Biden Harris From Orange to MultiColoured American - Silver Lining or Global Rainbow US election post mortem

The colour question surfaces as one of the most pernicious issues in the 2020 US Elections. 

What novelties emerge from the changing of the guards in the US Elections?

Demokrissy begins introspection and projections on the challenges ahead and implications for multiculturalism gender under President and Vice President-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, respectively  implications of diasporic reach India, Africa, Americas, Caribbean, Europe ... insights from LiTTributes to the Americas and beyond.

 https://krisrampersad.com/multicultural-gender-challenges-ahead-under-biden-harris/

More analyses on The GloCal Knowledge Pot Knowledge REsearch Information Services & Resources

Another step beyond the Glass Ceiling.. 

PM to PM: Kamla to Julia: woman to woman

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s pitch to her Australian counterpart, Julia Gillard to put a woman’s touch on the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) sets a new tone to these meetings. For the first time, the Commonwealth has a woman as its chair-in office who will transfer the baton to another woman. The ‘chair-in-office’ is assigned to the host country of the previous CHOGM. Persad-Bissessar inherited the post when Patrick Manning was moved from the office of Prime Minister, given that Trinidad and Tobago hosted the 2009 CHOGM; and it will pass to the Australian Prime Minister which hosts the 2011 CHOGM.
It changes the tone of CHOGM meeting because these have historically been male dominated. In fact, in this period in which Persad-Bisessar and Julia Gillard are on the scene, they are among only three women of the fifty-four political leaders of the Commonwealth. The third female political leader in the Commonwealth is Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed of Bangladesh.
The PM’s call is the kind of woman-to-woman conversation that new development thinkers are encouraging and believe is essential if there is to be progress in the UN’s Millennium Development Goal towards more balanced global development.
It is anticipated that it will also change the tone and impact of women in local politics where the track record has not been altogether encouraging.
A review on interventions in support of women’s participation in electoral processes in the Caribbean between 2007-2008, released by UNIFEM last year, tells that women in politics have not had the impact on their societies as expected.
In the first instance, the review which initially targeted examination of interventions in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and either St. Lucia or Guyana, had to curb its ambitions and focus only on Trinidad & Tobago and the Put a Woman project of the Network of NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women because it was the only one that “provided a substantial enough base for making an assessment.”
To its key question on “whether the significant increase in the number of women Members of Parliament (MPs) in Trinidad & Tobago in 2007 had led to an increase in the representation of women’s interests in Parliament,” the simple answer was, “No”.
It describes the aim of Put a Woman to transform the culture of politics in Trinidad & Tobago by making it more inclusive, beginning with women. This was to be achieved through:
 Training women across party lines to understand government at both local and national levels and in gender mainstreaming government decision-making;
 Encouraging more young people to take part in the electoral process;
 Documenting and publishing information on women in local government in Trinidad and Tobago;
 Making the environment conducive for women to effectively participate in the highest levels of decision-making; and
 Creating a critical mass of gender-sensitive elected or appointed women representatives who would influence policy in national political bodies.
This translated into actions involving political skills training; revitalization of the Women’s Political Platform; documentation of women in local government; and the establishment of a Women’s Political Participation Fund.
The review identified Put a Woman’s major successes as the reach of the training it provided and the significant increase in the number of women elected to Parliament following the training. With local government elections postponed in 2007 and 2008, the Political Skills Training concentrated on training for the national elections of 2007. It used various approaches to working with women who were potential nominees or candidates along with women working to support them and reached more than 500 women. It updated the Women’s Manifesto; prepared a document on women’s contribution to local government and the establishment of a small Women’s Political Participation Fund which distributed nominal sums as expressions of support to 13 women candidates.
Among the weakness it review identified was the project’s inability to establish a Women’s Political Caucus.
But, it concluded, “more critically, “the project did not lead to increased representation of women’s interests by women Members of Parliament in spite the increase in their numbers and the exposure to ideas and tools which the project had provided.”
It found that women MPs were in the main not raising issues of concern to women, and cited reasons as their failure to work across party lines and with women’s organisations. the problem was one of the quality, not the quantity of women MPs.
But there are other broader underlying factors. These, the review identified as:
 The nature of the political party culture in the region;
 The sometimes antagonistic differences among women and how this impacts on the aim of creating a critical mass of women in Parliament;
 The diminishing space that national governments have for decision-making; and
 The possibilities and limits of national and local government.
This was discovered of the political environment in Trinidad and Tobago, but it is also a reflection of the political environment globally. And these are the areas that Persad-Bissessar and Gillard will have to transform in their party systems and in their local and national politics, if they are to make substantive impact on the policies and directions and affect a ripple effect across the Commonwealth.

Go Barefoot for Human Rights

‘Barefoot and pregnant’ is an image that has been associated with disempowered women, dependent and entangled in a cycle of poverty, frustration and self-negation from limited life chances resulting from unplanned, unaffordable pregnancies. Similarly, aspects of the feminist movement have also frowned on lengthening and thinning heels on women’s shoes as similar representations of internalised repressions. In fact, shoes and rising heels have been associated with improved standards of living and lifestyles that allow persons to afford shoes to protect themselves from dreaded poverty-associated diseases, and the roughness of the ground.

Now leading women in the civil society movement have adopted the metaphor – at least half of it, ‘barefoot’ – and extended it, to remind the world of the violations of human rights around the world. Go barefoot – lose your shoes is the rallying call to the world to remind ourselves of these violations. Led by CIVICUS - a world alliance of civil society interests, based in South Africa and headed by Ingrid Srinath – men and boys, women and girls shed their shoes and trekked barefooted through most of the CIVICUS World Assembly activities in Montreal recently, to signal their commitment to defending the rights of persons around the world.
On Human Rights Day, December, 10 – mark the date - the CIVICUS led campaign - Every Human Has Rights – will rally people to focus, even for a few moments, to think about other people whose rights have been violated in the hope of building understanding and to begin to make the fight for human rights part of everyone’s lives. This year’s rally around the slogan Go Barefoot – Lose Your Shoes, will zero in on people living in poverty – people who don’t have food to put on their table, let alone shoes to put on their feet.
In particular, we may want to think of the women and children in the some 20 percent of the population of Trinidad and Tobago whose existence hover around the ‘poverty line’.
I have found that more horrifying than what is conjured by the metaphor of ‘barefoot and pregnant’, is the statistic – of 20 percent of our population being barely able to afford life’s basics , given that T&T’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head is said to be some USD 20,000. In lay terms, that means, that if this country’s wealth was more equitably distributed, every individual will be earning some TTD 120,000 a year.
Human Rights day was introduced to keep focus on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the anniversary of this Declaration with its 30 Articles of the rights of men and women. In printed form, the 9 cm by 12 cm booklet of 15 pages defines human rights as right to life, liberty, security, property, education, equality before law, freedom of thought, religion, opinion, peaceful assembly, political participation, equal pay for equal work, right to join trade unions, right to a standard of living adequate for health and well being.
Other less known, are ‘right to nationality’, family, equal access to the public service, free development of personality and right to protection of moral and material interests from any scientific, literary or artistic production.
Trinbagonians, with the endemic liming culture would be pleased to know it also includes the right to participate in cultural life, enjoy the arts, share in scientific achievement as well as – note this –“rights to the freedom to rest and leisure and periodic holidays with pay.”
It is clear that many of these rights still point to the unequal status of women in many parts of the world where women still do not enjoy right to property, freedom of thought, equal pay for equal work, and right to enjoy adequate standard of living for health and well being and access to social and public services and utilities, and many have no prospect of experiencing “rights to the freedom to rest and leisure and periodic holidays with pay.”
Go Barefoot, lose your shoes, is based on the belief that the world would be a better place if every person walked a mile in another person’s. Wouldn’t it? Try it and at noon on December 10, take off your shoes, step out onto the street and walk around the to reognise that Every Human Have Rights. Some details in the box on what you can do.

Dr Kris Rampersad is a media, cultural and literary consultant, and author of Through the Political Glass Ceiling – Race to Prime Ministership by Trinidad and Tobago’s First Female.

For Gender and Culture Sensitive Analyses, Strategy, Education, Facilitation, Workshops, Outreach, Advocacy and MultiMedia Materials make contact at the GloCal Knowledge Pot  


What you can do:
1. Raising profile of rights
Lose your shoes and walk around your office, church, school etc, barefooted. Take pictures and videos to upload onto the Lose Your Shoes website.
2. Raise awareness
Stories and case studies online and used in digital promotions will help demonstrate that violations of human rights are one of the biggest obstacles to eradicating poverty and people action to uphold Universal rights.
3. 12 steps for human rights
Take the pledge to take the12 STEPS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS by starting with actions on the day and then throughout the year – one each month, simple actions from signing a petition, to attending an event or watching a video and sharing with friends.
For more actions, see http://loseyourshoes.org/

Magazine lists Kamla among top female leaders

Magazine lists Kamla among top female leaders

by

Sun Oct 03 2010

The prestigious Foreign Policy magazine has identified Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as one of "high-powered heads of State (who) have bucked the trend" of male leaders. The periodical, which reports in-depth on diplomacy, economics and ideas exchange, has listed Persad-Bissessar in the company of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and other female leaders. The magazine did a photo essay on 15 female world leaders, under the headline "Women in Control." Foreign Policy noted that more than 75 per cent of parliaments worldwide are male.

But that trend has been changing in recent years, the publication observed. The magazine pointed to the fact that Dilma Rouseff was in line to be elected president of Brazil yesterday. The publication said Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar "has stated her goals in office to be cutting down on crime and slashing the island's 20 per cent poverty rate." Time magazine recently indentified Persad-Bissessar as one of the world's top female leaders.

Magazine lists Kamla among top female leaders | The Trinidad Guardian

NGOs Pledge To Help

'People will be in need of clean linen, clothing, appliances, household items and foodstuff and we are asking our groups and organisations to help mobilise and coordinate relief for affected victims. NGOs and CSOs are well-positioned to identify and serve the persons in need and should collaborate with their local government officials and members of Parliament and national relief agencies to help alleviate the sufferings of flood-stricken districts.' - Dr Kris Rampersad, International Relations Director, Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women on Flood Relief efforts

NGOs pledge to help

WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUST 2010

The TT Red Cross Society (TTRCS) has not issued a public appeal but is doing its part by preparing hampers. An official of the TTRCS said volunteers were out on the field doing assessments.

A disaster officer disclosed that they visited Macaulay, Preysal, Gasparillo and Waterloo along with officials of the Office of Disaster Relief and Management. First-aid at shelters in Gasparillo and Waterloo is being handled by the TTRCS.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) will provide assistan

ce to affected persons through its 69 branches located across the country. President of the Society Rudolph Boneo said the SVP customarily received donation “drop offs” and the branches will network with the head office about persons at parishes in need.

The Congress of the People’s Flagship House, Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain is the collection site for tinned food, baby items and toiletries donated by the public. The COP has asked for food items, baby items, water and first-aid supplies to be dropped off. Collection is from 7.30 am. Further information can be obtained by calling 6222-5817.

A San Fernando Relief Centre has been established at the corner of Lower Hillside and Coffee Street next to Black Gold. Supplies can be delivered between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm. A request was made for water, mattresses, blankets tinned foods etc.

The COP thanked citizens for showing compassion and dedication to assist their brothers and sisters in their “time of need”.

The Network of Non-Governmental Organisations yesterday called for all its member organisations, other NGOs and civil society organisations (CSO) to coordinate and mobilise relief efforts for flood victims in their districts.

In a release, international relations director for the Network Dr Kris Rampersad said, “People will be in need of clean linen, clothing, appliances, household items and foodstuff and we are asking our groups and organisations to help mobilise and coordinate relief for affected victims.”

She said NGOs and CSOs were well positioned to identify and serve the persons in need and should collaborate with their local government officials and members of Parliament “and national relief agencies to help alleviate the sufferings of flood-stricken districts.”

The Health Ministry issued an advisory on food and water safety after floods advising persons affected not to cook or eat fruits and vegetables or food in bags or cartons soaked in flood waters. Food in damaged cans or any poultry or animals drowned in floods should not be eaten. The ministry warned against bathing or playing in flood waters, as these can carry water-borne diseases. “Wear rubber gloves and other protective clothing for personal protection during clean-up to avoid direct skin contact with contaminated material.”

To disinfect water the ministry suggested boiling water until it reached “rolling boil for one minute”. A one-eighth teaspoon (0.75 ml) or eight drops of bleach should be used to one gallon of water and the water should be allowed to stand for 30 minutes.

Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday : newsday.co.tt

For more about Dr Kris Rampersad, NGOs, Climate Change, Floods, Sustainable Development visit www.krisrampersad.com

Commonwealth praise for book on Kamla’s speeches

Commonwealth praise for book on Kamla's speeches

A valuable addition to research on gender and women in politics in the Commonwealth. That's how Dr Mark Collins, director of the Commonwealth Foundation, described the new book by Dr Kris Rampersad–Through The Political Glass Ceiling–the Race to Prime Ministership by Trinidad & Tobago's first female, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Selected Speeches. Speaking at the Commonwealth launch of the book at the Partners' Forum of the Ninth Women's Affairs Ministers meeting (9WAMM) in Barbados on Friday, Collins noted the need for research and documentation identified by various speakers and workshops at the meeting.

He said the book and the project for promoting social research and publishing which it launches were answers to that need. He also pointed out that it was not common for a chair of the Commonwealth to change mid-term, as happened in this case, with the change of Government in T&T which makes Persad-Bissessar the first female Caribbean chair-in-office of the Commonwealth. The launch was attended by representatives from across the Commonwealth. A copy of Through the Political Glass Ceiling was presented to chairperson of the foundation, Simone de Comarmond who endorsed Collins appreciation of the book as a needed documentation on gender development.

The launch was in keeping with the forum's theme, Gender Issues in the Economic Crisis Recovery and Beyond: Women as Agents of Transformation. All proceeds of the launch go towards supporting Caribbean research and publishing. Compiled, with introduction, contexts and analyses by Rampersad, the book features selected speeches of Persad-Bissessar against the backdrop of the roles of gender and geo-politics among other factors in the contest for leadership between Persad-Bissessar and the country's longest standing political entity, the People's National Movement. Rampersad is a journalist, researcher and writer who has been exploring the diversity of Caribbean society and cultures for some 20 years. Through the Political Glass Ceiling is available at all major bookstores. 

For more see; https://krisrampersad.com/?s=glass+ceiling

 Contact https://krisrampersad.com/ 

Wed Jun 09 2010

Commonwealth praise for book on Kamla’s speeches | The Trinidad Guardian

Two women not good enough - Dr Kris on Senate Appointments

two out of nine is tremendously disappointed...It is high time we move beyond the rhetoric and value and recognise the potential for leadership at all levels in our country's women - Dr Kris Rampersad Education, Outreach and Advocacy Specialist

NGOs on Independent senators: Two women not good enough by 20100613 The Network of NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women is disappointed that of nine Independent senators named by President George Maxwell Richards, only two are women. "This is by no means intended to cast aspersions on the choices of Independent senators," said Network International Relations Director Dr Kris Rampersad, "but two out of nine is tremendously disappointed given that over the past few terms, precedent has been set to keep an almost 50 per cent gender balance on the Independent benches with four or five female Independent senators. "And it is particularly unsatisfactory, given the President's own acknowledgement of the lack of appreciation of the capabilities of women in our country at the swearing in of Trinidad and Tobago's first female Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar," Rampersad said. "We all heard how eloquently the President lamented the 'deficit' in the country's dealings with women and to quote him: 'There is no gainsaying that our women have made tremendous strides in the public as in the private sectors...and there have existed and continues to exist a certain reservation, on the part of men as well as women, in genuinely respecting the ability as well the entitlement of women...and many of us do not repose full confidence in our women to act independently of patronage of one kind or another.' "Given that, the network finds it very difficult to believe that the President could not find women in our population who could competently occupy seats on the Independent benches. "It is high time we move beyond the rhetoric and value and recognise the potential for leadership at all levels in our country's women. "Meanwhile, the network congratulates the announcement of Opposition Leader Keith Rowley to have its two female senators lead Opposition business in the Upper House with Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald as the country's first ever woman chief whip and Pennelope Beckles as the first female Senate minority leader. "We note that the People's Partnership has not yet named its full slate of 16 senators, and given its strong gender appeal in the campaign for the elections, we anticipate that it will ensure that women share an equal number of seats to men in the Government benches of the Upper House," Rampersad said. For more visit the GLoCal Knowledge Pot https://krisrampersad.com/ and make contact to support development of these archives for learnings and research. Two women not good enough | The Trinidad Guardian