Friday, May 30, 2014
"I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own". Audre Lorde
In May, 2014, a twenty-five year old pregnant woman was killed by her family, LaHore, Pakistan. Her name is Farzana Parveen. The cruel attack occurred in broad daylight, in front of the court yard. Her unforgivable crime was that she had chosen her husband, not wanting to marry the man chosen for her. Family say that she had embarrassed the family. Police did not intervene. In another area of Pakistan, 5 women have been killed because they were singing and clapping at a wedding...
Monday, May 12, 2014
World Peace
I was inspired to create a blog after reading the story of the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, the girl from Swat, Pakistan, in October, 2012. She had stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban. Miraculously, she survived, and continues her campaign for education. I have read her book, I am Malala. It is powerful, told in her simple, but profound way. I hope many read it.
She supports universal access to education through the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization investing in community-led programs. This also extends to supporting education advocates around the world. In 2011, she received Pakistan's International Youth Peace Prize, and in 2014 Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Too further her amazing story, as told in her book, Malala received extensive medical care in Birmingham, England, but she had no idea that she could not return to her valley in Pakistan. Her words, "It is the most beautiful valley in the world" an area that is mountainous, lush and green. It would have been too dangerous. Also, once a safe haven for tourists, it is now not that. Most of Pakistan is fraught with danger for women. A basic right, that of going to school, is just one of the things denied young girls. One that especially struck me, was a report about how young women were killed for singing and clapping at a wedding. I daresay that although these young women felt such emotions, expression of it is not allowed by the Taliban, and their cohorts. I guess their premise is: If they are allowed any kind of expression, what's next? More to follow...
She supports universal access to education through the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization investing in community-led programs. This also extends to supporting education advocates around the world. In 2011, she received Pakistan's International Youth Peace Prize, and in 2014 Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Too further her amazing story, as told in her book, Malala received extensive medical care in Birmingham, England, but she had no idea that she could not return to her valley in Pakistan. Her words, "It is the most beautiful valley in the world" an area that is mountainous, lush and green. It would have been too dangerous. Also, once a safe haven for tourists, it is now not that. Most of Pakistan is fraught with danger for women. A basic right, that of going to school, is just one of the things denied young girls. One that especially struck me, was a report about how young women were killed for singing and clapping at a wedding. I daresay that although these young women felt such emotions, expression of it is not allowed by the Taliban, and their cohorts. I guess their premise is: If they are allowed any kind of expression, what's next? More to follow...
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