In the last dozen years more than 20 women have been elected heads of their national governments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, Australia.
The Vets for Peace (at least some chapters) seek an end to all warfare.
International Laws are increasingly used to seek, have trials, decide penalties for genocidic leaders: Panama, Rwanda, Argentina, Somalia, Libya, & others.
Many younger families are creating home grown foods, keeping hens, bees, being "more Green" regarding energy use, transportation for "sustainable communities."
The current OCCUPY movement, strong among youth, challenges much of the current economic and political patterns in the USA, fostering pressure for changes.
More than 100 countries gathered at Copenhagen (earlier) and Durban this year (while 3rd world added Cochabamba). Discussions and agreements were important, but major polluters & USA failed to make any real commitments.
For the first time of records kept, USA women (%) more often than men, completed undergraduate college degrees and advanced graduate education degrees as well.
Women in the USA (middle class at least) are less reticent, even voluntarily, giving their age. (Of course, public figures include ages with other data).
American men in USA (middle class) are now reported in news to have cried, or volunteer that in private sharing or public situations that they cried.
Instant Run-Off Voting is increasingly being adopted for local and state-wide elections, widening the rangew of policies, reducing incivility in campaigns.
Since any treaties that the USA ratifies become "supreme law of the land," they can and do have relevance for application in some "domestic" law cases.
The USA is becoming much more diverse in population, adding to the descendants of Europeans, the indigenous Native Americans, and Blacks from Africa, with whites less than 50% of population.
Recent applications of the philosophy, tactics, strategies of non-violence, and results need to be widely used as in USA civil rights, North African massive population endeavors recently, Russia currently, OCCUPYING movement.
This past fall, three African women were recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. As physical and biological scientists, women have recently been awarded Nobels.
The Native Americans in the USA have finally been "awarded" the largest sum ever voted by the US Congress for "reparations" for the lands, forests, resources taken from them. Credit due: Elouise Cobell, Montana, Blackfeet.
Oregon, Washington, and Montana have approved procedures for MDs to assist terminally ill patients to die, given strict regulations.
In the "energy realm," there is a shift in the USA to make use of bicycles (Oregon and Minnesota high); smaller cars are being sought; rail-lines are being built (great rapidity in Japan, China). Local buses are being equipped to also carry bikes, wheelchair patrons, and lower their step levels. Virtually all local streets have the "curbs" curved to accomodate walking.
In the Twin Cities, the painting of murals on building walls has spread, often with a Hispanic style/content as Mexican major art.
Death sentences in the USA (No European Union countries retain it) for "criminals" are being eliminated by more states, due to errors for innocents, moral considerations, costs. Life "without parole" is questionable. Oregon governor recently said he'd allow no more, adding to MN & others who ban it.
The current "blockage" to national political progress (two major parties jammed) is encouraging the formation or addition of alternatives.
The use of plastic bags and excessive packaging are being discouraged, penalized or not, put in use in California, etc. The collection of "garbage" improves with categorized sorting.
There have been remarkable developments in medicine, in organ transplants, specific drugs, treatments, etc. Abe Maslow, former president of the American Psychological Association, survived a serious heart attack. He called the rest his "postmortem life." I've had a "postmortem life" since 2003!
February 5, 2012
January 16, 2012
More Leadership by Women for a Change!
During the past dozen years at least 20 women around the world have been elected as Presidents, Chancellors, or Prime Ministers of their nations (see below). Will their national and international leadership roles and policies differ in some ways from their "male counterparts"? E.g., will they be less inclined to initiate/accept warfare, oppress citizenry, choose to focus on different problems? Will they be more humane? Women have the capacity to feel anger, hate, fear, or empathy, as do men; but how would they differ? Given their contrasting biological functions, family roles, educations, and so on, several aspects may create contrasting responses.
1. Women bear, give birth, nurse and provide the major nurturing of babies and children in their younger years. Women generally, single or married, may identify with, exhibit greater sympathy for children (their own and those around the world) more so than many men may experience. Leading one's nation will be influenced by the humaneness, sensitivity, empathy, experience, especially for those less privileged in their societies.
2. Women generally are physically less powerful than men in size, weight, height, speed, musculature. Thus in man-woman relationships girls learn from their mothers and other women more effective behaviors than physical force to achieve their own objectives, even partially. However, in a more equalitarian society, boys and girls should be reared to employ non-violent techniques -- communication, compromise, "conflict resolution methods." Such skills are needed by persons in high positions of leadership especially.
3. Research has revealed that women in our society want to see their academic and professional training, more so than men, connected to aiding poeple. Men far outnumber women in the USA in science, technology, engineering, math, medicine, environmental studies, social sciences, professional education. Thus, women leading a nation, or for those in our society eager to aid other populations, those choices prepare them for dealing with basic human needs, at home or abroad. (E.g., Doctors without Borders, Madre, Earth Justice).
4. A current major national and international concern with serious consequences for young women, is the "trafficking", often even "enslavement", of them. (The fall 2011 issue of the WILPF Peace and Freedom, pp. 17-20, elaborates what can only be briefly included here.) Making women into international "commodities", close to slavery often, presents serious problems, as does domestic prostitution in many nations. How would women and men officials deal with these highly significant, generally illegal, abuses of women? How high on their agendas? What progress to be instituted?
5. Though women may now more often secure leadership roles in governments, their influence on law-making and court decisions depend also on the ratio of men to women in powerful positions. E.g., after its tragic "tribal war", Rwanda's new government regulations stipulate a quota for women in its legislative body. With 40 they rank first proportionally followed by the Scandinavian countries. (The USA is "way down" the roster.) Legislatures are apt to be somewhat different when men-women proportions change, and for civic peace and effective governing, they need each other.
6. There is an increasing belief among American scholars, peace advocates, and officials that our "foreign aid" to other countries has been too often directed to the male leaders, who frequently turned out to be corrupt. Thus, the diverse needs of the common folk were met minimally, if at all. The endeavors are increasingly to work with the women in communities.
List of women in high leadership roles in recent years (extensive but not exhaustive), compiled by Don Irish, with help from Michael K. O'Sullivan and Siobhan DiZio, Hamline University:
Argentina: Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, President, 2007. Nilda Garre, Ambassador to Venezuela, first woman Defense Minister, 2005. First Latin American woman re-elected President, October 2011.
Australia: Julia Gillard, first woman Prime Minister, 2010.
Bahrain: Sheikiha Haya Rashad Al Khalifa, President, U.N. General Assembly, June 9, 2006.
Brasil: Dilma Van Rousseif, President, 2011.
Chile: Michelle Bachelet, President, 2006 (fourth Latin American woman to be elected President).
Costa Rica: Laura Chinchilla Miranda, President, May 8, 2010.
Denmark: Helle Thorning Schmidt, 2011.
France: Christine Lagarde, first woman Director, International Monetary Fund, 2011.
Germany: Angela Merkel, Chancellor, since October 22, 2005.
Ghana: Joyce Bamford-Addo, first woman speaker of Parliament, January 7, 2009.
Greece: Dora Lakoyannis, Ahens mayor, then first woman Foreign Minister
Guyana: Janet Jagan, elected President, 1997; resigned due to ill health two years later.
Iceland: Jonanne Siguroardottir, 2009.
Indonesia: Megawati Sukarnoputri, President, 2001.
Iran: Shirin Ebadi, First Iranian, First Muslim, Nobel Peace Prize, 2003.
Ireland: Mary Robinson, President, 1990-1997, then U.N. Human Rights Role.
Jamaica: Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister, 2006.
Kuwait: Massouma al Mubarak, first woman Cabinet Member, Minister of Planning and Administration Development, 2005.
Liberia: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President 2006, First African woman "Head of State," one month after women given right to vote. 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.
Lithuania: Dalia Grybauskaite, President, 2009.
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi, preeminent leader in Burma movement for recovery of democracy. Nobel Peace Prize. Years spent in "house arrest."
New Zealand: Helen Clark, Prime Minister, 1999.
Pakistan: Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister, 1988-1990; 1993-1996. Was assassinated, 2007.
Phillipines: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President, 2001.
Slovakia: Iveta Radicova, Prime Minister.
Thailand: Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister, 2011.
Ukraine: Yulla Tymoshenko, Prime Minister, January-September, 2005; December 2007-2010. Imprisoned by male competitor (contended to be "political" reasons -- U.N. critique), October 2011.
Two of the women have disappointed me recently. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has granted permission for USA military bases (Liberia) when till then none of the African nations were willing; and the USA African command was staioned in Europe. And Julia Gillard has agreed for USA Marines to have military presence in Australia. Both are aiding the imperial USA foreign policies.
1. Women bear, give birth, nurse and provide the major nurturing of babies and children in their younger years. Women generally, single or married, may identify with, exhibit greater sympathy for children (their own and those around the world) more so than many men may experience. Leading one's nation will be influenced by the humaneness, sensitivity, empathy, experience, especially for those less privileged in their societies.
2. Women generally are physically less powerful than men in size, weight, height, speed, musculature. Thus in man-woman relationships girls learn from their mothers and other women more effective behaviors than physical force to achieve their own objectives, even partially. However, in a more equalitarian society, boys and girls should be reared to employ non-violent techniques -- communication, compromise, "conflict resolution methods." Such skills are needed by persons in high positions of leadership especially.
3. Research has revealed that women in our society want to see their academic and professional training, more so than men, connected to aiding poeple. Men far outnumber women in the USA in science, technology, engineering, math, medicine, environmental studies, social sciences, professional education. Thus, women leading a nation, or for those in our society eager to aid other populations, those choices prepare them for dealing with basic human needs, at home or abroad. (E.g., Doctors without Borders, Madre, Earth Justice).
4. A current major national and international concern with serious consequences for young women, is the "trafficking", often even "enslavement", of them. (The fall 2011 issue of the WILPF Peace and Freedom, pp. 17-20, elaborates what can only be briefly included here.) Making women into international "commodities", close to slavery often, presents serious problems, as does domestic prostitution in many nations. How would women and men officials deal with these highly significant, generally illegal, abuses of women? How high on their agendas? What progress to be instituted?
5. Though women may now more often secure leadership roles in governments, their influence on law-making and court decisions depend also on the ratio of men to women in powerful positions. E.g., after its tragic "tribal war", Rwanda's new government regulations stipulate a quota for women in its legislative body. With 40 they rank first proportionally followed by the Scandinavian countries. (The USA is "way down" the roster.) Legislatures are apt to be somewhat different when men-women proportions change, and for civic peace and effective governing, they need each other.
6. There is an increasing belief among American scholars, peace advocates, and officials that our "foreign aid" to other countries has been too often directed to the male leaders, who frequently turned out to be corrupt. Thus, the diverse needs of the common folk were met minimally, if at all. The endeavors are increasingly to work with the women in communities.
List of women in high leadership roles in recent years (extensive but not exhaustive), compiled by Don Irish, with help from Michael K. O'Sullivan and Siobhan DiZio, Hamline University:
Argentina: Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, President, 2007. Nilda Garre, Ambassador to Venezuela, first woman Defense Minister, 2005. First Latin American woman re-elected President, October 2011.
Australia: Julia Gillard, first woman Prime Minister, 2010.
Bahrain: Sheikiha Haya Rashad Al Khalifa, President, U.N. General Assembly, June 9, 2006.
Brasil: Dilma Van Rousseif, President, 2011.
Chile: Michelle Bachelet, President, 2006 (fourth Latin American woman to be elected President).
Costa Rica: Laura Chinchilla Miranda, President, May 8, 2010.
Denmark: Helle Thorning Schmidt, 2011.
France: Christine Lagarde, first woman Director, International Monetary Fund, 2011.
Germany: Angela Merkel, Chancellor, since October 22, 2005.
Ghana: Joyce Bamford-Addo, first woman speaker of Parliament, January 7, 2009.
Greece: Dora Lakoyannis, Ahens mayor, then first woman Foreign Minister
Guyana: Janet Jagan, elected President, 1997; resigned due to ill health two years later.
Iceland: Jonanne Siguroardottir, 2009.
Indonesia: Megawati Sukarnoputri, President, 2001.
Iran: Shirin Ebadi, First Iranian, First Muslim, Nobel Peace Prize, 2003.
Ireland: Mary Robinson, President, 1990-1997, then U.N. Human Rights Role.
Jamaica: Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister, 2006.
Kuwait: Massouma al Mubarak, first woman Cabinet Member, Minister of Planning and Administration Development, 2005.
Liberia: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President 2006, First African woman "Head of State," one month after women given right to vote. 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.
Lithuania: Dalia Grybauskaite, President, 2009.
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi, preeminent leader in Burma movement for recovery of democracy. Nobel Peace Prize. Years spent in "house arrest."
New Zealand: Helen Clark, Prime Minister, 1999.
Pakistan: Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister, 1988-1990; 1993-1996. Was assassinated, 2007.
Phillipines: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President, 2001.
Slovakia: Iveta Radicova, Prime Minister.
Thailand: Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister, 2011.
Ukraine: Yulla Tymoshenko, Prime Minister, January-September, 2005; December 2007-2010. Imprisoned by male competitor (contended to be "political" reasons -- U.N. critique), October 2011.
Two of the women have disappointed me recently. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has granted permission for USA military bases (Liberia) when till then none of the African nations were willing; and the USA African command was staioned in Europe. And Julia Gillard has agreed for USA Marines to have military presence in Australia. Both are aiding the imperial USA foreign policies.
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