Consultation Day

Day 2 was simply full of inspirations and passionate speeches. Here is a very brief (I tried my best) summary of my experience and thoughts of today.

8am – Armenian Convention Center

We decided to walk to the center and it only took us about 15 minutes. It very much reminded me of my young days in Seoul. I used to walk everywhere, day and night, in a cold weather just like in NYC. Good times.

When we got to the center, first thing we realize is a long line of women outside of the building. It was surprising (or shocking) to see that Jeff and I were the only men in line until I talked to few Japanese men later on that morning. Then, we started distributing our fliers. It was competitive as everyone tried to pitch in their own events. But it was actually a great way to network I have to say. I am definitely going to these Japanese women’s event about women in Okinawa, Japan on Tuesday!

Waiting outside

9am – GIRL BE HEARD

Just watch this. It was a phenomenal opening act.

9:30am - Welcome by Soon-Young Yoon and Michelle Bachelet

           One thing that really disappointed me today is lack of presence of Koreans. I only met 3 Korean women while there were a lot of Japanese men and women. Then, Soon-Young Yoon (who is Korean) gave a welcome speech as the chair of NGO CSW. At first, I found it funny. Both the Secretary-General of the UN and the chair of NGO CSW are titled by Koreans; yet, Koreans were almost invisible at the CSW consultation day. I feel very strongly about this and hopefully, somehow, I will get to fix this in the future.

 About 700 people at the consultation. About 6,000 people registered for CSW conferences.

Soon-Young Yoon, Chair, NGO CSW/ NY

11:00am – Panel on Trafficking of Women and Girls

           I am sure Yolanda will cover this more in detail but Dr. Helga Konrad, Former Austrian Minister for Women, was definitely my favorite speaker of the session. She said that we learned to manage human trafficking but not a very combatic way. She questioned political wills to end human trafficking and encouraged NGOs to push the governments. But some governments are less acceptable to NGOs push than others. How do we approach this in such circumstances?

Dr. Helga Konrad, Fomer Austrian Minister for Women

1:30pm –Panel on the Role of Men

            I KNEW I had to have a quick lunch and come back to the center because of this session. Ah, this was such a great session. Bafana Khumalo, Senior Program Specialist of Sonke Gender Justice in South Africa, raised many great points. He expressed his concerns over alcohol consumption, possession of guns, parenting (need for men to be involved in children’s lives; women get maternity leaves but what do men get for bonding with the children?), and investment for the research in the role of men.

           Malika Dutt, CEO and founder of Breakthrough (Ring the Bell), was just a phenomenal speaker. Instead of writing about her speech on Ring the Bell campaign, I leave you with two short clips of Ring the Bell global movement. But later on, at the last panel of the day, she emphasized the importance of 1) asking for help 2) making commitments to one another.

Thanks to Beth (who shouted “we have a man here with a question!) I got to ask a question to the panels at the end. My question was, “I find framing violence against women as a women’s issue because it is essentially everyone’s issue. How can we shift away from this societal attitude, not in a way putting men in a shame, but rather, encourage men to be part of the movement?” Although they didn’t have time to directly answer my question, it is something that we all should be mindful of, I thought.

Mallika Dutt, CEO and Founder of Breakthrough

3:45pm – Training in Communications and Social Media

           PCI Media Impact put on very intriguing presentations. Communications and Social Media is something that we all should not overlook, nowadays, because literally anything can happen in one night with the power of social media. They mentioned the effective communication and social media strategies are composed of 70% entertainment and 30% education. They also said that the Five Key communication principles are 1) Knowing your audience 2) Use your trusted sources 3) Heads, Hearts, & Hands (make your audience feel what you mean) 4) Use love, not loss and 5) Share across the platforms. Later on, they defined social as dialogues, learning, sharing, and collaborating. These presentations involved many impressive examples such as Takun J, the hip co artist in Liberia, and his song “Song for Hawa,” Circle of 6, and once again, Breakthrough ads.

NANCY SCHWARTZMAN, The Founder of The Line Movement and Circle of 6

5:15pm – “The” Conversation

           At the end of their presentations, PCI people wanted us to do interactive activities with our neighbors, I turned around and tried to talk with this lady behind me. She immediately said, “They didn't target the audience like they told us to, although they are doing their best.” During the conversation, she mainly critiqued how this social media presentation was created for selected audience, rather than the global audience. She even mentioned how the session was too intellectual for developing communities, and not practical enough. She even questioned circle of 6, which I disagreed with her. But then, she challenged me “Who’s going to use it? Not all women can afford iPhones.”

           This, to me, was a wake-up call. What happened to my critical thinking that I learned in Women’s Studies courses? She said she was sorry for being negative. But, in fact, she did not have to apologize because her concerns were rather constructive criticisms. In this field, especially, self-critique is important because our ultimate goal is to reach out to women (and men) as many as possible to end violence against women. I still think circle of 6 IS a useful app that many people can benefit from. Some of my friends use this app frequently. However, it is something that we need to deeply think about that the global audience might not have an access to technologies like we do in America. I LOVED the fact that these women and men are so passionate about their works; they challenge themselves to be even better through self-critique. The lady disappeared shortly after telling us she is going to talk with the presenters about her concerns. It was such a great way to end my 2^nd day at CSW and I can’t wait for tomorrow’s presentations (mine and others!!!)

- Brian :)

Finally in NYC!

Just wanted to share that the WomenNC team (Beth, Jeff, Becca, Molly, Marzi, Yolanda, Elizabeth, and Brian) made it to NYC successfully! All of us are about to fall asleep but I still have to go through my presentation tonight for Monday's presentation. Here's what happened so far in NYC:

1. The hotel is very conveniently located a block away from the UN headquarters. It only took us 5 minutes this afternoon to get there for registrations. I cannot complain at all in this cold weather.

2. Big cities fascinate me very much. They are just completely different from NC so it takes a lot to walk around NYC acting like I know what I am doing. If it was not Molly, Elizabeth and Yolanda, I probably would have gotten lost!

The city life....

 Look who I found at the headquarters!

A copy of the fliers that we will be handing out to hundreds of people tomorrow.

3. In the evening,  we went over the schedules for the next few days just so that we are on the same page. Like a song "You can't always get what you want," I had to be selective with the time that I am given and the sessions I want to attend. There are just too many intriguing sessions but, the fact is, I can't attend all of them. 

4. Before I log out, I do want to share how awesome the headquarters were! Particularly, I am very impressed with how simple yet thought provoking their exhibitions on "Journey to School" were. The exhibitions featured individual's or group's rather difficult living experience of going to school in many different parts of the world such as France, Nigeria, Japan, and even in the United States. As I finished the exhibitions of Alaskan kids, educational issues are all around us, just like women's issues are; these problems are global but local and local but global. I could make the connections with the exhibitions and the reason why we are here in NYC this week.

Today was a hectic day... but it is about to be busier! I look forward for our adventure starting bright and early in the morning tomorrow at 7am. But, as much as I am excited, It might be a good idea to get some rest before hand.

- Brian :)

PS. Did I mention that I met a lady from Korea who worked in eliminating sex-trafficking for over 20 years? THAT was cool!

Scared!

The day is finally here. In about 12 hours, I will be presenting my research that I have worked for the past few months in front of ... a lot of people. I don't exactly know how many but I know it is going to be a lot enough to make me nervous.

A lot of people told me to get some rest. I, personally, had a rough week being very sick. But sometimes, I realize that I am a college student... and that I have stacks of school work piling on my desk. I happened to realize that today and so... I pulled an all-nighter. (I hope Beth does not read this until I finish the presentation)

But that is not exactly why I am scared. I am scared because I can vividly feel the chips on my shoulder. This research - that is supposedly last about 10 minutes - will make some kind of impact in my life, others' lives, and the community's history. It is extremely exciting yet scary. simply because you want to make a good impact. not a bad impact. 

A great lesson I learned from Finding Nemo is... we just need to keep swimming until we reach where we want to be. Other fellows and I made it this far so there is no turning back. just moving forward!

 I wish this post made sense despite of my lack of sleep.

- Brian :)

Valentine's Reflections

“Americans watched the events after the Delhi gang rape with a whiff of condescension at the barbarity there, but domestic violence and sex trafficking remain a vast problem across the United States” Nicholas Kristof, New York Times

Greetings!

The previous quote was pulled from an op-ed piece written by Nicholas Kristof featured in the New York Times. Kristof’s words remind Americans that violence against women is not something that just happens in other countries. It’s not just a problem overseas. Violence against women is something that happens in our own country, in our own state, in our own communities, to our own friends and family. 

Just this past weekend I was reminded of this as I read the numerous headlines talking about sex trafficking and the super bowl (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/super-bowl-sex-trafficking_n_2607871.html).  Thousands of Americans gather to throw parties and celebrations to watch the game, the half-time show, and the commercials (most of which objectify women). The unfathomable truth is that this highly celebrated event is also the single largest human trafficking incident in the U.S. However, there is hope, as awareness about human trafficking at the super bowl has greatly increased over the last few years.

Finally, as Valentine’s Day approaches, it is difficult to think about all of the people who do not feel safe and loved in their relationships. While statistically domestic violence calls decrease on Valentine’s Day, there is not a noticeable drop over a period of time. Domestic violence persists in homes and in relationships. The sudden drop during Valentine’s Day does leave me with one hopeful, idealistic question: what would one day without domestic violence look like?

You can read the full article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/opinion/sunday/is-delhi-so-different-from-steubenville.html?_r=0

Love,

Molly

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month

As I sit and look at my calendar, I cannot believe that January is almost over. For me, this month has been particularly special and important. So far this month has included many milestone events such as: watching the presidential inauguration with my family, ordering my cap and gown, developing my final independent study topic, and attending some amazing UNC basketball games.  While January has been very eventful, the most important aspect of this month for me and advocates everywhere is human trafficking awareness. January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

In North Carolina, Governor Perdue has issued a proclamation declaring January, “Human Trafficking Awareness Month.” Nationally, President Obama has declared the month, “National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.” While January is almost over, it is not too late to learn more about human trafficking or educate others. From dorm room conversations to coffee shop meetings, there are many opportunities to spread the word. Moreover, as we learn more about human trafficking every day, education and awareness can occur yearlong.  

According to the Global Freedom Center, the current estimates of human trafficking globally range from 20.9 to 27 million.  What can you do to spread word about modern day slavery? You can educate your friends, informing them about the current statistics and numbers of people involved in modern day slavery. Non-governmental organizations such as the Global Freedom Center, Polaris Project, International Justice Mission, Not for Sale Campaign, and Free the Slaves have outreach materials and resources that include great information and tools for students, churches, groups, and individuals. You can also invite your friends to measure their slavery footprint. The team at Slavery Footprint provides an innovative and useful tool developed by the director of Call + Response, a documentary about human trafficking, and the U.S. State Department. The tool shows how many slaves impact your life, considering things like the technology you use and the clothes you wear. How many slaves are working for you?

January is almost over, but it is not too late to raise awareness about human trafficking. Let’s continue to spread the word.

Things Happen...

This morning, there was a leadership development meeting that I did not want to late for. I was in such a hurry that I even took a shower in less than 10 minutes (this is not very easy to do with the water pressure of we have in my residence hall). In this chaotic moment, I found my sweater (that I picked earlier in the morning) laying on my bed. I reached for it and the next thing I know... BOOM. My laptop fell off from the top of the drawer.

I must have stepped on one of the cords connected to the laptop, which ended up pulling the laptop towards the floor. At the moment my laptop shattered in parts, I was so shocked I could not even move. I couldn't think of anything but my research paper and the interview notes I gathered. That was arguably the scariest moment I have ever had in the research process. 

Sometimes, things happen. out of nowhere. without a notice. To some people, it might sound like an excuse, but there is nothing much you can do about it because it already happened. You just got to go on. But when you think about it, it could have been worse. Somehow, my laptop started working after stuffing in everything that fell off. Part of the research paper disappeared but all my book notes and interview notes were not damaged. It could have been worse.

Things happen. small or big. unexpected or expected. The real question is, however, how prepared are you for those incidents?

- Brian :)

Excited to Spread the Word

Hi! I am Yolanda Fair. I am very excited to be a WomenNC CSW Fellow and wanted to take a little space to introduce myself and the motivation for my paper topic. 

To start, I am from Durham, grew up partiality in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and also have some roots in Virginia. As a North Carolinian, I am very excited to present and discuss some of the amazing work of initiatives and organizations here in this state. I am also a proud a unicorn and graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics before heading to Boston for college. For college, I went to Tufts University where I studied International Relations.  Currently, I am a third year law student at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

It was at Tufts that I had my first encounter with information related to human trafficking. During my sophomore year of college, I took course entitled After Violence: Children and Youth in War Zones. It was a course that surveyed the use of children in global and domestic conflicts. It was my first exposure to use of children as soldiers. Moreover, it was the first time that I really understood that individuals were being forced to work in this modern age. For the course, I wrote a paper about women and girls in the Nepalese Civil War. My research uncovered various ways women and girls were affected by forced work or modern day slavery. What I found both opened my eyes to human trafficking and created my desire to educate others about these horrendous practices. I learned about domestic servitude, sex trafficking, forced labor, and various ways individuals are impacted by modern day slavery.

Since my time at Tufts, I’ve been involved in various anti-trafficking efforts including UNC campus groups, summer internships, and my own academic study.  My ultimate goal is to talk to anyone who is willing to listen. I really and truly believe that human trafficking, modern day slavery, can be eradicated in this day and age. As a law student, I often gravitate to the law as a vehicle for change. I look to our legislation and policies to deter traffickers and to help victims. Furthermore, I realize that effective legislation serves as a strong tool for our legal system. My desire to educate others about human trafficking combined with my belief that policy can be used to help eradicate slavery motivated my paper topic. I’m very excited to present, explore, and research human trafficking policy and legislation in North Carolina, nationally, and globally. Moreover, I am very excited to present some of the great things organizations in this state are doing to strengthen our legislation.