How to help women around the world
Aug. 15th, 2011 08:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
'Half the Sky' (by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn) is THE best book I have read. For the first time in a long time. It shook me up and gave me hope that there are ways that we can help women around the world. We can't change everything about the world, but we can all achieve huge things working together with one another. Half the Sky shows how empowering women is the solution to fighting poverty, war, and extremism.
You can buy it here and at Australian bookstores: http://www.halftheskymovement.org/
Here are websites of organisations who support women in struggling nations. Learn how you can join them in helping women around the world: http://www.halftheskymovement.org/get-involved
Education is the key to ending poverty and human rights violations around the world.
Half the Sky's recommendations for fighting sexual slavery:
In order to fight sexual slavery, police need to be held accountable. Governments need to monitor how many brothels are closed down and how many pimps are arrested. Sting operations should be used, This helps reduce brothels' profits. Crackdowns usually cause police officers to lead more crackdowns and charge higher bribes, which lowers profits for pimps.
An example of how publicity can lead to crackdown on brothels is Svay Pak. Once media reports spread and and the the US criticised the government, the Cambodian government ordered the police to crack down on the brothels there.
The US Secretary of State can take the Director from the Trafficking Office on trips. The president can visit a shelter for victims of sexual slavery on state visis to other countries. Europe can put trafficking on the agenda for Eastern European countries wanting to join the European Union. Jailing rich and prominent people who buy child sex slaves will hurt the rape trade, causing prices of sex slaves will fall, gangs will turn to less risky crimes for profits.