Catholic Commission for Social Justice
By Darrion Narine, CCSJ’s/AMMR’s Programme Coordinator
A woman once told me that if men didn’t exist for a day, she would go on a hike by herself. When she said this, I reflected on it for quite some time. We, as men, sometimes don’t realize the simple privileges that we have in everyday life but beyond this, men also don’t realize how their actions can cause the uneasiness of women.
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
“I must admit we are a bit late in developing a theology of women. We have to move ahead with that theology.” (Pope Francis, Sept 29, 2015)
The Vatican City State has a daily newspaper called L’Osservatore Romano (The Roman Observer). It reports on “the activities of the Holy See and events taking place in the Church and the world. It is owned by the Holy See but is not an official publication.”
On March 8 the world observed International Women’s Day (IWD). The 2019 theme is: Think equal, build smart, innovate for change.
As the UN states, the theme “focuses on innovative ways in which we can advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure….Innovation and technology provide unprecedented opportunities, yet trends indicate a growing gender digital divide and women are under-represented in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and design. It prevents them from developing and influencing gender-responsive innovations to achieve transformative gains for society….it is vital that women’s ideas and experiences equally influence the design and implementation of the innovations that shape our future societies.”
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
On Sunday, November 25, the world will observe the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. As the UN states: “Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today and remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.
The world observed International Women’s Day (IWD) last Thursday (March 8). Women play a pivotal role in society. While we commemorate their political, social and economic achievements, let us step up our efforts to empower girls/women and create conditions to enable them to realise their full potential.
The theme for IWD this year was Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives. Let’s maintain our focus on this theme and play our part in transforming women’s lives.