Category: columns2014

columns2014

Working for a world without poverty

Post author By Web administrator
Post date October 19, 2014

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

“Oh, how I wish for a Church that is poor and for the poor!”

– Pope Francis speaking to journalists, March 16, 2013

On Friday October 17, the world observed International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In his message in 2013, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN, reminded us that: “more than 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty worldwide. Too many, especially women and girls, continue to be denied access to adequate health care and sanitation, quality education and decent housing. Too many young people lack jobs and the skills that respond to market demands. Rising inequality in many countries — both rich and poor — is fueling exclusion from economic, social and political spheres, and we know that the impacts of climate change and loss of biodiversity hit the poorest the hardest. All of this underpins the need for strong and responsive institutions.

Tags poverty

columns2014

Empower the ‘girl child’

Post author By Web administrator
Post date October 11, 2014

“Empowerment of and investment in girls are key in breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence and in promoting and protecting the full and effective enjoyment of their human rights.” – UN Resolution 66/170

The world observes International Day of the Girl Child (girls under the age of 18 years) on October 11. The human rights of the girl child continue to be violated daily in every country. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said in his encyclical God is Love, “the Church must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.”

Tags girls, women

columns2014

Invest in teachers

Post author By Web administrator
Post date October 4, 2014

October 5 is World Teachers’ Day. Its aim is “to mobilise support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers”. The theme for 2014 is Invest in the future, invest in teachers.

If we are to invest in teachers in T&T so that they can promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of students, we must reflect on whether we have created conditions to nurture effective teachers who strive for excellence in all that they do.

Tags teaching

columns2014

Questions about the Civil Society Board

Post author By Web administrator
Post date September 27, 2014

Good governance involves creating a culture that will facilitate participatory governance – with a clear understanding of the roles and functions of the various stakeholders; a culture that is devoid of feelings of mistrust.

On Wednesday, September 17, I attended a National Forum on the Establishment of the Civil Society Board (CSB).
In his opening remarks, Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration, Hon. Rodger Samuel, talked about the need for us to journey forward together, to build an inclusive community with a “revitalised spirit of volunteerism and cohesion,” and to “hold Government accountable for what it promised”.
The advertisement for the event on the Ministry’s website stated that “the Ministry has embarked on an initiative to facilitate the formation of a National CSB which is aimed at strengthening the voice and influence of civil society, to create the context and framework for better organisation, workable form, and clear, strong voices.

columns2014

Right of Peoples to Peace

Post author By Web administrator
Post date September 20, 2014

“Peace and security are essential foundations for social progress and sustainable development… We must douse the fires of extremism and tackle the root causes of conflict. Peace is a long road that we must travel together…Let us all reflect on peace – and what it means for our human family. Let us hold it in our hearts and minds and tenderly nurture it so it may grow and blossom.”

Ban Ki-moon, UN General Secretary, 2014
Today the world observes International Day of Peace (IDP), a day which the UN declared “as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.” The theme of IDP for 2014 is the Right of Peoples to Peace.