As everyone already knows (probably due to our own frequent mentions of it :)), the youth essay contest announced to celebrate the 30th anniversary of CEDAW has been a resounding success. We had more than 100 essays from 33 countries.
It is only after we received all the essays and started reviewing them that we realized our predicament. There were so many excellent essays that it was extremely difficult to pick the dozen finalists. However, pick we have to, and the finalists in Group 2, Ages 18-25 (ordered by first name) are:
Open Door (cc) purplemattfish
- A E, Egypt/UAE on education & networking
- Himali A J, Nepal on economic opportunities
- Eda S, Turkey/UK on community mobilization
- Eyinade Adedotun, Nigeria on maternal mortality
- Jennifer T, South Africa on gender-based violence
- Karim A S, USA on economic inequality
- Mutesi Jolly Uhiriwe, Uganda on poverty
- Ndagire Irene, Uganda on HIV/AIDS
- Nuseir Yassin, Israel on traditions
- S G, UAE on sexual harassment
- Shi Min T, Malaysia on sexism
- Temitayo O, Nigeria on fear
As with Group 1, the essays were graded on Awareness of the Problem (35 marks), Ideas for the Solution (55 marks), and Communication and Writing (10 marks). The scores are weighted heavily in favor of those essays that suggest comprehensive solutions to advance gender rights in their societies.
Winners will be announced at a WLP symposium at the 54th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York City on March 5, 2010, 2020 Vision: Mobilizing for Women’s Rights and Eliminating Violence against Women.
In addition to the announced prizes, an Audience Choice Award will be given to the essay that generates the most discussion. We encourage you to take part in the process by posting your thoughts as comments in the essays themselves.
Please note that the audience choice is for fostering discussion. We do love those one line comments that show appreciation by way of many exclamations and smileys!!! :) Contest participants would enjoy them as well. However, only those comments that substantially add to the discussion will be counted during selection of the Audience Choice Award.
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- Essay Contest Finalists: Group 1, Ages 14-18
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- Youth Essay Contest Winners
February 27th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Great contest. I am glad I was one of the finalists. Thanks WLP.
February 28th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Words can’t describe how grateful I am now, to become one of the finalists.=)
Thank you, WLP. Thank you so much for giving me, and my fellow finalists this opportunity to contribute our little efforts towards global gender equality.
All the best!
March 1st, 2010 at 1:47 am
it feels so great to be in the ranks of the finalists.I must confess that the contest turned in some great insights.I hope that it will all spur us on to rethink these issues and implement creative ways to tackle the problem bedevilling women the world over.
Thanks Women’s learning partnership for the opportunity.
March 1st, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Thank you for this opportunity to add my voice to the many voices out there!
For me, the main issue stopping us from achieving gender equality is more psychological than any other thing. That’s the root of almost all the forces enforcing inequalities, of every kind–religious, patriarchal structures, harmful traditions, economic, sexual. I see addressing fear as attacking the tree of inequalities at the root.
Every achievement by anyone was done by confronting fear. And to be truly free, each person must break all mental shackles…For us to progress, we must look within and confront our fears, one by one! We have to take our lives in our hands. When we are fearless, women will take on political positions; they’d raise their voices for others; men would see women as partners in progress…
It starts with me. With you..with that kind word to that little girl that she’s as good as that boy in her class. It starts with giving our support to credible women in politics. It starts with speaking out. It starts with living each day to the fullness of its potentials…it starts with you and with me!
“…As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Thanks again WLP :-) Glad I made it to the finals.
March 2nd, 2010 at 7:00 am
I agree whole-heartedly with Temitayo that the root of gender equality is FEAR, and to solve the problem we have to cure the FEAR in women, make it by resorting to education, government’s policy, NGO’s campaign etc.
Another point that we can look into is that, while we are talking about leveling up women’s status, it’s important for us to keep on stressing on the concept of “EQUALITY”, that is to ensure men and women enjoy EQUAL rights and privelege. It has to be done as such, to ensure our male counterparts won’t feel like women are speaking up about the issue of gender equality because they want to “take over” men’s status and rights. By resorting to this approach, men won’t feel threatened when they support women in this course.
Just my two cents=)
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:36 am
Even though I’m a man,I feel that Temitayo has a point on fear.’The world is not designed to give us what we need,but what we deserve’(Jim Ron).For women to take thier place,they must demonstrate courage.That kind of courage that transcends all barriers of female gender limitation thereby making a statement-as fellow human we deserve better treatment.
March 2nd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
wow..glad to be one of the finalists in this competition..thank you WLP together with CEDAW for organising this competition. to me i have achieved something by having my voice added to view the plight of women not only in my country but all over the world. i hope this is an eye opener for people to embrace the value of women in building not only society but the nation at large.. once again thank you WLP.
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I can’t help but to point out this: there seems to be a reciprocate relationship between what is pointed out in Temitayo and my essay.=D
I believe that curing the FEAR in women will be the next significant step to encourage women to speak up for themselves, to defend themselves against the sexist remarks made by their male counterparts, to educate the next generation on right concept of gender equality, to join politics, and hence become one of those decision makers to decide their fate in the field of economy, social, cultural, civil and political rights itself!
Nonetheless, how to cure the FEAR in women? I still believe it falls back to education which shapes the fundamental thinking and awareness of gender equality in our next generation . I still believe it falls back to the policy makers who decide how the policies and education system should be, who are usually chosen/elected through the governing parties in politics (in the context of Malaysia and other countries which practice the smilar governing system)!
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:01 am
Dotun, what a brilliant piece.
I hope this timely message sinks into our collective psyche.
Permit me to modify an aspect of this essay.Making oxytocin available is good, but more importantly the judicious use of oxytocin should be advocated.So many lives have been lost due to this.
Our women should not die while performing their natural responsibilities.
keep it up!
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:29 am
I agree that fear is the single most important block to people overcoming oppression, but, fear itself isn’t a dangerous phenomenon. It’s a warning bell that’s trying to tell us to be more aware, to be more conscious – there’s danger lurking near us and we have to be on guard. It’s kind of like a buoy-bell ringing in fog warning ships of danger. The real problem happens when the human mind and emotions get involved. They transform fear into a Frankenstein-like creature that paralyzes people and keeps them from overcoming oppression. People will be oppressed as long as they aren’t masters of themselves; as long as they live with chaotic minds and emotions that are like quicksand. Once they stop oppressing themselves, they will be able to transform the world’s oppression into life-giving energy.
I see the external world as a mirror image of the chaos that exists inside myself. As I learn to transform that inner chaos into a modicum of harmony and balance, the oppressive madness of other people is no longer a threat. I quietly build the inner strength and foundation that enables me to live in the world and not be a prisoner of other people’s ideas. I am my own person. No one can take that away from me.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:05 pm
After reading the essay about Poverty by Jolly Mutesi, I totally agree that at the root of the challenges faced by women, is poverty. A number of elements would help resolve these as Jolly clearly highlights in the essay. Picking on one, HIV, which is a developmental issue, it is clearly linked to poverty, and would clearly contribute to addressing the HIV/AIDS issue by addressing poverty.
The issues in the essay are well elaborated.
Let’s put in all required efforts to address poverty and that way we will respond to the challenges faced by the woman. Its her right to this. We all collectively owe to her.
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:13 pm
This article is well written and provides an insight on what is happening in women’s world. Poverty affects women world wide and this is due to illiteracy, having to take time off work to take care of their children, discrimination at work etc. This can all change but we all need to change our attitude towards women and see them as equals not second class like many cultures tend to do.
March 4th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
there are a lot of issues affecting women in Ghana. these include domestic violence,female circumcision, discrimination in the society when it comes to decision making just to mention a few.
March 5th, 2010 at 8:41 am
aditya(aj) you have written very well….your eassy is the best and considerable which is capable of visualizing facts clearly to all.keep it up….i wish you all the best..and do your best…
March 5th, 2010 at 8:43 am
hey aditya ,….you have done very well…keep it up….i am really impressed…
March 5th, 2010 at 8:46 am
hey AJ….I AM SO PROUD OF YOU…YOU HAVE DONE VERY WELL….I AM REALLY SO MUCH HAPPY WITH YOUR ESAY.YOU ARE THE BEST.
March 5th, 2010 at 8:48 am
aditya…you are best..and your writing is the best..keep it up….and i am sure you will success….