Aqua vitae

Jal. Neer. Paani. Aqua. Agua. Eau. Va-duh. Biyo. Mvura. Rano. Amanzi. Zou. Gui. Mmiri. Nam. Thuk. Wai. Mizu. Mul. Shouei. Air.

Air.

It is common knowledge that water is as essential to humans, and most other species on the planet, as air. Every language on the planet has a word for water, most have two or three in common use. Water creates, maintains and sustains our life force.

I watched a hindi movie yesterday called Road, Movie. It is directed by Dev Benegal, and tells the story of a young man who embarks on a life-changing journey (of course) in an old, dilapidated moving cinema. The film is well made, and thought-provoking. It raises important questions about the scarcity of water in rural regions of India, especially in the North. More importantly and perhaps unintentionally, the film also portrays that the task of finding water for families falls to women and that women of certain tribes will often walk for several days, or weeks in search of water across the dry, arid plains of Rajasthan in search of water. It made me think.

There is a rising movement among non-profit organizations that focuses on women's development, and sets forth the mandate that one of the solutions to climate change and poverty lies in fulfilling the rights of women in many developing nations. At a time when people in the Global North enjoy constant sources of running water 24 hours a day, it is almost incomprehensible that there are people elsewhere who have to walk hundreds of miles in search of this precious resource that is also a basic human right.

What is this connection between women and climate change? The idea is that most women in developing countries still have a close relationship with the earth. Human dependence on our planet's resources is never more clearly portrayed than in the reality of women's work. Especially, that of women in rural areas. In Rajasthan, as shown in the film Road, Movie, women often walk for hundreds of kilometres in search of water during seasons of drought. Half a world away, in the Kenyan Maasai Mara, young girls hold the job of walking miles to the river to lug gallons of water back home.

In rural areas, women are also responsible for growing food and tending herbs and vegetable gardens to feed their families. This close relationship with the earth, and the riches the earth offers, is what connects women so deeply to the environmental cause. The idea that both women and mother earth are 'producers' deepens the association.

Now, I don't believe that all women inherently have this connection.... an urban woman experiences life and connection to the planet very differently from a rural woman. The scent of the urban woman is perhaps as twangy and metallic, as the scent of the rural woman is like the smell of wet earth after the first rainfall.

But isn't that the beauty of being a woman?

Naari. Stri. Aurat. Mujer. Femme. Nü. Frau. Donna. Vrouw. Woman.

The Robin Hood Tax

I recently joined the organization Oxfam Canada as a volunteer. It is a refreshing experience being part of something that is so much bigger than oneself, but that shares one's mandate and mission in life.

Most of Oxfam's campaigning for the spring revolves around issues that will be/need to be discussed at the G8/G20 summits being hosted by Canada this summer. One of the biggest issues that Oxfam Canada, and other not-for-profit organizations as well as the public want to see discussed at the summit is adequate fundraising for international aid that was promised to Africa before 2015. Adequate and efficient fundraising.

The solution to this particular fundraising problem lies in the implementation of a tax, affectionately and popularly named the Robin Hood Tax, which would place a relatively small 0.05% tax on financial transactions conducted by investment banks. This tax, though small would help raise an estimated $350-600 billion annually, which would be directed towards both, stabilizing economies in the Global North, as well as for relief efforts in the Global South. The best part about this tax (as well as one there seems to be a lot of confusion about) as it seems to me is that it taxes banks, and not clients. The tax is on financial transactions conducted between banks (share transactions etc.), and therefore would not apply to daily transactions made by clients. The confusion about whether or not ordinary consumers would end up paying for this tax remains as one of the biggest misconceptions about this tax.

The arguments against the Robin Hood Tax are aplenty. Some economists argue that a tax like this would not work unless every government endorses and implements it. Banks will likely opt out of conducting transactions in markets that impose the tax, and take their business elsewhere. Canada and Harper are getting patted on the back for vehemently opposing the global bank tax (The Economist, Canadian Business etc.).

Because God forbid the rich should be taxed! My question is: If a 0.05% financial transaction tax can raise upto $600 billion annually, how much must the banks be making in the same duration?

Here are answers to some FAQs about the tax, courtesy of Oxfam Canada.

Oh Canada, No 'home' in native land? (for the poor)

Why is it always surprising when government officials and corporations act in a predictable fashion? Worse, it's disappointing. You would think that after 22 years of experience with governments I would come to terms with this disappointment a little quicker.

I am referring to the latest Olympics buzz in Vancouver...about the housing complex called "Olympic Village" that was constructed (in high fashion, mind) to house Olympic participants. During construction, 252 units of the posh housing complex were promised by the city as social housing for low-income families, a promise that, according to the Globe and Mail article on the issue, is not likely to be kept. As the article details, the 252 units meant for social housing have already incurred a huge deficit, which the city had to pay. Now the developers owe the city money not only for the land and construction, but also for the bail-out. Although profits from the Olympics would pay off the construction and bail-out debt, it is not likely that the city will be reimbursed for the land on which this housing complex is built. On top of all this, it is very likely that any units converted to social housing would charge a high rent to make up for all the losses the city incurred, which only people with a certain income can afford.

Its clear that the whole thing was badly managed and not well thought out. First of all, the need for the Olympic village is perplexing in itself - I am sure athletes could very well have managed living in hotels. Secondly, posh housing complexes are not very economically viable to serve as social housing. How is it that no-one saw these hurdles and obstacles before going ahead with the project? As humans, one of our biggest flaws is our terrible foresight when it comes to things like this. We have always thought in terms of crisis management, and remedial measures instead of thinking pro-actively and enforcing preventive measures. Unless this attitude changes, we will always face economic issues.

Defending a Discipline

Being a Women's Studies student is hard work - not just because the content can be challenging, but because of the resistance the discipline faces from other disciplines. Let me explain.

Very often, when I disclose that I am a Women's Studies minor, I often encounter raised-eyebrows and questioning looks. Sometimes, I face a clear disapproval of my choice of study. Women's Studies is not considered a valid, relevant discipline. The most common criticisms of the field are that if WMST claims to be fighting for equality, then why is it called what it is? And then comes the question we have all endlessly sighed over: Why isn't there a 'Men's Studies'? There is a 'Men's Studies'. It's called HIStory. And practically every single other discipline that mostly talks all about accomplishments of men (usually rich white men) in the field.

It is true that Women's Studies rose out of an era of feminism when it was a revolutionary idea... the idea that women - and men - would be studying about the accomplishments of other women. And perhaps it is also true that 'Women's' studies are not as relevant anymore when society claims that equality has been attained. But I ask you to truly look at our society, introspect a little, and see if it is possible to make the claim that we live in an equal society. Granted, that situations in different parts of the world vary - the West perhaps does not have such blatant inequality, though I have always wondered if it is better for activists to be confronted with, and thus to work towards eradicating blatant injustices, rather than subtle ones.

But back to my point about inequality. Yes, I dare to claim that women are not equal in our, nor any society in the world. If women were equal, some men would not be able to rape women, and get away with it. If women were equal, rape would not be used as a weapon of war. If women were equal, almost every single profane word in the English language would not be an insult directed towards women. If women were equal, some men would not beat their wives.

So. There is need for Women's Studies. Or if not Women's Studies, then at least the study of gender, and people who are marginalized. I can accept evolution of the discipline, but I cannot, and will not accept total eradication.

Flying thoughts and racing ideas

So. I didn't theme this blog. That's okay. The reason for that may be apparent with the title of this post. My brain never seems to stand still long enough for me to logically comprehend and make sense of all my thoughts. Sometimes I wish there was a way to categorize them all, and organize them into files and folders, like I do with my courses. But at other times, I am grateful for not having a strict organizational regime in my mind. Can you imagine what that would be like? I am content with my mind being more like an old treasure chest, memories strewn haphazardly and discovered years later with a chuckle, or a gasp (I can't believe I did that when I was 16!!!).

But enough of this. On the subject of flying thoughts and racing ideas, I think I should mention that I've been following the Olympics (indirectly, of course, mostly through my friends and my sister) a lot more than usual. The Olympics are a symbol of unity and friendly, peaceful competition, and of course, excellence in sports. Competing nations at large meet in solidarity and their people cheer for one another. The sports are an excellent way of fostering unity and solidarity, and provides athletes with the opportunity to test themselves against worthy opponents from all over the world, a chance that I am sure is very appealing to athletes.

But what defines it exactly? It is obvious that the quest for medals often overrides the quality of friendliness and intensifies the competition. Consequently, athletes are subjected to an insurmountable pressure to perform not only well, but place within the top 3. And if they don't, then they are subjected to taunts and ridicules by their media, as if they don't feel bad about themselves already. Since they are largely funded by corporations and tax money, athletes are made to feel deeply responsible for their loss.

And underlying all of this is a larger, deeper, more problematic issue that confronts every single nation hosting the Olympics. This year's Winter Olympics committee in Vancouver is being highly criticized by the international media for their poor organization. At the same time however, what is less publicized are the large number of protests by the Canadian First Nations people about the land that most of the Olympics pitches and ski hills are built on. This land is claimed to be stolen, Native land for which of course, the Native people have not been compensated. In addition, the east side of downtown Vancouver, generally notorious for harbouring a large number of homeless people has been mysteriously 'cleared out' with little or no evidence of where these people now are. All this, I have been hearing about through word of mouth. There is barely any media station that is publishing any information about it, no doubt having been silenced, either by the government or their corporate sponsors.

I have never really kept up with the Olympics. Until now. I am very interested to see whether the stolen land will be returned to the First Nations people, and whether Vancouver's east side will again be teeming with the homeless once the charade of the Olympics is done with. One thing I've learned through my education these past few years is that every global action has a far-reaching consequence beyond its original intention. And since we're living in a globalized world, it has become all the more difficult to deflect this chain reaction.