for total annihilation! They invite only more abuse, only more torture, only more disrespect of the rights of everyone to live a free and good life.
Beware then! and BE AWARE! Don't sit back and skip the news or stories that tell the of the afflicted, tortured, the raped, the abused, the murdered, the enslaved, the unjustly imprisoned...!
STAND UP against all these! and defend the defenseless! : " Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the right of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Prov.31:8-9

Happy Human Rights Day Everyone!!!

Let us unite and believe together! Let us join hands and efforts and ensure that really everyone will be able to enjoy these fundamental human rights!

p.s. I intend to write more concrete stories reflecting on the various human rights. please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, stories, links, photos etc. thank you!

the photos used are from http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/udhr60/exhibit.shtml . This is a cartoon exhibition organized by the UN to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights! These cartoons are truly thought-provoking!
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The High Price for Pursuing Knowledge in Some Parts of the Developing World

how much does it cost to go to school?
you might automatically answer - much.
but just how much?

well, most people will argue that no matter the cost, education is an invaluable and essential asset for the development of any individual. i will not refute the least such a statement, since i, myself, believe in this!

nevertheless, despite all arguments in support, i want to ask you -

what if it might cost you your life? will you still go to school? will you be willing to expose yourself to life danger just so that you can get to the classroom and learn?and why yes, or why no.

i suppose there will be those denying the possibility of such radical outcomes as the loss of life, but the facts are against such claims.

the reality in which some people 'survive' and actually pursue knowledge and development is utterly different from ours,immensely complicated and striking, and while we might wonder how to pay for the best schools, how to take advantage of the best options available to us and in one way or another consequently to succeed, or simply how to skip going to school...some people go to school at the risk of their lives.


who are these people? where is schooling being persecuted and why?

whether we talk about a war-torn area like Somalia or Darfur, or a radical Islamist town in a country like Afghanistan, controlled by the Talibans (or other extremist groups for that matter), or destitute places like Cambodia or Ethiopia, we can find parallels everywhere!

the 'price' of reaching school might differ, from being raped and beaten to being sold into prostitution or..as the latest of these cases shows, being the victim of a an attack with acid by some coward who just couldn't stand the thought of women's empowerment and emancipation.

the story of the several Afghan girls who were attacked with acid in the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan just days ago, is another proof of the high price some children, and especially girls, have to pay, to have the chance to overcome poverty by acquiring education. Education is Power. And those who seek to halt the educating of girls know that very well. They fear immensely even the slightest possibility of being overthrown by an empowered new generation of women who have sacrificed much in their lives and who are ready to see radical change and improvement in society. And they have definite reasons to fear because their cowardly attacks will ultimately prove unsuccessful! Some people are ready to pay the High price...and pursue knowledge. Take Shamsia, for example, she received the most severe injures in the recent attack, and yet, while still in the hospital, with her face burned from the acid, she claimed: "I'll continue my schooling even if they try to kill me. I won't stop going to school"... this is courage, this is spirit, this is strength, this is power!

you might wonder, why on earth will someone walk 5 miles a day, like some girls in Sudan and Congo (or many other areas around the globe where the protection of the citizens is beyond any measure!), just to attend classes, at the risk of being attacked and raped; you might think why some girls will not let their chance of being schooled pass by and choose to risk their lives to learn merely how to write and read...and here is Shamsia's answer to you all: "I'll continue going to lessons. I'm studying to be able to build our country"...the response to the same question, given by a little girl whose leg was chopped off by some rebels in Congo and who nevertheless, continued walking the 5 miles to school, without protease, just a crunch (risking to be raped by gangs on the way to and back)...was this "I dream to become a teacher when I grow up and be able to teach children and help them "...

the answer to "why would someone be willing to pay a price so high for education?" is simple: it's the will and desire of every man and woman to develop and reach their full potential, to be all that they can be, dream and pursue their dreams, and live a dignified and decent life!

the answer is simple - it's man's highest aspiration to reach to the stars, and to fly with the eagles, to be all that God made him/her to be, and live like a human!!!

the next time you start complaining about how much you wish u didn't have to study for exams, attend classes, or have to write papers and listen to lectures...i urge you to take a deep look at yourself and see...just how very blessed you truly are.
and when you see it, i urge you to give the Lord the glory and the praise and Pray that all may be privileged to have a chance like yours, a chance to become all that they are meant to, a chance to fulfill their dreams and reach their stars...a chance to be free (of torture, fear, abuse, despair, poverty) to not just survive..but LIVE!

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CENSORSHIP!!!!read!!!

i am sad to announce that my blog is blocked from China (friends tried and access was denied, which is no surprise!), and freedom of speech as we know it, is compromised so that the communist party may continue to keep its "legitimacy" and control the "development" of its people to a high degree. Bothers and sisters, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION is a universal human right, or so it should be...but helas! it is no more than an illusion, a mirage in the desert in China today!
optimism for change? ye, definetely, but despite all the talk about China, outsiders really know just bits from here and bits from there...all in all...they know mostly, what the Chinese want them to know..the Olympic games are over now and one of my friends assured me that i am going to see a better and cleaner beijing...but i KNOW...it's allll FACADE, it's what the Chinese call "mianzi" (face) and this is what defines them to a large degree...so, anywhos, i understand - why wouldn't my blog be banned?...i should have known better and not have put anything concerning God (christianity is like a curse for the government, or so they believe...) or anything about issues of sensitivity both politically, morally, or socially...and i haven't even started yet...what i pity!
yes, we live in a "globalized world" whatever that means, i think today the vagueness of this expression is extreme and anyone gives it a definition of their own...like the Chinese, for them globalization consists of the fact that they have become the Factory of the World and that they have "opened their doors" to the cruel and imbecile west....extreme? well, right now, i am short of neutral and tolerant words, because i am struck by the reality to which i shall return in 1 day.
Despite all this, i BELIEVE in Human Development, in action, in change. I believe that Where there is a will, there is a way, and no communist, democratic or other regime can make me think otherwise. I don't give up and if anything, i feel more challenged, more motivated and more devoted to a cause higher than me and my mere selfish interests! For me, this is worth fighting for, and it is worth living for! - "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy" (Prov.31)
So, now i will search for a way to penetrate through the Chinese internet police, and once i find it...i will be back with more stuff about our world...us - people, all of God's creation~!
Till then, remember how very very blessed yall are, to be able to do what you like, to say what you think, to go where you want, to be who you are (and who you wish to be)~! YOU ARE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE, EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU LACK SOMETHING, OR have NOT EVERYTHING!
So, don't waste your life grumbing and mumbling over little nothings and take a step to help those in need, live your life meaningfully!!!! and you will not regret a single day of it...

!it takes little to make YOUR world a different place...it's in YOUR hands...TODAY~!

Love and Peace in Christ!
Be Blessed!!!!!!!
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