Peacekeeper Truth Serum Blog

Beginning on March 1st and going through March 12th, the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place in New York City. This meeting is said to be” the largest single gathering of human rights activists”, according to ipsnews.com.

One of the major discussion topics of the meeting is the Beijing Platform for Action adopted in 1955 and its successes and failures. The mission of this platform was to establish shared power and responsibility between men and women at home, in the workplace, and in national and international communities. The ultimate goal is empowerment of women, but other concerns mentioned include poverty, education, health, violence against women, armed conflict, the economy, the environment, and the discrimination again female children, to name a few

Of these, one of the major concerns is the increase in poverty and hunger. With the economy in such a state, progress and help in those areas is slowing considerably, and in most countries, the majority of those in poverty are women. One-fourth of households are headed by women, while many others have women as co-heads of household; these households are among the poorest because women’s wages are so disproportionate to those of men. This means that these women and their children are among the malnourished and uneducated, which makes them prime targets for abuse and sexual trade.

This meeting of the Commission of the Status of Women is taking place to reflect on what the platform has done and what more can be done in the future to decrease poverty, raise education opportunities, and give women the power and the voice to make change. In a crisis, it is important not to slow progress, but instead campaign even harder. PeaceKeeper is sure that with so many active minds coming together at the Commission, solutions–smart, powerful, effective, long-lasting solutions–will be  found.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editor:  Jessica Smith.)

We have come a long way since our mothers and grandmothers began working. As of right now, working women make up half the workforce!  Unlike previous generations where women were expected to give up their careers upon marriage and starting a family, today women are expected to hold careers– even after they start a family.

However, despite the improvements, it has been quite a battle and negotiations will need to continue. While half the workers are currently women, they are getting paid far less than men and this is something that has yet to change. On average, women make roughly seventy-seven cents to every man’s dollar, and the gap increases as the education required for the position gets higher. While some women own businesses, the majority of companies are still run by men and it takes longer for women to be promoted. And when they are, the women in top positions make roughly thirty-three cents to every man’s dollar.

Some of this could deal with adapting to the changes more slowly than they happen. For a lot of women, they still face a challenge when starting a family. The American lifestyle has adjusted to having two incomes provide for a household. But through all of the progress, women are the ones who have had to learn to balance their career and parenthood, more than men.

There is, however, another new change sweeping the nation. With the recession, a lot of men are being laid off, more so than women; probably due in part to the fact that women cost less to employ, while still providing great results.  And while men are struggling to find other jobs, a lot of them are becoming stay-at-home dads in the meantime. Times are certainly difficult for a lot of families while they adjust to women as the sole providers (with a smaller income), but this could be our chance to prove our worth once more, and really express what we are capable of in the workplace.

In appreciation for all we have achieved thus far, I say we paint our nails a pretty shade- I suggest Paint Me Stunning, in this case- and show off our hardworking yet beautiful hands, as we continue to negotiate and advocate for each other.

With Love,

The PeaceKeeper Team

(Writer:  Renee Estey.  Editor:  Jessica Smith.)