GCNova: Girl Child Network Worldwide at Villanova: following women worldwide: north korea, myanmar, and china.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

following women worldwide: north korea, myanmar, and china.

Former POTUS Bill Clinton has headed to North Korea, hopefully with intentions to secure the release of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. Back in June, the two reporters, of the California-based media venture Current TV of former Vice President Al Gore, were arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison for illegally crossing the China/North Korea border. As the US does not have diplomatic ties with North Korea, the fight to liberate Ling and Lee has been a difficult one. Formerly, the Obama administration had been working for the young women's release on "humanitarian grounds," but have since dropped that effort in favor of working towards amnesty--or, forgiveness for the offense. Hopefully, Clinton's presence in North Korea and a possible meeting with N. Korean leaders can bring about the safe return of the journalists.

UPDATE: Ling and Lee were pardoned by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on August 5, 2009 local-date time. The girls are coming home! Read more here.

The verdict of Myanmar democracy activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been delayed... AGAIN. Reminiscent of the way the junta kept prolonging her detainment over, and over, and over, and OVER again since 1989, isn't it? Last Friday's hearing, at which her verdict was expected to be announced, lasted "about 30 seconds" before the judges gave another trumped-up excuse (of "other considerations") for delaying the verdict once more. Now, the date has been set for August 11. Despite the obvious discrimination and "show trial" aspect of the whole ordeal, it remains a beautiful fact that Suu Kyi has remained poised and apparently optimistic. The woman is a warrior.

Finally, Newsweek has published an article about the uprising of women in China. It is always an amazing thing to see people, especially women who have long been wrongly purported to be the weaker of the sexes, stand up against discrimination. Of particular note is the article's references to the ongoing prostitution and sex industry in China, as it contributes to the exploitation of women.

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about us.

Inspired by the heroic story of Betty Makoni, GCNova is a collaborative student organization founded by Jessica Lu (’11) and formed to support the proper treatment of women in our schools, communities, nations, and the world. On October 1, 2009, GCNova officially launched as an organization of the Center for Peace and Justice Education at Villanova University.

In Zimbabwe, of the southern region of Africa, concerns of poverty, political violence, homelessness, starvation, public health, and unemployment overwhelm public consciousness. However, other important issues of individual rights and protections are often overlooked. One such issue is the tragic exploitation of primarily young women. In Zimbabwe, traditional healers have long perpetuated the belief that a man can cure his own HIV/AIDS infection by raping a virgin. This belief has become so deeply entrenched in the psyche of Zimbabwe that even infants have been mercilessly sexually assaulted.

Makoni, a Zimbabwe native and child rape survivor, became so concerned with the staggering incidence of HIV/AIDS, rape, and promulgation of the so-called “virgin myth” in her country (and others throughout Africa) that she decided to give girls a space where they can talk, find support, and uncover solutions. And so, in 1999, Girl Child Network (GCN) was born. After just one year, there were 100 GCN clubs throughout Zimbabwe. Eventually, Makoni founded the group’s first empowerment village, a haven for female victims of abuse, where girls could receive medical treatment, an education, counseling, and the encouragement to become their own healers—transforming victims to leaders. Now, GCN has grown to include over 700 girls’ clubs and three empowerment villages across Zimbabwe. Approximately 300,000 girls have received help from Makoni’s organization.

Scorned for her efforts, Makoni was forced to leave Zimbabwe and relocated with her family to the UK. In 2009, she teamed up with Priscilla Nyathi to form the Girl Child Network Worldwide (GCNW). In partnership with the DOVE project, a domestic violence awareness group based in Essex, England, the Girl Child Network Worldwide (and Girl Child Network Trust Fund UK) hopes to spread the message of Zimbabwe's GCN to the international stage. The worldwide organization officially launched on September 4, 2009 in the UK.

GCNova hopes to bring GCNW's efforts to the Villanova community, making a stand for women, children, and victims of sexual violence all over the globe.

GCNova: Girl Child Network Worldwide at Villanova

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

following women worldwide: north korea, myanmar, and china.

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