Reading by Candle Light

Unfortunately, a storm Friday night blew out all electricity and for the remainder of my stay we had no lights. Boy was I thankful to have a few granola bar’s left in my suitcase stash! By Sunday afternoon, the hotel managed to get some electrical source in the kitchen at least, and we were able to get some food before our flight. I was thankful to have grabbed my trusty MagLight from my car just before leaving the U.S. so I had a flash light on hand at least. The hotel staff hooked me up with two candles and some matches and Joanne let me borrow a book and I took advantage of the time to relax and read. It didn’t feel like that much of an inconvenience, and it didn’t really seem to bother anyone else, so it made it pretty easy to take in stride. I took a taxi into the city center and walked around a bit, and realized how much smaller the city seemed than it did a week before. I finally began to recognize roads and realized how close things were if you were walking. The traffic in Madagascar is so bad that I didn’t realize centralized everything really was.

Before leaving we reconnected with Dr. Rabary, her family, our translator and Camera Crew. October suddenly seems really soon and I can’t wait to reunite with Dr. Rabary and meet our honorees from Mexico and Nepal. These few blogs entries barely offer a glimpse at the incredible programs for women’s health and dignity that UNFPA is supporting. The fun continues as I head home to produce a video to produce a visual illustration of her work and impact on the women of Madagascar.

Happy Independence Day

On any major U.S. holiday it’s always a little weird for me (Angeline) to be out of the U.S. Especially when there’s no way to commemorate it where you are. In this case, I had the fortune of attending the U.S. Embassy Party- and 11:30am outdoor BBQ that is annually the biggest party of the year in Madagascar. When I arrived at the party and Dr. Rabary explained who I was, the registration people seemed a bit confused. They seemed to be looking for me, even though I was right if front of them. Finally when they realized that “Angeline” was me they said--—you’re Angeline, I thought you were another Malagasy just trying to get in. Thankfully, they had my name on the invite list, and I was greeted with many familiar sights and sounds. Burgers, cupcakes, the flag, the anthem, and even home made chocolate chip cookies, made by students at the American school in Madagascar.

Though many people know Dr. Rabary, it was rewarding to see the impact of our press conference they day prior. I’d say a third of the guests approached us to congratulate Dr. Rabary after reading the articles in the numerous newspapers that announced the award.

I had the opportunity to meet a few more mayors who, like us in the U.S., are still trying to get more women into leadership positions. They spoke highly of Dr. Rabary, who we’ve forgotten to mention, was actually a Parliament member several years ago.

Dr. Rabary had another train the trainer session to attend that afternoon, so I had a chance to visit with her husband and take a ride into the countryside. Since her husband only speaks French and today I didn’t have a translator, it was a true test of my French skills, and somehow we managed! I think my plan to only bring that one book- Mastering French—really paid off!

Wedding Crashers

In our preliminary interviews with Dr. Rabary and her application, Dr Rabary mentioned civil status as a major factors in women’s rights. In most simple terms we equate civil status to a birth registration and/or social security card. Without it, your access to work, education, marriage is all limited. Malagasy people have to pay to get their children registered and unfortunately girls are often not registered because of the expense. Without registration a civil marriage ceremony is not possible and in turn, in the case of divorce, a woman has not rights for money or division of assets, if she was never registered.

Dr. Rabary and the center also work to improve women’s civil status, and we had the chance to see how this played out in a Civil wedding ceremony. Dr. Rabary often reminded us that lack of education/knowledge is a huge barrier and as such, they’ve integrated education into wedding ceremonies to help women understand their rights up front.

We arrived at what is the equivalent to a city hall in the U.S. to witness a civil wedding ceremony. Thanks to our driver Arthur, we were able to pick up a beautiful bouquet of flowers to present to the Mayors office for use during the ceremonies. Tons of families are lined up outside waiting for their families turn to be wed. We were greeted by the Mayor’s designee to perform the wedding ceremonies. As we took seats in the back of the room, it occurs to me how I (Joanne) feel like a wedding crasher. I remind myself that the bride and groom have been informed of our presence and have agreed to allow us to film the ceremony and attend. The ceremony itself is fascinating to me because the official from the Mayor’s office openly discuss divorce (both parties are entitled to half the assets) and family planning with the couple during the ceremony. The woman is 18 and the man is 28. They react shyly to the questions regarding how many children they want, the official states, jokingly, that there are only ten spaces in their family registry and to try to keep the number of children under ten! The joy of the day for this couple is on the faces of everyone attending the wedding. It was truly an amazing experience. Dr. Rabary insists that we stay for another ceremony and we do.

After the ceremony, we return to UNFPA offices to attend a press conference regarding our visit and Dr. Rabary’s work. I was again impressed with Dr. Rabary, she was concise and very media savvy. I (Angeline) can’t help but be a little surprised at how well media outside of the U.S. covers UNFPA’s work. Last year in Mongolia, when we visited Dr. Munkhuu, our arrival and Dr. Munkhuu’s winning of our International Award actually made breaking news on television. In Cambodia, when I visited Ms. Noeun, I was overwhelmed by the questions of the media and how much they wanted to know about Americans for UNFPA’s work. The press, both in Cambodia and in Madagascar actually hung out after the Press Conference just to get to know us and learn more.

In the afternoon we attended a Train-the-Trainer session that was part of the new CRS funded project. The training was helping in Dr. Rabary’s home in a bottom floor large conference room. In the midst of graduate students most of whom were just a few years younger than me, I’d guess, it was crazy to think I was in Madagascar. The students could have been in New York—they had the same style, hairdos, attention span, etc. as you see when you walk into any classroom. Many of the women filled out their lifelines so you should check them out.

SOS victimes du non droit

This morning we started the day seeing Dr. Rabary’s actual program “SOS victimes du non droit". Back in 1994 a woman was raped by 4 police officers and Dr. Rabary helped the woman. Soon after, Dr. Rabary set up a clinic in her home, realizing that many people didn’t know about their rights. She applied for UNFPA funding for the 1st legal advocacy center in Madagascar. She found 2 lawyers, who at the time agreed to work for free and Dr. Rabary’s own children helped with administrative work.

We met with the women that work at SOS and spoke to several victims and NGO partners that have benefitted from Dr. Rabary’s work.

We learned that one of the major problems is that in Madagascar most things are told orally—there is little documentation. Without documentation it is difficult to present a case. At SOS they give courage and support to victims to write a letter of complaint and press charges and they also help with amicable settlements. Like in the U.S. court processes are very arduous, and so the Center does feel like sometimes “Bad amicable solutions” and better than a “good trial” because there is less trauma and quicker resolutions.

The cases are not easy. In the case of battering, women now need to provide a medical certificate to prove it. On top of that, the certificate costs 6,000 Arial.

UNFPA helped Dr. Rabary produce a series of pamphlets on Justice, Access to Land, Family Law and Access to Work to provide women with the educational tools for empowerment.

From there we grabbed lunch at an Indian restaurant—there is a large Indian population in the U.S. I’ll note that they had music videos and good old “Usher” was on the screen. So not on my flight, per say, but still on the big screen in Tana.

We next hit the Justice Department’s Anti-Corruption Division. Dr. Rabary has made great strides in getting the Anti-corruption division to work with her to change the attitudes of the local police departments towards domestic violence. In fact, to their credit the Anti-Corruption division did a public opinion survey of the people of Madagascar to find out their experiences with the police has been and what is really going on at various police stations. What was more astounding was that they made this report public to anyone who wanted to read it. Dr. Rabary has partnered with the Anti-Corruption Division to make recommendations on what changes need to be made by the police in handling domestic violence issues. I had to admit I was a bit surprised that they let us film this discussion and that they talked to us about the various problems they face in changing the culture of the police department. To me that shows a real commitment to change.

After the Anti-corruption Division, we attend a dinner at Dr. Rabary’s house with her children and grandchildren. What a wonderful opportunity to talk to Dr. Rabary’s family and hear how they see her work. They are extremely proud of her, and as one son told us, “It is great validation for us, to have our mom receive this award from Americans for UNFPA because there were many times when she faced adversity that we suggested that she find other work that was less dangerous and more rewarding. Now we can see how Dr. Rabary’s work has truly made a difference not only in Madagascar, but around the world as well.” We were both overwhelmed by the generosity and hospitality of our hosts and enjoyed the evening immensely.

Voices from the Village

We began our day traveling to a rural village — Manankavaly.

This village is about an hour and half outside of Tana and mostly only accessible via dirt roads. We pass the time on the drive to the village getting to know Dr. Rabary and her husband better. Dr. Rabary has an excellent sense of humor and likes to laugh.

The ride was bumpy and beautiful. Below us we could see rice fields with an occasion worker tending to the fields. Above us we saw rich red soil and Mountainous soil trails. The road was unpaved, windy and narrow and at one point our car was over taken by a few zebu!

In addition to participating in the conversation, I (Joanne) am intently looking into any tree-lined areas for lemurs. I am rewarded when I spot one running through the forest. Finally, I can tell my son I saw a lemur.

A couple times a chicken/rooster cross the road in front of us. Dr. Rabary asked us if we knew what that meant. For a split second I (Angeline) thought—is she really going to tell us a why did the chicken cross the road joke??? Instead she explained that in Malagasy tradition, a chicken/rooster crossing in front of our vehicle suggests that we are bringing good fortune to the village.

When we arrive at the village, we are duly impressed. The mayor has made a huge effort to make a town for his constituents. There is a community center, an office building for the Mayor and a health center. It truly is a good-looking village center with a beautiful garden between the town hall and the health center.

First, we tour the health center. We are shown what would be the maternity ward and informed that each new mom-to-be must bring her own linens for her delivery. One of the main reasons for this is that there isn’t any capacity to wash the sheets at this time—there is no reservoir to bring water into the hospital area and the closest water source is 2 kilometers away. The room consists of four tables that are slightly cushioned and these are “beds” for labor and delivery. I (Joanne) think of my own upcoming labor how I will be delivering in a labor and delivery suite at Georgetown Hospital in Washington DC. I feel incredibly blessed to have the access to health care that I do.

We meet various women from the village who are waiting for various reasons to see the doctor on call. They are kind enough to let us take their pictures and be interviewed so that we can include their stories in Lifelines, our online global community for women. One woman in particular stands out, she is a new mom and she is dressed brightly in pink. Through our translator, I compliment her on her beautiful baby girl and she laughs. She offers me the baby, saying that she can be a very difficult baby at times. I empathize with her about how hard parenting is and tell her that I have a four year old at home. It strikes me that this woman and I would make really good friends if we lived closer. Motherhood is truly a universal bound.

We soon learn that the many women we saw walking towards the cultural center next to the Mayor’s office were not going to see an event. (We I guess they were going to an event, we just didn’t know we WERE the event) Apparently the Mayor had called a Town meeting in our honor. Over 400 hundred women (and a couple of men) came to hear us explain why we are in Madagascar and why Dr. Rabary’s work is so important. The village has a population of 4000 (…10% came to greet us!) but the mayor explained both for our visit and for medical services, people from other villages travel to Manankavaly.

The mayor spoke about what UNFPA could help them do to make the village even better and asked us to also speak to the audience about the work of UNFPA, Dr. Rabary and also our visit. I should note that the hospital for example is one that doesn’t currently get funding from UNFPA. The requests were big and small- from bed linens to an extension wing to the center. The mayor explains that a water source would enable them to provide water to the hospital as well as 2-3 surrounding villages. He explains that the village has enough money saved to pay the maintenance costs of a much needed ambulance, but they don’t have the savings for the actual vehicle.

When I (Angeline) addressed the crowd, I couldn’t believe the outcry of support. The number of standing ovations that both Joanne and I and the Mayor received when discussing Dr. Rabary’s achievements was a true sign of hope. We explained that Dr. Rabary would have the opportunity to speak to supporters in the U.S. about the needs of women in Madagascar.

Then the children’s choir sang us a welcoming Malagasy song and dances for us. It is amazing to witness. Both Angeline and I are very touched by the effort these children put into welcome us to their village. The mayor explained that a cultural center was necessary in town to give the children, in particular, a safe space to meet and interact. It’s interesting to see the investments in getting youth off the street.

The Mayor invited us to his home for lunch. The Mayor’s wife runs an apprentice program for Malagasy women to learn how to weave clothes and stitch intricate designs on fabric. These beautiful creations are then sold to help pay for the school. We tour the workshop and meet the women who are in the process of learning this craft and watch them turn thread into beautiful creations.

The Mayor’s wife is also a former nurse, and we chat amicably through our translator. It's a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the people of Madagascar and see how those with means live in Madagascar.

After lunch, we return to Tana to visit a UNFPA funded Hospital. The difference between the rural village health center and this hospital is night and day. We are amazed to find out that thanks to UNFPA, this health center has high tech c-section equipment and all the doctors are trained in performing of c-sections. Since they received the equipment in November 2007, they’ve successfully completed 30 surgeries and have had no cases of fistula since then either. But the doctor reminds us that their resources are still scares. They still need a labor room and a delivery room. And as a reminder that so much more needs to be done for even this hospital, in the room just next to the c-section room, three members of the hospital staff were making their own bandages and band aids.

We are blown away by the statistics that at the hospital they have only had one maternal death since 1998. Of course, that’s of the population of pregnant women with complications that make it to this hospital in Tana. We must remember that most women can’t actually get to the hospital and at best they are lucky if they are at least able to get to a clinic like the one we saw this morning in time to save the baby and the mother.

The doctor at the hospital explained to us that in Madagascar there are a lot of myths about family planning (and grave side effects) and often hesitation to use contraception due to religion. Contraception is available free of card, officially, however the hospital choices to charge a nominal fee because “things that are free are not valued.”

Next we leave the hospital to travel to the southern part of Tana to meet with a women’s networking group to interview them for our lifelines web page. These fascinating women from various economic backgrounds have come to meet us to talk about growing up in Madagascar and their various life experiences. Everything from what their childhood was like, what education background did they experience, to their marriages, life partners, and children. Definitely check out these stories on lifelines--for me the most poignant part of the conversation was after we finished the interviews and I was asked about life in the U.S.

One woman explained to me that the hardest thing for her was that she was a mom of two children, and both her husband and her had to work in order to keep a roof over their heads and keep the children fed. This woman felt lucky to have her mother helping her watch the children while she and her husband worked, but that the children were getting mixed up with other children that were introducing alcohol and drugs to her children. She asked me what we do in the U.S. about these problems. I explained to her that we face identical problems in the U.S. and that I wish I had the answers, but the best I could offer was what do with our children when we are home with them is to talk about these difficult issues.

The fight against violence is a long term effort

After a quick glance at Joanne’s blog from Sunday, we realize it’s a bit silly to bore you with two commentaries. So I’m going to infuse my comments into Joanne’s blog and we present it to you as one!

We begin our day by meeting with Mr. Benoit Kalasa, the UNFPA Madagascar Country Representative. He welcomes us to Madagascar and we explain our goals for our visit. We are touched by the enthusiasm that UNFPA has shown for our visit to Madagascar and how happy they truly are that Dr. Rabary has been chosen to be one of the 2008 honorees.

UNFPA works in 22 of the 28 regions of the country and we learn that 70% of UNFPA’s funding in Madagascar is directed towards family planning and health strategies like trying to put an end to maternal death. We learn that the government collaborates closely with UNFPA and has made a national commitment to equality and empowerment.

Next, we meet up with our translator and go to the opening ceremony for Dr. Rabary’s new program with Catholic Research Services. The project is being funded for two years and she reinforces at the beginning of her remarks that “The fight against violence is a long-term effort; it can’t be achieve in one or two years.”

What strikes me (Joanne) most during this press conference is that I had attended a very similar one in the United States in the 1990s, while working as a Capitol Hill staffer. The very same challenges regarding the stigma that surrounds domestic violence in the United States are the very same challenges they are talking about overcoming in Madagascar.

As a media person, I (Angeline) can’t help but notice Dr. Rabary’s powerful sound bites. She speaks of how with domestic violence there is not just one victim; the whole household are victims.

To victims she explains: “This is no longer the time to stay in your corner. You are NOT a dishonor. To give you hope and a ray of light in your life, know you are not alone.”

It is extremely gratifying to see Dr. Rabary receiving recognition and support for her programs from various other non-government organizations and elected officials from around Madagascar. Attending the opening ceremonies are representatives from USAID, UNFPA, several mayors from all over Madagascar, and various media outlets.

Dr. Rabary acknowledges Angeline and me during her presentation and I am a bit taken aback by the excitement and attention we receive from the audience. After the press conference, there is a lovely reception, where many guests inquire about our work with Americans for UNFPA.

After lunch, we meet the cameraman and head to Dr. Rabary’s home to begin taping her story and learn more about why she does the work that she does. Dr. Rabary shows us the very spot the grenade exploded when her home was attacked. Despite the trauma of an attack, she speaks of the incident with a sense of pride: she believes that she must be doing something right if there are people who are so desperate to keep her quiet that they would try to kill her.

During our on-camera interview with Dr. Rabary, we again she that she is a very good spokesperson for her programs and herself. We are starting to get a feel for why Dr. Rabary is so passionate about the work she does.

Angeline and I have dinner at a restaurant that specializes in cooking with Vanilla. While having dinner, a duo entertains the restaurant patrons with Beatle songs. At dinner, I truly don’t feel like I am outside the United States.

The Hills Are Alive

Angeline:
I had a little time to get a sense of the city again this morning, but this time Joanne Zurcher, Director of Legislative Affairs was with me. It was certainly a different experience exploring Tana with her than it was the day prior. Joanne- 6 months pregnant, fairly tall-even in the U.S., and more typically American looking than me was a sight to see for the natives. I’d noticed that the features of some of the Malagasy people were quite similar to Sri Lankans, but I didn’t realize how much I blended in, until I was with someone without the same fortune. Suddenly, we were bombarded with street vendors trying to sell us trinkets and keepsakes. People walked up and down the streets with packets of Vanilla (ahh, yes, the Vanilla Coast of Madagascar), spices, small wooden guitars, horns and the likes.

Unlike me who brought only one book with me on the plane (Mastering French), Joanne had a medley of historical information in her memory and Guidebooks on hand as back-ups. Lucky for me to be with such a prepared travel companion! She explained to me that the city is divided in two—upper town and lower town and the two areas are connected by a few steep staircases in different corners of the city.

Since we had an early start and it was a Sunday, the streets were quiet, most shops were closed and the few locals we encountered (outside of the street vendors) were dressed in their Sunday best returning home from Church. Music still emanated from the town center speakers—and today’s kick off song was Wamm’s Careless Whispers. Just next to the speakers was a bouncy castle, which again, I really didn’t expect to see, and then an outdoor market was on the opposite side. We laughed about the throw back to the 80’s but I still can’t deny that the familiarity of the tune was welcoming.

We soon met up with Dr. Rabary and her husband, as well as Gisele, our main liaison at UNFPA Madagascar; Solo, our translator; and Njaka, our cameraman. One of our primary purposes of the visit is to obtain footage to produce a video to show at our Gala in October where Dr. Rabary will be honored.

After going through the logistics for the upcoming week, we went to dinner at Le Rossini, which is the oldest house in Tana and used to be owned by Dr. Rabary’s mom. It was amazing to walk through the restaurant, and have Dr. Rabary point of bedrooms and playrooms that were now private dining and banquet rooms.

Dr. Rabary is very humble. She seems to have so many interests and a strong balance between them. She spoke fondly of her 5 children, their spouses and her grandchildren. She spoke with fond remembrance of her 1st husband, and shared the modern day love story of Mr. Arima, her now husband of 3 years. She was a teacher and a doctor and now works to provide justice for women through legal advocacy. In her spare time she crochets, knits and embroiders. Her life has been at risk many times because of her efforts to unveil and rectify human rights violations in her country. I’m sure I’ll learn more about all of this in the days to come…

Joanne:
After a jet lagged slumber, I wake up and get ready for my day of sightseeing with Angeline. I’ve done a lot of reading up on Tana and have several areas I am interested in seeing in town. As we got into the taxi to Tana, it is the first time I realize that I might be a bit taller than the average Malagasy citizen.

When we arrive in downtown Tana, it is a very quiet Sunday morning. There are a few people walking around trying to sell us their wares. Angeline and I decide to climb the steps to the upper portion of town to get a better perspective of Tana and buy a cup of coffee.

Lining the stone steps to the Upper Town are various Malagasy selling their wares and I begin to see abject poverty up close.

Upon reaching the top, Angeline and I turn around to take in the view of Tana — the size of Tana is what I notice first and how the mountains frame the city. It looks like a lot of coastal cities I’ve been to, in that the houses and buildings are built into the sides of hills. The only difference, of course, is that Tana is landlocked.

Sunday is truly a non-workday in Tana. All the stores are closed, with the exception of restaurants and patisseries. Instead, there is a small market that’s open and music is being played. Much to our surprise, the first song we hear played in Tana is from the band Wham.

As we walk along the upper town, I begin to realize how small the world is. I began noticing that families walking passed us dressed in their Sunday finest are on their way to church. We stumbled upon an old church, and upon further investigation, we believe it to be Protestant, as there are very few Catholic churches in Tana.

We spend the rest of our time sightseeing just walking around and taking in downtown. It is hard to do much with everything closed. After lunch at a small but tasty restaurant, we decide to check out the market. You can buy just about anything at this market, from beef to baby’s clothes. But nothing really strikes our fancy, and we move on.

As we are walking away from the market, a group of boys comes running toward us and begins asking for my empty water bottle. I am surprised that is all that they want and happily give it to them. Apparently, they want to use it to get water from the fire hydrant that had been opened.

We returned to our hotel to rest before meeting Dr. Rabary. At five p.m. sharp, Dr. Rabary, her husband Mr. Rabesara Arima, Gisele; our UNFPA liasion and Solo — our translator — arrived to meet with us and go over our itinerary for the week.

My first impression of Dr. Rabary is that her English is much better than my French. In addition, she has this presence about her that you know she is someone special and yet extremely humble. We discuss the itinerary for the week and decide when we will need the cameraman.

After getting the logistics for the week out of the way, our little entourage goes to dinner at a restaurant that's in an old house. The reason Dr. Rabary wants to take us to this particular place is that the house is the very house that Dr. Rabary’s mother grew up in. At first this seems to make the restaurant very special, but after talking to Dr. Rabary, you get the sense that her mother would not be pleased that her childhood home has become a public place.
After ordering our dinner, we are given a tour of the entire house, and Dr. Rabary tells us what changes have been made to the house and what each room was originally used for. Then we return to our table for a delicious meal and interesting conversation about life in the United States and life in Madagascar. As we are enjoying our dinner, I notice that a gentleman at the next table is wearing an Obama for President t-shirt. Once again, I am reminded how small our world has become.

Seeing More to Madagascar that I like to move it-move it

From Joanne:
Aside from seeing the animated movie one too many times with my four-year-old, I had never thought seriously about visiting Madagascar. Now, I am on a plane ride to visit this African nation and meet Dr. Rabary, one of our 2008 Honorees for the Health and Dignity of Women.

I am honored to be going, simply because I'm looking forward to meeting Dr. Rabary. From one phone conversation with Dr. Rabary and from reading her application, my first impression of this incredible woman is that she is a strong, dynamic leader who puts the welfare of the women in her country above her own personal safety and ambition. In addition, this trip provides me my first opportunity to see a UNFPA field program. I am very excited to see how UNFPA has made a difference in Madagascar and thus bring a more personal connection to my work in D.C.

Arriving in Madagascar: Finally, after 17 plus hours of traveling, I am in Tana, Madagascar. As I walk from the airplane to the terminal, I say a silent prayer that my luggage arrived and that I will find the driver that will take me to my hotel. As soon as I enter the terminal building, I am greeted by my driver—and I realize security is very different in Madagascar. He, along with many of the other travel agents picking up passengers, move freely between customs and baggage claim without anyone raising an eyebrow. He escorts me to the customs line and, after getting my passport stamped, sends me to get my luggage…which made it without incident! Considering that lost bags seem to be all the rage in the U.S., I'm extremely impressed.

As we drive to my hotel, my first glimpse is Tana by night. My impression is it’s 11:30 p.m. and there are an awful lot of people on the streets walking around. I quickly realize that Tana is a much bigger city than I had initially thought. In addition, I am struck by the poverty I see.

We reach my hotel and I am grateful to see Angeline has also arrived safely. We chat for a bit and make plans to explore the city tomorrow.

I Passed the Rains Down in Africa

From Angeline:
I am off to see UNFPA field programs in Madagascar and witness firsthand the tremendous impact that with the support of UNFPA, local women like Dr. Mathilde Rabary is able to have on her community. I must say, it is bittersweet that the last email that I received before my flight departed was an announcement that for the 7th consecutive year the Bush Administration had decided to withhold Congressionally allocated funds from UNFPA.

Determined not to feel defeated, I am even more excited to meet Dr. Rabary and share her story with Americans. Dr. Mathilde Rabary, one of three winners of our International Award for the Health and Dignity of Women, works to promote justice and rights of women – particularly victims of domestic violence- in Madagascar. Over the next week, as you read these updates, hopefully you’ll facebook a friend, or send them our blogspot link, and help spread this message to those who may not be as familiar with UNFPA’s work. And, I’m hopeful that as we spread the impact of UNFPA’s work beyond that of the 100k or so Americans for UNFPA’s supporters, that together we’ll be able to encourage our next President to restore U.S. support for UNFPA.

As for the plane ride, it was about 18 hours, and I think I ate more bread and cheese during that time than I have in the last 3 months. As you might guess based on that, I was flying Air France. It wasn’t as nearly as exciting a flight as the last one I took—there were no celebrity sighting, like Usher, who was on a flight with me earlier this month….

By the time I arrived in Madagascar it was nearly midnight on Friday. I was based in the Capital City- Antananarivo--- Tana for short. I was a bustling city: lots of traffic, lots of people and like many major cities, both extreme poverty and extreme wealth.

On Saturday, while I was supposed to be recovering from jet lag (which I like to pretend doesn’t’ exist) I wandered into town for some lunch and I couldn’t help but laugh when the first song I heard was “Africa.” Cheesily, that was of course the song running through my own head throughout the week prior as I prepared for the trip.

The song blared through the streets- a sound I actually like. It gave the area a real community feel. When I first moved to New York, I was staying with a friend in Brooklyn, and I loved the Latin tunes that her neighbors would play every Saturday afternoon. It made me want to go dance in the streets with them and the familiarity of the sound made me feel welcome—both in Brooklyn and Tana.

As I stopped in a convenience store to pick up some water, I was even more surprised to hear, in succession, No One- by Alicia Keys and Too Late by Chris Brown. Just one more reminder that though we sometimes think of Madagascar as worlds away… or experiences aren’t so different.

Liveblog and Videocast for Safe Motherhood

Why, in the face of so many serious issues confronting the health and rights of women, have we chosen to focus on maternal death?

Email us your questions or click on COMMENTS to post your questions.

Liveblog and Videocast for Safe Motherhood

Why is UNFPA the ideal organization to make Safe Motherhood a reality?

Email us your questions or click on COMMENTS to post your questions.

The Deception Endured by Domestic Workers and the Impact of Trafficking

A 22 year old woman and her mother greeted us at our next stop in the village. There house was made of the same material as the Mrs. Heang’s but it was much larger and had a distinctly separate kitchen area at the base and a narrow staircase that lead us to a large living areas. Beautiful straw mats lined the floors, which I later learned the mom made herself.

Upstairs—they had walls and two windows, overlooking the kitchen area. The windows were cut outs—so they were permanently open.

I remember thinking, wow, this is really nice. And, for them it was. At the same time, it was sad to think that a few walls, and windows made for a significantly better living experience. In NY we complain about our tiny apartments—but we rarely think that the bare basics that we take for granted are pure luxury for counterparts around the world.

We sat together on the mats upstairs. The 22 year old sat silently next to her mom. If I hadn’t known her age I would have guessed 14. Ms. Noeun and Sophanara assured me that they both wanted to meet with us.

After about 5 minutes of taping, I asked the videographer to stop. I hadn’t even heard any of the dialogue translated, but I saw from the lost look on the 22 year olds face as her mom spoke, that a difficult story was being re-hashed and I just didn’t feel that is was fair to make her re-live the experience in any way, especially it is wasn’t even her talking about it.

The mom clearly was still traumatized by the experience and felt a great deal of responsibility. She blamed herself, a widow in poverty, for encouraging her daughter to seek work as a domestic worker (helping with house work, cleaning, cooking, etc) for a foreigner. Her daughter, along with 4 other girls lived full time with the man from New Zealand and his Cambodian wife. While living there all 5 girls were sexually assaulted. The first time it happened to the 22 year old, she didn’t say anything—she didn’t know what to do. The second time, she dropped a hint to one of the others and soon learned that many had already been abused. She’d been threatened by the man, and her fellow workers also threatened her not to tell. They would lose their income, they would become disgraced by their families, and on top of that, there didn’t really seem like a way to escape.

The 22 year old managed to escape and her family supported her and pressed charges. The man is now in prison. But the long term implications linger. Her mother explained that in Cambodia, being a virgin before marriage is a must. “I have three daughters- 28, 22, 19. Because this happened to one of my daughters none of them have been able to get married….most girls here are married before age 19.” CWCC is working on community empowerment, but changing deep rooted stereotypes are not easy.

The daughter herself seemed to have more courage, more optimism. She said she hopes to learn to be a hair stylist and hopes to have the money one day to start her own company. She has the motivation to succeed. She smiled, I think almost with surprise, when I commended her courage and explained that often victims don’t have the courage to come forward. I said she is an example of hope for so many other victims. And her legal victory, with CWCC’s support, and her willingness to speak up, has prevented other women from becoming victims. I shared a poster of the Brooklyn Bridge with her and suggested that when she looks at it in the future to remember that many Americans believe in her and support her. I explained that in many ways she is a role model to other survivors for her courage and strength to come forward.

Skinny Cows and Economic Empowerment in the Village

We went to a local village today. It was unlike anything I could have imagined. The drive there was an escape away from hotel-tourist central. As I looked to the side of the road, I was shocked by how skinny and hungry the cows looked. Talk about an oxy moron. I kept picturing the black and white wrappers of the low fat, “skinny cow ice cream bars…and thinking if only they KNEW there was such a thing, I think the ice cream company would change the name. I could see their bones through their skin.

En route we stopped for lunch. Mind you at this point I’d already spent a day and a half with our video crew. Half way through lunch, I realized that one of the video guys is actually American! California driver’s license and all. The day prior, when we were having trouble translating a phrase or two, I noticed he chimed in, but he certainly didn’t say more than 20 words the whole day. I guess it’s easier to casually forget to mention that you speak English than to get stuck translating when you signed onto videotape. But, it was nice to be able to communicate now and again without a language barrier. Lunch by the way was amazing. Soups are an essential part of Cambodian eating. Today’s we had what’s called “Sour Soup.” Not so sour and pretty good. We also had some fried fish. Parts of Siem Reap are quite touristy, and like we associate the sea side with seafood; I think Siem Reap has the same feeling.

As we walked through dirt paths by what felt like a mini forest, I was in some way expecting to see a simple, small house. A house as we know it that is--with walls, roofs, and a door that can keep the outside world out. Mind you that the only buildings I’d seen so far in Cambodia, were hotels, the CWCC office space, the CWCC Shelter for Women and Children, the outside of the Royal Place/Residence (its right in the city center), the police station, a restaurant or two and rows of hotels catering to largely international tourists.

We walked through the trees, down the dirt path, and next thing I knew Ms. Noeun was grinning ear to ear as she stumbled upon a woman and a small child that used to live at her shelter. It wasn’t the family we had scheduled to meet up with, and since we seemed to be in such a desolate village, I was surprised that she ran into someone she knew.

Ms. Nouen embraced the child in her arms and carried her as she spoke to the woman. According to Sophanara- the UNFPA Cambodia Communications Associate and my ad-hoc translator, the woman referred to Ms. Noeun “as mom” –“hello mom, so nice to see you, yes I am keeping well mom…” As the day went on these phrases became common place. I had the opportunity to meet three families that had been reintegrated into their communities following their stay at CWCC and the end of their legal battles related to their rape, trafficking and domestic violence cases.

Ms. Noeun would smile when the women referred to her as mom, and she’d laugh about it. To one of the women she said, how can YOU call me mom? You are older than me and have three kids of you own. As we walked to the end of the path, I saw a woman in blue standing at her wooden table cutting coconuts in half. She stood under what looked like a tree house with a thatched, straw rood. As I look around (there were no wall) I didn’t seen anything that resembled a bed.

Mrs. Heang was the woman is blue’s name. She has a beautiful, welcoming face. Her 3 year old daughter lingered by her side and her 8 year old peaked around a tree, checking out the video crew as they set up the cameras. She also has an 18 year old, but he was away at school, thanks to a scholarship he’d received from CWCC.

She makes cake for a living and earns between 6000-9000 riel a day (less than $2usd on average) She sells the cake to her neighbors in the village and she also receives small sums of money or assistance through social services. Though she learned to sew while at CWCC when she left the center there were no machines available for donation. So instead, she developed a business plan with CWCC’s support to start her cake making business and she was granted start up capital of $100,000 Riel…($25). It was incredible to see what a difference that money (the equivalent of two cab rides home from midtown Manhattan to my apartment) had on her life.

As she spoke to us, she reflected a bit on how her life had changed. She was happy with her life changes and she cherished her children with all her heart. She said, “I know, that still, my economic situation is not very good, but at least I am not being threatened every day.” What makes a happy home, really? I learned that it is far more than a roof over your head and first and foremost it is a safe space.

After a quick segment of filming, we spent a few minutes together. They let me test out what seemed like a see-saw and learned how to “grind spices.” I stood on one end and the other end, like a hammer, pounded into the ground, chopping, breaking, etc. anything that needed to be chopped. I LOVE my pampered chef chopper, and value a good mortar and pestle but this wooden contraption took the cake in terms of efficiency, design, and easy of use!
Mrs. Heang invited us to sit down with her on the mat, and her mother, who also lives with her joined us. She continued to cut coconuts without any difficulty (whereas I have to use all my might to even cut through a watermelon) and poured the fresh juice for us. We drank some coconut juice and the kids ate the chocolate chip granola bar that I had in my purse. It was so fun to watch the little girl smear the chocolate over her face and then pick up the coconut juice, snap her head back and pour the fresh juice in. It could have been a commercial it was so cute. For those few minutes, I completely forgot about the sweat pouring down my face. In fact I don’t think I even felt the heat. I just felt such optimism, as I sat with this genuinely happy, healthy, strong family, who despite their difficult living situation seemed to live life to its fullest. I didn’t want to leave.

First Day in Cambodia

Breakfast at the hotel was a mix of soup, fried rice, kimchi, eggs, fruit, pancakes and toast. Sophanara (UNFPA Cambodia Communications Associate) and Sultan (Driver) met me at about 8am and the film crew followed in a pick up truck behind them.

We went straight to the Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center Shelter. Like most shelters there was no identifying information outside to be sure that abusers, etc, are unable to find it. Ms. Noeun was there to greet me and I could see she had plenty of energy. Her motorcycle was parked out front, since she too had just arrived. I explained that it would be wonderful if she could just go about her morning like she normally would—and allow the video crew to follow behind her. I’m sure she did some of her meetings in fast forward but she really was great at ignoring the camera and giving her un-dived attention to each person she encountered.

Women and children who have been victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse are able to live at the shelter during their legal process. Ms. Noeun started her morning by stopping into the kids classroom. Kids of all ages were in one room—and when we walked through they were busy tracing shapes at the table. A couple babies were asleep in small hammocks and a few kids were sitting in a group and drawing. They all looked forward to seeing Ms. Noeun and responded early as she asked them about how they were and what they were working on. She stopped and helped them on their project and makes time to somehow make each child feel acknowledged.

The Sewing room was pretty cool for me to see. Twelve extra sewing machines were against the wall—that said donated by UNFPA. When the woman are ready to leave the Center they are given one each allowing with 100,000 Riel ( $25) to help them start their own business.

Women also learned how to cook. Each day four women are responsible for cooking. They are given $25 to go to the market and prepare 4 meals for 50 people (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner). They had porridge and water for breakfast and for lunch they were making fries, sour soup, fried tofu, and rice. They usually calculate costs at 50 cents per person per day but they also reserve some money for the kids to have transportation to school and also for travel to the market.

The girls are age 17 and younger; boys age 8 and younger. Women vary in age—but the average age in 55. Most stay for about 8 months to one year. Other women come to receive CWCC legal services and support, but they chose to live with family instead of at the shelter.

CWCC has an in-house attorney and medical staff that come to the center. There is one other center is Siem Reap that provides similar services. Though the capacity of the shelter is 50 people, they’ve never turned anyone away.

Sometimes the women go back and live with their abuser, who is most cases is their husband. The husbands must testify and sign a document with CWCC promising that they won’t abuse again. CWCC explains that this does not always work, but they system is currently set up so that women can come back three times if they need to.

I spent the afternoon learning more about Ms. Noeun and her work. We went to the Center and met her team there. She actually lives at her office and two of her grandkids live really close by. At the end of the day she took them on a motorcycle ride to the park and it was fun to watch as they held tight to their grandmother.

My Journey To Siem Reap

I've arrived safely in Siem Reap. The flight was delayed though for the first hour of the delay the airline claims that my ticket, itinerary, and all related documentation actually listed my flight time wrong. Though my ticket said 7:30pm departure from Seoul, Korea the airline staff were adamant that the flight was actually scheduled for 8:30pm. Ok, whatever, Í'll go with the flow. Since I had several hours to pass, I sat down for some traditional Korean food-- double boiled beef short ribs in broth. A couple years ago I learned how to make Korean style bbq short ribs...so it was fun to experience the authentic cuisine. I think I was the only non-Korean person in the whole restaurant.
The flight took off until about 9:30pm and I arrived in Siem Reap about 5.5 hours later. Of course, just my luck, there is a 2 hour time difference between Korea and Cambodia (3 between Mongolia and Cambodia) so it might have only been 1am in Cambodia but as far as my internal time clock new it was 3 am!!
Though my hotel was supposed to pick me up from the airport, when Sophanara, the UNFPA Cambodia representative who was meeting me in Siem Reap, stopped by the hotel to make sure everything was set for my arrival., the hotel manager said that her staff had gone home for the night and sorry, there is no one to pick me up. Sultan, also from UNPFA Cambodia, saved the day, and though he too was exhausted from driving Sophanara from Phnom Phen that afternoon. He graciously offered to pick me up and stood waiting, smiling at the airport to greet me.
What a difference a friendly face makes upon arrival in a new place. I felt at home immediately.
Even though it is so late at night, it is incredible humid out. The road from the airport to the hotel felt very dismal. Unlike Ulan Bator, which felt somewhat industrialized with pockets of great disparity, tonight my eyes only saw what felt very much like a low income country in need. It was strange to have the immediate feeling that UNFPA's help was needed. I was also reminded of Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka the road from the airport is pretty dark and dismal, but as you approach the city the strips of hotels feel like Las Vegas. I know Siem Reap is known to be a huge tourist destination, so maybe it's the just the late night arrival and the humidity. We shall see.
My days in Cambodia are very, very packed. I'm not sure when I'll be able to post next. In the mean time, I encourage you all to read my friend Rebecca's blog. She traveled to Cambodia with Americans for UNFPA in January with a delegation of about 12 Americans. Because staff and guests of Americans for UNFPA were here so recently, my trip is focused closely on meeting Ms. Ket Noeun, 2007 Americans for UNFPA International Honoree for the Health and Dignity of Women. Ms. Noeun is the provinical coordinator for the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center and runs a shelter for women. Her Center is heavily involved in the legal aspects of the work and has unique community partnerships to ensure health, dignity and justice for vicitms and the community at large.

Please don't forget

We emerge from the bumpy unpaved roads of the countryside to the shockingly modern hotel strip in Siem Reap, developed only because the Western and Japanese tourists have come to see the splendid temples of Angkor Wat. A new hotel goes up once a month here. It is easy to understand why most outsiders have forgotten there is a larger plight in Cambodia; it would be hard to imagine the poverty and the lack of development if Siem Reap was all one saw of the country.
Here too we visit the programs of NGOs, NGOs doing the work that the government has forgotten. We are bearing witness, we have come to hear that the Cambodia government spends 50% of its budget on the military, and only 2% of that budget on health care. And here we were, as Americans, doing the work that our U.S. government has forgotten or neglected to do. We, as Americans, could help reduce the number of deaths in Cambodia, but for 5 years the U.S. government has put a halt to this by withholding funds to UNFPA. With U.S. help, Cambodian women will surly have a better chance of living. The U.S. is the only country to withhold funds to UNFPA for reasons that are political and not financial. Where has our concern for humanity gone?
We bear witness to Cambodia, and to the work that UNFPA is funding here. To the programs that allow the chance for hope, health, and a better life. Let us remember.
As I return to the U.S what can I do know? I promise not to forget. And I hope that the words and experiences I've shared will encourage each of you to call your Senators and Representatives and urge them to support UNFPA, we can help more women live to see their children. Everyday Americans for UNFPA works to help us see our role in promoting the health of women worldwide. Join them in their efforts.

Driving Reflections

We drive. Flat fields with palm trees popped up like feather dusters. Everything is brown and dusty now in the dry season, layers of sand coating the palm trees like chocolate, as though the entire country is an attic waiting to be dusted off from misuse. We visit a rural hospital where the prisoners from the local jail who come for treatment are restrained to their beds, where a patient with HIV lies forgotten outside.
There is hope here, in the form of the monks with their saffron umbrellas and turmeric robes. The monks preach of HIV prevention in terms of good karma, in a way that speaks to the Buddhist religion of the Cambodian people. The monks tell us they are willing to talk about condom use, about reproductive health.
It is not enough of course. Inequality and domestic violence still exists, and in the shelter nearby, women are rocking their babies in hammocks in this place to which they have escaped. "Whenever we argued, my husband threatened to cut our baby in half so we could each have a piece of him," she explains. The chubby baby sleeps unawares of its impending doom, at peace now because his mother had this shelter to run to. It's my hope that this is an extreme story, but the message and call for help remains prominent.

Friends, Smiles, Hope

We dine at the Friends Restaurant, an organization where those who have been forgotten and abandoned on the street are remembered again. Friends reaches 1,000 street children a day, and has made extraordinary gains in the ten years since its founding. We watch the children giggling as they are given schooling, watch the adolescents who are learning practical life skills such as cooking and mechanics, alongside health classes and talks on gender. They smile at our cameras so genuinely.
As do the poorest of the poor when we visit them in their slums, greeting us with smiles and hope. We enter the slum along a rickety platform that runs between two buildings, and are instantly met by the heaps of garbage and the putrid stench rising from between the ramshackle wooden huts. But there are smiles on the faces. They cluster around peer educators – also funded by UNFPA – here as well, and laugh at the games and the lessons. These people have not forgotten to love life, and we should not forget that they have the right to long life, and good health.

Is there a women's movement?

We visit a maternal hospital, strikingly modern by Cambodian standards, built not by their own government but by the Japanese. There are low wooden ceilings and wooden benches, where the expectant mothers watch instructional videos and pop Thai TV while they wait their turn. It is 5000 rial for the first visit, the equivalent of about $4.25 US currency, and it is a prohibitive sum for many.
Four hundred and fifty out of every 100,000 women in Cambodia die in childbirth; a rate 10 times higher than the U.S. We learn that UNFPA has significantly reduced the rate of maternal mortality in 8 countries, but in Cambodia much help is still needed.
At the Ministry of Women's Affairs that afternoon, they tell us that 52% of Cambodia's 13 million citizens are women, but that they are much poorer than their male counterparts. Although women make up 74% of the labor force, they are also far more often in low-paying jobs. It is a theme reflected in the highest echelons as well. At the Ministry of Women's Affairs, 700 of the 850 employees are women. That percentage is far smaller in other government bureaus. The Ministry receives only 5% of the government's budget, with the highest portions going to agriculture, industry, telecommunications etc. So has the government, too, forgotten?
Gender mainstreaming is a priority right now, they tell as at the Ministry, and legal rights, but the biggest obstacle they face is the limited resources they receive. There are lofty goals to change social norms, to alter the fact that most decision-making now lies with men. It is a part of the national strategy to say that women are the backbone of economic development and stability, they tell us. I listen for what they don't say, for the stories of sex trafficking and inadequate access to skilled birth attendants and gender inequality. "Is there a women's movement in the country?" a delegate asks pointedly. Not really, they admit.
"How much money would you need to cover your work in all the provinces?" another delegate pries. $30,000 a year would fund all their work in eight provinces they suggest.

Peer Educators at the Khmer Youth Association

The community groups have not forgotten. Up we climb, up a flight of stairs as steep as those from a ship's ladder, to a room with a whirring fan. The Khmer Youth Association is one of many programs in the country funded by UNFPA. It sends peer educators to target communities where they teach open communication between parents, youths, and teachers around the topics of reproductive health, HIV prevention, and gender equality. Some parents remain reluctant and do not allow their children to join these groups. But the hindrances to KYA's work have solutions. The more open the dialogue that continues, the more parents will be willing to allow such peer education to go on. Likewise with the remote locations of the provinces. The KYA can only reach target communities in certain seasons, because rain at other times of the year makes access impossible. If the infrastructure of the country were improved, so too would the health and safety of its citizens. If we don't forget.