By Elyse DeGrazier
Juxtaposing the victory of marriage equality in the United States is the backlash that we’ve seen against the LGBT community in recent weeks, such as the legislation in North Carolina that limited bathroom access for transgender people. Any denial of human rights is a threat to all of our rights; therefore, we must work together to end gender-based violence and discrimination. Join the United Nations Association Southern District of New York Young Professionals at WIX Lounge today, April 14, at 6:30 pm for a panel discussion on how we can use technology to scale the conversation about LGBT rights and create inclusive spaces for all people. New research has recently come out examining sex differences in the brain. On November 30, 2015, the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences published the findings of Daphna Joel, a psychobiologist from Tel Aviv University and her colleagues, asserting that there is no such thing as a “female brain” or a “male brain.” Even in areas of the brain previously thought to show differences based on sex, they concluded that there is more variability than consistency. “Our study demonstrates that although there are sex/gender differences in brain structure, brains do not fall into two classes, one typical of males and the other typical of females, nor are they aligned along a ‘male brain–female brain’ continuum,” the researchers wrote. Neuroscientist Lise Eliot confirmed these findings, which may contradict what we have previously heard. Eliot writes in Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow Into Troublesome Gaps — And What We Can Do About It, that the studies of the male/female brain published in scientific journals that garner attention in the media are those that confirm our gender stereotypes. “No difference” doesn’t usually get reported. The Saturday after the study came out, SNL included it in their news segment, the Weekend Update. Comedian Michael Che reported, “A new study finds that scientists examining scans of human brains could not tell the difference between the male brain and the female brain.” Then Che leans in and says, “In fact, the only way you can tell the male brain from the female brain is that if you look very very closely, the female brain always be shopping. Am I right?” Then the camera pans to Colin Jost, cracking up along with the audience. It was a funny moment, poignantly revealing our cultural tendency to dismiss and laugh away that which challenges our assumptions. I think it is important to call attention to this research as it is the first to examine the brain overall rather than narrow in on one specific area. Also, it comes at a time when there is renewed interest in finding sex differences in the brain. As the Time Magazine Cover declared in May of 2015, as a society we are at a “Transgender Tipping Point.” Celebrities coming out as transgender have generated media coverage and created unprecedented visibility for trans people. It has also sparked dialogue about what gender means. Where is gender located? As a culture we act with certainty about something that once examined is actually somewhat uncertain. Proud parents rush to tell the world who their child will be through clever gender reveals on Facebook or elaborate parties. Yet, chromosomes + genitals + hormones do not always add up to one gender or the other. Rather, they come together in complicated ways for many of us, not including the roughly 1 in 2000 people who are born intersex. Some people locate gender in creation stories “And God made them female and male…” Others locate gender as a system of oppression that determines anyone without a phallus as a woman (and therefore “less than”). What (I hope) we’re learning from hearing the stories of transgender people in the media is that who people know themselves to be may or may not agree with the sex they were assigned to be at birth. Biologist and trans activist Julia Serano calls this knowing a “subconscious sex,” or the sex we feel ourselves to be. Since the Enlightenment, the general consensus has been that there are two sexes. This notion has been so oft repeated that the binary of male and female is now taken for granted. We construct and then confirm this reality through socialization. Serano writes, “thus, the primary role of socialization is not to produce gender difference de novo, but to create the illusion that female and male are mutually exclusive, ‘opposite’ sexes.” Think for a moment about the implications of the question, “Are you attracted to people of the same sex or the opposite?” Not the outcome (someone being homosexual or heterosexual) but rather the belief that the question itself underscores. As a society, we no longer hold true blanket statements such as, “Men are good at math and women are not.” Yet, through science, socialization, and our use of language, we still hold on to the false idea these statements underpin, that men and women are opposites. Lise Elliot suggests while there is no male brain/female brain that perhaps the synapses and connections in our brain, not visible on an MRI, are what account for the differences we see in males and females. As we learn and gain new experiences the circuitry is rewired and our brains change. Our synapses are affected by both nature and nurture. What comes first? It’s hard to tell. As Julia Serano says, “it seems to me more accurate to say that in many cases socialization acts to exaggerate biological gender differences that already exist.” If men and women aren’t opposite, what does that mean about transgender desire? First, for those of us who have lived our lives with our subconscious and bodily sex aligned we have to acknowledge our blind spots; we don’t know what it feels like to be trans. Secondly, no matter how much I as a feminist am tempted to say that the whole gender thing is simply a construct, transgender people show us that difference exists between male and female. The pain that comes from “being born in the wrong body” is not insignificant nor can it be ameliorated through therapy. In the narrative of a culture that holds men and women as opposites, transgender people must take a long journey across a Grand Canyon of gender difference. We can see that in this version of the story, to cross over is a radical act of transgression. In fact, it has been. As a result, transgender people have suffered violence, imprisonment, homelessness, poverty, and even death. They are the gender migrants who are most often refused a passport by society. For a moment, if you will, imagine with me a transgender experience in a culture that holds men and women as being different but with so much variation that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what that means. Gender is considered a felt knowing instead of two poles on opposite ends of a spectrum. I envision this as a much shorter distance to travel with far lower stakes. Perhaps we can loosen our pink and blue version of reality just a little bit to make more lives, more gender expressions possible. This post was originally published on nursingclio.org. Elyse DeGrazier is a new(er) member of the UNA-SNY YP but a longtime advocate for human rights. An avid traveler, she’s made her home in New York. Currently, DeGrazier is finishing up a degree in Gender, Sexuality & Migration and is anticipating graduation in June 2016. UNA-SNY Young Professionals turned out in full force at “From Road Blocks to Building Blocks: Global Crises and the Role of the UN,” held Feb. 19. for Members’ Day. This series, Members’ Day Dispatches, shares their reports from the event.
By Joanna Blaz About 800 attendees at last week’s Members’ Day at the UN fell silent as one United Nations Association member from Queens, New York, posed a pointed question: Why are the panelists drinking from plastic water bottles in a city with clean tap water? This questioning of what we can each do to reduce waste reflected the theme of the “Post-Paris Leadership for Climate Change” discussion, one of five panels at the 8th Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, held Friday. Nilda Mesa, director at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, said New Yorkers in particular have an obligation to preserve the environment around them. “As New York City, we have a certain responsibility and people will look to what we’re doing,” she said. Mesa was joined on the panel by Give Me 5 Partnerships Director Austin Schiano, 350.org Co-founder Jamie Henn and UNA-SNY President George Garland, who moderated. Mesa went on to describe sustainable issues specific to New York City, including solid waste from garbage trucks causing respiratory issues in children. With the city’s 400th anniversary approaching in 10 years, her office stressed measurable goals, including reducing greenhouse emissions and striving for the cleanest air of any large city. (New York is currently at #4.) “Cities are really where the rubber meets the road,” Mesa said. Another metropolitan area under the microscope was the namesake of the panel: Paris. A film directed toward last year’s United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris (otherwise known as COP21) aimed to narrow a global issue down to the individual’s social media accounts. Actor Jack Black’s “#EarthtoParis” video urged viewers to use the hashtag and other social media technology to raise awareness on climate change. Cities like Paris and New York are huge targets for climate change, but smaller towns are making headlines for their sustainable efforts … and for the ways they are falling behind. The water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, hit close to home for attendee Dawn Nelson, an environmental scientist and lifelong resident of the state. Nelson admired the panel for offering a holistic, refreshing vision of how to solve sustainability issues around the world. She also stressed the importance of both environmental and social science professions. “[People ask:] ‘Sociology, what are you going to do with that?’” Nelson’s response? “Save the world.” Joanna Blaz is a UNA-SNY YP member on the Sustainability and Economic Development Committee. She is a web content editor at Weill Cornell Medicine and previously contributed to the Tampa Bay Times. by Melinda Richardson, Chair, United Nations Association Young Professionals - Southern New York Division and Shot@Life Champion I have advocated for global vaccines as a Shot@Life Champion for the past two years. This invaluable experience has led me to meetings with my Senator's office, a learning trip earlier this year to the Philippines, and various speaking engagements with both the Global Federation of Women's Clubs and the United Nations Association. With United Nations Association Young Professionals, we hosted Shot@Life Director Devi Thomas in New York City, where she spoke with young professionals about the campaign efforts and how they can get more involved. Following up on this, we will be hosting, along with the Young Professionals Healthcare Network, a follow-up training with Shot@Life next week where young professionals can get more actively involved in the campaign (details here). Being a part of the Shot@Life campaign has taught me many things about vaccination efforts, how they save lives and have a tremendous impact on development, and my goal is to share this with the larger community and activate even more advocates as these safe and effective lifesavers should be available to every child around the world. Earlier this week, in the lead up to World Pneumonia Day on November 12, I was able to sit down and speak with Dr. Namala Mkopi about pneumonia and his work promoting vaccines both as a pediatrician and as a Shot@Life Global Immunization Fellow at the UN Foundation in New York City. Shot@Life says that "pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children worldwide and accounts for 15% of all deaths of children under 5 years old". The prevention of pneumonia is a focus on the United Nations and Gavi, as it is critical to reducing childhood mortality. It is such a devastating disease that nearly one million children die each year. Nearly half of those deaths can be prevented with a vaccine. Dr. Mkopi discussed the progress in the fight against pneumonia in developing countries and Tanzania and challenges to these efforts. We also discussed how Shot@Life champions and supporters can enhance global vaccination efforts in their community and support these initiaitves around the world. -- Interview with Dr. Mkopi Q: What has inspired your work and led you to focus on championing childhood vaccines? The most important motivation for what I do is seeing the difference we make on a day-to-day basis. Seeing children die when you know there is a vaccine that is cheap and reliable not only in my country but other developing countries and think it could have been me. Having a child makes me concerned. Knowing that children will be vaccinated means everyone is protected. Prevention instead of building infrastructure to treat as infrastructure takes years - and even with the best facilities prevention is far easier and we can do it. Also, the amount of resources needed is high. The care and amount of resources - even parents leaving work to care for a child. All these things are too much in the country and these resources are a lot for developing countries especially. In terms of investment a vaccine is cheap and in terms of growth and development and health it is astonishing how cheap and easy vaccination is in comparison Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge to immunization? in Tanzania? In the developing world? The biggest challenge is getting human resources in place - in order to roll out a vaccine need everyone in place. Distance and coverage or range from these facilities is a hindrance to maximizing vaccines. Tanzania is highest in terms of coverage in our bloc. The healthcare system is solid in terms of basics and facilities-wise. But still not reaching 100% of these children. They set a target but it doesn’t mean all children. The last shot for pneumococcal vaccine, for instance, run as high as 97%. These are good numbers in Tanzania but out of five children one is not getting the vaccine - and this is in a “good” country. We need to work to get rid of these barriers and we need to share experiences in our country why are we successful and why aren’t we vaccinating that fifth child.The use of public private partnerships boosts coverage as the government can’t always reach the whole country.This struggle in Tanzania has at least helped them to reach MDG4 at the end of last year. Q: What do you see to be the biggest successes in getting vaccinations to developing countries? There is the fast pace of development and we are getting there and it is important to share experiences! When you don’t see it may not know what it’s for. It helps when people realize that there is a change and advocacy and sharing stories is important in this. Q: What would you say to a parent who his hesitant about vaccinating their child? I don’t see that in developing countries. Many parents afraid of pneumonia and it is very common. Parents knowing that there is a vaccine to prevent this are happy and it is a good deal for them. Many people in Tanzania take vaccinating kids to be a good thing and they have seen high mortality in the past. This has gone from 100 to 49 (deaths per 1000) from vaccination efforts. When the community doesn’t see neighbors dying as they did back then, they may forget, need to share this. I think people in the US take it for granted they are healthy. Q: What about the Pneumococcal vaccine? How can we share more about this? You don’t hear the stories of people during from pneumonia but it is the #1 killer of children in the developing world. So why isn't pneumonia in the news? The global efforts are getting there and many people getting involved so we should all get involved more. We have tons of organizations in my country (Tanzania) and none are talking about pneumonia. We need to show up, share, and do more than treat but prevent. Q: How can Shot@Life champions, and young professionals specifically, in the US support your work? Recruit people to be ambassadors and use the already available platform to talk to members of congress. The US government has committed itself to global health and make sure government keeps up this promise in funding global health and Vaccination efforts need finance. GAVI has reduced the price of vaccines by shaping the market. The efforts of people with Shot@Life and others supporters advocating and raising awareness. People in the US can be a voice, talk to others, and meet with members of congress. That’s the beauty of this thing (The Shot@Life campaign) to have a champion who’s a Mom or Dad and they share. For those without children supporting Shot@Life, they will better understand developemtn and when they have children they will be better parents and not take things for granted. These are the initiatives making people see and hear things they have never heard before. -- We need you to help Shot@Life during this World Pneumonia Day (November 12) so join us and tell your member of Congress you support funding for the protection of children against pneumonia! Use the tweet below with an easy search function to find your member of Congress so you can tell them today! Click here to join the ranks and #SoundOff with others about #VaccinesWork About Shot@Life Shot@Life, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, educates, connects and empowers Americans to help protect children in developing countries from vaccine-preventable diseases. By joining this movement, you can help save a child’s life every 20 seconds by learning about, advocating for and donating vaccines to children who need them most. Go to ShotAtLife.org to learn more. Melinda Richardson is the Chair of the United Nations Association Young Professionals, Southern New York State Division and is a Shot@Life Champion. She visited the Philippines on a Shot@Life trip in spring 2015 and saw firsthand the incredible work being done in childhood vaccination efforts and wants to continue to share these important stories and help others join the campaign. Follow on Twitter | Connect on LinkedIn | Website On October 22, 2015, over 100 people filled Brooklyn Borough Hall to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. The evening, organized by the Brooklyn Chapter of the United Nations Association, the Delta Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the United Nations Association Young Professionals, Southern New York Division, included expert speakers, information about local initiatives, fantastic food a drinks, and a live band. Who could ask for a better night? Brooklyn Borough President, Eric L. Adams opened the event with a powerful speech connecting the diversity and cultural richness of Brooklyn, as well as the issues of inequality and racism, among others, to the work of the United Nations. With classic Brooklyn modesty, Adams declared Brooklyn the coolest borough. Although I don’t live in Brooklyn, I can’t exactly disagree. Local organizations such as Black Women's Blueprint, an anchor organization for NYC4 CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of all forms for Discrimination Against Women), NYPIRG, 350.org shared campaigns and information about climate change, promoting gender equality, and other issues. Speakers included myself, representing the United Nations Association Young Professionals, Estelle Wagner of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Regions, and Kristen Petillon of the United Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations. I spoke about the Sustainable Development Goals and their relevance to New Yorkers Excerpt from Speech by Anna Keye at UN Day at Brooklyn Borough HallTonight, I’m excited to share some of the most important news out of the United Nations in a long time, the Sustainable Development Goals! Also known as the #SDGs!
The new SDGs, a comprehensive set of goals the entire world will aim to reach by 2030, were developed through what the Secretary-General calls the most consultative process in human history. They were adopted by all 193 UN member nations last month after three years of public input and negotiation. Indeed, governments, citizens, and thousands of civil society organizations collaborated to agree on the most comprehensive and transformative global agenda ever! Over 8 million people around the world used the MyWorld website to choose their own priorities for the goals. The UNA-USA held consultations in 50 cities across the country, engaging thousands of Americans. At the UN and across the world, millions of individuals engaged in the Post 2015 negotiations. In my role at the International Women’s Health Coalition, I have the pleasure to be part of a coalition of over 600 women’s organizations from all over the world, the Women’s Major Group, who worked to ensure that the SDGs include strong commitments on climate change, human rights, gender equality, reproductive rights, and much more. Because of these efforts, the UN agreed on 17 interconnected goals, focused on achieving ending extreme poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, and ending climate change. One of the most powerful and promising aspects of the SDGs is that these goals apply to all countries, not just the developing world, unlike their predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals. They are universal, recognizing that in all countries, including in the United States, extreme inequalities remain, millions still live in poverty, men and women are not equal, and we are one of the main contributors to climate change. We’ve got a lot of work to do ourselves to meet these goals. Included in the 17 goals are 169 targets that address the interlinkages between the goals and ensure that no one is left behind. Here are a few I think are most relevant to us here in New York. Target 8.5: Equal pay for work of equal value; Targets 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3: End all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls including child, early, and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation; Targets 3.7, 3.8, and 5.6: Universal health coverage, including universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services and reproductive rights; Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status; Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Let’s work together to ensure that achieving the SDGs, both within the United States and all over the world, remains a global priority. How can we do that? Well, we need to hold our government accountable for implementing the SDGs here. We need to ensure that grassroots organizations in Brooklyn, in the United States, and all over the world stay involved and engaged in the SDGs. And we need to make sure that the US government keeps its promises by contributing our fair share to the UN and to the Sustainable Development Goals. I hope all of you will join the United Nations Association in our efforts to work with the UN and the US government to achieve the SDGs by 2030! By Christa DeLorenzo, Social Media Manager, United Nations Association Southern New York Division - Young Professionals Finding a sustainable solution to poverty may have been the driving force that led you to study International Relations, enroll in Arabic courses, volunteer for local nonprofits, and advocate for social change in your spare time. With these impressive credentials on your resume, you felt well equipped as you visited job boards such as UN jobs, Idealist, or Devex to realize your dream. You scanned through each job's responsibilities, imagining yourself carrying out each task. However, your excitement halted as your eyes reached the bottom of the terms of reference where the required 7 years of work experience are stated. Yet, knowing the likelihood of receiving a response, you proceeded to spend the next 2 hours crafting a cover letter, tweaking your resume, and polishing your writing samples, only to submit them to the bottomless void of online applications.
Advertised positions in organizations specializing in relief work, peace building, and development aid bring in thousands of job applications. Job searching is frustrating, and applying within a field where the quantity of jobs does not sustain the demand of trained candidates further challenges the process. Although International Development may be one of the most competitive sectors in which to find employment, I would like to reassure you that it is not impossible. If you have submitted countless resumes and cover letters and received minimal, if any, responses, you may be incorrectly going about the application process. In this field, your qualifications must be accompanied by work experience and networking. Applying for staff level positions in the largest bilateral or multilateral organizations may not be the best use of your time when you are starting out. Starting your career at a smaller nonprofit organization, research institution or think tank, for example, may give you the opportunity to do more hands on work. This might lead you to that staff position in an international organization either through experience or networking. If you have your heart set on working for the United Nations or the World Bank, you may consider working as a consultant, or in a paid training program, which would allow you to get a feel for the way an organization operates before you apply to be an employee. Most of the larger international organizations do not hire staff unless they previously worked with the organization in some capacity, or unless they possess significant field experience. It takes time to develop yourself and your skills to stand out in the job application process. Becoming a competitive applicant means diversifying your path. While your anxiety may heighten knowing your peers have found jobs in the “real world,” it is crucial to recognize the importance of investing in yourself. In this field, it is imperative that you do not fall victim to the societal pressure of securing a job immediately upon college graduation. Get your master's. Travel. Learn a new language. Seek local volunteer positions or employment whether in developing countries, or closer to home, and spend several years obtaining field experience working within a community. This time will add credibility to your resume and depth to your knowledge of development issues. And, while gaining this knowledge is critical, be sure to simultaneously acquire hard skills such as monitoring and evaluation, fund-raising, data analysis, research, communications, and project management, to name a few. Taking the this time to find out exactly which area you want to dedicate your work and yourself to throughout your career lays the foundation for your next job move. It also takes time to develop your personal marketing strategy. By focusing your energy on applying to positions for which you are qualified, you will learn how to adapt your skills to the demands of the job in your cover letter. It is vital to network strategically. Go to social events, happy hours, meet with other young professionals in the field to learn about their skills and how they’ve acquired them. Inquire about their job hunt. Get involved with events hosted by your target organization and seek out unadvertised jobs. Make sure that you build an online presence. Create a detailed LinkedIn page, become active on Twitter, and perhaps design your own blog or webpage to display your work samples. Be bold, search LinkedIn for professionals who have your ideal position, and reach out to them. The best advice I can give you is to be persistent and aggressive in your search and to keep your options open. You will learn, and eternally benefit from these invaluable skills that can be applied to your dream job no matter which position you take. Good luck! Christa DeLorenzo is the Social Media Manager for the United Nations Association Southern New York Division - Young Professionals, and a Communications Consultant at the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C. She has done previous communications work for the Inter-American Development Bank in Guatemala and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand. By Andrew Wilson, Membership Director of United Nations Association Southern New York- Young Professionals On May 2nd, 2015, UNA-SNY Young Professionals from a diverse range of industries gathered for an intimate discussion and dinner round-table with Vivian Onano, an education, women, and girls advocate originally from rural Kenya. A strong believer in engaging youth, the private sector, and civil society in bottom-up approaches to
sustainable development, Ms. Onano holds a number of advocacy positions: Education Spokesperson for Moremi Africa, Global Youth Ambassador for a World at School, ONE Campaign Congressional District Leader, and a Half Sky Ambassador. The resulting dialogue with members covered a wide range of important international affairs and social justice topics, from human rights and gender violence–particularly regarding women-to the enforcement of rule of law within the context of the emergent United Nations post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals. The power of education access for all as a vehicle for transforming awareness and addressing social justice issues was a dominant theme within the discussion. Keep posted for future member’s dinners. by Anna Keye, UNA-SNY YP Latin American & Caribbean Affairs Director Last Friday I had the opportunity to contribute to a fascinating panel discussion organized by Beyond 2015, SOS Children’s Villages, and the Baha'i International Community. The panel, Unlocking People's Capacity as a Means of Implementation of the post-2015 agenda: The human face of financing for development, included Priscilla Opa Kare, Executive Director, Papua New Guinea Education Advocacy Network (PEAN) and Beyond 2015; Catharina Gehrke, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages Sweden; and Vladimir Cuk, Executive Director, International Disability Alliance, NY Office. The panel focused on increasing people’s participation in the post-2015 agenda and creating financing and development policies that are truly people-centered. I was invited to speak on the kinds of measures necessary to achieve gender equality and ensure women’s participation in financing and development policies and processes. The brief remarks I shared on the panel and have posted below, are just a start. In order to truly achieve people-centered, sustainable development, we must imagine new ways of doing business that contribute to rather than undermine gender equality and the realization of women’s human rights. I encourage all of us as young professionals to imagine new ways of doing business that prioritize gender equality, human rights, and sustainable development. "Means of implementation and the ways that financial resources are mobilized have a clear impact on women’s human rights and gender equality. For too long financing and development have not been people-centered, and certainly not women and girls-centered, leading to human rights abuses and deepened inequalities within and between countries. Current policies have contributed to a world where women make up the majority of those living in poverty, are the majority of informal and agricultural workers, and are the most vulnerable to natural disasters. In other words, the current policies are not working for women and girls. Today I join many governments, civil society actors, and UN Women in calling for Financing for Development measures and Means of implementation targets that are based in a human rights approach. The post-2015 development agenda is an opportunity to redesign plans in a way that work for women, and in order to do that, we need policies that promote human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development. I encourage all of you to look at the many joint statements from governments and civil society that offer a comprehensive set of policy recommendations on financing for development and means of implementation, but I only have time to share a few recommendations. First, if we are to galvanize women and girls as key actors in this transformative agenda, we have to ensure an enabling environment and the realization of all women's and girls' human rights, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Key elements to achieving an enabling environment are: · Universal access to health services, including SRH services for all people, particularly for adolescents. · The elimination of all forms of discrimination, violence, and harmful practices against women and girls. · Ensuring education and economic empowerment of women and girls through free education through secondary school and equal rights to economic resources, including ownership and control over land, inheritance, and natural resources. Second, we must also address the current financial policies and business as usual approaches that are failing women through systemic changes to financing and development mechanisms at all levels. At the very least, · Governments must commit to gender-responsive planning and budgeting for both the public and private sectors and the UN system, and ensure that trade agreements are subject to robust gender, human rights, and environmental safeguards. · We must dedicate resources to address gender equality at all levels- global, regional, national, and sub-national. Without these dedicated resources, and the prioritization of gender equality in development plans, gender equality will not be realized. · We need to implement progressive taxation, gender-responsive budgeting, and policies that promote the redistribution of unpaid care and domestic work at the national level. These are also key to the economic empowerment of women and their full participation in the formal economy. Third, governments must recognize the inherent human rights of women to equal participation in all aspects of political, economic, and social life, including within the post 2015 development agenda. · Women must be at the center of all aspects of capacity building and development planning, especially at the national level, including conceptualization, design, and implementation. · Women’s organizations at the global, regional, and national levels must be financially supported so that women can fully participate in these processes, and most importantly, so that they can continue to monitor and hold their governments and the international community accountable. · Governments must also invest in increased capacity building on gender issues, gender-responsive budgeting, and data collection and management, so that the people responsible for implementing these plans have the necessary knowledge and skills to do so. In brief, when women's human rights are not guaranteed, when women are absent from decision-making processes, when development policies do not include a gender perspective, or when there are no resources for women to participate in a meaningful way, sustainable, human-centered development is not possible." Check out UN Women’s page on financing for gender equality for more information on gender-responsive-budgeting and the Women’s Major Group for financing and development policy recommendations. Anna Keye is the Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Committee and a Program Assistant at the International Women’s Health Coalition. She follows the Post-2015 process at the UN, focusing on gender equality, women’s human rights, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Follow Anna on twitter at @Keyecita. by Andrew Meyer, UNA-SNY Young Professionals Intern On April 18th, the UNA-United Nations Association Young Professionals of the Southern New York Division (UNA-SNY YP) hosted the Young Professionals World Health Day Summit: Cultivating the Next Generation of Global Leaders.
The event, hosted at the Roger Smith hotel, brought together health experts from around the world, highlighted by representatives from the United Nations Foundation and the CDC. With the implicit understanding that in the 21st century health is an issue the global community must face united, as we are all affected by it in the global age, the summit had a variety of panels meant to both inform those in attendance, but also to showcase the variety of ways you could get involved and help make change. The topics at the summit varied from hot button issues such as the Ebola crisis, with a speech by Dr. Neil Vora of the CDC, to ideas that were more abstracted out, such as a panel that focused on Mental Health’s role in Societal Development, featuring Dr. Rashmi Jaipal of the UN, Noor Baker, of Columbia University, Claude Chemtob of NYU, and Robin F. Goodman of A Caring Hand. The range and diversity of the topics gave the conference a very comprehensive and positive feel, and many of the speakers also commented on the importance of youth. “What's awesome about youth is we are curious and open and are excited about change” said Jennifer Gottesfeld, the Program Manager of Global Health Corps. See photos from the summit here. by UNA-SNY Young Professionals On Saturday, March 7th, the UNA-United Nations Association Young Professionals of the Southern New York Division (UNA-SNY YP) was proud to sponsor the WomenWerk organization in celebration of UN International Women’s Day in New York City. The theme of this year’s WomenWerk gala was challenging the stereotypes and gender biases affect women, summed up in the phrase “Decoding Expectations”. The gala took place at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, and UNA-SNY Young Professionals was proud to feature one of its local committee members, who gave a brief speech on how the UNA organization is making an impact. Alana Brown, who serves as the Deputy Director of the Economic Development Committee of UNA-SNY YP, challenged listeners to be civically involved in the greater New York community and the world. With the words “even in a city like New York, we still have some work to do”, she highlighted the stark differences yet subtle similarities between the societal pressures that women face in the U.S. and the developing world. A marketing professional by day, Alana also highlighted her community work with the non-profit organization, Girl Rising, where she serves as a Regional Ambassador. Alana ended her speech with a call to action that was practical, hopeful, and forward-thinking, “Consider what it is that startles you, and ignites a fury in you when you hear about it on the news or on TV. Today’s statistics can become yesterday’s old news, if you don’t let the numbers scare you.” In honor of Women’s History Month, UNA-SNY Young Professionals is honored by how its members are taking action locally in order to celebrate gender equity and the progress women have made across fields and sectors. To learn more about the WomenWerk event visit their website here . Also, please visit the UNA-SNY Young Professionals website and Facebook page for more information on becoming a member and joining a committee. Q: What is your education background? Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs Master of Public Administration in Development Practice Arizona State University Master of Arts in Education in Secondary Science University of Arizona Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Q: What is your current occupation? International Development Practitioner Q: Why did you join UNA-SNY YP? I am a strong believer in the principles of the United Nations, multilateral and multi-stakeholder cooperation, and international sustainable development. As a development practitioner, I believe that effecting both local and global solutions to issues of import requires the engagement and participation of professionals across various industries and organizations. UNA-SNY YP provides an opportunity to do just that. I also enjoy meeting new people from various backgrounds. Q: What is the value to you of UNA-SNY YP membership? To me, UNA-SNY YP membership is very valuable as it gives me an opportunity to interact with passionate professionals across New York City on topics that matter to all of us. UNA-SNY YP also serves a very important function for members, that of educating people on various social impact topics and ways to get involved further. Civic engagement is very important. Q: What is your favorite event or activity as a member? I appreciate the education and advocacy events greatly. Q: What is something that people might not know about you? Music is my first love and I am an aspiring musician. I also enjoy yoga. Andrew is currently the Membership Director of the UNA-SNY Young Professionals. You can contact him at [email protected]. by William Quinn, UNA-SNY YP Economic Development Committee “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.” - Audrey Hepburn As we prepare for our “Night of International Laughs” comedy night fundraiser, let us take a look at all the wonderful things that laughter does for the mind, body and spirit. These are just a small selection of articles, videos and podcasts that document the incredible power of laughter, humor and smiling.
- So, it turns out that laughter really IS the universal language. [The Telegraph] - And while we’re going over clichés, laughter is the best medicine. [MayoClinic.org] - Problems in your love life? Start laughing more. [Psychology Today] - Radiolab tries to figure out why the heck we laugh in the first place. [Radiolab] - Then they decode the secret signals we send when we laugh. [Radiolab] - Comedians try to figure out what a comedian is. [Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee] - Resistance movements can use humor to take down dictators. [Slate] - Your smile say a lot more about you than you realize. [TED] - Laughter can also be dangerous. The truth behind the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic of 1962. [Chicago Tribune] - And this blooper reel from Seinfeld always makes me laugh. [YouTube] Get a strong helping of laughter at “Night of International Laughs” at the Gotham Comedy Club. Raffle prizes generously donated by Pera Soho, Zog Sports and The Uncommons. by William Quinn, UNA-SNY YP Economic Development Committee At the end of this month the United Nations Association Young Professionals are hosting “Night of International Laughs” at the Gotham Comedy Club and we are excited to introduce a very funny emcee—Sherry Davey. Sherry is a veteran comic who has made numerous TV appearances which include “The Today Show,” “Comedy Central’s Premium Blend,” “Tough Crowd with Collin Quinn” and Nick at Nite’s “Nickmom Night Out.” She also writes, produces and stars in the popular web series, “Actual Housewives of the PTO.” Part of her success comes from having a unique international background which she references frequently in her comedy. Sherry draws influence from growing up in the United Kingdom, having a Hungarian father and raising her own family in the United States. I was recently able to ask Sherry about these influences. Bill: Most Americans see the British as having a different sense of humor. As someone who has comedy roots in both countries, what do you think and how has that influenced your comedy? Sherry: Most British see Americans as having a different sense of humor as well! American humor is more "in your face" whereas English humor is slightly more subtle and off beat. English audiences tend to appreciate comedians being "characters" whereas American audiences prefer comedy to be more realistic and that comedians be themselves on stage. Bill: In addition to having British and American roots, you also discuss your Hungarian father on stage. How many other countries make an appearance in your family tree? Sherry: My Hungarian father is figured largely in my act as he's been so influential in my life... of course. My 17 year old American daughter makes quite an impression as well. Bill: You do a very funny impression of an American accent. What do your girls think of your accent? My girls are too busy imitating me these days to take notice of me mimicking them! My 12 year old has performed my entire act (thank goodness I work clean) in middle school during her lunch period for her teachers! My 17 year old and all her millennial tropes, "epic, random and cray-cray" are a staple in my act but she doesn't think I'm funny at all. She thinks it's ridiculous that "old people" (anyone over 18) finds her humorous. She thinks we're all, and I quote, "pathetic". Bill: Your resume is pretty extensive at this point and includes a glowing review in the NY Post as well as a “Top 10” nod from Improper Magazine. What has been the biggest honor so far in your career? Sherry: The biggest honors in my career so far have been: being the first American woman to perform stand-up comedy in Jordan! Two years in a row at the Amman International Comedy Festival; and creating, writing, producing and performing for the Nickmom Channel's "Nickmom Night Out" and my own mini-series for them entitled "Actual Housewives of the PTO!" I must say, I feel very fortunate to make a living doing what I love and also, that I'm able to be a part of so many wonderful fundraisers... especially yours. Without sounding creepy, I feel blessed. Catch Sherry at “Night of International Laughs” at the Gotham Comedy Club. Learn more about Sherry Davey by visiting her web site or catching her on the latest episode of “Actual Housewives of the PTO.” Raffle prizes generously donated by Pera Soho, Zog Sports and The Uncommons. Get your ticket to our Night of International Laughs. by William Quinn, UNA-SNY YP Economic Development Committee Kicking off the UN Member Day events on Thursday, February 19, several UNA-SNY Young Professionals members participated in organizational briefings with selected UN offices and initiatives to include the UN Development Program (UNDP), UN Women, and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).
Following, on Friday, February 20, 2015, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressed an audience of more than 750 UNA-USA members and UN supporters who visited UN Headquarters for the official Members' Day program and the 7th Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, a day of dynamic and informative discussion on the most pressing issues facing the United Nations. Using the theme, The UN at 70: A Year for Bold Action, UNA-USA members got exclusive access to the UN, where they heard from experts, and networked with community leaders, academics and students, and representatives from think tanks and like-minded organizations. Topics included: · Marching to Paris: The Road to a Climate Deal · At Home and Abroad: Activism for Universal Human Rights · From the MDGs to the SDGs: The Future of Global Health · Back to Iraq: The Rise of ISIL and the End of Arab Spring More information including agenda details, speaker bios and a video recording of the events can be accessed at: www.unausa.org/membership/una-usa-events/members-day#sthash.jc5lbUkE.dpuf Following UN Member Day activities, UNA-SNY Young Professionals and UNA-NCA hosted a networking social that attracted over 60 supporters sponsored at the World Bar across from the United Nations. Chris Whatley, the UNA-USA Executive Director provided opening remarks emphasizing the goals and energy needed to carry forward the action/2015 campaign. He further encouraged more focus and attention to advocacy at the local, state, and federal government/policy maker levels. The event concluded with several new member sign-ups and contributions and a pledge between UNA-SNY Young Professionals and UNA-NCA YPs to carry forward the networking social as an annual tradition, the next to be hosted in Washington D.C. during the annual meeting in June 2015. By Melinda Richardson, Chair, United Nations Association Young Professionals - Southern New York State
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