Here in Canada, spring is supposed to mark the beginning of the slow
season, a time to ease off work and celebrate the return of the sun, flowers
and outdoor recreational fun.
At Crossroads, we could be forgiven for failing to notice the end of winter. We've been intensely busy. Two days after the official start of spring, a group of soldiers overthrew the government of Mali while rebels
seized territory in the country's north. For a moment, it looked like the country
might spiral out of control. While things have cooled down in the capital, the
coup and ongoing instability in the north have sowed fear in the hearts and
minds of the people of Mali. Our partners have been working double-time to
ensure their projects are able to continue and thrive, and we've been doing the
same to ensure they are supported.
The spring has been busy for another reason: Our work to promote the
rights of women and girls has picked up steam like never before. And we are
proud of that. As the controversial deletion of the phrase “access to
reproductive health services” from the final document produced at the recent
RIO+20 summit suggests, the rights of women are still up for negotiation in
most parts of the world. We must remain vigilant to protect and improve access
to rights and sustainable livelihoods for women and girls. Here are some
highlights from this spring's struggle:
- In Toronto, Crossroads volunteers, Pam Hillen and Sarah Giddens hosted a wonderfully successful cocktail fundraiser for Global Girl Power, raising more than $12,000 for programs to support women's rights in developing countries. I had the honour of speaking alongside Ntombi Nyoni, legal officer for Crossroads partner Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse, and two of Canada’s best-loved journalists, award-winning BBC reporter and Crossroads honorary patron Lyse Doucet and the CBC’s Anna Maria Tremonti. It was a truly wonderful evening and a joy to hear Lyse and Anna Maria talk about their experiences working together and how important it is to support girls and young women in the developing world so that they enjoy a brighter, more secure future.
- In Istanbul, women from across the world came together to learn, organize and speak out at the Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) 12th International Forum. It was an incredibly inspiring event. Representatives from 12 of our partner organizations from West and Southern Africa were in attendance, along with Canadian members of our program team, providing a rare opportunity to put out heads together, forge new relationships and share ideas for elevating the status of women in our communities.
- In Manitoba, we delivered a presentation to provincial cabinet ministers, including Premier Greg Selinger, explaining the power of grassroots solutions to transform the work of women and rural producers in Bolivia and Niger. The message was warmly received by members of the government and the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation, who expressed their intent to uphold their support for women and girls in Africa and Latin America.
- In Halifax, long-time (and outgoing) staff member Joan Campbell succeeded in attracting record support from a new friend of Crossroads. Marjorie Lindsay made an additional gift of $50,000 to support Crossroads work with women and girls. At a very young 86, Marjorie is an inspiring and passionate supporter, who strongly believes that Canadians should be supporting women and girls both at home and internationally. Thank you Marjorie!
