WOMEN SPEAKING TRUTH AS POWER offers you a cyber-gallery page to show how we change the world creatively, one at a time. Check out anti-violence vs women posters from all over the world.  South African lawyer becomes new UN rights expert on violence against women Click and Find how Arab women are trying to change negative stereotypes in the media.... Click and Find what sexualizing girls is doing to their self-confidence and growth in a new study.... The report proposes that sexualization of girls occurs within three interrelated spheres: *The contribution by society - the cultural norms, expectations and values that are communicated in myriad ways, including through the media. A culture can be infused with sexualized representations of girls and women, suggesting that such sexualization is good and normal. *An interpersonal contribution - Girls can be treated as, and encouraged to be, sexual objects by family, peers, and others. *Self-sexualization - Girls may treat and experience themselves as sexual objects. If girls learn that sexualized behavior and appearance are approved and rewarded by society and by the people whose opinions matter most to them, they are likely to internalize these standards, thus engaging in self-sexualization. The report also reviews evidence that links sexualization to a variety of harmful consequences. These consequences include harm to the sexualized individuals themselves, to their interpersonal relationships, and to society. SPEAK OUT INVITE We work with many girls who want to change their childhoods now so we thought we'd ask you for your experiences and ideas to add to what we uncover in workshops. SEND US YOUR OPINION ABOUT CHANGING CHILDHOOD. LET US KNOW HOW YOU WOULD CHANGE YOUR CHILDHOOD USING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE NOW.... click and send WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON WHAT WE DISCOVER... A Model Story about Leading with a Disability by Jemimah Kutata  My desire is to empower physically challenged girls with skills and also to educate both disabled and able bodied on risks or dangers of female genital mutilation, which is still practiced in our community. March 2009 My name is Jemimah Kutata from Kenya in East Africa. I am physically challenged. I walk with the aid of two crutches and a caliper on my right leg. My disability was due to an injection when i was five years old. I am the 7th born in a family of 10. I have three brothers and six sisters, and I come from the Maasai community. Surely, being a disabled woman and coming from the marginalized community could be a double tragedy, but this has not hindered me from serving the community just like any other able bodied person. It was challenging for me to go to school since the Maasai people were not educating a girl child but my motto is, 'Disability is totally Not Inability.' i promised my parents if they take me to school i will perform better than the boys and that is how I went to school. Through my skills on making beaded items I help disabled girls to acquire the skills and empower them economically by helping them make and sell the beaded items they make. I wish to encourage physically challenged girls not to regard themselves as weak or dejected because disability should not hinder anyone's artistic talent; it is the quality of work that counts. Physically challenged persons should come up with speciall activities like fashion shows (see my picture on this page) organized by disabled models that I know are helping disabled girls to be special models in their communities. Prosperity begins with accepting yourself and knowing that you are fearfully and wonderfully made for the glory of God. My desire is to empower physically challenged girls with the skills and also to educate both disabled and able bodied on risks or dangers on female genital mutilation, which is still practiced in our community. When we empower a girl child we empower the community so join me and together we support physically challenged girls. for more information. You can reach me on tel+254722429137 or Email: Jkutata@yahoo.com Food and Life-Saving Medicine: A Life-Giving Connection Hello Everyone, background info from Zoe Alsop, a writer living in Nairobi who wrote about Saffi's kidnapping This note comes from a friend of mine here in Nairobi, who has organized community health workers across the massive, often violent, Mathare slum for the better part of two decades. She is beyond a solid citizen and wouldn't have asked me to forward this letter unless she'd exhausted every official option she could think of -- she's working with the Kenya Red Cross, the World Food Program, Doctors Without Borders and the Catholic Church and several others already. They are simply overstretched at the moment. I understand that this is the worst possible time for anyone to ask for money since everyone is losing so much of the stuff. I've agonized over sending this -- mostly because I feel like the people I am lucky enough to know are extraordinarily generous as it is. In the end I decided it was best to put this outthere and leave the decision to you. As far as charity goes, I think it's pretty good value for your money/time/ideas -- Ann et al. are volunteers and mostly from Mathare themselves. It is jarring for someone like me to see how far they can stretch a few dollars in this town. Your ideas and suggestions are also most welcome of course. Thanks so much, Zoe From Ann Wanjiru, Focal Point Leader, Nairobi The Mathare Mothers' Development Centre would like to send a request for food support to support our Friends( People living with HIV/AIDS, Orphans and vulnerable Children and grandmothers, especially those who are taking care of these children). Some have been going to without food for days and have even gone to an extent of being unable to take their TB and ARV medication.Others are at a point of being bedridden. In this regard, we are appealing to you or your organization for any kind of food, material or financial support. Thanks in advance for any help that will be granted to us. God Bless You. Yours Faithfully, Ann Click here! We are exicted about posting more of your work! |
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IMAGES Our Girls Speak Out Nesting Doll reimagined to include girls of many colors by artist Anne Watson   Ann Watson Send us your art. Click for Additional Original Multimedia Images |