Action Item: Sweatshops and CAFTA by Mary Rose Curtis
According to the National Labor Committee, young women in Guatemala toil in illegal sweatshops under abusive conditions at Nicotex, a factory that sews Briggs New York and Lane Bryant clothing.
The United States' Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is undermined by lack of labor rights enforcement and corruption. American women unknowingly purchase clothing made by women who are being exploited. They work 72 hours weekly with 25 hours of routine overtime. It takes 10.2 minutes to sew a Briggs New York blouse for which they are paid 19.5 cents.
These women are trapped in extreme poverty, earning 76 cents to $1.15 an hour. They're cheated out of health and maternity care, for which they are forced to pay even though it's guaranteed under Guatemalan law.
There is no corporate code of conduct. The Nicotex sweatshop is just another example of how the CAFTA agreement has failed to enforce even Guatemala's minimum labor laws.
Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators by calling 202/225-3121 for the House and 202/225-3121 for the Senate.
Comments From the Pope on a Visit to Meet the Interfaith Encounter Association
I have excerpted and paraphrased this message by Pope Benedict XVI:
Unity that is not dependent on uniformity to form a culture not defined by boundaries...but, fundamentally, shaped by the principles and actions that stem from belief, can "teach the deeper spiritual values of our common humanity. The hearts of the young, readily, join those of all religions wishing to safeguard children from fanaticism and violence while preparing them to be builders of a better world."
Interfaith Encounter Association's Jewish-Arab Initiative
By way of emails from the Middle East sent by Dr. Yehuda Stolov, I found out about an intriguing cooking workshop held by the women. These Interfaith Association Arabs and Israelis have special retreats, activities such as exchange of their "identity cards" and play opportunities for their children, field trips such as to Jerusalem's Holocaust museum and singing together in both Hebrew and Arabic "in order for their hearts to come together when seeing common bonds." Their gatherings have food and discussions about similarities and differences such as in raising children. They study the Torah, the Koran and the Bible (the Torah being the Bible's Old Testament) and choose topics such as how Abraham is meaningful in their traditions, how mourning customs compare and the mysticism of Moslem Sufism and Jewish Kabbalah.
The cooking workshop centered on the classic Arabic dishes, Majedra (pictured at right) and Zalabie, and the recipe I share here was for the Israeli salad, Burghul with Green Beans and Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Serves 4):
one cup burghul
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, cut into cubes (2cm X 2cm)
olive oil
salt, black pepper
one cup frozen green beans
lemon juice
1 Tb. honey
2 Tb. finely chopped mint leaves (nana)
yoghurt as side dish
Cook the burghul until soft (2 C water for 1 C burghul).
Cover sweet potato cubes with salt, pepper and olive oil in a Pyrex dish.
Roast for 15 minutes or until done. Let potatoes cool at room temperature.
Cook the frozen beans in the microwave according to the pkg. instructions.
Mix 4 Tbs. olive oil with lemon juice, honey and mint until you get a smooth dressing.
Mix burghul, sweet potatoes and green beans and add the dressing.
Adjust spices to taste.
Serve with fresh yoghurt or labane.
Recipe by Evelyne Savir
CEDAW Ratification This Session of Congress!
Social action can be easy to do. I just did it by phone calls to my two Senators. I got my name and comment on their pro-ratification lists. Here's how:
Dial the U.S.Capitol, 202/224-3121, and ask for the office of one of your Senators. When the phone is picked up, say "Hello. My name is ...." Then, give your address to show you are a constituent. Continue with, "I need to voice my support for immediate ratification of CEDAW, the U.N. Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women." Then give your comment.
My comment was, "I'm sure you've recorded the many reasons why this U.N. Convention needs to be in our law books. In case you haven't heard my point, I need to remind the Senator that discrimination toward women is the first step for violence against women. Please, add this with my name to your pro-ratification list." When you hang up, simply repeat the same procedure for your second Senator. It's soooo easy!
Morale Booster
Finding inspiration to keep on working for social justice is a necessary component for stick-to-it-tive-ness. Knowing doors of inspiration have been opened by Convocation presenter, Rev. Huston, WOMUUNWEB asked her what they were.
“I was mightily energized by the fact that almost 600 women came together [for the Convocation] in difficult times to search for the real root causes of women's oppression world-wide.
"One door I hope I opened was to the organization Results (www.results.org), which advocates for US governmental aid for basic education programs in Africa. And, in speaking about the fact that three women at Community Unitarian Church at White Plains, NY began the conversation about women's rights worldwide by offering a proposed [General Assembly] Study Action Issue in 2004, I hope that I opened a larger door to the idea that a few women, talking together in a congregation, can eventually move our larger UU structures to action."
Rev. Carol Huston, White Plains, NY
Why Were Women Denied Visas?
Key Messages Transmit Themselves...
"...key messages transmit themselves, sans messenger."
-- Angela Sorby from "Mountain of Names" in Bird Skin Coat (quoted in Fall 2009 UU World)
Subcategories
Reproductive Justice
If you have any questions, please contact UU Women and Religion, info@uuwr.org.
Main resources from the UUA: www.uua.org/reproductive
