My Photographs of Indonesia, India, Afghanistan and Thailand.

Below are my photographs, taken in many different places of the people I’ve encountered throughout the years either in connection with my international assignments with the United Nations or during my holidays. Some are in black and white and some in colour. I did two photographic books with UNICEF on children. The Galong, River Boy of Thailand, and Ketut, Boy Woodcarver of Bali. Enjoy!

A Balinese fish trader and her son waiting for the fisher-

men to bring fish from the sea. Bali, Indonesia, 1969.

A Balinese fisherman and his boat. Bali, Indonesia, 1969.

A school boy putting up his artwork for other students

to see in an outdoor class in Kabul, Afghanistan. 1968.

Afghan school boys in national costume, dancing and

singing, Kabul, Afghanistan, 1969

Bihari school girls having school lunch under the UNICEF

food program during the drought in Bihar, India, 1968.

A Balinese farmer taking his ducks out for a walk in the

rice fields. Bali,Indonesia, 1969.

A Javanese woman drying rice in the mid-day Sun in

Central Java, Indonesia, 1968.

A Rubber grower checking sap in the morning in Haadyai

Province, Southern Thailand, 1970.

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“When a Man Hunger’s”

In the late sixties I had the honour of working for UNICEF in Asia. In 1967 I co-directed and co-wrote a small movie called “When a Man Hungers” with my late husband. We both worked for UNICEF at the time. The movie is about the drought in Bihar, India and the UN mission therein. It was originally aired as part of the UN television series. I’m very proud of all the work we put into this over thirty years ago. It’s a testament to the foundations of Development Support Communication. I’ve made a very small clip of this film available for viewing here. The file is over 30mb so if you’re on a slow internet connection this might take quite a while. Here is the link for the movie. It’s 28 minutes long.

If you’ve got problems viewing the film, then you might need to install
Quicktime on your computer. It’s made for either Mac or PC and can be installed very quickly, free of charge.

Creating Action Plan For Full Participation of Women in Peace and Security

Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Norway now have a National Action Plan to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, calling for the full participation of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace building. Canada, Spain, and some other countries are in the process of creating their own plans to guarantee the inclusion of peace and security initiatives in parallel to the mainstreaming of gender issues. I find the Norway’s Action Plan to be very comprehensive and well-written in translating government’s policies and strategies into measurable and accountable actions. Creating a national plan is the best way to ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national institutions and to have appropriate mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict, the protection of and respect for human rights of women and girls in armed conflict as well as the prevention of gender-based violence.
For friends who are interested in creating a national Action Plan, I recommend having a look of the manual “Securing Equality, Engendering Peace: A Guide to Policy and Planning on Women, Peace and Security” written by Hilary Anderson, Kristin Volasak, and Kaitin Neilson for the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women. This excellent manual will provide you with an excellent support to planning with mixing strategic, participatory and gender analysis. The authors have designed this guide for use by governments, United Nations and regional and non-governmental organizations, and also for individuals who are interested in developing a plan of action for achieving the goal of gender equality in peace and security.

Gender Parity: UN New Appointments

Gender parity has still to be attained at the professional and high levels in the United Nations System of organizations and agencies. At the moment, women constitute only 37.4 per cent in the Professional and higher levels staff. It is encouraging to hear good news this week. Two qualified women are appointed to head two UN agencies. Josette Sheereen of the United States was appointed by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday to be the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian agency with headquarters in Rome. The second appointment, Margaret Chan, a Chinese doctor, is chosen by the Executive Board of the World Health Organization to be the new WHO Director-General leading the global prevention of communicable diseases and health care promotions around the world. I want to congratulate the two women and wish them all the best for their future challenging work for the health and well being of all humankinds.

Climate Change & Global Warming

I consider climate change to be one of the most serious threats to our world. Therefore,
it is important that we support and participate in climate change action. A good beginning is to follow this week discussions at a series of climate change meetings taking place in the Office of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. (6-17 November 2006). There is no doubt that our planet is getting hotter everyday. Scientists have continued to warn us of its impact to our world. Human activities contribute directly to climate change, altering the composition of the global atmosphere. We have seen the impact of it with our own eyes: more and more powerful storms; the decline of winter; and the shifts in the natural world such as the laying of some bird species occurring earlier in the seasons. We have also seen, in films and documentaries, the melting down of glaziers in the North and South poles, and the increasing of the amount of water in the oceans. It is predicted that the sea level this century will rise up ranging from significant to catastrophic. The salt-water intrusion from rising sea levels will reduce the quality and quantity of fresh water supplies for all of us. The most of the world’s endangered species, some 25 percent of mammals and 12 percent of birds, will become extinct over the next few decades as warm conditions alter the forest, wetlands and rangeland they depend on. High temperature can also expand ranges of some dangerous vector-borne disease such as malaria, which already killed people in large numbers. There are many ways to safeguard the Ozone layer and global climate system. We can join force with members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by taking action to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which enjoys near universal membership with 189 countries having ratified, can provide ideas for international cooperation. Climate system is a shared resource. We could work together to lower the amount of industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and make efficient use of energy, or switch to renewable forms of energy such as solar and wind power, or cut out fossil fuel use entirely. Each community could get organized to plant more trees which will help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. We can install, in our homes and offices, a more efficient lightings and appliances that can significantly cut electricity use into half. Improving building insulation can also greatly reduce the amount of fuel needed for heating and air conditioning. The global nature of climate change calls for a widest possible action by all of us. We can support governments that signed the Kyoto Protocol, which entered into force since 16 February 2005. Networking among ourselves, with individuals and groups through new information and communication technologies have already shown to make a difference worldwide in drawing attention to the threats posed by global warming.

Why Do Gender Equality Strategies Focus Only On Women?

A decade ago, in China, I witnessed the representative of governments participating in the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women: Equality, Development and Peace in Beijing declared their determination to advance the goals of equality and reaffirmed the equal rights and inherent human dignity of women and men and other purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
The Beijing Declaration stated that equal rights, opportunities and access to resources, equal sharing of responsibilities for the family by men and women, and a harmonious partnership between them, are critical to their well-being and that of their families, as well as to the consolidation of democracy. From then onward, governments and non-governmental organizations and the United Nations system have done good work to build up capacities for gender mainstreaming to achieve the goal of gender equality. UN staff members are given training to understand gender concepts, conduct gender analysis, use gender-difference indicators, and plan gender-sensitive advocacy. The emphasis on mainstreaming a gender perspective in peace and development is made based on the recognition that the interest and needs of women as well as those of men must be pursued in the formulation and design of peace and development policies, programmes and activities. As a follow-up to the Beijing Platform for Action, the United Nations created the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women at Assistant-Secretary General level to promote, facilitate and monitor the gender mainstreaming efforts of the entire United Nations system. There are many achievements made towards the goal of gender equality. This can be seen by reading the 2006 Reports of the Secretary-General to the Economic and Social Council, the Security Council and the General Assembly. I am surprised to see that most achievements reported were focused on activities and programmes for women. The male side of the gender equality equations had not been mentioned, as if only women need to change and develop and men don’t have to.
After more than three decades of working in this area, I am disappointed to read the July/2006 proposal of a group of non-governmental organizations led by Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) and Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) to the High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence recommending the creation of a new, strong and independent women-specific agency to work across the UN system to be led by an Under-Secretary General. although not intentionally, the content of this proposal is against the UN Charter, which stated that there should be no discrimination based on sex, and the 1995 Bejing Platform for Action goal of gender equality. In this context, are we then supposed also to create a men-specific agency in the United Nations to achieve the goal of gender equality? It is delusional to think that gender equality can be achieved without paying equal attention to the men’s behavior and the male/female relationship. Having helped to organize four world conferences on women’s concerns, under the theme of equality, development and peace, I stongly recommend that the United Nations put more efforts and resources for peace building and development programmes to target men for change. More attention should be paid to men’s gender identities, which is related to how they are brought up to have certain “macho” behaviors that resulted in gender-based violence and discrimination against women at home and in the work place.

Life-extended Strategy for Primates

I am happy to come across a prescription that may extend life article in my morning reading today that calorie restriction and simple lifestyle make primates live very long and vital lives. It is good to learn from scientific researche that aside from direct genetic manipulation, calorie restriction is the only strategy known to extend life consistently in variety of animal species. Other studies also show that calorie restriction can be more effective than exercise at preventing age-related diseases like diabetes, heart problems, Parkinson and cancer, and may slow down the progression rate of Alzheimer’s disease. If restricted calorie diet — eating about 30 percent fewer calories than normal and adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients — can make such a difference for primates, I am sure it will make a difference to us humans as well. Richard Weindruch, a gerontologist at the University of Wisconsin who directs reaserch on the monkeys said that the effects are global and calories restriction has a potential to help us identify anti-aging mechanism throughout the body.There are many recent studies on the inter-connections between the biological processes, genetics, nutrition, lifestyle which might also have impacts on human evolution. Talking about human evolution I also read, with interest an article in the magazine “Healthday” about the finding of Erik Trinkaus, professor of anthropology at the Washington University in St. Louis, that there is scientific evidence that modern humans and neanderthals have interbred about 30,000 years ago during the upper Paleolithic era when neanderthals and modern humans were thought to co-exist. Professor Trinkaus believes that there is now solid evidence that neanderthals and humans co-mingled both socially and sexually, and that they may not even have been all that different. His team’s finding from the research of collection of bones in the Pestera Nuierii cave in Romania is published in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the United States National Acedemics of Sciences.

Increase Biosphere Reserves

I commend the good work done by the global Network of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme in adding 25 new sites for reserve last week.
These reserves cover wide wetland and forest areas where local communities are involved in governance and management. The new sites will help to maintain the health and survival of plants species, tropical forest, coral reefs, turtles, dolphins, snails, and birds. Wetlands and coastal areas of many countries from Mexico to Vietnam will be protected. The biosphere reserves contribute to maintaining genetic reservoirs and biological diversities.
In one area, covering about 193,000 ha in France, the Rhone River Delta’s new structure will improve coordination of rice cultivation, hunting and fishing. This area is also known for having a large population of birds, and wild ducks stopping by for a visit in winter. The collective management of water resources will maintain sustainability of key natural ecosystem.

Good Coup/Bad Coup: Dilemmas in the Struggle for Democracy

The Thai military coup last month, presents dilemmas to the members of the Thai women’s movement. This article shows that although many women in Thailand were relieved that the corrupted government of Thaksin’s Regime was overthrown some were disappointed when the Council for Democratic Reform abolished the 1997 Constitution along with the Thaksin Government. It was like “throwing the baby out with the bath water” as the old saying goes. For the last ten years, Thai Women’s Watch, a women’s group formed to follow-up the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference Platform for Action, had been at the forefront of promoting Thai women’s participation in politics and appointments in decision-making in the government. They don’t want to see the efforts gained thrown out by the coup, especially the Article 30 and 80, which recognized gender equality, and the elimination of discrimination based on sex. Professor Pawadee Thonguthai of Thammasart University, Vice-President of Thai Women’s Watch Group, says “those articles in the 1997 Constitution relating to equal rights for men and women are non-negotiable.” WE MOVE group, formerly known as the “Women and Constitution Network”, decided to show their position to the coup leaders by not pushing to have women in the interim cabinet that was set up. But the Council for Democratice Reform surprised them two weeks after the coup by the appointment of 10 women among the 65 members of the Advisory Committee to advise the interim government on democratized governance. The Article 3 of the draft Interim Constitution guarantees basic rights, human dignity, and equality under the law in accordance with the democratic rule under the King as head of state. Two professionally qualified women were appointed to the new cabinet: Dhipavadee Meksawan and Khaisri Sriarun. The Office of the Attorney General is now headed by a woman, Jaruwan Mentaka, to investigate corruptions and the abuse of power by members of Thaksin government. A female Appeal Court judge, Sodsee Sattayatham was appointed to the Election Commission. Seventeen women from different professional groups and walks of life were appointed to the 342 members of the National Legislative Assembly. Last week, for the first time in Thai history, Tarisa Wattanakes was elected by the board to head the Bank of Thailand. Thai women’s opinions on the recent coup are as diverse as those of Thai men. There are women who are against Thaksin and support the coup. There are those that support Thaksin and are against the coup, and there are also those women who are against Thaksin and against the coup. As long as women like Rosana Tositrakul, Veena Thoopkrajae, journalists, the People’s Alliance for Democracy and female university students are continually allowed to speak out on their opinions, between now and next year’ s national election; there is hope for the future of Thai democracy.

Marine Litter: Danger to Humans and Animals

Marine litter originates from two sources: Sea-based ( trashes from vessels, oil spill, refuse, and discarded ships, fishing equipment and nets) and Land-based (municipal wastes from trash dumps, untreated sewage, medical and industrial waste). These pollutions are all man-made, therefore, can be cleaned-up by us. I have written earlier on how we can all join in cleaning the sea and ocean. The annual “International Coastal Cleanup”, organized by the NGO “Ocean Conservancy”, has contributed a lot in cleaning-up job done by nearly 400,000 volunteers in 100 countries each year. The volunteers succeeded in removing more than 21000 km of coastline and water ways, collecting 6.2 million pieces of refuse weighting 4000 tonne. Fifty-eight per cent of litter comes from recreational activities. The State of Marine Environment report says that marine litter causes growing problem to the environment. Around 70 per cent of litter entering the oceans lands on seabed. Fifteen per cent on beaches. Another fifteen percent remain floating on the surface. To solve this problem requires big effort by the governments. Under the initiatives of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), member states had adopted the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities in 1995. Legal and institutional arrangements have been set up during the last ten years to support action now cover most regions of the World. This week (16-20 October) the Chinese Government is hosting an international conference attended by 700 delegates from 115 countries to chart next steps for global marine protection activities. It is expected that new commitment will be made to link management of freshwaters, including rivers and lakes, with current effort to lessening coastal-based pollution. It is encouraging to know that at this conference, a greater alliance and cooperation will be built between governments and civil society, local authorities, private business and other non-governmental organizations in this gigantic effort to keep our seas and oceans clean.