The International Convo website has more and better photos, great videos and reports from the event. Please keep checking back at http://portal.icuuw.com. A DVD is being produced, but no word yet as to when it will be available.
Here are some more tidbits from my experience at the Convo:
Here are some more tidbits from my experience at the Convo:
 Barbara Beach of the ICUUW Advisory Committee announced many of the sessions and introduced speakers. Her wit was wonderful, and her sense of humor infectious. |
 Dr. Kalpana Kannabiran of India, is Professor of Sociology at NALSAR University of Law. She spoke of inspiration from her mother, whom she has worked with in the struggle for women's rights. She sang a hymn to Sarasvati as an example of that inspiration. |
Speakers today were amazing.
Rebecca Adamson of First Peoples Worldwide spoke about the matrilineal culture of her Cherokee heritage. Ruled by the white council, the council of women, in times of peace. The red council ruled in times of war. But the members of the red council get hand-picked by the white council. Because who knows better the leadership qualities of those men than the ones who raised them?
She showed maps of where indigenous peoples are gaining recognition, where their lands are. Indigenous lands comprise 24% of the Earth and they are where the biodiviersity is at its greatest. They are where the big phamaceutical companies are searching for the next wonder drug to come from plants. First Peoples Worldwide is helping peoples take charge of those native plants as their intellectual property, and resisting the drug companies' attempts to come in and steal what's theirs. But there are many indigenous peoples at risk of extinction. Extinction! Why isn't THIS on the nightly news??
Rebecca Adamson of First Peoples Worldwide spoke about the matrilineal culture of her Cherokee heritage. Ruled by the white council, the council of women, in times of peace. The red council ruled in times of war. But the members of the red council get hand-picked by the white council. Because who knows better the leadership qualities of those men than the ones who raised them?
She showed maps of where indigenous peoples are gaining recognition, where their lands are. Indigenous lands comprise 24% of the Earth and they are where the biodiviersity is at its greatest. They are where the big phamaceutical companies are searching for the next wonder drug to come from plants. First Peoples Worldwide is helping peoples take charge of those native plants as their intellectual property, and resisting the drug companies' attempts to come in and steal what's theirs. But there are many indigenous peoples at risk of extinction. Extinction! Why isn't THIS on the nightly news??
Tonight the First International Convocation of U*U Women opened. There were greetings in many languages...
Universal Human Rights
Dignity and Justice for All of Us
Simple Guidebook on Women’s Rights Globally
By Elizabeth Fisher and Robert Fisher
Easy to Access, Read and Download at
www.riseupandcallhername.com/humanrights.html
Know your rights! These internationally agreed upon rights provide a powerful framework for advocacy on behalf of women worldwide. Key human rights concerns for women (among many others):
- Right to Choice in Family Planning
- Elimination of Violence against Women
- Adoption by US Congress of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)
Printed copy available $7 including postage and handling. Call Elizabeth Fisher 510-236-9131
Based in part on the UUSC book Gender Justice: Women’s Rights are Human Rights
http://secure.uusc.org/store (scroll down to “books” to order)
