Monthly Archives: March 2012

This year’s United Nations International Women’s Day theme is “Empower Rural Women—End Hunger and Poverty”.

Zenos Frudakis- Freedom

Rural women and girls make up one quarter of the global population, yet routinely figure at the bottom of every economic, social and political indicator, from income and education to health to participation in decision-making (UN). Some other statistics from the U.N., “women are the backbone of communities around the world—performing two-thirds of the world’s work and producing half of the world’s food. Yet, they earn only one-tenth of the world’s income and own less, a mere 1 percent, of the property and of the 876 million illiterate adults in the world, over two-thirds are women.”

So what can you do the help the plight of the world’s women? Some ideas include:

• Educate yourself about the issues. They are complex and need thoughtful thinkers
• Get involved. Volunteer locally or internationally
• Live the ideals you want to see reflected in the world
• Donate to a nonprofit or cause that helps women

Finally, are some links for International Women’s Day. Enjoy!

A short clip on Media and its effect on girls:

Test your knowledge on Girl’s Empowerment:

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/wid/iwd/2012/quiz.html

Check out a short video about Working Women made for Women’s Day:

Photo credit: http://www.petersmap.com/

Global Citizens Network has been highlighted in an upcoming book, How Maps Change Things by Ward L. Kaiser.

In the book Kaiser examines cartography and the sociopolitical implications of maps. Global Citizens Network was featured because their Minneapolis headquarters houses a 16-foot Peters map. A Peters map is an area accurate map that shows the world’s surfaces in more accurately proportional sizes than other maps.

The Peters map was commissioned by GCN and is the worlds largest. As an organization committed to cross-cultural understanding and global cooperation, GCN commissioned the map to highlight the equality of space the map represents.

The map covers the wall of a conference room and is also great talking piece.  GCN staff member, Laura Kurland said, “my favorite story about this so far was when a delegation of Latin American civic society leaders arrived in our office. When we took a break during the meeting they all ran over to the map and discussed their observations about the proportions and sizes.”

How Maps Change Things: A Conversation About Maps We Choose and the World We Want by Ward L. Kaiser will be available as an ebook March 2012 and in paperback June 2012.

About Global Citizens Network

In partnership with people of diverse cultures, GCN promotes cross-cultural understanding and interconnectedness through authentic immersion experiences. Global Citizens Network seeks to create a network of people committed to: the shared values of peace, justice, respect, cross-cultural understanding and global cooperation; the preservation of indigenous cultures, traditions and ecologies; the enhancement of the quality of life around the world.