15/1089-90, VASUNDHARA, VASUNDHARA (P.O.), Dt.
GHAZIABAD (U.P), PIN-201012
Website: www.auditflag.blogspot.com
Reference:
AIA/Circular-05/2019 Dated:
6th March 2019
To
Unit Secretaries,
Members & Spl. Invitees – NE &
Members of Women’s Committee
Dear Comrades,
8th MARCH - OBSERVE
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
The United Nations (UN) has decided
the theme of this International Women’s Day as “Think
Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”. The statement issued by
UN-Women is attached along with this Circular.
This message needs to be taken to
every one – not only to women but to men folk also. The issue of gender
equality has come up to the fore as never in the past. The forces that work to
take the society to the medieval ages are in an aggressive mood with all
patronage from the powers that be.
Recently the nation saw an attempt to
subvert the ruling of constitutional bench of the Supreme Court through
bullying and mob violence. Unfortunately, a section of women also fall prey to
such regressive ideologies and movements.
The patriarchy would always try to
retain its hold and suppress the rights of women. It is for those who forward
for an egalitarian society to guard against it, to protect the advances made
and to do everything to further the cause.
All the Units are requested to
observe the International Women’s Day on 8th March by issuing
pamphlets and holding seminars etc. on the theme adopted by the UN. Care may
also be taken to continue with the campaign in a sustained manner in the coming
days too, not limiting the issue of equality and egalitarianism to 8th
March alone.
With greetings,
Yours
fraternally,
(MS
Raja)
Secretary
General
Statement: “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for
Change”
Statement for International Women’s Day by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka,
UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women
Date: Monday, March 4, 2019
At a time when innovation is dominant, shaping and
changing the way people live in every part of the world, we have to be
intentional about its use to positively impact the lives of women and girls.
That means making sure they are not only consumers of innovation, but take
their place as innovators. With their engagement, both design and execution of
solutions can address the unique needs of women and girls, from the creation of
decent work to delivery of products, services and infrastructure for women in all
walks of life. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, “Think Equal,
Build Smart, Innovate for Change” puts innovation at the centre of efforts to
reflect the needs and viewpoints of women and girls and to resolve barriers to
public services and opportunities.
Remoteness need no longer be an exclusion issue when mobile money
technology and digital payments can deliver social benefits to even the most
remote households. Lack of roads need not prevent life-saving medication from
reaching patients, with smart inventions like 15-year old Nigerian Eno Ekanem’s drone to make drops to rural areas,
controlled by SMS messaging.
Lack of electric light did not stop Midwife Lorina Karway from delivering babies at
night in remote parts of Liberia; she improvised using her phone light. Now
however, simple, low-cost solar lamps made by women have brought a creative,
sustainable solution to Lorina, and to multiple health centres and individual
homes that previously lacked access to energy infrastructure. This important
invention that jumpstarts access to modern renewable energy can be further
developed to be even easier to handle and use.
Women’s fresh, relevant thinking also brings transformative change to
large-scale infrastructure, both virtual and physical. Our Buy from Women Enterprise Platform uses mobile
technology to connect women farmers and cooperatives to information, finance
and markets, optimizing the supply chain for women. The large ‘Senergy’
solar-power project in Dakar, Senegal drew on women’s views in development,
bringing shared benefits such as upgrades to the local school, the funding of a
microcredit association to promote women’s businesses in the local area, and
premises for a maternity unit. Syrian architect Marwa al-Sabouni’s
award-winning vision for the redevelopment of the razed district of Baba Amr,
Homs, includes ways to restore cooperation, social cohesion, and a sense of
identity after the devastation of war.
Innovation and technology reflect their designers and makers. Knowing
that algorithms increasingly determine selection and response, we need to react
to the growing evidence that women have been routinely left out of the data on
which decisions are made. “Big data’ is only a reliable support for decision-making
if it draws on a pool of unbiased information.
Groups that are under-represented and marginalized
based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or socio-economic status
also need to have the opportunity to create and to provide feedback on what is
created by others. This might be urban planning that designs for commuter or
pedestrian safety with simple measures like better lighting and walkways that
reflect crowdsourced data on hotspot attack or harassment zones. Or it could be
toilet constructions that support women’s period management needs. Or the use
of biometrics as ID to replace formal registration documents that many women
may not have or control. In any of these scenarios, innovation and technology
with a gender perspective are crucial to remove barriers and accelerate
progress for gender equality.
Our Global Innovation Coalition for Change brings representatives
from the private sector, academia, and non-profit institutions to develop the
innovation market so as to work better for women and to accelerate the
achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Women and girls must have opportunities to
contribute to making real change, and help shape the policies, services and
infrastructure that impact their lives. As we have seen from recent marches for
climate action in Europe and elsewhere—they are ready to do so.
When we put the focus on those who are least
heard, and least visible—whether individuals, or those hundreds of millions of
informal sector workers who currently have little or no presence in official
planning, or financial protection that will sustain them in ill-heath, child
care or older age—we are tackling some of the deepest-reaching social problems
and can make the progress we want to see.
****
