D - 2

I'm leaving in two days.I will pack tomorrow.
New security measures: carry-on baggage prohibited (well, I'm allowed to have a purse).I have a 10hr flight....
I tried to find summer clothes yesterday but of course failed miserably as it's the middle of winter over here.I couldn't even find mosquito repellent.I checked the weather in Ghana, it's 30C...We had -25C yesterday here in Montreal...

For a start...

Well, that's a good start...As a result of the attempted attack on a Delta flight, security will be tightened and passengers have been advised to arrive three hours early. Also, no excess luggage.Not that I was planning on bringing my entire house but still.But, you know, I understand why they're doing it
I just hope the Montreal-NY plane won't be delayed I need to catch my plane to Accra.

25 December

Merry Christmas!!!

I'm leaving in a week!!

Montreal-Brussels/Paris-Kigali

I now have booked my flight to Rwanda and will make a 2 week stop in Europe.It's all going so fast.When I come from Ghana, I'll have two months here and then I'm leaving again.

Leaving for Accra, Ghana in exactly 15 days and 380 hours.I have all the paperwork ready, flights booked etc.Packing will probably take two or three days.I also hope we don't get a snow storm on the 1rst.That would make things more complicated.

Visa Ghana

Quick update: on Thursday, I received my Ghanaian Visa.It looks great by the way.First visa from an African country.I'm also relieved.I'm leaving in less than a month: January 1rst!

World Aids Day

Today is World Aids Day!

November 25

November 25 marked the 10^th anniversary of the UN-sponsored International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day launches 16 days of activism against gender-violence around the world. As you know the issue is the main point of my project in Rwanda so I thought I should at least remember this day. On 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day. The UN described domestic violence against women as one of the most pervasive human rights violation known today.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon renewed his campaign opposing violence against women:

"Our goal is clear: to end these inexcusable crimes -- whether it is the use of rape as a weapon of war, domestic violence, sex trafficking, so-called 'honor' crimes or female genital mutilation.” He said it was crucial to address the roots of violence against women and reminded people of the UN campaign, "UNite to End Violence Against Women.” The campaign calls for countries to put in place laws, action plans, prevention, and systematic measures to address sexual violence in conflict situations and other forms of gender-violence whether during conflict or not (in France, for example, one woman dies every two days as a result of domestic violence. It is not confined to a single culture or region or to particular groups of women within a society. You must know that up to 70% of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime. Shocking, right?). UN Resident Coordinator, Khin-Sandi Lwin, said, “The message is clear: We have a responsibility to end gender-based violence together as Women, girls, men, boys and individuals of all generations, religions, occupations and political beliefs, regardless of our socio-economic backgrounds.” The consequences of gender-based violence are devastating and have been mentioned before. Violence not only physically and emotionally hurts the victim but also impedes the ability of women to go to work and earn a living to support their families.

The UN also called for men to take action to eradicate violence done to women:

“Violence against women and girls will not be eradicated until all of us - men and boys - refuse to tolerate it,” said the UN secretary general.

To commemorate the day, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will launch his Network of Men Leaders, a major new initiative of his UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign. The Network of Men Leaders consists of politicians, activists, religious and community leaders who will work together to support the efforts of women around the world to embrace equality and inspire men to speak out against violence.

Visit these websites for more information on the issue:

http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/

http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/

Ghana: "Freedom and Justice"

Official name: United Republic of Ghana

Motto: "Freedom and Justice"

Population: 23.8 million

Capital: Accra. Capital since 1877.

Other large cities: Kumasi, Tamale

Major Ethnic distribution: African 98.5% (major tribes: Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5%

Religions: Christian 69%, Traditionalists 8.5%, Muslim 15.6%, others 6.9%.

Languages: English (official), African (Akan, Mole-Dagomba, Ewe and Ga)

President: John Atta Mills (2009)

Monetary unit: Cedi

Agriculture: cocoa, rice, coffee, tapioca, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas, timber.

Natural resources: fish, gold, timber, diamonds, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone…

Climate: tropical, warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast, hot and humid in southwest, hot and dry in north.

History
Much of the attraction of Ghana is based upon its legacy as the center of the gold, ivory, and slave trade during the 17th and 18th centuries, when the mighty Ashanti Empire held sway here. Ghana has always stood out among African countries since it was the first African nation to gain independence from a colonial power (1957).

The Republic of Ghana is named after the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa. The actual name of the Empire was Wagadugu but Ghana was the title of the kings who ruled the kingdom. Before 1957, Ghana was called the Gold Coast. Kumasi, the Ashanti (ethnic group) capital, was one of most advanced cities in Africa and, at the time, it was far more developed than any European country. The Ghana Empire was in the Sahel and included most of present-day Senegal and some regions of Mali and Mauritania. It did not reach as far south as today.

In 1482, the Portuguese built a castle in Elmina, in the Central region along the coast. Their goal was to trade in gold, ivory and slaves. The slave trade grew in importance over the decades, although it already existed prior to colonialism. In 1598 the Dutch joined the Portuguese and other European traders joined in by the mid 18th century, including the English. Ghana became largely considered a British territory by the latter half of the 19th century. The remnants of the trade in Ghana are still visible today: numerous forts and castles were built by Europeans between 1482 and 1786. The large-scale organization of European slave trading, the development of industry in Europe and massive plantations the Americas largely dependent on slave labor gave rise to a trade in humans that was shocking in its scale. Many of the forts have been preserved and attract visitors as part of the Slave Route Project of UNESCO.

The colonial years were relatively untroubled but little was done to involve the African population in the political processes. Immediately after WWII things moved fast: the turning point was the return home in 1947 of Kwame Nkrumah after several years of study and radical politics abroad. He was invited back to the Gold Coast to become general secretary of the United Gold Coast Convention, an organization campaigning for self-government. He organized non-violent protests and strikes. But in the colony's first general election, in 1951, the CPP, founded by Nkrumah in 1949, won convincingly. In 1952, he became prime minister. A year before independence, the neighboring Togo voted to merge with the Gold Coast. Nkrumah gained leadership of the country in 1957 and the Gold Coast adopted the name of Ghana.

By regional standards, Ghana is often seen as a model for political and economic reform in Africa. Ghana became a republic in 1960 with Nkrumah as president for life and only one political party, the CPP. Ghana fell into corruption and economic decline. Nkrumah was brought down by a coup in 1966. After experiencing a series of coups, Lt. Jerry Rawlings took power in 1981, leading the country towards economic stability and democracy. After drafting and approving a new constitution, Rawlings won presidential elections in 1992 and 1998. John Kufuor succeeded him until 2009. The post of President is now held by John Atta Mills.

John Atta Mills

Culture

A common feature of all Ghanaian cultures is the love for festivals, dance and music. There is one almost every week. They cover the right of passage child-birth, puberty, marriage and death. There are 3 main types of music: traditional music; "highlife" music (mix of traditional and ‘imported’ music); choral music. Drumming is also highly popular.
While there is a small body of written literature in indigenous languages, Ghanaians maintain a rich oral tradition. Literature in English is also well developed.

Food

Ghana has diverse traditional dishes from each ethnic group. Soups are the primary component in Ghanaian cuisine and are eaten with fufu (either pounded plantain and yam), kokonte (cassava meal cooked into a paste), banku (fermented corn dough), boiled yam, rice, bread, plantain, or cassava. The most common soups are palm nut soup and groundnut (peanut) soup, Jolof rice, West African curry

Fishing Boats

Places to visit (I’m not gonna do it all since I’ll only have the weekends off, but obviously I’ll make sure to visit most of it)

Greater Accra: Makola Market, The DuBois Centre, University of Ghana, the National Museum, Old Accra, botanical garden, Bojo beach. Busua and Dixcove, two fishing villages not far away from Accra.
Ashanti and Central region Region: Kumasi, Lake Bosomtwi.
Brong Ahafo region: Kintanpo waterfalls, lakes, National Park, Tafi Atome
The Coast: castles along the coastline, Kakum National Park (rain forest), beaches and fishing villages, fishing fleets, market day in Elmina and Cape Coast. The coastline is Ghana’s premier attraction, full of palm-lined beaches and the remains of European coastal forts.
Northern region: Mole National Park (elephants, baboons, crocodile ponds,…)
Volta Region and East: Lake Volta, Wli waterfalls, Mount Afadjato, Tagbo Falls, Shai nature reserve



Bojo Beach










Marie'

I feel like a slice of Gruyère...

I got all my vaccines yesterday. Here is the list
Tetanus
Yellow Fever (without which i can't enter the country)
Hepatitis A
Meningitis
Polio
Cholera
Typhoid

And I got my prescription for Malaria medication and other things.I'm starting treatment in two weeks to make sure it works for me.
This morning, my arms and legs hurt and I feel like a slice of Gruyère cheese, full of little holes.

I also applied for my Visa yesterday.So now I just have to wait.

Time is flying by...

The Project, part II.

First, I would like to thank everyone who has sent donations and messages of encouragement. I greatly appreciate it. I’m overwhelmed by the reaction and will do my best to keep you informed about everything.
I would like to talk you more about my project/research. The Ghanaian project requires me to establish a report paper, so this will allow me to ask questions and observe the work people do there.

Community-driven approaches

As I told you at the very beginning, I’m interested in looking how African civil societies and community-based organizations, (meaning local communities, groups and individuals) deal with problems such as HIV/AIDS or gender-based violence. Given the inadequate health infrastructure of many Sub-Saharan countries and the overall scarcity of resources to combat the epidemic, I think the adoption of creative strategies involving communities in the prevention and control of the disease is one of the most important issues and should be brought to the attention of policymakers and health workers.

Every year, the US and European Union spend millions of dollars on AIDS prevention programmes. While I obviously support this and am delighted that policymakers want to solve the problem, I also think that we do not pay enough attention to more local solutions and communities. AIDS prevention has become a multi-billion dollar industry. The problem is that relief funds is that those who provide them have a certain number of rules and ideas about how prevention programmes should be run. But sometimes the problem is that these rules do not sit well with certain African communities. Community approach can be a great opportunity to find the best solution possible and engage individuals and community outreach services. Moreover, community-driven initiatives and activism provide a great springboard for democratization and development.

Uganda is often used as a story of success as well that civil societies and African governments are very much capable of establishing programmes adapted to their needs and culture. And not necessarily with a lot of resources.

In the 1980s, Uganda’s infection rate was of 20% (30% among pregnant women in cities!). But in the early 1990s, the infection began to drop and today stands at 7%. While this is still high, the drop is remarkable. Although Uganda is poor, strong government leadership (despite not being democratic), broad-based partnerships and education programmes contributed to this major decline. Since most infections are spread by sex outside the marriage, he programme was named ABC: Abstain, Be faithful, use Condoms. Although the method has drawn criticism from donors (particularly due to the emphasis on abstinence), the solution fit into Ugandan culture and beliefs. The Ugandan government put funding and efforts into the programmes by establishing HIV/AIDS committees and by engaging all sectors of society. Local communities are involved in community-outreach programmes such as training leaders and community workers to educate people about the risk of the disease.

Therefore, while funding and support are of course needed, there should be an actual dialogue between those who provide funding and those who receive it. The people who are responsible on a daily basis for providing services as well as those who receive them are in the best position to analyze the needs and challenges and therefore to tailor solutions specific to local conditions. Moreover, the more individuals and local communities are empowered, the greater the likelihood that we will be able to gather a set of lessons that can be built upon. Lessons are derived from community-based organizations who work together to solve their own problems while being provided the necessary tools and support.

Involved women, targeting women

Now, considering women are particularly affected by both HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence, my goal is particularly focus on the way women are involved in community-driven programmes. Often women are overlooked yet considering they bear the brunt of the problems, it should be crucial to establish programmes targeted specifically to women or started by women themselves.

If we take the case of Rwanda, women are rarely allowed to inherit or own property. So if, let’s say, their husbands died during the genocide they are not allowed to inherit property left behind and are therefore rendered destitute. Care programmes should acknowledge this problem by being gender-sensitive. My aim is to look at what civil society has done to provide care, education, counseling, political power, access to food, water and health care. I know that such women's groups have emerged in Rwanda and I plan to look at what they do and how and if it works. Their goal is to strengthen medical and psychological assistance for gender-based violence victims, provide vocational training and encourage legal protection of women and men. Here international agencies can help in professionalizing and providing long-term support.

On the subject of community-based approaches and individuals trying to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, I would recommend a book by Stephanie Bolen, 28 Stories of Aids in Africa. She relates the story of 28 individuals she met during her various trips to Sub-Saharan Africa. All of them have HIV/AIDS but are now trying to make a change in their society. They do so by providing home-care, travelling around the country in pick-up to raise awareness about the epidemic, provide agricultural support and food for the sick, set up counselling groups and orphan care, and even organize “Miss HIV/AIDS Beauty contest” in an effort to eliminate the stigma of Aids. This with or without much support or resources. A former soldier (a high-risk group since they travel a lot and often practice high-risk sexual behaviour) who caught HIV in his twenties now travels around his country of Ethiopia in order to educate soldiers about the disease. The initial response was rejection, but the problem is so great that soldiers are lacking and military readiness in danger. Out of necessity and concern, the militaries have had to take major steps and emerged as leaders in the response to the disease in terms of prevention, care, treatment even research. The former soldier says: “The soldiers listen. They believe me because I was one of them. I talk like they do. With me, they say, ‘This guy is one of us’.”

M'

Eerie insurance information and Ghana program news

Yesterday I paid my Ghana volunteer program and received all the insurance numbers and information.You will be happy to know that accidental death and dismemberment are covered.Yes, this is a a little creepy.I do not plan on loosing an arm but obviously you never know.Also, suicide is not covered.Insurance documents are always a little sinister.

Montreal-Accra-Montreal

Just a quick update to let you know that I booked my flights to Ghana (finally).Leaving on January 1rst (yes, New Year's partying will be tranquil), arriving in Accra very early on the 2nd.The program starts on the 4th so it will me a day or two to recuperate and get "somewhat" accustomed to the environment.I'll be fit and wide awake to start my work.Now that i have booked the flights, everything is even more exciting and scary.
Soon I'll take care of the visas and vaccines.Time is flying!

Ghosts of Rwanda

"Rwanda will never leave me: it's in the pores of my body. We saw lots of them dying, and lots of those eyes still haunt me -- angry eyes, innocent eyes. They're looking at me with my blue beret, and they're saying, 'What in the hell happened?' ... And they're absolutely right: How come I failed? How come my mission failed?" (General Romeo Dallaire)

Today, an important Rwandan genocide suspect was arrested so I thought I'd post a very interesting documentary about the genocide. Idelphonse Nizeyimana was head of intelligence and military operations at Rwanda's elite military training school. He is charged with adhering to and executing a plan to wipe out the Tutsis.
"Ghosts of Rwanda" is a PBS Frontline documentary about the genocide and particularly the response (or lack thereof) of America and the West.Even though Rwanda is a very small and unknown country at the time America, Europe and the UN had been warned about what was happening. Instead of intervening, the West resisted intervention from the beginning.Americans, French, Belgians and Italians citizens on the ground were all evacuated and the entire U.N. Security Council voted to withdraw 90% of the peacekeepers in Rwanda.General Romeo Dallaire was left with 450 ill-prepared troops from developing countries.Leaders refused to call it genocide and the world failed to intervene.

The documentary can be watched online.It is gruesome but very well done.This is the first part of the documentary but the rest can be watched online as well (on youtube or here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/video/ )

Here's the website on "Ghosts of Rwanda" where you can find a timeline and several interviews.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/

Awards:

• Winner, DuPont Columbia Award (Television equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize)
• Winner, Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award
• The Sidney Hillman Foundation Journalism Award
• Banff World Television Festival Award- Best Social & Political Documentary

How many lives? HIV/AIDS in Africa, Ghana

HIV/AIDS is predominantly a sexually transmitted disease. It causes illness and death among mature and sexually active adults, usually between 15 and 50 years of age, therefore the most productive people.

Why is Africa so affected by HIV?

Susceptibility varies from continent to continent, from society to society. Over three-quarters of those killed by HIV/AIDS live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The region remains the worst affected area and yet there is no straight-forward answer as to why Africa is more affected by AIDS than any other continent. It is influenced by various factors. None of these problems are particularly unique to Africa but nowhere else do they exist in such abundance. In Somalia, the HIV prevalence is under 1% of the adult population, but in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe around 15-20% of adults are infected. In Botswana and Swaziland (Southern Africa) the national adult HIV prevalence rate now exceeds 20%. West Africa has been less affected by HIV and AIDS, but some countries are experiencing rising HIV prevalence rates.

It must also be added that anti-retroviral therapies are too expensive and need fairly sophisticated delivery infrastructure. Access in therefore very difficult, contrary to countries such as the US.

Some factors:

- Patterns of sexual behavior: In African countries, the majority of infections are transmitted through heterosexual sex. One of major causes of HIV infections is unsafe sex.
Many individuals have multiple sexual partner but do not necessarily use protection. A married man may have several partners at the same time, including young girls. Such behaviors are normative in Africa and differ from serial monogamy. As a result, the virus spreads through generations as these overlapping "concurrent" relationships link individuals and generations, a little bit like a giant spider web.
Some groups are more at risk than others: Truck drivers, female sex workers are less likely to use contraceptives.

- History: Migration, slave trade, mismanagement, violence, inequalities, corruption etc…
- Poverty: AIDS is not caused by poverty (although poor people are more likely to get infected) but has indirect effect on HIV incidence. Poor people are more likely to be infected.
- Gender inequalities

Many women find it difficult to ask their husband to use condoms. Sexual violence, such as forced sex, is also widespread in many regions.
- Migration and a mobile work force, especially truckers. The virus travels.
- War: Refugees spread HIV as they flee.
- Lack of access to health care: There is no vaccine but Anti-retroviral therapy reduces the morbidity of the virus as it prolongs the time between HIV infection and AIDS.
- Talking about sex is often taboo, leading many people to remain silent
- Rapid urbanization. Cities are breeding grounds.

Why are women particularly affected?

Infection rates in young African women are higher than young men. It is difficult for women to protect themselves as result of several factors
- Gender inequalities
- Prostitution to gain economic power (female sex-workers are a high-risk group).
Women are often economically and socially disadvantaged, leading to a lack of access to treatment and financial support. In some cases they are also perceived as the cause of the HIV/AIDS and as the prime transmitters. These believes lead to stigmatization, often leading to differential treatment in terms of care and support.

Discrimination has spread rapidly, leading to anxiety to come forward. For example, HIV and AIDS are believed to bring shame upon the family. People living with the disease are often seen as being responsible for contracting HIV, especially as it is associated with death and behaviors that are already stigmatized.

>> There is a need to pay more attention to women as they are already disadvantaged and find it harder to seek care, which is why the project and research I will do on the ground will primarily focus on women

Effects on African societies

The impact of HIV/AIDS on African countries is enormous but hard for to imagine. A lot of the continents problems are directly and indirectly linked to the AIDS crisis. The HIV virus causes AIDS and destroys the ability of the body to fight off opportunistic infections by destroying the immune system cells. The body therefore becomes vulnerable to all kinds of diseases
The social and economic consequences of HIV/AIDS are enormous and tragic. It kills more people than wars and AIDS is making Africans poorer, especially because the epidemic is hitting the middle generation of society.

- Direct effect: increase in mortality

Someone who has been infected by HIV can expect to live 9 years on average before falling seriously ill. Mortality will affect both adult and infants (mother-to-child transmission). Ex: life expectancy at birth in Swaziland is 31 years (approximately 78-80 in Europe and North America).

- Economy and development

Lack of producers and consumers is setting back economic activity and social progress on several levels depending on where she/he fits in the community. HIV/AIDS acts as a significant brake on economic growth and development as the virus reduces the productivity of workers and skilled workers become scarcer. In return, lack of development has affected African country’s ability to cope with the disease.
- Household

The impact of AIDS is immediate and catastrophic. AIDS has devastated entire Africans families as individuals are hit in their productive prime and no longer can act as a caregiver and income earner. At the same time, the medical bill rises. Families therefore lack basic necessities
- Food production

Fields can no longer be tended for. Food shortages, malnutrition, exacerbation of poverty, starvation at household and community level.
- Children

Orphans and child-headed households
- Health sector

The large number of patients puts strains on an already fragile health system. It affects the availability of treatment for non-AIDS illnesses n the health system and put additional pressure on health staff.
- Education

Some schools lack teachers because of AIDS. Children also drop out of school to help nurse their parents. Families can also no longer pay school fees since the money is spent on medical care. Fewer children therefore receive basic education.

Response

The response varies from country to country. While other first evaded the subject, many governments have been very effective in their response and place great emphasis on prevention.
- Education and prevention (including schools, ad campaigns, "Miss HIV" contests,...)
- Voluntary counseling and testing
- Access to condoms
- Strategies to prevent mother-to child transmission of HIV
- Anti-AIDS Drugs, anti-retroviral treatment programs (availability difficult)
- Protection from stigma and discrimination
- Care for people living with HIV, AIDS orphans etc

Ghana

Facts and statistics

- First case reported: 1986
- Total Population: 22,9 million. 320,000 estimated to be living with HIV (2005). The cumulative AIDS cases is difficult to estimate as the vast majority of those infected do not know they are
- HIV/AIDS Adult prevalence rate: 2.6 % compared to 7.5% in Sub-Saharan Africa and 1.1 % globally (UNAIDS report on the Global Aids epidemic, July 2004). Currently the epidemic is stable. In comparison to other African countries, Ghana’s prevalence rate is relatively low.
- Prevalence of women (56%). The initial cases were predominantly female but ratio started to narrow 10 years ago.
- People between 25-34 are the hardest hit, especially young women
- Estimated number of Aids orphans:
- Percentage of HIV-Infected people receiving Anti-retroviral Therapy: 16% (end 2006)
- Number of people estimated to be in need of ART:
- Most at risk populations: sex-workers and their clients (transactional sex), particularly women. Economic migrants, female itinerant traders. Refugee flows from neighboring countries, such as Côte-d’Ivoire can also lead to an elevation of Ghana’s HIV prevalence rate.
- Many factors have led to the spread of HIV/AIDS, including compromised political and economic situations, unbalanced gender relations, labor migration (national and international), high-risk sexual behaviors.

Knowledge and Concern

There is widespread knowledge about HIV and the modes of transmission. The problem, however, is to turn this knowledge into behavioral change. Also, stigma and discrimination are still great, leading many infected people to hide their HIV-positive status.

National Response

- The Ghanaian Government responded actively to the HIV epidemic by creating a Ghana AIDS Commission. The government spearheaded several programs and has increasingly partnered with NGOs. The role of the commission is to coordinate and oversee all the HIV related activities and programs as well as implement a National Strategic Framework on HIV-AIDS.
- The National Strategic Framework is based on several intervention areas: promoting HIV/AIDS policy, coordinating a decentralized response, organizing prevention and behavioral change programs, providing treatment and care to HIV patients and affected individuals, HIV research and monitoring, mobilizing resources and funding.
- Most Ministries play a role in preventing the spread of HIV, particularly the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare.
- Nationwide HIV/AIDS campaigns have also been organized with the aim of disseminating information, empowering adolescent girls, helping people to move away from judgemental attitudes about safe sex and HIV/AIDS. Some initiatives also target specific groups, such as commercial drivers.


Remaining challenges in Ghana

- HIV is spread by certain types oh human behavior and so it could be controlled by changing these behaviors. There needs to be involvement from all sectors of society to promote prevention and intervention to reduce high-risk sexual behaviors, mitigate the problems of those already infected by the virus or otherwise affected by the epidemic. - Indifference and denial. The epidemic in Western Africa is not as visual in the East.
- Many people are never tested for HIV and only become aware of the infection once they have developed an AIDS-related illness.
- Discrimination and stigma
- Funding
- Continuing feminization of the epidemic. Because women were particularly affected initially, HIV/AIDS is still perceived as a women’s epidemic. The myth the AIDS is caused by women still exists. There are also gender differences in access to economic opportunities.

Some links:

http://www.ghanaids.gov.gh/gac/index.php

http://www.usaid.gov/policy/budget/cbj2006/afr/gh.html

http://www.who.int/hiv/en/

The War Against Women: Rwanda

My volunteer project in Rwanda will consist in dealing with women, girls and families affected by gender-based violence during and after the genocide of 1994. I also plan to look at the way women’s organizations (small and large) are used in post-conflict situations or to deal with crucial problems such as HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence (GBV) etc. I believe that these organizations’ and individuals’ work could be used to lead to more peaceful, gender-sensitive, equal and democratized societies.

The aim of my research in Ghana will be very similar (but more about that another time)...

During conflict, women often acquire new skills. They can be, and should be, crucial in decision-making processes regarding peace and development. Often, women are excluded from formal political processes although they could bring a completely different dimension and more inclusive peace. The goal of peacekeeping is to bring structural changes (legal, psychological, education, health care, etc) in society that will allow for peace to prevail. Moreover, peace building and development should be largely community-owned and-directed. Community–driven approaches can encourage a more gender-balanced representation.

The aim of my research will be to see how local organizations and individuals:

± Raise awareness about GBV, gender issues, gender equality, women’s rights etc
± Provide psychological and medical assistance to survivors, provide social services and education
± Attempt to reduce the culture of violence
± Try to change institutions and laws in their country
± Raise awareness of health workers or try to influence ministries, police etc
± If and how they foster public discussions
± Attempt to get more women involved in formal politics
± Engage in long-term development and rehabilitation
± Attempt to create employment, provide economic assistance and establish microcredit and vocational programs, etc












Intended Consequences, an exhibition about Rwandan children of rape and their mothers. Pictures taken by photojournalist Jonathan Torgovnik.

For those of you interested, here is some information on the subject of GBV.

“Women’s bodies [are] a battleground in times of war.” - Rachel Maranja, UN adviser on Gender Issues

o Gender-based violence

Gender based violence can be manifest as domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, and psychological abuse. Both men and women are affected by the problem (although women are more vulnerable than men). It can take place in the family, the community or be perpetrated by the state. In conflict situations, such as the genocide in Rwanda, GBV is often committed by soldiers. Since 2008, rape is considered as a crime against humanity, a war crime and in the case of Rwanda a crime of genocide. It has been called “the most pervasive yet least recognized human rights abuse in the world” by USAID.

Many countries are affected by the problem of GBV during conflict. The Democratic republic of Congo is sadly well known for that, although not much is done about it. GBV was also largely used during the genocide in Bosnia in 1995.

o Rwanda specifically

The situation of Rwandan women today has been defined by the 100-day genocide of 1994. The statistics are hard to believe. About one million Tutsi and Hutu, the country’s main ethnic groups, were killed. Between 250,000 and 500,000 Rwandan women and girls (both Tutsi and Hutu, although the reasons for each group were different) were sexually mutilated, held in sexual slavery, raped and gang-raped as rape was encouraged and became the rule. Under international law, rape constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity, and in case of Rwanda, an act of genocide.

Organized propaganda fueled violence against women and girls. Tutsi women were portrayed as tools of the Tutsi community and as sexual weapons used to weaken Hutu men. Women became an enemy of the state and rape was used to dehumanize and intimidate Tutsi women as well as the entire Tutsi community. It became a military tactic that could used like a rifle. The perpetrators were mostly Hutu militia (Interahamwe) but also the military, the police, civilians and international soldiers. A culture of pre-existing (gender) inequalities created an environment for targeted violence during conflict. The magnitude of sexual violence in conflict will never be fully known since many victims do not come forward but it was certainly not a side effect of the conflict (as in most conflicts)

o Impact

- Stigmatization and social exclusion
- Poverty and ownership issues. Many women then resort to prostitution to survive.
- Health problems and inadequate health care. It increases the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS...
- Homelessness
- Caring for children from rape
- Psychological isolation

- GBV continuum: GBV can become an accepted practice as a result of conflict, leading to an increase in domestic violence once peace has been restored. This also due to men’s feeling of failure, their frustration over poverty and unemployment. Men then tend to assert their masculinity through violence.

The burden of the genocide fell heavily on women. It left almost half of the households headed by women. Right after the genocide, Rwanda had very much become a country of women, with 70% of the population being female. The burden of conflict and displacement falls disproportionately on women.

Victims therefore suffer economic and social difficulties:

- Women find it difficult to talk about their experience, particularly because the Rwandan cultural and social climate is very much conservative. Being a survivor of rape is not easy as victims carry a social stigma and face isolation.

- Before the genocide, men took care of all activities outside the household, making women largely dependent on men. In a post-genocide Rwanda, women’s subordinate status has grave implications. Their second-class status under Rwandan customary law makes it impossible to enjoy equality as they have to face discriminatory practices, particularly in terms of property inheritance law (as a general practice women cannot inherit property and access to owning is difficult). Women’s ability to find possibilities outside the home is difficult as they are primarily seen as child-bearers. They have little education and lack marketable skills and so many survivors have been reduced to a very low standard of living as they can no longer provide shelter, food or pay for school fees for their children.

- Women suffer persistent health problems as a result of the rape and other forms of gender-based violence (such as sexual mutilation). The rate of HIV infection is difficult to estimate. Before the genocide, 25% of the population was infected. But the situation was aggravated by the conflict. Because abortion is illegal in Rwanda, many women had self-induced abortions because they could not bear the thought of carrying a child of rape (“pregnancies of war”).

o Response in Rwanda

A growing number of organizations in Rwanda have started to emerge to deal with the issues facing women. Many survivors are trying to break the silence surrounding their experience. Counseling groups, survivor support groups, AIDS awareness centers and medical centers have been created and women are also getting more involved in politics. The Ministry of Gender and the Promotion o Women is working to educate women on the concept of gender and women’s rights.

Related Links (I’ll post a list of books soon):

http://www.theirc.org/our-work/gender-based-violence-programs

http://www.who.int/gender/violence/en/

http://www.hhri.org/thematic/gender_based_violence.html

http://www.unfpa.org/rights/violence.htm

Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda. Human Rights Watch report. http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/1999/rwanda/