by Patricia DeGennaro
- USA -

• Centuries of conflict have shaped Afghanistan's history. Photograph courtesy of the Asia Foundation. •

“It is easy to leave,” says a military colleague of mine, “but the real question we need to ask is, ‘What is our primary mission?’ If it is just leaving Iraq, we could do so at a deliberate pace in 18 months; if it is to set up a sustainable transition, it could take years.”

The U.S. entered Iraq with a shortsighted mission, and is now planning to exit without a clear transition plan. On November 17, 2008 – after a year of prolonged negotiation – the Iraqi and U.S. governments agreed on a timed withdrawal through a “Status of Forces Agreement” (SFA), a term coined by the Bush Administration. According to the SFA, troops will be out of Iraq’s cities and villages by June 2009, and out of the country by December 2011. The final departure will require just seven more months than the 16 promised by Mr. Obama during the campaign.

by Jessica Mosby
- USA -

After seeing the new documentary Flow, my 2009 New Year’s resolution is to stop buying bottled water. Over $100 billion is spent annually on bottled water, but it would cost only $30 billion to provide clean drinking water to the entire world. Unlike tap water, bottled water is not regulated for cleanliness. And don’t even get me started on the mountains of plastic bottles created by the bottled water industry.

For 84 terrifying and informative minutes, filmmaker Irena Salina makes a very persuasive case for stopping the commoditization of water and ensuring that everyone has access to clean drinking water. Salina interviews an array of researchers and activists who all describe the frightening international situation: dirty water kills more people than wars, the world is quickly running out of clean water, and water has become a valuable commodity for multinational corporations to exploit for profit. Flow is currently available on DVD.

by Wenonah Hauter
- USA -

Jan. 1, 2009 - Wenonah's article marks the beginning of our month-long focus on water issues. We're proud to bring this pioneering voice to our readers. - Ed.

Think of the last time you turned on a tap while washing dishes, brushing your teeth or grabbing a glass of water. If you’re like most people, it probably doesn’t stand out as a momentous experience. That’s because most of us don’t give much thought to this resource that we tend to take for granted. But our water service is becoming less reliable as the infrastructure that delivers it to us falls apart and private companies threaten to take it over for their own financial gain.

by Katharine Daniels
Executive Editor, The WIP
- USA -

It is one of the greatest joys of my life to see the dream of The WIP coming true this year - a dream for real news stories as they affect real people; a dream for news that is unencumbered by the agendas of advertising and the corporate world; a dream for a platform where everyday people from all walks of life, in all corners of the world, can come together in conversation about the issues as we see them, through our own eyes and our own unique perspectives and experiences.

It is, however, breathtaking and frightening to look back on the stories we published in 2008. Wars raged on with very little respite. Natural disasters ravaged innocent victims from Burma to the Caribbean. The world participated in and protested one of the most anticipated Olympics in recent history. The USA elected its first African American President. Food is inaccessible for many around the world, and a global financial crisis is upon us like nothing we have witnessed since The Great Depression. And all this barely scratches the surface.

As we prepare to close a year’s worth of coverage, The WIP’s editors will be taking a week off to rest, spend time with our families and friends, and reflect on this incredible year. Our hope is to start the New Year fresh so we can do an even better job delivering quality news from the unique perspectives of women in 2009.

by Rupa Chinai
- India -

In the aftermath of Mumbai’s most recent encounter with terrorism, there is the feeling of isolation felt by those pleading for sense and reason. These voices are being drowned out amidst the jingoism and war cries of an “eye for an eye” currently heard on the streets of the city.

In this chilling environment of unreason, I wonder what would be the reaction to people like me, who feel pity for the path chosen by young men like Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving terrorist from the attacks? This sentiment does not seek to justify the heinous crimes he committed or protect him from the punishment he deserves through the due process of law. But how can one find the words to urge people to understand the context from which youth such as Ajmal develop and how civilized society must respond to the challenges they pose?

by Zubeida Mustafa
- Pakistan -

Peace activists in Pakistan and India are attempting desperately to be heard above the din raised by warmongers – elitist by all counts and claiming to be patriotic as well – in the wake of the Mumbai carnage. Jingoism is in the air - be it from so-called nationalists (posing as analysts on television) advocating a nuclear attack for the defense of their country, or the man on the street. Be they from Pakistan or India, they speak of war with great abandon as if it is child’s play. For the electronic media it is a race for sensationalism.

by Lesley D. Biswas
- India -

According to a 2006 National Crime Records Bureau report, 18 women become victims of crime every hour in India. The number of women raped every day has risen to 53 – a nearly 700 percent increase since 1971. India ranked fifth out of 84 countries studied by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in 2006, with 19,000 reported rapes per year. Even though this is far behind the United States, which stands at the top of the ladder with 95,000 reported rapes each year, we ought to treat every single case of rape as inhuman and saddening.

Some women’s groups in India say that fewer than 2 percent of women who have been sexually assaulted in India actually come forward to report the crime, largely because this could undermine a woman’s chances at marriage. These groups also assert that the conservative attitudes of Indian families and the public harassment the victim is put through during questioning in court to prove that she was raped often leads to further social ostracism. Many Indian women would rather suffer in silence than appeal for justice and see the culprit convicted.

by Saskia van Alphen
- Argentina -

The terrain of the Escuela Mecánica de la Armada (the ESMA or Navy Mechanics School) has been open to the public for a year now. Once one of the biggest detention and torture centers during the last military dictatorship in Argentina (March 1976 to December 1983), it is now being transformed into the Space for Memory and the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights. The initiative is jointly sponsored by the national government and the city government of Buenos Aires. The management of the Space for Memory also includes representatives from 14 social organizations, such as the Mothers of the Disappeared, HIJOS (Children), various human right organizations and ex-prisoners of the ESMA, who have an important counseling roll.

By keeping the buildings as they are, the center’s planners are giving them the status of commemorative monuments, and opening a museum that will document the dictatorship, the years preceding the coup and the consequences of the military regime. Other buildings will house a library and archive, as well as provide offices for human rights and other organizations concerned with those years of repression.

by Rupa Chinai
- India -

During the course of the past decade, women diagnosed as HIV/AIDS patients in Mumbai have been trying to say something important that deserves close attention. These widows, whose husbands died from AIDS, claim their experience is quite contrary to Western science, which insists that HIV is a “death sentence.”

by Jessica Mosby
- USA -

This incredible story of average Liberian women coming together to fight for peace is the subject of the new documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which is currently playing in theaters. Filmmakers Gini Reticker and Abigail E. Disney capture the inspiring story of the Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET) with compassion and reverence. Their story of unbelievable heroism in the face of unspeakable violence makes for a dramatic and heart-wrenching 72 minutes.

by Mridu Khullar
- India / USA -

With her signature short hair, perky voice, and aggressive journalistic style, Barkha Dutt, 36, ushered in a new age of journalism in India. Compassionate yet firm, her war reporting from Kargil made her a household name and a role model for young journalists around the country.

But in the days after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that killed at least 171 and injured over 200, Ms. Dutt has faced criticism from thousands of Indian viewers for her work during the almost 60 hours that Mumbai was under attack.

by Jasmin So-Armada
- Canada -

Walk into a convenience store, coffee shop or supermarket in Calgary and chances are you’ll be waited on by a temporary foreign worker (TFW). Though they come from many countries, they share one story: relocation for the chance to earn decent wages, and in some cases, the hope to reside permanently in Canada. “There is a wide variety of TFWs that come to Alberta - from skilled laborers like welders and carpenters, to pipe fitters to semi skilled trades like cleaners. These are men and women from all parts of the globe,” says Avnish Mehta, Program Coordinator of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society’s (CCIS) Temporary Foreign Worker Integration Advisory Office.

by Kavita Bedford
- Australia -

Those seeking insight into the Chilean mentality should explore the footpaths of Santiago and Valparaíso. The desires, fantasies and messages of the last forty years are boldly expressed on walls, metro stations and buildings. Here, the streets have a voice.

The memories and consequences of Pinochet’s rule live on in Chile, but in the world of art, repression and prohibition no longer reign. The past decade has seen a powerful resurgence in artistic communities as new galleries, shows and exhibitions are popping up on every re-invigorated street corner. Yet, in formal art spaces there is a distinct lack of comprehensive and challenging visual work. Museums are lagging in attendance and flagging amid a strong collaboration of ideas between the artists and their communities.

by Rupa Chinai
- India -

Monday, December 1st marked World AIDS Day. As experts continue to search for a cure, we are honored to present Rupa's informative 3-part series on AIDS in India, a compelling look at the gaps in the system and possible solutions for the future. - Ed.

In the course of my work as Special Health Correspondent for a leading English language newspaper based in Mumbai, HIV/AIDS patients from across the country often came to my office to share their story. Those were the years when the hysteria around this disease was reaching its most fevered pitch. Mass HIV testing within the general population was being encouraged or enforced. The patients however reported that their experiences did not conform to the tutoring of the AIDS lobby.

Mushtaq’s (name changed) experience is consistent with that of many who I met. While seeking a work permit for the Gulf, he tested HIV-positive during a mandatory test. Although subsequent tests conducted by a reputed private hospital laboratory showed a negative result, the Gulf Board rejected the “HIV-positive” candidate. Sadly, stigma from the flip-flop testing still sticks to him wherever he goes.

by Katharine Daniels
Executive Editor, The WIP
- USA -

Though the USA has typically been a leader in women's rights, the policies of the Bush Administration have taken us backwards in terms of women's issues, especially policies regarding the health and rights of women globally. Currently, the USA the only country in the world that does not financially contribute to UNFPA (the United Nations Population Fund) for reasons that are political and not financial. With Barack Obama as President-elect, we have reason to be hopeful that U.S. funding to UNFPA will be restored. There are many challenges facing the USA, but we must ensure that restoring American leadership on women's issues is included and prioritized in the foreign policy of the new Administration.

On Monday, December 8th from 10am-12pm PST we were joined by Anika Rahman, the President of Americans for UNFPA, for a live online chat. As head of the official support organization for the United Nations women's health agency, Anika's role is to increase American engagement in the promotion of the health and rights of women globally. For more than twelve years Anika has monitored and analyzed United States and international policies that affect the reproductive health and rights of women.

by Blaire Dessent
- France -

For the 2008 Dak’Art Biennial, an international art exhibition held in Dakar, Senegal, a group of artists and thinkers associated with the Action Lab project of the Brooklyn-based freeDimensional (fD), collaborated on the production and distribution of Gorée Gazette. A one-time, free newspaper, the Gazette includes personal narratives, drawings and statistics related to the crisis of economic migration - specifically ocean crossings from Africa to Europe and the United States.

by Jean Kim Mars
- USA -

Under the shelter of a weeping willow tree, Leah Epperson recalls the day she survived being abducted from church and raped when she was twelve. Next to Epperson, sits her best friend Emma, a rotund Chow-Retriever mix, basking in the sun’s rays and voicing concern over the passing squirrels in a North Carolina park.

Epperson, now 22, is proof that a miracle transpired ten years ago on Palm Sunday. Her left wrist bears a tattoo of a Chinese character, symbolizing strength. It is permanently etched into her porcelain skin as a reminder of the courage she displayed after she was raped multiple times—blindfolded and hogtied, and left under a pile of leaves in the woods. She would eventually escape crawling onto a highway, led by a soft stream of light and using the instincts of a child to peer under the blindfold as though she were “hitting a piñata.” A group driving by would come to her rescue.

by Rupa Chinai
- India -

On August 5, 2008 a young “HIV-positive” couple in Mumbai - Babu Ishwar Thevar, 39, his wife Amothi, 33 - committed suicide after killing their three children, sons Venkatesh and Mani, ages 10 and 8, and daughter Mahalaxmi, 6. They had just discovered that their youngest child too “was infected by the deadly virus.”

The stigma of AIDS has taken many lives long before the disease itself claimed them, but the extent of such suicides, and the reasons behind them, have rarely come to public knowledge. AIDS has a critical link to the immune system and the factors that influence it. Society’s limited understanding of this disease is causing innocent people to pay a terrible price.

by Jessica Mosby
- USA -

At the tender age of 19, Claudio Duran opened the door of his Santiago home in the middle of the night to find military secret police ready to arrest him. The officers took him to Villa Grimaldi, ironically known as the Palace of Laughter – a Chilean prison used by General Augusto Pinochet after the 1973 military coup. At that moment, he says, “my life changed.” Duran (now known as Quique Cruz) chronicles his imprisonment and the art that helped him reconcile his painful past in the new documentary Archeology of Memory: Villa Grimaldi. The film debuted at the 2008 Mill Valley Film Festival.

by Nancy Van Ness
- USA -

Their hats adorned with artificial flowers identify them at many of the protests in which I participate. The Grannies also show up on New York City's Union Square to sing their signature anti-war lyrics to well known tunes.

I hold in mind a vivid image of some of them who were arrested for trying to stop military recruitment, onstage in Philadelphia, outside Constitution Hall the Saturday after the 2006 elections. Behind them stood young Iraq Veterans Against the War - two of the bravest groups of patriots in the United States, standing together, opposing US aggression.

by Priti Sehgal
- India -

The United States was once a dreamland for many of us Indians. The US label – whether American-brand apparel, a pleasure trip to the US, a higher education degree from anywhere in America, a short training program, a job or the ultimate dream of a family member settling down there – used to be enough to elevate one's social status in India. Given the current financial crunch in the US, the American dream is dying for many Indians.

by Natalie Hart
- Chile -

“Impunity for human rights crimes is not just a matter of the past, but also something that continues today.” - Irene Khan, Amnesty International Secretary General

On the tenth anniversary of former military dictator General Pinochet’s arrest in London, Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan led a delegation to Chile to investigate the country’s current human rights situation. Far from a finding nation that has firmly closed the door on its dark past, Khan reports unratified human rights conventions, unresolved cases of regime era disappearance and torture, and an indigenous community subjected to marginalization and discrimination – a country that has failed to put the ghosts of its past to rest.

by Jessica Mosby
- USA -

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made nineteen trips to the Middle East in the last two years in hopes of securing a regional peace accord. But as the Bush administration comes to an end, Rice’s goal of a two-state solution will not be realized. During her most recent trip last week, she admitted that they’re not “at the finish line” of the peace process.

by Melissa Costa
- USA / Brazil -

They pruned his moments
They impeded his destiny
His boyish smile was hidden many times
But hopes are renewing, like a new dawn each day
And he shall take care of the sprout
In order to give life flowers and fruit.
- Milton Nascimento, A Student’s Heart

I cannot remember how many times I slammed the door as a response to my anger and frustration during my teenage years. I was searching for the answer to the universal question: Who am I? During my adolescence, many of my friends faced the same problems. Some of them took the wrong path; unfortunately, I haven’t heard from them since.

by Zakeer Fehmida
- India -

Not long ago, a young man named Srinivas and his friends had just planted saplings along one of Chennai's busy thoroughfares and stood wondering how they could ensure the plants' survival amidst the sidewalk bustle. A nearby bicycle shop owner offered discarded bicycle tubes and suggested converting them into plant barriers. The tubes were piled together and the saplings got a new lease on life. Their efforts were part of their work with Diya, a social welfare organization that Srinivas and a group of his fellow IT professionals formed in response to their desire to help provide a platform for citizens to come forward and participate in resolving issues of public interest. Srinivas is one of Diya’s co-founders and says of his organization’s objectives, “We keep looking for ways to step out and make a genuine difference to our society, whether that means a slum development initiative, or a tree planting drive, or lending a helping hand to a blind school.”