Justice for all

In “Our Turn to Eat,” Michaela Wrong writes about Kenya:

Kenya’s foreign partners failed to grasp that a system of rule based on the ‘Our Turn to Eat’ principle was explicitly designed to prevent the trickle-down upon which they counted for progress. The better Kenya’s economy fared, the more unstable the country actually became, because public awareness of inequality - sociologists call the phenomenon ‘invidious comparison’ - deepened a notch.

It was a poor bet for the donors to make, for nothing sabotages development programmes more dramatically than violence. Decades of work on school-building, AIDS prevention and gender-awareness-raising are wiped out in a moment when the first shamba goes up in flames and its terrified family hits the road. Convinced they grasped the big picture, the donors somehow managed to miss the approaching near-collapse of an African state.

And:

As for the Western tendency to turn a blind eye to blatant graft and routine human rights abuse in the eagerness to save ‘the poorest of the poor’, it is a feature of donor relations across the continent.

And finally:

If they only set foot on the continent, idealistic Westerners would be astonished to hear how often, and how fiercely, politically engaged Africans…call for aid to be cut, conditionalities sharpened. Kenyan journalist Kwanchetsi Makokha is not alone in detecting an incipient racism, rather than altruism, in our lack of discrimination. ‘Fundamentally the West doesn’t care enough about Africa to pay too much attention to how its money is spent. It wants to be seen to do the right thing, and that’s as far as the interest goes.’

While I haven’t had the chance to read the whole book yet, I’ve read a few chapters through one of my classes. I find her quotes fascinating - that donors and aid agencies are so focused on helping the poor that sometimes they forget to think about the broader context in which their work is operating. It seems to me that donors are generally less willing to support more “abstract” projects such as human rights monitoring or anti-corruption initiatives, because they want “direct” results and want their money to directly go to the poor through education, healthcare, microfinance loans, etc. But being aware of this broader context is, as Wrong indicates, absolutely vital if genuine change is going to occur. The ultimate goal of NGOs should not be simply to provide aid but also to contribute to the creation of a capable, efficient state that itself can provide these public goods to its people.

This definitely requires a more holistic outlook, taking into account human rights violations and corruption as part of the context in which people live. There is a problem today where “human rights” and “development” are looked at as two separate areas. But they really need to be integrated in order to generate the best outcomes.

Also, I find it interesting that she (like Dambisa Moyo) is pushing for increased governance conditionalities, and for aid to be cut until governments change their corrupt practices. I definitely see the value in governance conditionalities but would shy away from advocating a complete cut in aid. I like Kristof’s balanced take on the issue, where he emphasizes that aid has its shortcomings but has also seen some successes. We need to find a middle ground between aid and trade (or some way to include both), and perhaps one way to do so is to begin with governance conditionalities.

Hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving!

From now on, I’m going to keep Feature Fridays shorter and add on a list of my favorite links from the past week or so I constantly run across so many fascinating articles and blog posts to share that I felt I should start sharing them over here, too! Here goes…Enjoy!

Feature Friday: Asylum Access

I recently heard of Asylum Access, and love their innovative approach. When most refugees flee, they usually go to neighboring countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America first - not immediately the U.S. or U.K. Asylum Access fosters the development of refugee rights projects & puts trained legal advocates around the world to connect with refugees who are seeking asylum. The organization also advocates for other human rights for refugees, like the right to work, send kids to school, and gain access to healthcare through international and national level policymaking and advocacy. They also educate refugees on their rights, educate local communities to understand the rights of refugees, and educate those in the U.S. to encourage action on behalf of refugees. Learn more about this great organization here!

Links for this week

• GiveWell blog questions whether Acumen Fund’s “patient capital” model is actually effective or not.
• “There Will Be Blood” – why focusing narrowly on Darfur while ignoring the secessionist South could spell big trouble for all of Sudan.
• In 2010, Desis are taking over Congress! Check out the 6 Indian American candidates who are running.
• Female circumcision/cutting - is it Islamic? A fascinating discussion.
• Check out Philanthropedia — a new way of ranking non-profits, based on experts’ recommendations and testimonials.
• Nick Kristof provides a balanced take on the aid debate, taking a middle ground between Easterly/Moyo and Sachs camps.
• Interesting interview with Louise Arbour, who is now the head of International Crisis Group; “From Justice to Prevention.”
• Are there too many non-profits is the wrong question to ask.
• Be sure to check out Ryan Stephens’ December Top 10 Gen Y bloggers ballot, and vote for your favorites.
• I LOVED reading some of the winning articles in the 2009 Guardian International Development journalism competition. It was an amazing way to bring attention to issues that are rarely touched upon in the Western media. Some of my favorite articles were — Tanzania tries to expel its refugees; street children in Cambodia; discrimination against Dalits in Bangladesh; post-war life for LRA child soldiers who are returning home; Bangladesh’s “Info Lady” phenomenon. Check them out!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. Thank you so much for reading, commenting, tweeting, or discussing these issues with me. It genuinely means a lot, and I put time and effort into writing this blog not only because I personally love writing, but also because I love interacting with all of you on a regular basis. So thanks for stopping by!

While you are spending time with your family & friends today, don’t forget about all those out there who don’t have the same privileges. This blog aims to highlight some of the problems we face today - like genocide, conflict, poverty, oppression of women and minorities, malfunctioning justice systems, and human rights violations. But I also try, as much as I can, to talk about the solutions to these problems.

One thing I’ve been doing is fundraising for International Bridges to Justice (IBJ), an amazing human rights NGO working to end torture and reform criminal justice systems in the developing world. In many developing countries that IBJ works in - like India, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, and Cambodia - people don’t have the same legal rights as we do. It’s easy to be arbitrarily detained and tortured in prison, despite being innocent or committing a small crime like stealing a piece of bread. Prison conditions are often harsh, with lack of food, sanitation, or healthcare.

I’d ask you to please take just $10 out of your pocket this Thanksgiving to donate to IBJ. ALL the money you donate will be matched up to $125,000 until December 10. Thanks to all my generous friends & family members, I’ve raised $1,189 already!! Please help me reach my goal of $1500. All the money is going directly to fund grassroots legal reform projects, and WILL make an impact!

Click here to donate! Thanks again & have a wonderful Thanksgiving

A sign on the wall reads: The prison is not behind bars, nor is liberty found in the street. There exist both imprisoned men among the streets and free men in prisons. It is a matter of conscience. (Photo by Michelle Ferng)

In the past couple of months (!) I have been incredibly happy to have so many intelligent and passionate Gen Y changemakers stop over at my blog to partake in the Be the Change series.

What we learned

Through this series, we read about the grand dreams and visions that Gen Yers have to change and better the world; some may call them idealistic, but they know that social change is a priority, and a possibility.

We learned about the value of listening to the communities we hope to assist. We listened to personal stories of young social entrepreneurs who are striving to “be the change” themselves. On the flip side, we heard from those who felt that not everyone has to be a youth leader in order to engage in the social change movement; the movement needs followers to support it, too.

When hoping to enter the non-profit world full-time, we learned that the non-profit atmosphere isn’t for everyone - and that it might take time to find where you fit in professionally. At the same time, activism is for everyone - and whether or not you work in a non-profit full time, there are ways you can incorporate social change into your everyday work and life. Often, social change happens through a series of small steps - and though it may seem small at first, each step is necessary.

We questioned whether online activism - “slactivism” - is replacing it’s real world counterpart, and real change is getting left behind in the process. We discussed the impact that raising awareness of important international issues can have if done the right way: through personal stories that make hard statistics more tangible. We realized that not everyone shares a passion for a same cause - and so can be more effective to inspire by being the change, not persuading others to support your cause.

We tackled and debated important issues, such as animal rights, the Israel-Palestine conflict, finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, education for women, microfinance, and feminism.

And finally, we were compelled to take a deeper look at our own commitment to question whether we are genuinely committed to making a change in the world - or if we are putting our ambitions and desire for success first.

What’s next?

Thank you all for joining this series, reading along, commenting, or tweeting about it. It means a lot to me, and to the broader social change movement. It is truly a testament to the fact that Gen Y DOES care about making a difference, and that we are poised to utilize our skills and passion to contribute in some way - big or small - to bettering the world. This series, I think, completely blasts apart all the negative stereotypes: that we’re entitled and selfish, that we arrogant and self-centered. Here is proof that we, as a generation, can come together to make an impact beyond ourselves.

But ultimately, REAL change doesn’t happen through blogging or Tweeting. Real change and impact happens offline. Real change happens through action, not discussion.

I encourage you all to continue your activism, both online and offline. Volunteer your time (and skills!) to a local NGO that is desperately in need. Take time out this holiday season to fundraise for a specific cause you care about. Figure out ways to push the corporation you work in to engage in greater corporate social responsibility (CSR). Donate your birthday or wedding gifts to a non-profit. If you’re feeling bold, work for an NGO/social enterprise full time or even start one of your own.

Take action. Don’t limit your “change” to words.

(Picture credit: here)

Bayard Rustin: it’s a name that is not particularly well-known to most of us. His contribution to the United States civil rights movement usually receives only surface recognition: “Bayard Rustin was a civil rights activist best known for organizing the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I have a dream” speech.” Yet, it is probably accurate to say that without Bayard Rustin, Martin Luther King Jr. may not have become a fierce proponent of nonviolent tactics, and without Rustin, the civil rights movement - though certainly still a powerful force - would not have changed the course of American history as it did.

The example of Rustin - one of the most influential, but least-known civil rights leaders - begs the question: for those of us in this generation looking to ‘be the change’ where does our own commitment really lie? It seems that though we may commit ourselves to working in NGOs, as social entrepreneurs or in social businesses we are often more concerned with our personal experiences and advancement than building a more just world; we struggle between our own ambitions and the selfless objectivity needed to bring about meaningful change. Not everyone could play the role of Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Rosa Parks or John Lewis in the civil rights movement. Many more had to be just as committed to the movement knowing that they may never receive the same positions of leadership or “personal success” that those individuals did. Yet, their contributions were as important (and in some instances, even more important) as those leaders to building a better world.

Bayard Rustin spent a good part of his younger years as a pacifist activist, and traveled to India to learn from Gandhian disciples. In 1956, following Rosa Parks courageous refusal to surrender her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, a series of boycotts erupted. Rustin traveled to Montgomery to help infuse the core ideals of non-violence into these efforts. A story from the book “Lost Prophet,” illustrates how essential Rustin’s presence was:

There were guns lying all about King’s house, and Rustin often recounted a humorous incident with himself and Bill Worthy. As Worthy…prepared to sit on one of the chairs in King’s living room, Rustin called out to him, “Bill wait, wait. Couple of guns in that chair. You don’t want to shoot yourself!”

The idea of Martin Luther King having guns around his house may seem to be an oxymoron, but it also highlights just how important Rustin’s guidance were in those early periods of civil rights efforts in building a nonviolent movement. Today, Rustin’s name may not be familiar, but his impact - from non-violent protest as a key tactic, to the formation of the SCLC, to the March on Washington, to the linkages of the civil rights efforts to broader economic and social justice efforts - reverberates throughout the United States and many parts of the world.

Martin Luther King Jr. has many well-known speeches and sermons. One that is slightly less known is his “Drum-Major Instinct” speech. The “Instinct” that he refers to is the “desire in all of us to be first.” It seems that our generation needs to be able reach beyond this “Drum-Major Instinct” to dedicate ourselves to a broader cause. Just as Bayard Rustin was able to bring about tremendous change in a selfless manner, what our generation needs is continual discernment of the motivations that drive our actions while maintaining a commitment to bringing about great change.

The Author

Ankur is a rising senior at Northwestern University majoring in biomedical engineering. He is currently taking a year off from school to work full-time for GlobeMed, a network of students advancing the movement for health equity. Working with communities in rural Panama on various engineering projects, and having a summer internship at Global Health Delivery Online has heavily influenced Ankur’s thoughts about issues of poverty, structural violence, and development. Ankur is originally from the small town of Menomonie in Wisconsin, believes that Taco Bell is infinitely more satisfying than Chipotle, and enjoys a competitive game of Super Smash Brothers anytime. He also blogs at Students for Global Health Equity.