A Message of Hope, Love and Light

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:12:50 -0500

Dear AOKW Luminaries and Friends,

I cannot help but comment on the profound shift of consciousness that has just occurred as a result of this US election. It cannot be described in any other way but this: Awakening. Humanity has just been Awakened to the possibility of a New World Order; one that may now be built upon a foundation of Open Dialogue, Cooperative Collaboration and Equal Fellowship!

However, I feel that the road ahead will be quite a challenging and perilous one. The events that occur in the week ahead may test our collective determination and resolve.<...

Former UN Representative and Nepal Specialists Join Advocacy Project Board

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:15:24 -0400

October 27, 2008, Washington, DC: Soren Jessen-Petersen, who served as the United Nation's Special Representative in Kosovo during the run-up to the country's independence, has joined the Board of The Advocacy Project (AP). Suvash Darnal, a prominent advocate for Dalit rights in Nepal and Devin Greenleaf, a former AP Peace Fellow in Nepal, have also joined.

The selection of three new members, each of whom represents an important AP constituency, signals an increased role for the Board as the organization prepares for 2009. Mr Jessen-Petersen will explore synergies wi...

Blogging Connects Women Across the World

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:56:54 -0400

Advocacy Project (AP) have launched a blog group to connect professional women in the Washington area with young American women volunteering for human rights overseas.

This innovative use of information technology was developed during the summer, when eight Zonta members in Washington decided to follow the blogs of graduate students serving as AP Peace Fellows in Serbia, Kosovo, Uganda, Jordan, El Salvador, Nepal and Kenya.

"This is a fantastic program," said Heather Dolstra, a Zonta member and Washington travel agen...

Nicaraguan President Ortega Not Welcome at Salvador Summit, Women Activists Say

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:21:36 -0400

Advocates for women's rights in El Salvador are calling on their government to bar the President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, from attending an upcoming presidential summit because of his attempts to repress and intimidate women in his country.

In an Oct. 5 press conference, advocates from CEMUJER, a leading Salvadoran women's group, joined other human rights groups in expressing solidarity with Nicaraguan women. They urged Salvadoran President Antonio Saca to tell Mr Ortega he is unwelcome at the XVII Presidential Summit, a meeting of Central American leaders tha...

Traveller Community Center Faces Demolition as Eviction Threat Looms in the UK

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:27:12 -0400

September 26, 2008, Basildon, UK: Local authorities are threatening to demolish a community center built by the Dale Farm Travellers, creating new tensions as the long-running eviction battle over Dale Farm heads back to court.

The Saint Christopher's Centre, which opened in May, has become the latest target of the Basildon Council as it seeks to remove about 90 Traveller families from their homes in Southeastern England.

"They're turning up the terror to make us leave," said Richard Sheridan, president of the Dale Far...

Disabled Refugees Face Inaccessible Services and Food Shortages in Ugandan Camps

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:35:26 -0400

September 23, 2008, Gulu District, Uganda: Refugees who have been disabled by the war in Northern Uganda are confronting food shortages and inaccessible public services in government-run camps. At the same time they are under growing pressure to return home, even though they lack the resources to resume a normal life.

This warning was issued recently by the Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU), an advocacy group. It comes at a time when the Ugandan government is stepping up efforts to empty the camps, which still house more than half a million internally displaced pers...

Micro-credit to empower persons with disabilities: an approach to development

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:19:06 -0400

Fruitful Micro-credit at BERDO (Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization)

Many people talk about micro-credit as an approach to development and they mention how organizations are being creative in minimizing the operating costs in an effort to provide credit to the poor. Well, BERDO's creativity lies in the way they incorporate different services into the community-based rehabilitation (CBR) program while providing micro-credit to the poorest people in the community - the disabled persons...

Employing Disabled Persons - Bangladesh

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:10:53 -0400

Disability at BERDO

For all pictures visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26685510@N08/

Ten out of thirty five BERDO's employees are disabled. Two of them tell me about their life with disability and what lead to these conditions. These stories also give me a sense of what happens to other 650 million people in the world who live their life with disability.

Firoza Khatun faces disability due to poliovirus

MTV News is looking for one aspiring reporter from every state and Washington, D.C., to be part of our Choose or Lose team. Read more about the program and if you think you have what it takes fill out the application .

MTV&#...

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