Week 9: Political Campain in Kyrgyzstan

In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan a crucial election took place on Sunday. The people of Asia are seeking new political answers because their country has been in turmoil for the past year. The people just want peace. Many people are worried that the political election will expose the ethnic division in Bishkek. After violence in April 2010, ethnic division has occured between the Krgyz and Uzbeks whick has lead to nearly 500 death. The campaing is stiff between the north and south. Candidates have said that they will reject any results that they consider to be illegitimate.  Kyrgyszstans willl soon have close ties to Russia. Leaders have pledged to join Russian unions with Kazakhstan and Bekarus. A large number of Kyrgyz make money in Russia and send it back to support their families.
This is an exampe of ethnic political division because the north and the south are divided between the Krgyz and Uzbeks. One ethnicity will benefit from the election,. The politicians also have control because if they don't win they could immediately say that the results have been tampered with. This election isn't going to relieve the citizens of the problems but further cause issues. Which ever candidate that wins, ethnicity will benefit the most from it. The U.S. and Russia are largely involved with the political campaign. They are monitoring the votes to make sure that the campaign is legit. This doesn't help the violence between ethnicities. Since the violence in April 2010, Kyrgyzstan hasn't had a political election based on the violence against politicians last year.

 

week 9 China's Growing Population

Since about 1979 China has been trying to cope with their growing population. They set the one child policy as a temporary emergency policy to keep the birth rate down for the next couple of generations. If not for this policy the world’s population would have already hit 7 billion people. After this policy was implemented it has prevented 400 million births but China still has lingering effects. Due to this one child policy law many families prefer that their child is a male in order to keep the family name going. They also may abort their daughters, which can lead to sterilization if not properly done, or not take adequate care of them because they want their son to be strong, healthy and educated. Due to this China is estimating that due to their decline in fertility they will have an aging population. Also, for every 100 girls born there is 123 boys this ratio will cause there to be 30 million unmarried men by 2020.

They do not know what to do about their population because it is aging, unequal ratios and they are already limiting their citizens rights by only allowing one child per family. Each family that has more than one child can be forced to have an abortion or face a serious fine. Though I do think they did what they thought was best for the world’s population they still do not know how to cope with this. Some Chinese citizens feel that they wish they could have had siblings so they would not be so lonely but that isn’t what is best for the world. Many families also wish they could have bigger families, sort of the “nuclear” family in a sense. I don’t know what more there is left to do about the population. This isn't fair because it dictates how people must live, they are fining people because of families and it can dictate laws and societial norms and what is and is not acceptable. It goes alot deeper than the surface and we already live in a male dominated world. What are they going to do about the aging population and the fact that this generation has alot of infertility and the lack of women because of this one child policy?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/28/world/asia/china-one-child/index.html

Week #9 Hacker breaches Internet in Sweden!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/27/sweden-hacking-twitter-hijack

Over 90,000 private email accounts were released after an anonymous hacker hijacked a twitter account of a MP in Sweden. The hacker tweeted passwords and email details of Sweden political journalists from the account of a twenty-three year old far-right MP named William Perzall, who denies anything to do with the leaks. The hacker has also raided the Swedish blog portal, Bloggtoppen.se. and has accessed more than 90,000 usernames and passwords. These have also now been leaked, making it easy to hack the accounts of well-known politicians, editors and celebrities. The Aftonbladet newspaper also reported that another 57 websites have been compromised, potentially releasing the login details of up to 200,000 people. The hacker is unknown but his online name is: sc3a5j. The hacker did an interview he claimed he did all this to remind people to change their passwords more often. "I dumped this information to let people know that they handle their information wrongly. Many web pages are not up to scratch. And consumers need to know they should never use the same [passwords] for different services on the web. This is how we got into Twitter accounts as well." The interview was obviously done through the internet and not in person due to the fact that he is still unknown.

A story like this gives me great concern on the safety of people’s private information. Nothing is safe on the web, there are always hackers. Whether it is in Sweden or anywhere else it seems that your personal information is never safe. If the online name of this hacker is at least known then why has the police not been able to figure out who is behind all of this? Even though the hacker claims he done this so people would be safer about their accounts, he could do anything he wanted with this information. If he was able to complete such a breach in the internet then he could hack into almost anything in Sweden and cause many problem. This is a great concern.

Light at the end of Inequality Tunnel?

Meahgan Hayes

10/28/2011

   

   The article that I chose for this week discusses the fact that while the current protestors of the Occupy Wallstreet campaign are the 99% here in America, they are actually better off, economically, than the majority of people throughout the world. The point that this article is trying to make is that yes, while the inequality found in certain countries around the globe is astounding, the overall global inequality is so much worse and has the capabilities to do more damage on an even bigger scale. When looking at the rates of inequality of the different countries and how they compare to the rest of the world, it is common to use a system that is known as the Gini coefficient. On this scale 0 represents a nation that has perfect equality, meaning that absolutely everyone earns the same amount; and 100 represents a nation the has perfect inequality, meaning that the only one person in that nation holds any income. And as of late, countries such as Sweden have scores that range around 25, while certain countries found in Africa and South America are given scores in the 50’s. However, there is some good news. Within the last five or six years, the global Gini score has dropped from a  solid 70 to a 67-68. And while it may seem to be a dip that isn’t substantial, if it continues it could possibly be the first decline in global inequality since the Industrial Revolution. 

   I personally applaud this article. It doesn’t happen very often that you come across a news article that gives you an impression that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I think that there could be a great possibility that the world will eventually reach a point in time were things are more equal. But, I also think that there are lots of factors that this outcome is balancing upon, and I think it will take a great number of years until we reach that goal. 

http://www.livemint.com/2011/10/25205304/Let8217s-talk-of-inequality.html?h=B

Blog Post # 9 Kidney broker pleads guilty to selling Israeli organs to desperate Americans

Globally organ-trafficking has been a problem but now when the U.S. is involved it really hit home. A man named Levy Itzhak Rosenbaum from Brooklyn New York was convicted this past Thursday for organ-trafficking black market kidneys. He is the first person in the U.S. to be convicted of organ trafficking. On one side of his plea he was said to have saved lives but the prosecution states that he could’ve potentially taken lives because of his dangerous actions. All of the surgeries that took place were done in American hospitals and were performed by experienced surgeons, but was still considered to be illegal. He would pay Israelis a certain amount to give up a kidney and he’d charge Americans in desperate needs of organs triple that amount. This case opened up a new debate on whether organ trafficking should be legalized or not. Numerous amounts of people are affected by organ trafficking worldwide, and it will be hard to stop it because it has turned into a global market. For example with the organ theft’s that occurred in Kosovo after the Kosovo War in 1999, resulted in the killing of 300 ethnic Serbs. People are not only being put at risk for bad health conditions but they are also being murder for the distribution of human organs. For many years incidents involving the distribution of black marketed organs have went unknown. In November 2010, Israelis and South Africans were caught by the police for trafficking organs through Netcare. Organ traffickers typically put large prices on organs because they know those in desperate need will pay whatever. Organ trafficking has been considered to be illegal since 1984.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/10/27/2011-10-27_brooklyn_blackmarket_kidney_broker_pleads_guilty_to_selling_israeli_organs_to_de.html

Blog Post #9 Condoms in Rwanda

  There is a proposed initiative to give out condoms to secondary schools in Rwanda. Teachers and other members of society are now divided, some believing that the children are not mature enough to learn about sex, while others disagree. HDI- Rwanda and the Association Ihorere Munyarwanda are for the program, on the grounds that young people should be protected from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, and also pregnancy. In November, there are plans to carry out mass mobilization and awareness raising for the stakeholders including school heads, teachers and local officials, if the gov. gives NGO permission, the actual distribution would begin in December.
  The fact that they are trying to raise awareness for a problem, that Africa has been known for, for such a long time, I believe is amazing. This is the first step to bringing down the blow of deadly viruses for innocent people. I believe that in all the countries around the world awareness should be made, about all diseases, and sexual acts that can lead to them. In America, we teach out fifth graders about sex, and then again in middle school, and high school, and we don't go through all the things many of Rwandan children have on a daily basis. Raising awareness about the any serious health epidemic should raise some serious news coverage, there are so many ways, that other countries can try to help Rwanda, in their quest to better protect their children from having to grow up only a few years older than their own children, with a life taking disease, or some other type of infection. I don't believe that anyone should see educating children about sex as a bad thing, the more educated the less mistakes they are likely to make later on in life, or when they are put in a situation that would call for that knowledge.

http://www.globalhealth.org/news/article/13867

Blog #9- US Kill Squad

Calvin Gibbs a U.S. Staff sergeant is to face a military trial for the premeditated murders of 3 Afghani civilians. This is a case of a war crime where Gibbs and 4 of his squad mates were intentionally targeting civilians for sport and keeping body parts as trophies. If the sentencing is carried out Gibbs and his squad can face a sentence of life in prison without parole. Gibbs was already under suspicion for supplying Marijuana and other narcotics to his squad and other squads. The other members of Gibbs squad have already plead guilty to the charges in order for reduced sentences, Jeremy Morlock a squad mate has received a 24 year sentence and is set to testify against Gibbs. However the lawyer representing Gibbs has given a preliminary testimony stating that his client never took part in any of the killings, and had no knowledge of them, stating that the testimonies of known drug using soldiers as unreliable.



The results of these killings will have a large effect on US relations in Afghanistan, and the military’s standing in allied countries. This is one of the most well documented crimes committed by US soldiers during the war on terror, and is a blatant war crime according to international law. Not only will these soldiers be held accountable but the US might also have to pay restitution to the families, Afghani government, and the UN. It is also hurt relations with many of the local tribes, which will no longer have relations with the army. This just helps extend the conflict in the area, and drives more support to terrorist organizations.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15499132

Post 9 "5 Reason not to skip La Paz”

Urbanization is a big part of growing in the modern world. While countries are growing at a rapid rate the old cities are expanding to new towns and unoccupied land. This article “5 Reason not to skip La Paz” discusses the growth of Bolivia’s largest city. Furthermore, major cities such as La Paz are ways to bring in revenue and are hubs of economic significance.
Although the streets are congested and chaotic this city seems to attract a large number of travelers. The rich culture and the sights is what make this place biodiversity. This is also the home of the world’s highest international airport and highest seat of government. With the amount of traffic that comes in the city vehicles compete with pedestrians and sidewalk vendors.
In addition Urbanization can cause social problems which influence socialization. With heavy migration from rural areas to bigger cities can create a problem for cities that are not equipped for the population. As a result of urbanization cities may have more problems to overcome, like pollution, over population, crime and poverty. The government plays a large role when urbanization takes place. It is their duty as well as the citizens to create an area that will not have as much as problems. People move to areas such as La Paz for a better life. Urbanization not only can impact a better future than living in a smaller town but it can be just as bad. La Paz is nice place that has thrived from travelers and is making steps towards positive growth.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/20/travel/5-reasons-not-to-skip-la-paz/index.html?iref=allsearch

Blog Post #9: U.S Infiltrating Drug Cartels

In recent years, the United States has set up sting operations in Mexico to infiltrate some of the country’s most powerful drug cartels. They use Mexican informants such as law enforcement officers, elected officials and cartel operatives to hide their involvement due to the fear of corruption and laws prohibiting American security from getting involved on Mexican soil. However, the United States has helped Mexican authorities capture and kill about two dozen high-ranking drug traffickers and have even given them access to top cartel leaders. Mexico’s feelings towards the involvement have softened due to the some 40,000 deaths that have occurred due to these drug cartels. The United States is trying to prevent the cartels violence from spilling over the border by taking measures such as flying drones over Mexico. These efforts have caused several cartels to disband and form into smaller, less dangerous groups. Many of the informants law enforcement turns to are often those who have committed crimes and want to lessen their troubles or those who are being offered bribes.


The Mexican drug cartel is just a small chunk of the International Drug Trade which is becoming a problem across the globe. Over 6,475 million people are involved in drugs whether is be taking them occasionally, becoming addicted, or selling them which causes a spread a violence. Cocaine and Cannabis are the two most widely used drugs, mainly across the eastern portion of the globe. The trade became a social problem in the 1980s when countries began seeing the effects of the drugs and countries creating preventative methods such as the War On Drugs. The International Drug Trade has caused in increase in murders due to disparities among buyers and sellers. Many gangs have formed around the world, such as The Zetas in Mexico, who have not only extorted drugs but also humans and money.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/world/americas/united-states-infiltrating-criminal-groups-across-mexico.html?ref=americas

Blog Post #9 The Middle East Comes Together on Education

Throughout the world, in the Middle East, regions have been pulling together to build a better education system for all of their students. Building Future Education MENA in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) held their second annual international education exhibition and conference this past week. At the exhibition education experts, stakeholders, and VIP’s from around the world came together to share their ideas on education and the different products and services they use that have helped to cultivate the education system in their area. The different education ministries and councils represented included Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Lebanon, just to name a few. Each council had the opportunity to discuss issues such as: the school environment, curriculum format, special education requirements and sustainable educational facilities. The purpose of this conference was to allow regions to pull ideas from each other in order to ultimately have a competitive top notch education system. The Arab education system decided to use the information learned to help move from a traditional way of managing education to a more transparent approach. For example, ADEC introduced the first girls and boy's school in their area to help students learn to communicate with the opposite sex, and build a foundation for their future in the working world.

This article was very impressive. It shows how other countries, not just China, are trying to improve their education system in this globalized economy. This is a social issue because once put into action effectively, it will effect a vast majority of the people within the Middle Eastern regions. Students will get firsthand experience of what it is like to work and communicate with others as well as a quality education that will help build not only their future but the future of their families as well. I personally feel that United States should take some tips from the exhibition put on by ADEC, if they haven’t already, and try to collaborate with each other instead of having the mentality that my way is better than yours. I know that the Western society has grown to be very prideful and not one to ask for help. But, sometimes it is good to bounce ideas off each other in order to cultivate an even greater idea.


http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/25/4007180/building-future-education-mena.html

http://www.ameinfo.com/279492.html

Catholic University being Sued over Muslim rights

It is difficult to draw the line sometimes. It can be blurred, the limitations can be vague, and the question can be, well, questionable. This is the case recently as a professor at George Washington University is up in arms over the potential threat to the Muslim community at the University. The Washington Post stated, of the university,

 “While the school has an official group for Jewish law students, a Muslim undergraduate profiled in a Washington Post article last year said he was told that he could not create a group dedicated to Muslim worship.”

GWU is a Catholic based University located in Washington, D.C., a highly diverse and multicultural area of the United States. Professor John Banzhaf is also Muslim, and claims that there are blatant abuses of Human Rights in the way of worship at this institution. However, as he has filed dozen of Human Rights complaints before, and there are no real complaints from any of the students in the Muslim community of oppression at GWU, everyone is having a difficult time deciphering the validity of this professor’s claims. This brings up the question of whether or not the professor’s claims should be taken into account, as it is not seen as a social problem due to not being a forefront issue for a majority of the population, or even the Muslim population for that matter. Robert Tuttle, another professor, has his concentration is in the separation of church and state. Tuttle stated that “Banzhaf’s complaints were not likely to be successful if it’s read the way other courts have read other human right’s exemptions”. Although one may rally for the change, it seems to take far more than one to make it an issue to be reckoned with.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/cu-sued-over-muslim-worship/2011/10/27/gIQAidsMNM_story.html

Blog #9: Twice As Much Radiation as Previously Expected From Fukushima

Friday, October 28th, 2011

3:38 PM

A statement on MSNBC’s website from the Associated Press suggests that twice the amount previously thought of a radioactive substance called cesium-137 has been released into the atmosphere from the nuclear disaster at Fukishima in March. This amount in total reached about 40% of the amount of cesium released in the Chernobyl disaster. The data that was collected to make this statement comes from worldwide sensors compiled by Andreas Stohl of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. The study stated that the previous study was inaccurate because the data was only collected in Japan. The study also did not look into any health risks associated with the radioactive chemical, which can last decades in the environment at large, producing carcinogenic radiation. The new study says that approximately one fifth of the cesium fell onto the Japanese landmass, while the other four fifths blew into the sea. The previous study also stated that the spent fuel pool for the reactor was not releasing cesium, however, Stohl’s study has found that the emissions of cesium 137 from the area decreased significantly after the workers began spraying the area with water.

The search for reliable energy in a world with an ever-expanding need for electricity has led us to dangerous territory. The fact that we could make an entire region uninhabitable for generations as a side-effect of producing energy that accounts for roughly 6% of the world’s energy should be alarming to most people. There are serious detrimental effects on the environment from the burning of fossil fuels, but nuclear power may be no better if we continue to have nuclear disasters similar to this and Chernobyl. This problem, though relatively contained now, is already global in nature because of all of the radioactive material that fell into the ocean, and will continue to emit radiation there for quite some years. No experts can objectively speculate about how many cases of cancer and other diseases will result from the sea-borne radiation from Fukushima.

Sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45067270/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.Tqrw3mDN7_c

http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/11/28319/2011/acpd-11-28319-2011.html

Blog #9 Sub-Saharan Secondary School Shortage

Sub-Saharan Secondary
Schools Shortage
October 28, 2011
3:29pm

Summary

On Tuesday, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) reported that 2 out of 3 children in Sub-Saharan Africa are left out of secondary school as the government cannot meet the increasing demand. There are only enough secondary schools for just 36% of children of age to enroll. Albert Motivans, UNESCO Institute for Statistics head of education indicators and data analysis, states that secondary education is important on a societal level to stimulate economies. Globally, secondary school has accommodated 100 million more children each decade. A child in the last grade of primary school only has at best a 75% chance of making the transition into lower secondary school in about 20 countries around the world with an “overwhelming” majority in sub-Saharan Africa.

Analysis

As Motivans stated secondary education is vital to development and is a bridge to the world of work. If children in Sub-Saharan Africa cannot even get a secondary education, degrees are not the least bit attainable and will not help the digital divide nor help them in a global economy. There is no way they can escape poverty without higher education, never the less secondary education. As this article states and our classroom lecture, a greater inequity exist for girls, who face greater barriers as the gender gap expands in Sub-Saharan Africa. Girls are the first to suffer from educational inequality in lots of places. However, Sub-Saharan Africa has made the greatest gains of all regions with gross enrollment ratios rising from 28% to 43% for lower secondary schools. This is great news as we want everyone to get on a level playing field and “win” in the global arena, no matter race, gender, etc.

http://www.coastweek.com/xin_111028_01.htm

Blog #8 Girls given equal rights to British throne under law changes

                Girls now have an equal chance to the throne based on changes the British put into effect on Friday. Typically throughout history the males were the only one with the chance to the throne. Though there have been few Queen Leaders. Usually if there are older girls and a boy happened to be born though he may not be of age he would receive the throne before his sisters does. This new law states that an older female will have precedence over her younger brother. Also, this means that a British monarch may now marry a Catholic. Individual governments still must agree upon this change but this new law will apply to the future children of Prince William and Catherine.

                This is historic because usually the younger brother would get precedence over his sister just because he is a man, not because he is qualified.  They are also trying to get rid of the Act of Settlement  that was passed in 1701, it bans a UK monarch from marrying a Catholic to ensure that the Protestants held the throne and Church of England. This is great because they have been talking about doing this since the 1950s and it is finally happening. Though it would have been nicer to have it done earlier it’s better late than never. It took some years but change towards equality, at least to the UK throne, are steadily happening.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/28/world/europe/uk-monarchy/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Blog #9- Investigator's to look at Gucci's management

Labor supervision authorities in China are beginning an investigation into a local Gucci producer. The company's top executives recently received a letter from five former employees, claiming that they had been severely mistreated and compared the store to a "sweatshop". The employees state that they were often forced to work overtime without receiving pay, and were told that they had to obtain permission before they could drink water or even use the toilet. As a result of the late nights and bad conditions, at least one pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage at the facility. Following the initial accusation, several managers have been released from their duties, and the company says they take the mistreatment of their workers very seriously. All the employees want is the overtime pay they believe they deserve and and to be compenstated for health damages that occured.

This further addresses a topic we have discussed in class. Income inequalities are vast between nations and the gap between rich and poor is growing rapidly within most nations. The dependency theory states that poor countries face exploitation and mistreatment because they are so dependent on the richer countries who outsource jobs there. Managers are taking advantage of their power and forcing employees to stand on their feet for over ten hours a day, and have to give them permission to even use the restroom. The wealthy are taking advantage of the poor and capitalizing on their hard work and dependency on them to receive pay to support their families. The rich only care about themselves and are only making our economic discrepancies larger.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2011-10/15/content_13906138.htm

Blog #9 (Health/Disease)

"CDC panel recommends HPV shot for boys"

-Amber Kocher

            The United States government panel the CDC has now started to recommend that the HPV vaccine (human papillomavirus) should be given to boys.  The vaccine was always available for males and female, but this new vote means that the vaccines will most likely be covered under medical insurance now for both genders.  This new vote is because HPV can be prevented in both males and females, and not enough teen girls have been getting the vaccine.  The vaccine can help prevent various cancer and genital warts cause by the virus.  The article states that last year, 49% of adolescent girls received the first of the three HPV shots, while only a third had the full round of 3 vaccines.  Doctors think that the low rates for girls is because of misconceptions about the vaccine.  A lot of parents don’t understand fully or think that the vaccine is only for adolescents that are sexually active.  Also, people like Michelle Bachman say things like she heard the vaccine can cause mental retardation. 

            This vaccine is a huge step forward in preventative measures for STD’s and long-term effects of diseases and health problems linked with STD’s and unprotected sex.  There are some negative connotations around it, but most of them are from being ill-informed about the vaccine.  It’s important that young boys know that this vaccine is helpful, and is not just for girls.  If this vaccine has all of the benefits that it does, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be available to as many people as possible.  Other sources have stated that it is being used in more poverty stricken places such as Africa, where the medical system is not as fortunate as the US.  Some people believe that this vaccine should be a requirement for students to attend school.  While the benefits of this vaccine are numerous, and there are almost no cons to outweigh the pros, making this vaccine something mandatory and regulated by the government is a violation of personal choice.  This vaccine has made leaps and bounds towards eliminating and preventing certain cancers, and it should be readily available to any boy or girl who wants it.  But it should be theirs and their parents own decision on whether or not to get the vaccine. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15456021

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/#vacc

Blog 9:World's Energy Resources Lauren Epperson Oct. 28th

It is not a secret that the world has been looking for new energy resource because the ones that we are relying on are slowly dying out. Technology has given us the ability to research new resources to meet the World’s energy needs. Israel has discovered large amounts of natural gas under the desert sands. This also comes at the time that deep water oil reserves have been discovered all across the World. These discoveries are going to change the global market greatly, instead of the market for energy resources being in the Middle East it is going to move to the United States, Canada, and Europe. Africa and India might rise as the leading resource supplier. On the positive side of this change it means that the United States could potentially decrease dependency on foreign resources and Europe would not have to not rely on nuclear power as much.

The United States dependency on fossil fuels that we get from the Middle East is one of many causes for environmental destruction across the World. Society will have to adapt to this change. We have already used our knowledge to extract the most readily available resources therefore we will have to put more resources new technology to develop safe practices. This is going to change the global stratification. The more developing countries like Africa and India are going to have more access to resources and be able to provide a better standard of living for their people. Some cautions need to be taken because the new proposed resources of natural gas and deep sea oil are hard extract than the oil from the Middle East. It takes twice as many resources to extract natural gases because you have to pump tons of water and chemical down into the well to retrieve the resource. (Harper pg. 111-112) The global market could be affected by a rise in energy prices, if it cost more resources to obtain. This would cause even more stratification between the countries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/business/energy-environment/new-technologies-redraw-the-worlds-energy-picture.html?ref=businessspecial2

Harper, Charles L. "Chapter 4 Energy and Society." Environment and Society: Human Persecptives on Environmental Issues. 5th ed. New Jeresy: Perason Education, 2008. 111-112. Print.

Blog Post 9: Women lead the way in the struggle against Swaziland's HIV crisis

This article is stating how women in Swaziland are not getting the support and resources they need to support their organization. The organization is called Swaziland for Positive Living which helps women that live in rural areas that are affected by HIV. How women in this country are trying to fight against this epidemic by providing support to those who need it. They are trying to fight the norms in this culture to better the lives of women which will lead to a better country for all. These women are hoping men will also become more involved to stop this problem from expanding more. Another issue that these women are presented with the Global Fund and how they have not provided resources and money to this organization and the women are wondering why. Women in Swaziland are determined to continue on with their lives regardless of the obstacles they face.
This issue is a social problem because women everywhere may be in this same situation where their local government is not necessarily doing everything they can to combat this problem. These women are trying to raise awareness and educate members of their communities but cannot because they lack the support to do so. It was stated that women in this country have a higher percentage of HIV and what is expected of women in their communities and country. Also, in many locations where these women live in a patriarchy society they are not in control; they have to get permission from a male family member and they may not allow them to receive the treatment they deserve. To change this problem if men and women in each community can work together to establish an effective program that will benefit all involved while still respecting the cultural beliefs of these countries, that can help reduce HIV and other issues that are present in these communities. If people are able to listen to one another and hear each others’ ideas it can lead to greater results.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/oct/26/swazi-women-campaign-stigma-hiv

Blog 9: Critics See ‘Chilling Effect’ in Alabama Immigration Law

Alabama’s new immigration law is intended to drive illegal immigrants from the state by making every aspect of their life difficult. To them, this does not include education, though. During a court filing, Luther Strange, the state attorney general argued “no child will be denied an education based on unlawful status.” This law is a step in the state’s strategy to topple the ruling that all children in the United States, regardless of their immigration status, are guaranteed a public education. A provision written in the law requires all primary and secondary schools to record the immigration status of incoming students and their parents and pass that data on to the state. This is a tactic to scare immigrants away from schools. In appeals court, the provision did not pass because it violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause, saying that the statute “imposes a lifetime hardship on a discrete class of children not accountable” for their immigration status. The court also said that the state had not presented evidence showing it was substantially harmed by giving these children a free public education.

I think that this law has good intentions, but the provisions and policies within it are unreasonable. It is a positive to know how many illegal immigrants are in the state for census and government purposes. But, by purposely making these immigrants’ life harder than it already is seems unnecessary, especially when it comes to a child’s education. If a state wants to make a plan to lessen the illegal immigrants in the state, that is one topic. To take a free education away from a child, who has no say in whether they live in the United States or their country of origin, is unlawful and disgusting. American’s who think this is a reasonable solution are supporting illegal immigrants working low wage jobs. If the child does not have a chance to become educated, they will only be able to obtain a job that American’s complain about them working. They then create a viscous cycle of discrimination.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/us/alabama-immigration-laws-critics-question-target.html?ref=education

Blog # 9 Wife Sharing haunts Indian Villages as girls decline

LaShonda Williams
Blog #9
October 28,2011


“Wife sharing haunts Indian villages as girls decline” provides insight on the harsh environments that women who live in Baghpat, India have to endure. The women in small Indian communities are being trapped in homes where they are being forced to marry, have sex, and bare children to multiple men. These women are being abused and are not allowed to leave outside of the home without an escort which hinders them from ever getting help. The ratio of 858 women to every 1000 has led to these secret practices. This ratio is due to decades of aborting female babies. Women are being abused, tortured, and turned into sex slaves because men are scuffling to have wives who hopefully will bare sons. Males are viewed as an asset to a family and females are viewed as a burden. A son’s role holds greater importance because they are seen as breadwinners, carry on the family name, and perform the last rites of the family. A daughter is viewed as a liability because families have to pay for a wedding and make sure she doesn’t engage in premarital sex which brings shame and dishonor to families.
The underlying social issue in these Indian villages is the lack of support for women who are dealing with these conditions. Residents who know what is going should speak up and get these women help. Since no one is reaching out to help these women it looks as if people in these communities are adapting to these crimes being committed right next door to them. Police officials that are aware of what is going on in these communities should be conducting investigations and helping women get out of these harsh situations. These acts should not go unnoticed, especially since more than three crimes are happening to one woman at a time. No woman should be beaten, made to engage in sexual activities, and have no outside contact with society. There has to be some boundaries implemented in these communities or the lives of women and young girls are going to get far worse.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/27/us-india-women-exploitation-idUSTRE79Q1WX20111027