Women Thrive Worldwide.

Congress must pass comprehensive international legislation that would incorporate solutions into all U.S. foreign assistance programs – such as promoting women’s economic opportunity, addressing violence against girls in school, reforming the judicial response to violence against women, preventing transmission and deaths from HIV/AIDS, and working to change public attitudes. We also must make ending violence against women a diplomatic priority by requiring the U.S. government to respond to critical outbreaks of gender-based violence in armed conflict – such as the mass rapes now occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti – in a timely manner.

If we grown ups could just see with our child’s eyes – oh what we could see…

Afghan Women’s Writing Project | Get Up.

My Afghan girl, don’t cry; get up

Nothing is in your favor.
No one can hear you.
Stop complaining;
No one is listening to you.

My Afghan girl, get up

Raise your voice, get your rights.
It is your life, it is your right.
Don’t expect anything from anyone,
Don’t wait for anyone.

My Afghan girl, get up

Don’t be silent, don’t be crying.
Take the pen, write your future.
You are the mother of our land.
Your land needs you to be strong.

My Afghan girl, get up

Your tears are worthless.
Don’t beg; don’t say, “I can’t do it.”
Stop the violence, stop the crying.

Get up, my Afghan girl

Show the world
That no one can stop you
From getting your rights.

By Shogofa

The Palestine Rose “gets” it! Thanks…

Ume.

You are a water drop in the water. You are the only star that gives light to the galaxy of my heart. Maybe this drop holds the value of the world. Your love helps make my heart light. When I feel scared, I find myself in your arms and I feel calm. Every time I feel pain, the first one I think of is you. If I’m away from you for a moment, tears flow from my eyes. If I wake up and don’t see you, I feel like I am the loneliest person in this world. All of this is for what? All of this is because you gave birth to me. All of this is because my eyes didn’t know anyone but you. When I cried at night the only one who was in front of me was you. I didn’t know walking but you showed me walking. I didn’t know talking but you showed me talking. I didn’t know how to live but you showed me the way of living. I didn’t have power in my arms but you were my power. My Ume, my mother, I love you. By Hila G.

Walk with love and mercy…

Palestinian Children Labour for Little in Israel – IPS ipsnews.net.

Not 2012 for Palestinian youth – more like last mid-century…

The eldest son in a family of ten children, he lives in the Palestinian village Al-Fayasil in the occupied Jordan Valley, and is forced to work in the nearby Israeli settlement Tomer to help support his siblings. “I work from 6 am to 1 pm,” he told IPS. “And I get 70 shekels (18 dollars) per day.” 

Al-Fasayil residents say that over a dozen youth from the village, all under the age of 18, are currently working in Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley. It is estimated that between 500-1,000 minors travel from other villages and cities throughout the West Bank to work in the area. 

Most child labourers in the Jordan Valley make between 50-70 NIS per day (13-18 dollars), and are employed to pick, wash and package fruits and vegetables grown in local Israeli agricultural settlements. They work long hours in difficult weather conditions throughout the winter and summer months, and receive no benefits or insurance against injuries. 

“There are so few options in the Jordan Valley. Due to Israeli restrictions that are in place on economic and agricultural development, there’s nothing. Palestinians can either stay at home all day or work in a settlement and be able to provide for their families,” explained Christopher Whitman, advocacy coordinator at Ma’an Development Centre, a Palestinian development and empowerment organisation based in Ramallah. 

THE DAILY STAR :: News :: Local News :: NGOs for disabled close as funds dry up.

Fix now and for future!

BEIRUT: All major NGOs caring for disabled people in Lebanon will be forced to suspend operations in the coming days because of an ongoing funding crisis, the president of the Permanent Coordination Office of the NGOs said Wednesday.

“We have been running on slim budgets and we have got to the point where we cannot sustain operations anymore,” Raif Choueiri told The Daily Star.

He said that two more centers ceased operations this week, in addition to the 32 that suspended services last week. In total, there are 56 NGOs aiding around 8,000 disabled people, mostly children, across the country.

The Permanent Coordination Office has been warning for three years that it faces a funding crisis that would threaten the work of the associations. Choueiri said that some NGOs had not paid their staff for three months, and that others were operating without electricity.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/May-10/172881-ngos-for-disabled-close-as-funds-dry-up.ashx#ixzz1uT0AKuhX
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb) 

Escape Beirut’s Smog: Go Whitewater Rafting | Green Prophet.

Did not think of this for Beirut – grin. Have done in New River in West Virginia – wow! If you are up for a wild ride – go for it!