A New Learning Center is now opened in Battambang, Cambodia

A  new Learning Center is now opened in Cambodia

I have a great news to share with my friends. Very recently, my family visited a small village in Battambang province in Cambodia where my daughter Natascha officially opened a Learning Center built by the Hope is Life Foundation. We were so glad to see more than 100 children in the village who will now have access to some form of education. The villagers, the Chief District Officer, Head of the District Education Department, the Head of Village Council village children and many of our friends attended the opening ceremony. It was a proud moment to all of us. The school is now officially opened. 

Village children waiting for the guests arrival

Visitors and children posed for  group picture during the opening ceremony

After enduring nearly three decades of brutal warfare and the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia still remains one of the poorest countries in the world. During Khmer Rouge’s rule, it was estimated nearly two million Cambodians died of starvation, torture or execution. Two million Cambodians represented approximately 30% of the Cambodian population during that time.

Today, of Cambodia’s estimated 14 million people, nearly 42% live on less than 50 U.S. cents a day. Another 30% of the population is only earning marginally more than that. Infant, child, and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in Asia. Low spending on education perpetuates poverty, as children of poor families are forced to drop out of school – making it harder for them to access opportunities as adults. Those who cannot afford the educational fees, such as the 10,000 to 20,000 children living on the streets of Phnom Penh, do not go to school.

Although the Kingdom of Cambodia is rich in natural resources, decades of war and internal conflict have left it one of the world’s poorest countries. The legacy of strife includes social and economic scars. Many millions of land mines were sowed throughout the countryside, where millions of them still lie, hidden and unexploded.

As you all recall, in a fanatical attempt to create a pure peasant society, the Khmer Rouge turned their country into a giant labor camp, evacuating cities, banning commerce and religion, and trying to exterminate the country's educated class. From 1975 to 1979 at least 1.7 million people were executed or died of overwork, starvation, torture or untreated disease.

Responding to the devastation of Cambodia after years of war, Cambodian Organization for Research and Development (CORDE) has been working in Cambodia for many years with the mission to facilitate the transformation of communities through the education of individuals. It has been a challenge to bring poor Cambodians back from such a tragic upheaval of their nation and the complete disintegration of the family as an institution where love and trust died under brutal oppression, and a whole generation grew up with no understanding of what it means to have a loving family. 

According to CORDE, the only way is social transformation through education - to rebuild the foundation of families and community relations on which a nation can be built. And the only way to build up education in the country is to help people learn to do it and sustain it themselves.

                              The Education Officer and the Village Chief thanked Hope is Life Foundation for                                                       giving an opportunity for the village children to attend school and receive basic education. 

The new Learning Center was built by the Hope is Life Foundation in collaboration with with Cambodian Organization for Research and Development (CORDE). 

More than 100 children in this village will be attending classes at this center. These Centers invite children and youth to deepen their literacy ability and increase their power to express themselves. 

The new learning center is now opened

Classes for children and junior youths will be conducted daily in the new learning center. The land was donated by a farmer from the same village.

Regional Bahai Conference - Battambang -Cambodia

Regional Bahai Conference in Battambang, Cambodia

I was delighted and happy to spend a few days in Battambang recently with my wife Debbie. I attended a Baha’i Regional Conference, where some 2,100 members of the Baha’i Religion from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam gathered in this Cambodia's second-largest city for a historic conference that had citizens of all four nations sitting side by side to discuss service activities in their communities. It was very spiritual. 

An Official Representative of the Government of Cambodia is seen                                                     delivering the opening remarks

I was also amazed by the efficiency of the Cambodian friends, especially the the youths to organize such a large gathering in Cambodia. 

This gathering was one of a series of 41 Baha'i conferences being held in major cities around the world. The events began on 1 November in Lusaka, Zambia, and will conclude on 1 March in Kiev, Ukraine.

Some 75,000 people have participated to date in the conferences (as of Feb 23) which began on 1 November and will conclude on 1 March, 2009 - last of the series of 41, which will be in Kiev, Ukraine.

Youths from Vietnam is seen performing a traditional Vietnamese dance for the participants

In Battambang, a representative of the provincial government, Aem Thoeurn, addressed the conference and emphasized the diverse nature of the gathering.

Nearly 2,100 Baha'is from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam participated in the Conference

"The unity of religion and the harmony of its followers is essential for peace," he said. "Your gathering here is proof that this is possible." He expressed the wish that "each one of us will bring this (spirit) back to our own people."

As in many of the cities hosting the conferences, Baha'i organizers in Battambang were challenged to find a venue large enough for all participants. The Battambang city hall fit the bill, with 1,500 people filling the main auditorium and others watching proceedings by video link from tents set up outdoors.

All the conferences are being held at the call of the Universal House of Justice, the head of the Baha'i Faith. The purpose is to celebrate achievements in community-building and make plans for future work. This includes devotional gatherings; children's classes; and programs for the moral education of young people.

The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.

One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.

To learn more about the Bahá'í Faith, please visit www.bahai.org

Unity of all Religions

Why are we fighting among each other in the name of religion?. The purpose of religion is to unite mankind and establish peace and unity among people of the world. But it is very unfortunate to see people are divide and fight against each other in the name of religion. Just recently, in India,  it was Hindhu against Christians in the Orissa state, and Hindhus against Muslims in Kashmir. 

Just a few weeks ago, at least 16 people, mostly Christians were murdered, several churches destroyed and nearly 10,000 Christians became homeless in the State of Orissa, India because of religious war between Hindhus and Christians.

According to International Herald Tribune, the missionaries built schools and hospitals, and their work persuaded many Adivasis and ethnic Panas, who belong to a Hindu lower caste, to convert to Christianity. The region turned into a hotbed of communal strife after hardline Hindu groups, who accuse Christian missionaries of converting people under duress or through inducements, arrived half a century ago to counter an expansionist evangelist drive.

There have been so many religious wars during the past several decades and have slowed down the progress of humanity. The wars have disunited people, destroyed communities and brought miseries to millions of people. 

    Baha'i Gardens in Haifa, Israel

Terraces - Baha'i Garden, Haifa, Israel

In a statement address to the peoples of the world, entitled, The Promise of World Peace, the Supreme Body of the Baha'i Faith, the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, Israel noted," Religious strife, throughout history, has been the cause of innumerable wars and conflicts, a major blight to progress, and is increasingly abhorrent to the people of all faiths and no faith. Followers of all religions must be willing to face the basic questions which this strife raises, and to arrive at clear answers. How are the differences between them to be resolved, both in theory and in practice? The challenge facing the religious leaders of mankind is to contemplate, with hearts filled with the spirit of compassion and a desire for truth, the plight of humanity, and to ask themselves whether they cannot, in humility before their Almighty Creator, submerge their theological differences in a great spirit of mutual forbearance that will enable them to work together for the advancement of human understanding and peace."

Probing deeper into the unity of religions, according to the writings of the Baha'i Faith, "The principle of the unity of religion means that all of the great religious Founders--the Manifestations--have come from God, and that all of the religious systems established by Them are part of a single divine plan directed by God. 

In reality, there is only one religion, the religion of God. This one religion is continually evolving, and each particular religious system represents a stage in the evolution of the whole. The Bahá'í Faith represents the current stage in the evolution of religion. To emphasize the idea that all of the teachings and actions of the Manifestation are directed by God and do not originate from natural, human sources, Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder-Prophet of the Baha’i Faith, used the term "revelation" to describe the phenomenon that occurs each time a Manifestation appears. In particular, the writings of the Manifestation represent the infallible Word of God. Because these writings remain long after the earthly life of the Manifestation is finished, they constitute an especially important part of the phenomenon of revelation. So much is this so, that the term "revelation" is sometimes used in a restricted sense to refer to the writings and words of the Manifestation. 

Making a Better Presentation

Recently a friend of mine from Rochester, New York had asked me for some tips on making presentations to Asian audience, as he was planning a trip to a few countries in Asia. I thought of sharing them with my blog viewers 

(excerpts from The Return of the Dragon, by Nat Yogachandra)

Making a Better Presentation

Making an excellent first impression in Asia is crucial. So if one is going to deliver a presentation to a group i any Asian country, one has to invest more time an effort in preparing the delivery. Remember that presentations in Asia are somewhat formal affair. Your appearance, your outfit, and manner should convey this. 

As a general rule, any presentation to an Asian audience should be more formal, orderly and restrained than at home. “We may take pride in appearances of spontaneity and thinking on our feet. We like to sound naturally articulate, not rehearsed. For special effect we mark up our flip charts and transparencies, often with dramatic flair. Many foreign audiences from Germany to Japan feel very uncomfortable with this type of presentations. They may feel slighted when they see that the speaker has not made the effort beforehand to rehearse and to complete the visuals aids in their language, of course. Prior presentation and formality are a matter of respect, the more the better,” writes Lennie Coperland and Lewi Griggs in their book Going International.  

As a first step, it is highly recommended that you send your presentation materials in advance so that your local office can read them in advance and, if necessary translate them. Try to use short, declarative sentences when writing. Avoid jargon, difficult words and idioms. And, if you are planning to write letters to go along with you presentation to anyone whose first language is not your own, try and follow some basics discipline such as:

Be simple and concise - keep it to the point

Use short simple words and direct sentences. Avoid uncommon verb forms

Be positive and courteous

Try to phrase negative words (NO) in a positive way

Be polite

Be formal. Never presume to use your associate’s first name. You need to remain formal until your partner indicates you may do otherwise. Being formal also implies being more courteous.

Here are some guidelines to help you become more effective in your presentations to an Asian audience:

Plan your presentation: Think through the actions and reactions you want from the group and prepare for all outcomes.

Research your audience and their culture: This is crucial. Find out about the business practices of the people before you visit a country. How would they react to some of your presentation techniques?. Will they like it if you bad-mouth the competition?. Will they like humor in your presentation ?. In some cultures, especially in Korea, saying something bad about the competition is not usually welcomed.

Keep it Simple: Language is always a major barrier. Use short sentences. Do not use American slang or figures of speech that are difficult to translate and impossible to look up in a reference book. Americans in general should be careful not to use sports analogies as not all American sports are popular in Asian countries. As a rule, use simple words for the audience to understand and try to avoid the cobwebs of presentation. Stay away from American jokes. They won’t be understood in Asia. Do not talk fast and /or loudly.

Brief your interpreter well in advance: You must make sure that your interpreter is well briefed and understands your requirements well before your presentation. when your foreign host provides an interpreter, make sure you explain the gist of the agenda and what you will be presenting. If you are in a technical field, give the interpreter a list of words in advance and a chance to get to know and prepare the translations. Once you find  out who will be your interpreter, it is always recommended that you give him or her  copy of your presentation in advance. During long sessions it may be a good idea to have  more than one interpreters. Pause after each sentence or a two and allow the translator to translate it. Try to communicate only one concept at a time.

When speaking through an interpreter, always look at the person to whom you are talking and not the interpreter (even though it may be more comfortable looking at a listener who understands your language). 

Think visually: Be as visual as you can be. Try to use chart an graphics more than you normally might. Effective visuals reinforce your primary message and will be easier to understand for the audience whose native tongue is not English. Make sure you keep the  visuals very simple to reinforce the main points. keep the materials simple and clean.

Making eye contact: The speaker should not just look at the translator when speaking. Instead, your gaze should sweep the room in an unhurried and carefully paced manner. You should frequently stop to make eye contact with the head of the team. This will create the impression that you are paying attention to the audience and especially respect the leader. However, looking straight in the eye is disrespectful in most Asian countries. In some culture, it is proper to cast your eyes down or away from someone considered your senior. For example, in Japan, a person who looks straight in the eye of a subordinate is felt to be judgmental and demanding, while someone who looks his or her boss in the eye is assumed to be discourteous and hostile. But, in Western culture, if you don’t make a good eye contact with the person you are speaking to, he or she may begin to feel uneasy and think that there is breakdown in communication.

Do not rush to fill silence: Silence during a meeting or presentation conveys meaning. If a culture is known for its verbosity and has a penchant for explaining everything in words, silence can mean a complete breakdown in communication. If a culture dislikes over-talkativeness, silence can be highly valued as a sign of modesty. Depending on the culture, silence can indicate that they understood you and reached a conclusion or complete disagreement. Silence can appear to be non-active an can be construed to carry no special meaning.

Most of the time, your audience will be quiet and ill observe long periods of silence. Do not rush to fill silences. You must talk and wait patiently. You must give your foreign counterparts more time to talk. When your Asian colleague seems to be struggling with how to communicate a message, be patient and be careful not to put word into his mouth. To many Asians, silence is a form of speech.

Be Prepared: If you are giving a presentation in Japan or Korea, nothing makes a worse impression on the Japanese than the appearance of being ill-prepared. This may also be applicable to most other Asian countries.

Prepare to take several copies of handouts of your presentation materials.

Have someone in your group introduce you to the group. This adds to your credibility.

During your introduction, tell them that you will offer handouts after the presentation. This will help the designated secretary on the Japanese team relax and not waste time taking notes.

Distribute handouts translated into local language of all the technical materials, and product specifications.

Try to maintain a low key demeanor. Try not to be overly loud.

Keep your humor - jokes - to a minimum

Good Luck

(Photo courtesy: www.inmagine.com)

TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS;

PLEASE - TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

Pope Benedict  XVI recently said that hunger and malnutrition had no place in the modern world. Hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable in a world where the levels of production, resources and knowledge are enough to bring an end to these types of dilemmas and their consequences. 

A cooked food vendor along the streets of Bangkok, Thailand

To mark the 2008 World Food Day, the Director General of Food and Agricultural Agency (FAO) Jacques Diouf said, “Our planet produces enough food to adequately feed its entire population.” Yet, nearly 854 million women, men and children will go to sleep on an empty stomach. Mr. Diouf, further said, “The right to food calls for a shift in paradigm from charity to rights. Ensuring that every human being has an adequate and stable supply of food is more than a moral imperative - it is the realization of a basic human right. 

Skyrocketing food prices in many parts the world is causing major problems and undermining gains made in the reduction of global poverty. During my recent trips to many Asian countries, people have complained about the increase in cost to feed their families. I have listened to taxi drivers who complained about making less money nowadays and finding it difficult to bring food home. 

Selling Bread on the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The inflation in food price has caused riots and tensions in many Asian, African and Middle East countries. According to the World Bank President Robert Zoellick, “ Food prices have been driven higher, in part, by drought in Australia and in central Europe, and more demand for food in wealthy Asia. From 2005 through 2007, world wheat prices rose 70%, corn gained 80%, and dairy prices nearly doubled, up 90%.” Mr. Zoellick has said two billion people across the world are struggling with high food prices, and 100 million extra people in poor countries may be pushed into poverty by the crisis. 

Valerie Gee, in her article entitled, “The New Hunger,” appeared in the issue No 55 of Asia Geographic writes, “ In Asia, inflated food prices have led to scenes of social unrest, most notably in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. The sharp rise in prices have hit the poor hardest because food represents a much higher proportion of their expenditure than that of richer populations - a good 60 to 80 percent, compared to the 10 to 20 percent in industrialized countries.” According to the World Food Programme (WFP),  a UN agency, believes that 100 million people who were not facing urgent hunger six months ago are now in peril. 

Even in the United States, the richest nation on earth, demand at food banks is up nearly 20 percent over last year. US food prices are expected to rise up by five percent this year. Next year, nearly 28 million American - that is one in ten Americans - are expected to use food stamps and that will cost the tax payers $39 billion. 

The time has come for the world leaders to take a fresh look at the problems we have today. A new look at the problems the world is facing, involving consultations with experts from a wide spectrum of economic sectors, devoid of any personal and national interests and finally involving the people directly affected in the decisions must take place immediately. The solution calls for a combined effort that involve the application of spiritual, moral and practical approaches. 

More than a century ago, Baha’u’llah, the Founder Prophet of the Baha’i Faith explained that recognition of the fundamental spiritual principle of our age, the oneness of humanity, must be at the heart of a new civilization. The foremost among the principles of the Bahai teachings is the oneness of humanity, which, the Baha’i writings state, “implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world had not yet experienced.” And at the heart of this change stands Baha’u’llah’s imperative: “Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.” 

In a concept paper entitled, “ Valuing Spirituality in Development,” written by the Baha’i International Community for the World Faiths and Development Dialogue, London in 1998, stated “that the economics of food production and distribution will have to be reoriented and the critical role of the farmer in food and economic security properly valued.”

Raw papaya salad (SomTum) is very popular among people from North-East of Thailand

The paper further states, “Issues of food, nutrition, health and shelter are central to the challenge of providing an adequate standard of living for all members of the human family. The issues cannot, however, be tackled solely as technical or economic problems. Eliminating hunger and malnutrition, establishing food security, providing adequate shelter and achieving health for all will require a shift in values, a commitment to equity, and a corresponding reorientation of policies, goals and programs.”

Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith in addressing the basic needs in food and shelter, said,” In such a world society...(t)he economic resources of the world will be organized, it sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated... The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be  consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral and spiritual life of the entire human race.”

The well-being of mankind, it’s peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”                  - Baha’u’llah, Prophet Founder of the Baha’i Faith

VIETNAMESE CHILDREN CONFRONTING HIV/AIDS

VIETNAMESE CHILDREN CONFRONTING HIV/AIDS

 

On a narrow busy lane in District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is a three-story apartment building. For an outsider, it looks like a typical shop/house building, but inside this simple but neat building, we met more than 40 children, aged four months to 15 years - most of them orphans living under the loving care of a few volunteers and Father John Phuong Dinh Toai. They all have been neglected by society and by their own families and they all have one thing in common -- they are all infected with HIV/AIDS.  Few mothers, also infected with this deadly virus and abandoned by their husbands, live here as well and help take care of the children.

Natascha Yogachandra, honorary chairperson of Hope is Life Foundation is seen playing with some of the children at the orphanage. 

My wife, Debbie, and our daughters, Megan and Natascha, were very fortunate to meet these children and Father Toai during our recent trip to Vietnam (late July 2008) and our Foundation (Hope is Life Foundation) has been very much involved with the orphanage. 

  

Last year, 2.7 million people were newly infected with HIV, and 2 million died from AIDS. Today, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 33 million people live with HIV worldwide. I was very glad to learn that at the recent 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City , the theme was a new focus on children. As reported in the New York Times, a report released at the Conference by the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS urged governments and donors to develop new approaches to alleviate the plight of children in areas hard hit by the epidemic. 

 

There were concerns expressed by the participants that although governments and donors provide large sums of money for HIV treatment worldwide, too little of that money reach children. Very little efforts have been made to provide psychological, nutritional and other support for these children.  These children have been ignored by their own families and discriminated by their friends in the school and shunned by their neighbors. 

Dr. Jim Yong Kim of Harvard University , according to the New York Times, said that about 6 to 10 percent of children needing therapy were receiving it, compared with 30 percent of adults. What is really shocking is that according to a United Nations report, nearly 1.5 million children had died of AIDS in the past five years and 15 million children had lost one or both parents to AIDS. An estimated 2 million children under the age of 15 are living with HIV.

 

I am a strong believer in giving any form of support or financial aid directly to the victims and their families. For the past few years, we have made direct contact with the families or children under the care of Hope is Life Foundation. 

I do not believe in overhead costs. Dr. Linda Richter, a psychologist in South Africa said that in the developing world, much of the money for children in AIDS programs went to consultants and overhead costs.  “It would be more effective, and more efficient, to give money directly to families and communities. Poor people have shown that they make good decisions about getting food and other provisions. In some cases, mothers are unable to take their children for medical care because of financial barriers including being able to pay the bus fare to treatment centers.” 

 

During the past few months, my family and I have been involved in creating awareness of human trafficking and the HIV/AIDS epidemic among children. For many young girls in Asia and Africa , poverty exposes them to sexual exploitation at a very young age. We met one young girl from Vietnam who was duped into attending a party by a friend across the border into Cambodia and then dumped in a coffee shop/brothel house. There, against her will, she worked as a sex worker throughout her adolescence years, serving men of all ages, often without the use of condoms. 

 

It is very common to see stigma attached to the person infected as well as the entire family. People in general have a belief that they might easily contract the disease if they have any contacts with either the HIV patient or their family. 

 

Encouraging the governments and organizations to break the silence and to combat the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, a United Nations report added, "Fear of discrimination may prevent people from seeking treatment for AIDS or from acknowledging their HIV status publicly. People with, or suspected of having, HIV may be turned away from health care services, denied housing and employment, shunned by their friends and colleagues, turned down for insurance coverage or refused entry into foreign countries. In some cases, they may be evicted from home by their families, divorced by their spouses, and suffer physical violence or even murder. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS may extend into the next generation, placing an emotional burden on children who may also be trying to cope with the death of their parents from AIDS.”

 

Well, I have decided to continue to work with Father Toai on behalf of Hope is Life Foundation to provide emotional and material support for the children who are suffering from this deadly virus.  Here are some of the children we are closely working with. I have changed the names to protect the character identities.  

 

Ben has two sisters. Only Ben is infected with HIV. His mother left the two girls with Ben at the orphanage and disappeared. Upon learning that his wife and child have HIV, Ben’s dad kicked them all out of the house. These children have been living at the center since 2007.

 

About two years ago in 2006, the local hospital sent Vaan to the center and said she would die in two weeks time. She is infected with HIV, but doing fine. Vaan is now three years old.

 

Veem is four months old. The youngest in the center. Her mother died of AIDS and the father disappeared. This is very common at the center. 

Bean, at the age of eight months, was abandoned by her mother on the streets. Someone took her home and found that she was infected with HIV/AIDS and left her on the streets again - abandoned for the second time. She was rescued and brought to the orphanage. She is now 20 months old.

I have taken several photographs of the children at the orphanage, but decided not to publish in this blog. 

 

The elimination of discrimination against women is a spiritual and moral imperative

A Thai woman vendor on the streets of Bangkok

According to the latest summary of a survey conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime among 189 countries worldwide, Thailand was among dozens of nations highlighted for a high number of rape cases. This is very disturbing news to the country. In the past, numerous Thai scholars and women's organizations have identified violence against women as a severe problem in this country. Also in the past many reports from the United Nations Development Program informed unequivocally that there has been growing concern about the problem of violence against women including physical, sexual, and mental abuse by their husbands in Thailand.

Domestic violence is a significant social problem in Thailand and in Asia in general. In particular, a great deal of attention has been paid to the high rates of physical abuse which men perpetrate against their female partners and the causes of such violence.

Women may have become the heads of government in many countries in Asia -- India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. This does not mean that every woman has won her rights. In spite of all the progress that women have made in most of Asia and the Middle East, they still lag behind their sisters in other parts of the world in terms of equality between the sexes.

Many Thai male political leaders have in the past have become advocate of many women’s rights laws but their efforts slowed down because of prejudices of dominant male political leaders who are in power or just lack of understanding of women’s rights.

It is mentioned in the writings of the Baha’i Faith, that the world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. When the two wings become equivalent in strength, enjoying the same privileges the flight of man will be exceedingly lofty and extraordinary. The elimination of discrimination against women is a spiritual and moral imperative that must ultimately reshape existing legal, economic, and social arrangements. We need to change the attitudes of male towards female. Without fundamental changes in the attitudes and values of male in power, especially male policy-makers, and in the underlying ethos of social institutions, full equality between women and men cannot be achieved.

I strongly believe in educating girls is more important than educating boys. The first teachers of children are mothers, and we need to educate them first. If they are educated, they should be able to stand up for their rights and build self-esteem. Currently, most women, once their rights are violated and abused at home, often do not report the crime. Because of the terrible shame and embarrassment associated with such violence, inflicted by their husbands or boy friends, they tend to turn inward, blaming themselves and their karma rather than the men who inflict this violence upon them.

The leaders in Thai business, society and politics, especially the men in power have an inescapable duty to promote the equality of women. They must work hard to create a better environment and a just society to make this happen.

I am proposing a six-point plan to all Thai men, especially parents, business and political leaders to promote non-violent aggression against my female sisters in this country and all over Asia.

Point: 1: Remove all obstacles that prevent girls from going to and staying in school. If parents have limited resources to send their children to schools, send the girls first. People with money try and sponsor girl’s education in neighboring towns.

Point: 2: Principals and head masters of school voluntarily incorporate efforts to change attitudes on gender, show respect to women and discuss equality of men and women in classroom settings. This should begin in primary schools and extend to media, civil society, government officials and the social partners.

Point 3: At every level of the society, at every stages of government, programs must be in place by men of influence to educate men and boys about the importance of gender equity and shared responsibility.

Point 4: At home, parents must teach their sons to treat girls with respect and dignity. This made it easy when the father respect the mother at home and include her in consultations and decision making process.

Point 5: Male youths must initiate campaigns to approach government and private institutions to promote gender equality and create awareness of women rights at work. Such campaigns must be nationally recognized and evaluated.

Point 6: Ban all the books/comics with abusing images. Any Thais cannot help noticing comic books found in book stores or waiting rooms, across the country. They are full of abusing images. Cartoons of husbands beating wives or wives beating husbands are very common. They are indeed read mostly by children. More parents must rise above united to ban such books and bring dignity and respect to mothers and sisters.

No nation can develop half of it is free and half chained. Therefore, a balanced strategy to bring both halves of the society into benefiting the basic human rights of women is a must.