cathtaylor
By Cath Taylor

Real peace is about justice and it starts with me

April 25th, 2013

“Real peace is not just the absence of conflict- it is the presence of justice.”  Martin Luther King.

Dawn, April 25.  In hushed cities and towns all over Australia, school children shuffle and stamp their feet, blowing softly into the sleeves of school jackets to warm their hands, awed and sombre.   Early sun picks out the light on bronzed medallions.  Aging muscles ache in autumn cold.  A dog pauses to watch, head on one side.  And the parade grinds into life.

For most people around Australia, the gallant fight ‘to remember’ during peace-time is a tough call.  Nightly news images of battle-worn places aside, it’s difficult to relate to the sheer horror of war.  For many of us, conflict is confined to the M5 motorway during peak hour and arguments with our teenagers over the appropriate time to upgrade to the iphone 5.

So do we live in peace?

If you consider the words of Martin Luther King – that real peace requires not just the absence of conflict but the presence of justice – then you’d have to answer no.  There’s not much justice in a society where the richest 10% of the Australian population are more than 10 times wealthier than the poorest 10%. Not much justice when as many as one in four children even here in Australia don’t start school ready to learn – lacking experience with letters and numbers, socially and emotionally underprepared. Many are  from families where no one has held a job for two generations.  There’s not much justice when the life expectancy of an Aboriginal man and a white man differs by up to 12 years.

Kick those statistics out globally and the picture becomes even more dire.  Where’s the justice in a world where more people officially now die of diseases relating to over-eating than from starvation?  Doesn’t it make you just a little uncomfortable to know that the world’s poorest people will pay most heavily in terms of climate related disasters even though it’s the world’s wealthiest countries creating most global pollution?

We live in a world torn by conflict, and peace depends upon justice.

The Scriptures speak at length about justice, especially for the poor.  From the prophets and the early church fathers to Jesus and the writers of the epistles, the message is crystal clear:  people are not poor through any fault of their own, through accident or curse.  They are poor because their rights are trampled, because they are not paid what they are owed, because people in power take more than they need, because those who have enough do not share.  The early church father John Chrysostom said that the shoes of the wealthy belong to the poor people who have no shoes.  People are poor because they’re denied justice and those responsible will be held to account.  The prophet Isaiah puts it simply:

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” Isaiah 1:17

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus echoes Isaiah’s voice when he describes his call.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’.  Luke 4: 18-19

Our work at UnitingWorld as peacebuilders and partners in God’s mission is about so much more than meeting need as it arises.  It’s not about simple charity for ‘people who are poor’ and it’s not just about responding to need.  It’s about participating in the reign of justice that finds expression in the life of Jesus. It’s about working with our partners to break the systems that cause poverty and injustice and being part of the world as it should be, as it is becoming and as it is in Christ.

Justice extends a call on the daily business of our lives – the choices we make in the supermarket about which item to buy and how much we consume.  Justice asks us to speak up at election time and call our leaders to keep their commitment to foreign aid not only because it works, but because the poor have a right to a share in the abundance that the rest of the world enjoys.  Justice asks us to live more simply.  Justice calls us to dig deeper.  It calls us to identify ourselves as the rich and powerful and make change accordingly.

Justice is confronting.  Far easier for each of us to feel that we are involved because we are big hearted, because ‘the poor need our compassion.’  The Scriptures tell a different story.  Yes, we’re called to love.  But the clarion call to justice can’t be ignored.

And there’s no lasting peace without it.  Lest we forget.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Act Reflect Connect | 2 Comments »

cathtaylor
By Cath Taylor

You Go Girl! 3 reasons to focus on the girl child

October 11th, 2012

“Don’t treat me differently just because I’m a girl!”

It was a bit of a mantra for me, growing up with three brothers.  Glaring down from the highest branches of a tree or smirking slightly after beating one of them in a wrestling match, my determination not to be singled out as different sometimes bordered on the extreme.

Now with two beautiful daughters of my own, I have to confess I was a little uncomfortable at first with the idea that we need a special “International Day of the Girl Child”.  Why only for girls?  Why not for children everywhere?

Well, here are three compelling reasons we need to focus particularly on girl children right now.

1. In many parts of the world, baby girls are either aborted or left to die in infancy.

In their book “Half the Sky – Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women”, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn write:  “It appears that more girls have been killed in the last fifty years, precisely because they were girls, than men were killed in all the battles of the twentieth century.” Every year, at least 2 million girls go missing because of gender discrimination.

Why?  The situation is complex, but one major reason is that poverty forces parents to preference their male children because they feel they’re better able to support the family long term.

What can be done about this?   First, we need to be aware of the situation and its causes.  Focussing our efforts on education and the reduction of poverty is vital.  And we need to raise our voices to defend those who can’t speak for themselves because of their age and vulnerability.  No one should die simply because they weren’t born a boy.

2. One in three girls world-wide is denied an education. 

While poverty and lack of resources in developing countries affects the education of all children, the statistics are better for boys who tend to stay longer in school. Discrimination in many countries still suggests to girls that their role in life is primarily to marry young and bear children.  However, the evidence is that educating girls in particular has a major impact on overcoming poverty for entire communities.

“Investment in girls’ education may well be the highest return available in the developing world,” Lawrence Summers wrote when he was the chief economist of the World Bank in the 90s.  “The question is not whether countries can afford this investment, but whether countries can afford not to educate more girls.”

So what are the impacts of girls’ education?

  • As a country’s primary school enrolment rate for girls increases so too does its gross domestic product
  • With each year of secondary schooling a girl completes her wages increase by 15-25%
  • Educated girls are 6 times less likely to marry young, which has a significant impact upon child mortality, health and nutrition.
  • Educated women typically invest 90% of their income in their family, compared with 30-40% of a man’s income.  As a result the next generation lead better lives as well.

3.  10 million girls marry as children. 

Every 3 seconds a girl in the poorest parts of the world is forced into a marriage.

Girls who marry young are more likely to suffer from HIV/AIDS, poor nutrition, domestic violence and poverty.  They will bear children who are likely to die young.  And childbirth is the leading cause of death in children aged 15-19 in the developing world. Globally, around one in three young women aged 20-24 years were first married before they reached age 18. One third of them entered into marriage before they turned 15.

The campaign to end child marriage is gathering strength throughout the world and is the theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl Child.

I no longer think it’s good enough to treat everyone ‘equally’.  Sometimes, in order to make things right, we have to invest special effort into those who’ve been the subject of discrimination for centuries.  Let’s get things moving for our girl children worldwide.


Desmond Tutu said recently:  “If we succeed in empowering girls, we’ll succeed in everything else.”  Big claim.  Let’s try it out.

 

5 Things you can do right now to support girl children.

  1. Encourage girls you know personally to do and be everything they can!
  2. WATCH this video here on saying NO to child marriage
  3. Donate to UnitingWorld’s Indian education projects fundraised by the Trek for the Rights of Women and Girls here
  4. Learn more about UnitingWorld’s projects preventing Trafficking of Women and Girls in India
  5. Share this blog!

 

 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Act Reflect Connect | No Comments »

UnitingWorld
By UnitingWorld

The Power of Women and Girls

July 18th, 2012

The Power of Women and Girls was the topic for the second UnitingWorld lunch for members of the 13th Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Lisa Meo is a Fijian Australian who advocates for women in theological education at various schools and churches in the Pacific Islands. She spoke about the inconsistencies between the rights of males and females across the world, saying that the majority of women globally are largely uneducated, bear children too young and are unaware of their importance in society.

“Our task is to encourage and support them (women) to go further — from the kitchen to the pulpit!” Ms Meo said.

Speaking next was Zesly Pah from West Timor. Ms Pah is Director of Finance for Tanaoba Lais Mane Kat (TLM), which means “serving with love”.

TLM is the largest microfinance service provider in Eastern Indonesia. It focuses mostly on supporting women and rural communities.

Ms Pah explained that culturally, when a woman has money, she usually spends it on her family. For men however, money’s status symbol means they often spend it on items which are not beneficial to the family such as cigarettes.

She then told guests inspiring stories of women who had built a better future for themselves and their families by taking advantage of TLM’s microfinancing opportunities.

Prof. Kirsteen Kim, Professor of Theology and World Christianity at Leeds Trinity University College, UK reflected on how in the Western world “feminism” could be a dirty word.

Prof. Kim explained that it wasn’t until she lived in other countries that she saw how important feminism was around the world.

“Even if we don’t feel it, it is still a problem for our sisters and we need to support them,” said Prof. Kim who will also deliver the Cato lecture at Assembly on Wednesday night.

Small loans lead to big change

At 29, Gloria is a young woman with big dreams. She dreams her three children will be able to have the education that she never had. She dreams she will always be able to provide the simple necessities for her family.

Three years ago, Gloria’s family faced serious troubles. Gloria’s husband struggled to find work and the profits from Gloria’s small kiosk business, which she ran from their home, went into paying off debts.

Attracted by its friendly staff, low interest rate and weekly repayment system, Gloria decided to take out a loan through TLM.  She soon became involved in the group lending program and received a loan of IDR 750,000 (around AUD $100).

Gloria thought hard about what to do with the loan. She identified a need and decided to start a small business selling gasoline by the edge of the road in front of her house. Her business model is simple: she buys gasoline at the Gas Station and then sells it onto her local community in smaller containers.

This initiative was successful, and Gloria was able to pay back the loan easily. Hher daily income has significantly increased and she can meet the needs of her business while covering the costs of her family. She is thrilled she will be able to provide for her children into the future.

Gloria is just one of the many people whose lives have been transformed through a small loan.  You can read more about TLM microfinance here.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Act Reflect Connect | 1 Comment »

UnitingWorld
By UnitingWorld

Sitting and Dancing on the mat

July 4th, 2012

UnitingWorld’s Kathy Pereira shares about her recent experience of sitting, and listening, to our sisters in the Pacific.

Recently I spent a week sitting (well trying to sit) cross legged on a mat! My cumbersome attempts to sit with dignity made us all laugh.  It seems I have lost much of the art of “mat – sitting” – flexibility, capacity to sit still for longer than 10 minutes, capacity to put physical discomfort aside to focus on the things that matter, capacity to sit and wait for others to speak and to hear quiet voices emerge from the silence. Too often I want to stand up, fill the space with noise or with action and make myself comfortable.

As we sat on the mat and heard stories, it became clear that I was among greatness –  twelve Pacific women leaders who are deeply engaged both in their communities and beyond. These are women who lead in beautiful ways, with grace and dignity, strength and respect, women who have a vision for their sisters that sees them empowered within their communities.

As we met together, conversations emerged, questions were asked, ideas were challenged and hope was born.

Reflecting on our time together, I am reminded of the concept of “imago Dei”- that we are created in the image of God. One of the most fascinating and exciting aspects of being engaged in mission is seeing how this is reflected in and expressed through different cultural contexts. This week I have been reminded that this comes into focus when women are acknowledged as image-bearers of God. What is done to and through them is done to and through Christ. For too many of our Pacific friends this fact is rarely celebrated outside their own women’s groups. There is a space at the table but it is often as the server rather than those seated.

I recognise my own cultural lenses that contributes to this when I, as a white Western woman, receive an honoured seat at the table of leadership and decision-making in the church and community while many of my Pacific sisters continue to wait on the table.

This week, I have spoken too much. (Those of you who know me personally will not be surprised at this!) But amidst the clamour of my own voice I have tried – even if feebly- to listen. And here is a snippet of what I heard in the whispers….

Our friends from Vanuatu told us of the strength of their women. We were taken on an imaginary journey into a small village a half day walk from the town where there are shops, a clinic and other basic facilities.

Leiwani, our local host, shared with us some of her daily life. She wakes early for prayer and devotions, prepares food for her husband and family, gets her children ready for school (a 2 hour walk away), cleans, walks up to the mountains to get food and back up to the mountain stream (another 1 hour walk each way) to get fresh water – a necessity as the wells in their ocean-side village are now brackish as the sea rises.

Leiwani ‘s home is right on the water. She is nervous about what she hears from others about this thing called Climate Change.  She can see with her own eyes that the land she used to walk on is now under the sea. She prays to God that her land will not be flooded like in the story of Noah. And, ever pragmatic, she also appeals to the chief to allow her to move further inland. But this breaks her heart, for the land on which her house sits was her mother’s, and her mother’s before her, and her mother’s before that. She feels the deep burden of responsibility for this land that she now sees slipping under the sea. But what can a woman do to change the tide?

And the tide changes life in the village in other ways. The increasing tidal wave of globalisation has brought other challenges. Teenage boys with too much time on their hands and too little access to education gather together on the fringe of the village abusing substances that are new to the village and causing mayhem. Sometimes it is not even safe for Leiwani to walk along the path to the mountains. They don’t bother the men so much, but a woman walking on her own can be vulnerable. “You know what I mean,” she told us.

Leiwani is a church woman, as are most of the women in the village. She gains strength and courage from her friends and from her faith. She sees that God cares deeply about her and she finds hope in this. Together, these local church women see possibilities for speaking into the challenges their community is facing.

Maybe a program educating the community about climate change and what they can do to minimise its impact on their lives could help. It could explore how they can work together to support people as they are relocated, how they can minimise waste, how to use power supplies that do not rely on fossil fuels. Leiwani and her friends see there is much to do. But where do they start? How will they find the resources needed to get underway?

They also speak about economic empowerment for their women. What if women could learn about how they can use their skills and talents to provide a small income for their families?  Many of their women sew, or weave mats, or bake good food. If they could do this and sell some things maybe they could make a difference. If they did this together, they could change their communities. Children could go to school with shoes on their feet, or maybe even a small school could be built nearby so there was no longer a need for children to walk 4 hours every day. What a dream! They know they are strong and capable and they all know what it is to work hard. If they could just get a start…

And then there is the thing we find it hardest to speak about – both in Leiwani’s culture and my own – gender based violence. Leiwani sees it, has even experienced it, yet feels powerless to do anything about it. She whispers… perhaps we can work together with our men to start to talk about these things – to remember that our mothers are also God’s image bearers and what is done to them, is done to God. So the seed of an idea germinates – a program that gives the church a voice to speak into issues of safety for all people, and especially the women. Maybe the church could be the ones who speak and model these changes to the wider community.

So after 5 days of sitting on the mat, of sharing and thinking and framing and planning, ideas are born.  We danced on the mat we had previously sat on! Dance filled with joy that a good thing has started and there is a vision and hope for the future.

UnitingWorld is currently engaging with women from our Pacific partners, listening for the potential of a major cross-Pacific program for women. These Pacific women and UnitingWorld are all hoping we will be able to trial their ideas across four countries in the coming months, to test our hunch that this could be something that is God-inspired and deeply empowering.

Have you been moved at all by this? We ask you to pray for this trial and for our friends in the Pacific as we seek, through active service together, to re-imagine the church in its fullness as the imago Dei – the rich, varied, deep image of God. 

Let us know if you would like to be involved – prayerfully, financially, as an advocate or in any other way. We will need many Australian partners if this is to succeed. It is very much in its infancy and we will make sure we communicate the journey as it unfolds. We invite you to step out with us, patiently and respectfully listening to and supporting in practical ways what our Pacific women friends develop.

For further information or to register an interest in keeping informed or contributing to this fledgling project please contact Kathy Pereira – kathyp@unitingworld.org.au.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Act Reflect Connect | No Comments »

UnitingWorld
By UnitingWorld

Small loans = big changes

June 25th, 2012

Interested in how a micro-finance organisation works on the ground? Vience from our partner TLM in West Timor fills us in on the details.

TLM is the development agency of the Evangelical Christian Church in Timor. How does TLM work?

TLM operates in areas where access to financial services for the poor is limited. Through its business unit, TLM provides small loans to micro entrepreneurs and people who are employed on very low salaries to help them improve their small businesses. Our clients are often not eligible to receive a loan from a bank because the business is too small or they don’t have property or assets to offer as collateral. TLM provides loans and collects repayments weekly or monthly from the clients. Repayments collected are then recycled to help more people. Clients also deposit savings with TLM, often the first time many have had the opportunity to formally save money.

This system aims to motivate clients to work hard to improve their businesses and way of life. It is more of a “hand up” than a “hand out”.

TLM also offers saving programs to rural communities which have limited access to traditional savings accounts. People can save to pay for school fees, for a family wedding or to purchase, build or improve their house. All profits from the business unit are then returned to the community in the form of client training and other community development programs. TLM has also started to conduct regular surveys to measure client satisfaction and the impact that their loans make.

Why do you work for TLM?

Ever since I was a student, I have wanted to bless other people in the work I do. So, in 2007 when I heard an announcement for a job vacancy in the TLM Marketing Division, I applied straight away. Although I had heard about TLM and the work they do, I didn’t know exactly what my role would be. But I believed God has a plan for me.

On my first day at TLM, I joined a group of visitors on a visit to some of TLM’s clients. Meeting clients and seeing how loans impact people gave me a better understanding of how microfinance works. Seeing how TLM helps people really motivated me.

Why do you think small loans are a good way to break the poverty cycle?

The small loans provided to TLM’s clients are based on their capacity to manage and to repay the loan. Micro entrepreneurs generally have a lower level of education and limited financial skills. Small loans and training increases their business and finance skills and helps them slowly build up a business. If clients were lent larger loans without the capacity to manage and to repay the loans, they would end up facing bigger problems.

How is the work of TLM in providing loans and savings accounts impacting the local communities in Betun and Sumba?

Generally, when clients receive loans, they use the capital to buy business products to sell or purchase raw materials to increase their business production. Some of the clients even increase their income by opening new businesses in addition to the current one.

In 2011, TLM conducted a Client Impact Survey. 751 clients across 19 branches filled out the survey. We found that 71% of clients believe their ability to save money improved after borrowing money from TLM. 83% of our clients stated they want to save money. 78% of our clients saw improvement in their business and income after joining TLM. 66% reported having better business knowledge, while 53% indicated they now have better knowledge about health and nutrition. 57% of clients can now give their families better food and 62% spent additional income on their children’s schooling.

What difference does a small loan make for a woman in West Timor?

A small loan helps women improve their businesses. This in turn helps them support their families. One of the most inspiring clients I have met is Rebecca. She is a single woman who lives with four of her children. Her husband left her with the children when they were still young, and she struggled to provide for them. She opened a small kiosk, but a lack of capital meant it didn’t do very well. She then started growing and selling tomatoes at the local market.

In 2004, Rebecca heard about TLM and submitted a loan application.  Receiving the loan meant she could sell more tomatoes, and also re-open her kiosk business at home. She has now been involved in TLM’s lending program for several cycles. From finding it difficult to feed her children, Rebecca now has a profitable business which supports the whole family. Her children have all gone to school, and her eldest son has recently finished university and become a teacher.

Rebecca’s story is just one of many. A small loan makes a huge difference – not just to one woman, but to her family and her whole community.

Make a tax deductible donation to support the work of TLM today. A special government grant will make your gift go even further.

Click here to find out more about TLM.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Development in Real Life | No Comments »

cathtaylor
By Cath Taylor

“I’m starting a chocolate factory- how about you?”

May 29th, 2012

So what would you do if you were given a small loan, at a very low interest rate, to start a business?  That was the question I put to a couple of children today, aged between 6 and 11, before giving them a refresher on the whole concept of ‘micro-finance’. 

“Micro-what?”  they said, giving me suspicious looks over the tops of their  half-peeled mandarins.  “Is that a dance?”

Earlier in the year, a small group of children from our local church recycled some cardboard boxes, made ANZAC biscuits and popped some teabags into the mix.  They sold the packs for $2 at a ‘market stall’ hastily erected after the service at Morning Tea, using the profits to defeat their imaginary status as members of a village struggling with poverty.

It was their first foray into the world of micro-finance.

Today I ran the idea past a couple of their friends at school, asking them how they thought it might feel not to have enough to live on.  How would they feel if they couldn’t to afford to go to school, or to visit a doctor?  What if they really didn’t have enough to eat? We talked about whether just handing out money to solve the problem is a good idea, and how being on the receiving end of gifts might make people feel.

“If people just gave you money, or you had to ask for it, it would make you feel really shy.” suggested Jill, 10.

“And like a nagger,”  Brydie, six, added. “And you might also think you’d like to spend it on things like pretty dresses instead of what you really needed.”

“I think I’d feel embarrassed, as though I couldn’t help myself, even though I knew I could.”  said Jem, 11.

For a few minutes we talk about the fact that people who live in difficult situations are actually bright and creative, just like they are!  They simply don’t have access to the resources that are around us everywhere- things like a good education, people to help find a job, or the chance to live in a place where your house isn’t regularly flooded!

Could we think of any solutions to these kind of challenges?

“If I didn’t have the things I needed, I’d try and make them for myself.”  Chloe tells us decisively.

The others agree.  Ringing endorsements all round.  This is clearly a fab idea!  Clothes, food… it can all be hand-made! But wait… where do you get the stuff to make things from in the first place?  It all has to come from somewhere…

Excellent segue back to the original exercise at Sunday School.  Face screwed up with the effort of remembering, Chloe tells us about the biscuits, the tea bags and the recycled boxes- and the way that people flooded to the market stall to buy up big.

“People overseas could do that!”  she decides.  “They can make their money that way, and then they would feel better!”

Absolutely!  But where did the children’s ANZAC biscuits ingredients and tea bags come from?  I go into Education #101 mode and explain to my captivated audience that most people who start a new enterprise need a loan even to buy the things they need to get their business started- things like ingredients or a stove to cook on.

“You might need wood to make a shelter to sell things in,” Brydie suggests thoughtfully.  “So you need a loan for that!”

Exactly.  And once you start making money you pay back the loan you’ve been given at a very low interest rate- and bingo!  That’s micro-finance in action.

How do you think that makes the people feel then?

“Excited, because they’re doing it themselves,” says Jill, rather excited herself.

“And not embarrassed, because applying for the loan is fine!”  Jem puts in.  “It’s a real business, it’s not begging.”

“And they’re not stressed, because they don’t pay too much interest to the bank.” adds Keely, picking up on an important point.

With mounting enthusiasm, they tell me about how, when the loan has been paid back, the funds can then be given to someone else and the whole village will make progress, has more money, can pay off their medical bills and there’ll be ‘no more crime’.  Well, okay, a little simplistic, but that’s the general idea!

So if they had a small loan to use, at low interest, what would they do with it?

Jill:  A bakery.  Something for everyone.

Keely:  Casual clothes, that I make myself.

Jem:  Pet grooming.  Or real estate.  Everyone needs a house!

Brydie:  I haven’t decided.  But I like bakeries!

Chloe:  A CHOCOLATE FACTORY!

Er… a chocolate factory?  Well, at least we talked through the issues…

You can read more about UnitingWorld’s work in micro-finance here.  More than 6000 people in West Timor have already benefitted from small loans to start pig fattening businesses, or to expand small kiosks and food stalls.  In parts of West Timor, Government estimates suggest that 80% of people live on less than $2 a day, and only 17% of the population are able to read and write.

Through UnitingWorld’s partnership with the Evangelical Church in Timor, micro-finance is making a significant difference to the lives of many families.  Significantly, the concept of micro-finance puts development in the hands of those with the ideas and the expertise to make things happen- local people rather than outsiders. With the profits from their businesses, people in Nusa Tenggara Timu pay for school uniforms, for medical costs and expand their enterprise.

As the end of the financial year approaches, now is the perfect time to give a gift that matches the commitment of the creative, innovative people with whom UnitingWorld is partnering in West Timor.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Act Reflect Connect | No Comments »

brucem
By Bruce Mullan

Trade justice – the ground has shifted

May 15th, 2012

Three years ago now UnitingWorld presented to the National Assembly a document Trade Justice: A Perspective from the Uniting Church in Australia.

One of the things that this document called for was the theological and economic basis for the proposition that trade must not be seen as an end in itself, but as a means of enhancing human development.

At the time the Australian and New Zealand Governments were pushing hard to introduce the PACER Plus Free Trade Agreement through the Pacific.  In conjunction with Trade Unions and other Civil Society groups UnitingWorld lobbied government not to rush this process.

It is encouraging to see there has been considerable movement in the Australian Government’s position on free trade in the Pacific.  Australia’s parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island and Foreign Affairs, Richard Marles made some very interesting comments this week at the Pacific Forum Trade Ministers meeting in the Marshall Islands capital Majuro.

First the pressure to make it happen fast has faded.

“So it’s difficult of course it’s difficult, and it’s not going to happen overnight, and there are lots of specific challenges along the way,” Mr Marles said.

“I mean import duties…forms a significant part of the tax revenue base of the countries of the Pacific.  This is a proposal which seeks to change that, and that is real difficult reform change.  And no one’s imagining that this is going to happen overnight.’

And there does seem to be a softening to the call for labour mobility to be part of the PACER Plus agreement.

“I think the other point to make is that trade and labour mobility do go hand in hand because what they go to is the broader question of the economic integration of the region,” said Mr Marles.

“Now there is some controversy and indeed there isn’t consensus yet upon how to frame questions of labour mobility within the context of the Pacer Plus negotiations.  But if you put aside the questions of form what we’ve seen in relation to the substance of labour mobility in the region over the last few years has been dramatic increases in the ability of people from the Pacific being able to work in both New Zealand and Australia.  All of that equals jobs and all of that equals the prosperity that comes from people remitting income back to their own countries as well obviously providing employment for themselves.”

And yes, the focus is on “enhancing human development”.

Mr Marles concluded, “And all of this is within the broader framework of greater economic integration.  And I think that is the goal that we need to pursue and the purpose of that goal is to provide for development and for prosperity of Pacific Island countries.”

[You can hear the full interview with Radio Australia’s Bruce Hill or read the transcript at http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacific/radio/program/pacific-beat/australia-says-pacific-trade-talks-gained-more-momentum-in-majuro/942462.]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in All Things Pacific | No Comments »

cathtaylor
By Cath Taylor

Everyone loves a quiz! Aid and the Aussie way of life…

May 3rd, 2012


Everyone loves a good quiz, don’t they?  So here’s your chance to impress your spouse, your neighbours and the family dog with EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT AUSTRALIA’S STANDARD OF LIVING and our contribution to FOREIGN AID! 

1. Australia currently gives what percentage of our Gross National Income to foreign aid?

a)    5%- about five dollars in every $100

b)   2%- about two dollars in every $100

c)    0.35%- about 35 cents in every $100

d)  I just glazed over looking at all those numbers, sorry

 

2. Which statement is true?

a)    For most Australians, the cost of living is rising and incomes are not keeping pace with inflation

b)    For most Australians, the cost of living is falling and everything is fine

c)    For most Australians, the cost of living is no higher than it used to be in most areas and in real terms, incomes are higher than they used to be

d)  Okay, again, the rising and falling just lost me.  What’s the answer?

3. Which statement is true?

a)    The average Australian household has more disposable income than it did 5 years ago

b)    The average Australian household has less disposable income than it did 5 years ago

c)    The average Australian household has about the same disposable income as 5 years ago

d)    What’s a disposable income again?

4. Which of these statements is on the money?

a)    The cost of clothing is about the same as it was 25 years ago

b)    The cost of electrical goods and technology has fallen over the past 25 years

c)    The amount we spend on food remains about the same as we did 25 years ago

d)    I’m not sure.  I’m beginning to feel less certain about impressing everyone now

5. The United Nations Human Development Index compares the quality of life or standard of living between countries.   Where does Australia rank?

a)    5th

b)   8th

c)    2nd

d)  15th

6. Australia is a very generous country in terms of our giving to Overseas Aid, ranking where on the scale of donors internationally?

a)    9th

b)   3rd

c)    13th

d)    Did you say ‘very generous’?

And now to the answers!  (Drum roll please…)

Question one – the answer is c.  Australia gives 0.35% of our Gross National Income to Foreign Aid which amounts to about 35c in $100.  Doesn’t really seem like a great deal, does it?

Way back in 1970, the world’s richest countries committed themselves to giving 0.7% of GNI to foreign aid.  Inching along the path, the Rudd Government in 2007 committed to increasing our commitment of foreign aid to .5% of GNI by 2015 (around 50c in $100- or did you do that maths by yourself already?)  Still doesn’t sound like a great deal and it isn’t, really, although it still saves thousands of lives annually and ensures that children have access to clean water and education.

Question two – the answer is c.  Australia’s cost of living, contrary to all the hype, isn’t spiralling out of control and a new report released by AMP Financial Services has the stats to prove it.  While there are real hardships for some people in some areas, for the majority of Australians in real terms, the cost of living is about the same as it always has been.  While there have been sharp rises in some blindingly obvious areas (housing, petrol and electricity) there have also been falls in others (technology being a major example.)  The end result is that:

The answer to Question three is a!  The average Australian household, taking everything into consideration, is actually better off by $224 per week than it was in 1984.  Even the lowest income families have made increases in real terms.  As already mentioned, while there are real price hikes in some areas, stable and falling prices on some goods as well as rising incomes tend to balance things out on the whole.

Unsurprisingly then, the answer to question four is ALL OF THE ABOVE!  (That was just a tricky one to keep you on your toes.)

So why do we feel as though we are running behind the eightball?  AMP financial services manager,Craig Meller, suggests:  “Official statistics rarely back up the claim prices are out of control.  Maybe it’s not the cost of living that’s soaring out of control, but rather our aspirational selves telling us we need more.  Or because our lives have become so fast paced we need to spend more to keep up, be it on child care or education or other services.”

Most of you will probably not be that surprised to know that the answer to question five is b - we rank second in the world behind Norway on the UN Human Development Index with truly one of the highest standards of living in the world.  Now that’s something to be grateful for!  And individually, it seems we are.  Australians are some of the most generous givers in the world, individually handing over more than $1billion in aid in 2010 through the work of non-profits.  And a new report just released today by the UNICEF Australia Young Ambassadors declares that 74% of young people believe that we can afford to give more to foreign aid and should do so!  So it seems strange that with this kind of groundswell support, the Government is considering cutting back its commitment on foreign aid just now…

Australia ranks a lowly 13th  (yes, well done, that’s question six) amongst the world’s richest nations when it comes to our commitment to foreign aid, lagging behind the UK who have decided to keep their .5% target in place in spite of suffering domestic set backs in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.  Here at UnitingWorld, we’ve seen exactly what aid can achieve.  We think it’s affordable.  We think it’s right to keep our commitment.  We think it’s what we’re called to do.

One of the most striking stories from the gospels is the one in Mark 12 where Jesus watches a parade of rich people pass by the treasury box in the temple, popping in their coins as an offering.  In the wake of all the finery, a poor widow slips in just two small copper coins- a couple of cents in our terms.

Jesus, watching, calls his disciples to him.  “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who have contributed before her.  For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had; all she had to live on.”

Doesn’t that make you sit up and take notice?  As Australians, there’s not much argument that we can afford to support our neighbours from the wealth we’ve accumulated.

But here’s the sting- even if we felt we couldn’t afford it, we might just be called to do it anyway.

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Act Reflect Connect | 2 Comments »

John Barr
By John Barr

The Face of West Papua Today

April 1st, 2012

Tobati village is like any other village in coastal West Papua.  Simple timber houses built out over the water nestle in picturesque inlets surrounded by jungle clad mountains. Women tend to domestic duties in the home while their menfolk are out fishing and the children are at school. Dogs laze in the sunshine as the sea breeze offers welcome relief to the heavy humidity that heralds oncoming thunderstorms in the distance.

One could be forgiven for thinking all is well in West Papua.

Today I traveled by boat to Tobati. It was a lovely day. But, to be honest, Tobati a deceptive place. There is peace and quiet there. On the surface, the quality of life looks pretty good. Yet Tobati faces a difficult future. It’s residents are victims of nearby urban growth as the city of Jayapura expands and traditional lands are consumed. Gardens that have been tendered for centuries have now disappeared and the vast sago swamps that provided basic foods have been sacrificed to urban growth.

An impressive new main road out of Jayapura city is currently being constructed through extensive mangrove swamps nearby. Tobati’s peace and quiet will be soon be shattered as Jayapura expands to accommodate thousands and thousands of newcomers who arrive every week from other parts of Indonesia.

In the light of the failure of Special Autonomy, Jakarta has promised to focus on a new form of rapid development in West Papua. Known colloquially as UP4B (“Unit to Accelerate Development in Papua and West Papua”), this latest initiative promises to accelerate economic development and build better relationships between Jakarta and Papua. Indeed, the Australian Government describes the formation of this unit as a “positive and welcome development”.

But they just do not get it!

Papuans yearn for a better life. Indeed, aspirations for “independence” are prolific across West Papua. But, the real hope here, I believe, concerns a yearning to be respected and taken seriously. Papuans want to achieve the same status and respect as any other Indonesians. They yearn for their culture and their identity to be valued for what it is – a gift from God.

Development is part of the process. But justice and respect for Papua is fundamental. We cannot live in the past forever. But the future must value the indigenous people of Papua and their unique way of life. This means strategies like UP4B should dig deeper to take into account the massive dislocation many Papuans are experiencing. It must address the real aspirations and needs of Papuan people who simply want to be respected, valued and encouraged to sustain and nurture their Melanesian way of life without the fear of intimidation or encroachment.

It’s a massive issue. While visiting Papua, I hear this message loud and clear. Scratch the surface and one will encounter a troubling, destructive situation.

The real face of West Papua says all is not well. Papuans have the fundamental right to a much better deal. The future of Tobati and thousands of other similar villages depends on this.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in All Things Asia | No Comments »

kerrye
By Kerry Enright

Looking Forward in South Sudan

February 29th, 2012

It’s our fourth day in Juba, the capital of South Sudan and I’m getting used to a heat reflecting its Equatorial proximity.  The lack of infrastructure is evident everywhere.  It does not take long before sealed roads turn to dirt roads with deep holes and protruding rocks.  Even the best four wheel drive proceeds slowly and the dust leaves a layer on everything.

In driving to worship on Sunday, we passed many thatched houses and an increasing number of concrete houses surrounded by high fences and barbed wire.  These sit incongruously amid dusty roads and random piles of rubbish, and belong to an emerging group of political and public officials.

The Church itself was concrete, and struggled to accommodate the 1101 worshippers (there was an official count).  The Sunday School and Youth Group each led with energetic dancing and loud singing.  There were many hallelujahs.  Everyone seemed to participate, including the many people who peered in through the wire-mesh windows.  Although I am used to preaching at short notice, there is nothing quite like an unfamiliar context and culture to arouse the adrenalin.

Women spoke of their deep concern for girls.  They told me that 90% of people are illiterate and most young people have not been to school during the 22 years of war.  The young people caught up in ethnic conflict have not really known education.  Many areas just don’t have schools because they were destroyed during the war, or never built.Although statistics have not been accurately collected, it seems that maternal health is the worst in the world.  A startling number of mothers and babies die in child-birth.

These women leaders long for education and good health, but they feel bypassed by groups that work mainly with men and people who are perceived as community leaders.

There are thirty women’s groups in this one Presbytery.

UnitingWorld does not normally invest in infrastructure but in a country as bereft as South Sudan, it is central.  As Geoff and I wrap up our visit, we look forward to the future of this new partnership. The next stage of discussions will identify how UnitingWorld will work with the Presbyterian Church of Sudan and its development agency, the Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency.

Please continue to pray with us for South Sudan, a new nation facing many challenges.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Development in Real Life, The Enright Diaries | 2 Comments »

« Older Entries
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in these blogs are those of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UnitingWorld or the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia