A friend of mine on Facebook who I went to high school with probably has no idea that I love to devour the books that he posts he is reading or just finished reading. He is a world traveler and not just as a tourist but as someone who cares to serve and help others. I just think he's super cool.
So when I saw his recommendation to read Half the Sky, I quickly went and checked it out at the library. And now this is me passing on this recommendation to you. From their website it reads:
Half the Sky lays out an agenda for the world's women and three major abuses: sex trafficking and forced prostitution; gender-based violence including honor killings and mass rape; maternal mortality, which needlessly claims one woman a minute. We know there are many worthy causes competing for attention in the world. We focus on this one because this kind of oppression feels transcendent – and so does the opportunity. Outsiders can truly make a difference. (here's their website)
I've been exposed to global women's issues through some of the sociology classes that I've been taking the past couple of years and it has turned into one of my greatest interests. I feel like it is so important for everyone, male and female, old and young to be educated about what is happening to others, particularly women, on a global level because I truly do believe that individuals can make a difference for the better in the lives of others.
Just like those who fought for the emancipation of slaves and equal human rights for all back in the 1800s, we have a fight of greater magnitude facing us today. At the height of slave trade around 1780 there was an average of just under 80,000 slaves who were shipped annually. Half the Sky brings this point up to illustrate the difference between that appalling part of our history and what is happening today. The US State Department estimates there are 600,000 to 800,000 human beings who are trafficked across international borders annually TODAY. (That is a generously low estimate.) And the estimate is that about 80% of those people are women and girls who are trafficked mostly for the sex trade.
The very first thing that can and should be done to help these people is to become aware and informed of their plight. Half the Sky is a great starting point for that. And another reason why I really loved this book is because when finished you aren't left with the question, "now what?" The authors have provided many resources and ideas of things you can do to make a difference RIGHT AWAY, inviting you to take action in a cause that I believe is one of the most important world issues facing us today.
Want to know what I did after reading this? I was so excited about it! I participated in a Kiva group loan to these 10 beautiful women in Koula, Mali.
I want to do so much more... I'll be continuing on this path for the rest of my life. Care to join me?
