Planting seeds of hope for the new generation

103,318. That’s the number of people who crossed the Mediterranean Sea to get to Italy from January to August 2017. 103,318 people, most of them youth leaving everything behind, country, wives, families, to seek a better future, a quest that cost many their lives.

 

This is what poverty looks like with its intense despair that makes people risk their life for an Eldorado that often doesn’t exist. Europe’s promise hides a sad reality for migrants. Most of them end up in the streets or in migrants’ camps without better prospects than before.

Faced with growing poverty and food insecurity, Senegalese youth are among many African youth who lack hope for the future and are making the choice to leave. This situation is dramatic. The Senegalese economy relies deeply on cash crops and fishing and the growing exodus threatens the future of theses sectors.

What can be done to stop the flow of youth leaving their country? We can revalue agriculture as a viable career and lifestyle choice attractive to youth.

On my recent visit to Senegal, I met proud youth working in agriculture, growing a rotation of crops that allow them to have revenues all year long. These youth took part in the Farmers for the Future project launched by our partner RESOPP with Crossroads International’s support. One hundred youth, half of them women, were trained in modern farming technics, agroecology and management and now understand how it can work. This model is inexpensive and has a high retention rate with youth who now have steady revenue and activity.

Projects like this one are inspiring and have proven their worth in other countries like Bolivia, Togo or Tanzania where our partners, with Crossroads’ collaboration, developed new farming models that now provide sustainable revenues to youth and their community. I’ve seen promising results and those projects are real catalyst for change that can transform the way youth see agriculture and can help them find new sustainable prospects for the future.

Why Day of the Girl should matter to Canadians

On Oct. 11 the world will recognize the sixth annual International Day of the Girl Child. The question many Canadians may ask is: Why does it matter here?

The answer is simple. Our words matter.

Read the full op-ed in The Vancouver Sun

What the Ouagadougou terrorist attack means for our work in Burkina Faso

By all accounts, it was a calm night in Ouagadougou when terrorists targeted the Istanbul Aziz restaurant and left 19 people dead and many injured. Among the victims was Bilel Diffalah, a long-term volunteer with Uniterra.

When I learned of the attack I was on vacation in France with my family and my heart sank. For those of us supporting Canadian volunteers abroad, it is our greatest fear.  Within a few hours I learned of Bilel’s death. 

This heinous attack raised many questions among our volunteers, supporters and partners. A lot of people asked me: what does it mean for Crossroads International and its work in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso’s experience of terrorism is not unique. Citizens in Barcelona or London also endured senseless acts of terror in the last few months. Poverty and inequality fuel these acts in countries where we work and the citizens and those working alongside them are among the most vulnerable.   

For Crossroads, the safety of our volunteers is paramount.  We are keeping a close watch on the situation in Burkina Faso as well as in any other countries where we are working and are adapting our work to this new reality. I am heartened by the commitment of our volunteers and their strong desire to continue their mandate alongside the citizens of Burkina Faso. That is why, Crossroads must redouble its efforts to advance equality for youth, strengthen women’s economic empowerment, fight forced and early marriages and increase women’s leadership and political representation. Despite positive actions taken by the Burkinabe government, a lot of work is still needed to improve women’s and girls’ rights in Burkina Faso. The country has, for example, the sixth highest rate of early marriages in Africa with 52% of girls married by the age of 18, half of them already mothers at that age. 

We know that, with the threat of terrorism, we are facing an additional challenge. However, as long as the safety of our volunteers is not compromised, we will continue to work together to give youth hope for a better future and to advance equality and women’s rights. Let’s not forget that the rise of extremism often leads to women’s rights violation and that’s why it is essential to advance women’s rights to fight this ideology.

International development is fundamental in times of crises. I believe that by working collectively to create one world where poverty is eliminated, equality prevails and the rights of women and girls are fulfilled, we will also help advance peace.

Brave words need bold actions

I was pleased to be invited to the launch of Canada's new Feminist International Assistance Policy on June 9. It was a proud moment for me, an immigrant in my chosen country, to be among an intimate group to hear the announcement from Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau. As the policy outlines, the federal government is reorienting public policy to put the security, rights, and economic empowerment of women and girls at the centre of its global aid strategy. I was especially proud because at Crossroads International we made the same choice more than a decade ago.

The policy promises to enhance the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls; increase the participation of women and girls in equal decision-making, particularly when it comes to sustainable development; and give women and girls more equitable access to, and control over, the resources they need to secure ongoing economic and social equality. These are the same tenets of our strategic plan!

The federal government has also committed to increase programs that will:

• Address sexual and gender-based violence and increase access to justice for victims
• Build capacity of local women’s organizations and movements and their work to advance legislation and policies that advance women’s rights
• Increase access to resources and growth for women including access to land; and improve economic opportunities for, and resilience of, rural women that take full account of impact on the environment and climate change
• Advance women’s leadership and decision-making in governance at all levels
• Effectively engage men and boys

In my partner visits this past year I saw example after example of innovative programming that is contributing greatly to each of these goals. Our work to advance women’s equality is benefiting whole communities.

Of course with this new mandate, more discussion of the myriad of details on how to implement a feminist international aid policy will be required. Crossroads International looks forward to working with the government and other stakeholders to facilitate a smooth implementation.

A key aspect of this implementation not yet accounted for however, is resourcing. Eighty percent of aid will go to the advancement of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls by 2021-22. This as well, is tremendous.

Yet the sum of this aid is not known. As I shared with you in advance 2017 federal Budget, Canada is on pace to have the lowest aid commitment of any Canadian government in half a century and has become a laggard among G7 countries when it comes to international aid. The most recent Budget did nothing to address this concern.

This Minister and the federal government have demonstrated courage and foresight in committing to a feminist international assistance policy. They must now back up their pledge with dollars. Investments spent wisely will realize greater gains and serve as stronger justification for the government’s strategy. 

As a country we have a lot to celebrate on this our 150th birthday and this bold policy is one of them. Planning for the next federal Budget is about to get underway. Let’s ensure this time the government gets the message: brave words need bold actions; increase international aid spending now. The women and girls of the world are depending on us.

To read more about Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy visit http://international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/priorities-priorites/policy-politique.aspx?lang=eng#1

Seeking Justice for women in Tanzania

I have just returned from Tanzania to meet with our partners for the first time. Our discussions were frank, informative and, at times, difficult to hear. Yet I return with a sense of hope. 

The context and magnitude of the challenge of gender violence in Tanzania was startling. While Canada is not immune to issues of systemic violence, the absence of the sort of basic societal structures and policy responses in Tanzania that Canadians take for granted was alarming.

That is why it was so moving to see Crossroads volunteers with direct experience in the Canadian system —  a judge of the only Canadian Domestic Violence Integrated Court, a Crown Attorney and a manager of the Victim and Witness Services from Toronto — working with our partners KWIECO, police officers, justice officials and policy makers to share knowledge and provide training in systemic responses to gender-based violence cases in the court system.  

One of the first questions volunteers asked shelter staff concerned the first steps when a woman who is a victim of violence presents herself. Are the police called? This is a reasonable assumption, yet it underscores the many gaps in access to justice for women. Even where there is goodwill, there may not be adequate resources. For instance, police often will not answer a distress call without having the cost of the fuel to take victims to safety paid for!

This is not the least of roadblocks that await victims of violence seeking justice. Public confidence in police response is low. The place of paralegals in the justice system – among the key actors in the pursuit of justice for women – is fragile. They are not recognized by the Ministry of Justice in Tanzania. Cultural assumptions and traditions continue to be a challenge. All of this at a time when up to 40% of all public legal cases in the Kilimanjaro region are gender violence cases.

Yet I returned to Canada with great hope and determination to do more. There is demonstrable progress. Women are better informed about their rights and are better positioned to demand justice. There is greater awareness of gender-based violence generally throughout the community. In addition, paralegals are coming into the communities once a week to provide consultations. Change is being made and there is a shift in thinking. 

Crossroads and its partners are at the forefront of this change. The Access to Justice Program in Ghana and now Tanzania is inspiring.  And with support from the Government of Canada’s volunteer cooperation program, information and expertise is being shared and adapted to the local context in each of the countries where we are active. The model could have an unprecedented impact on women’s access to justice and equality across regions and countries and we need to do more.

Ending gender-based violence requires a holistic approach. More supports are needed for psychological support, where there is a clear need especially for children who have experienced or witnessed violence and access to health care, since hospitals are often far from the community so it is difficult to get evidence of assault.

Change can be painfully slow for a woman and her child staying in a remote shelter wondering if wounds can heal and justice will ever be realized. But change can, and does happen. Rights awareness and demands for access to justice are growing and as it does violence will ultimately be reduced and rights will be realized. With the collaboration of volunteers and donors, Crossroads will continue to seek that justice alongside our partners and the women and girls they serve.

National Volunteer Week

In a world where fewer than 10 people own 50 percent of the global wealth, what can we as citizens do to effect change? What do we have to offer that cannot be bought by a wealthy elite? How do we stand up to the rich and powerful in the face of such inequity? 

Martin Luther King, Jr. offered a useful perspective: "Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?"

All of us have this capacity for service. Whether it is helping on a project to improve your local neighbourhood, or volunteering to advance women’s rights on the other side of the world. Volunteerism is both an expression of shared humanity and a commitment to civic responsibility.

Of course, volunteerism is the heart of Crossroads International. Volunteers' generous commitment of time and expertise is our lifeblood. Canadians from all walks of life, all backgrounds, and all regions of the country are dedicating themselves to making the world a little more equitable, a little more just.

This week, we are celebrating not only Canadians, but also the many volunteers in our partner organizations who are passionate and skilled collaborators. National Volunteer Week (April 23-29) is also an appropriate time to reflect on the wider societal impacts of volunteerism. Engaging with the world through service builds empathy, fosters dialogue and cross-cultural understanding, and sparks curiosity – all traits that too often appear in short supply when we observe political contexts around the world.

Crossroaders are – through our model of international cooperation – building bridges with their fellow global citizens that will remain strong and drive change long after the immediate impact of their project contributions is realized.

By decoupling service from monetary or other personal reward, we are building a true coalition of the willing, and preparing an effective counterweight to the forces of ignorance, greed, and division.

In the past 50 years more than 10,000 people have served as volunteers with Crossroads International. Through their dedication of time, experience, and expertise, they have created a legacy of hope and change. I salute all of you and thank you for your global citizenship.

As we usher in National Volunteer Week, I encourage you to re-commit to service and reengage. Research an organization or cause, speak with a neighbor or colleague, and get involved. Your energy, ideas, passion, and skill are needed, and together, we can build a better world.

Will you stand with us – and “Be Bold for Change”?

On International Women’s Day, Crossroads International is celebrating women and men who are taking bold action for gender equality. This year, the theme is “Be Bold for Change”. Well, these Crossroaders are change-makers, and their boldness is what the world needs now more than ever.

• Asia Clarke is a young Canadian with her own jewelry business who shared her experience as an entrepreneur to support woman building their own similar business in Ghana. 
• Susanne Courtney is leveraging her expertise in communications and advocacy to aid women’s rights in Tanzania.
• Ángela Romero is advising on market access in Bolivia to support sustainable community projects. 
• Crossroads Board Member and volunteer Alain Fournier is providing technical assistance to improve monitoring and evaluation with partners in Burkina Faso
• Daniel Godon leveraged Geographic Information System (GIS) technology with partner APROFES in Senegal to support data gathering and information synthesis that allows the managers to locate and assess current interventions and reveal villages with less support that could benefit from future interventions.
• In Canada, Board Member Susan Green is leading by example in the private sector and calling out misogyny in the discourse and standing up for equality. 

Crossroads also has many incredible partners who are being bold for change.

• Mama Elizabeth Minde is a lawyer and women’s rights activist in Tanzania who initiated the first shelter for abused women in the country. Volunteers from Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter in Toronto are helping KWIECO with the process. 
• Companies such as Green Beaver and Papillon MDC are boldly supporting Crossroads’ local partner Union Nationale des Femmes Coopératrices du Sénégal, a network of 15,000 women cooperators who produce a range of soaps in ten regional unions across Senegal, to get a foothold in the local economy. 

These are just a few of the examples of Crossroads women and men working to advance equality by taking bold actions. In the current climate, these actions stand in stark contrast to rhetoric that marginalizes and demeans women. All Canadians can Be Bold for Change by taking action in their own communities. We need more Canadian businesses to be bold in joining with us to leverage their expertise to increase the productive capacity of women led businesses and ultimately improve incomes.

The proposed US federal budget from President Trump included a more that one third cut to international aid and development. If implemented, the impact on women globally will be devastating. In this country, the Canadian government has made bold statements. We need the federal Liberal government to be bold in investing in international aid. We need the government to heed the call for #MoreCanada.

Global volunteer cooperation is a cost effective way to share strategies, build expertise, and understanding that advances equality and peace. Will you stand with us and help us continue our innovative work on access to justice for women?

We need Canadians from all walks of life to Be Bold for Change. We need women and men to speak out against hate, stand for equality, and support our work – by donating, volunteering, or spreading the word.

So today, I wish you a Happy International Women’s Day, and ask you to stand with us, and #BeBoldforChange.