Sunday, April 6, 2008

random

The little girls here are very shy with me – though fascinated -they watch me from a safe distance, whispering then will turn toward me with round bright eye – scoping out whatever the just discussed - Our house is full of little girls, cousin and daughters of whoever – most 5 or 6 yrs old – so far only savinj will talk to me – probably because she sees me everyday-She is also the one who like to carefully study my eating habits. In general I don’t pay them much mind – they get cuddle, kisses and cooed over more than enough – the usually have a slightly disgusted look on their face threw it - sometimes I joke with them – in English because it is funny to me – Well well the other say a group of them got together – they must have been feeling bold – I was sitting outside in the grass reading – they came up – got much closer than usual – giggled a lot – I ignored them - they got closer – creeping up - soon they were squatting Azeri stile two feet form me staring – granted no one sits in the yard and barefoot – then they started talking – random English words they knew – Before long I was farley surrounded by a troop of monkeys all yelling Azeri or English words and me supposed to give the translation for it or me trying to ask them words – which they for the most part ignored and forged on – then we made a stick house. After a while of this I felt the need to flee, they pursued me as far at the front door – still yelling everything that came to mind or sight– One definite goodbye (sag ol) and I dashed in the house – safe – for then – a few days later I was laying in my room – I guess after figuring out I would not eat them they were eager to talk – they had found my window, lucky enough its too high for them to see in – high pitched little voices echoed my name – I am not ashamed to say I hid – froze, not making a sound till they gave up the hunt – Oddly enough I have been running into more friendly girls of all ages – They boys are always yelling at you but not the girls – but maybe they have seen me a couple times or maybe I have a friendly look lately – I have been listening to mitch hedberg as I walk – there is one little girl I love –She is probably 5 or so, her family runs a small fruit and veg hut attached to the outside of their gate – She is always watching me when I walk by – Like with all the girls I make an effort to smile and say hey to her – one day she got he courage to give a tentative salam – the next time she saw me coming she ran out into the sidewalk Thrust her little out and waited for me to come shake it – Well today I walked by - I happened to be on the opposite side of the street – No worries, she yelled laughed and jumped salams while multitudes of braids flying – it may draw more attention to me but its worth it.





I running into internal battles on the best methods helping – how do you help without making people dependent –or in this case making them more dependent - Just because they really need something should I get some money and fix it just bc I can or is it more beneficial to wait for them to do it even if it take 100 times at long and might never get done – how do you encourage them to to do it – how do you open peoples eyes to other possibilities and options– where is the line when It comes to doing what I think is important, am interested and want and what they think is important and want – because I cant really accomplish anything worthwhile with out their full support - what am I comfortable with – I know we all have to find our own internal balance follow our owe internal compasses – Im working on it but there must be a magnet close by



Women face bias worldwide - UN
Women are discriminated against in almost every country around the world, a UN-commissioned report says.
It says that this is despite the fact that 185 UN member states pledged to outlaw laws favouring men by 2005.
It adds that 70% of the world's poor are women and they own just 1% of the world's titled land.
The report, which was prepared for UN Human Right Commissioner Louise Arbour, says rape within marriage has still not been made a crime in 53 nations.
'Life-long violation'
The report was compiled by Fareda Banda, a law professor at London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
At a news conference in Geneva, Prof Banda said that other laws discriminating women included statutes on divorce, maternity benefits and pensions.

EVERY woman I know has experienced discrimination or abuse
J K Holtz , Chicago

She said that even basic laws like the legal ages for marriage could have a huge impact on women's lives:
"Many states still have different ages of marriage for young women than they have for young men, and the age for girls is always lower then the age for boys.
"This leads to violations, for example of a girls' right education, if she has to leave school at 14 to get married, and this impacts upon her life chances.
"It ends up being a life-long violation of her rights in terms of forfeiting education, having children too early, possibly being damaged herself."
The report recommends the introduction of a new, separate mechanism to fight discrimination because existing UN and international human rights laws are not being upheld.

It also calls for a new UN expert to focus specifically on laws which damage women's chances in life.




Is it not surprising to anyone else that Armenia is in the samebracket as America, China and most of Europe, with Georgia closebehind, while Azerbaijan accompanies Iraq, Iran, Ethiopia, Venezuelaand Afghanistan in the highest bracket?

1 comment:

alexis said...

hi, i'm a woman and i've been invited to the peace corps in azerbaijan. can you tell me more about the sexism?

alexis

alexistentialism@gmail.com