Malalai Joya: The woman who will not be silenced
Enraged by Taliban oppression Malalai Joya became a women’s rights activist, and after the US-led invasion, took on the new regime as an MP. But speaking out has come at a cost. She tells Johann Hari why death threats won’t stop her exposing ugly truths about Afghanistan. read the whole story
She's got some serious guts. Speaking of women with guts - check out this australian woman who dares to challenge current consumer culture for the protection of our young girls. Here's a sample of the article challenging the sexualisation of young girls:
'[The] pre-pubescent girls in this ad ... are portrayed as music video skanks,' the mother of three writes scathingly at mamamia.com.au.
Freedman quickly explained why her blood boiled so quickly at the sight of the ad. She was in the midst of reading Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls, edited by Melinda Tankard Reist. It is a sombre new look at 'how we are eroding what was once the sacred space of childhood with a bombardment of appalling imagery and sexually suggestive ideas'.
The effects of such advertising on girls is well documented. In addition to Tankard Reist's book, recent books on the subject include The Lolita Effect by M. Gigi Durham, So Sexy So Soon by Diane Levin and Jean Kilbourne and What's Happening to Our Girls? Too Much, Too Soon — How Our Kids are Overstimulated, Oversold and Oversexed by Australian researcher Maggie Hamilton.
Let's work together to make a better world for our children.
Speaking of which - you may want to check out the Asia Pacific Breakthrough Summit - a rare event being held on December 2nd and 3rd to generate commitments and mobilize resources towards achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals 3 and 5.
To compliment and support the conference proceedings taking place indoors, we will be hosting a free outdoors public event in Federation Square on Wednesday December 2nd. The focus of this event is education and grass roots action and will link faith communities, schools and the general community in our efforts.
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