ReFocuz Initiative

10/11/2021

Your voice is more than matters. It is your ability to shout your truth to the world.

09/28/2021

Pfizer submitted data to FDA asking for approval to use the vaccine on children 5-11. The FDA will take weeks to review the data before making a decision.

These younger kids could be vaccinated by Halloween, Pfizer CEO says.

03/04/2020

Based in she stands as a beacon of hope for hundreds of women and girls who are disenfranchised, she is a voice that challenges unequal power relations and the oppression of women and girls in her country. She is a powerful Activist and woman Leader who leads by example her name Bashiratu Kamal-Muslim who is also a member of the ReFocuz Initiative.

Discussing on The Standpoint Television show in Ghana, she speaks with three powerfully strong, experienced and civically engaged women to have a frank, unscripted, hard-hitting for titled "25years of women's rights in Ghana after the for Action."

Review their page and website for airing times in your time zone for the full discussion this Sunday Ghanian time 8-9 PM
Website: http://thestandpoint.com.gh/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ5xYmIFVk-3owBUavT3T9A/featured

03/04/2020

Topic: The Effects of Violence on Women's Mental Health and the Environment: Looking at the U.S, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Using technology to engage in for

define violence differently in the context of their countries and cultures. In some countries, wife-beating is seen as acceptable behavior if the woman is unfaithful or neglects her children.
Women in the United States of America, the Caribbean, and Latin America continue to experience daily acts of violence. While are useful to inform policies, programs, and services they do not represent the lived realities of many victims. And may give a skewed view that the problem is not that serious.
Populations with a high prevalence of violence , followed by , and .
are being killed because of their advocacy for and .
Violence against women and girls increased after the hurricane in . There is also a lack of agency connection on the island. It is challenging to find data for violence against women for Puerto Rico? This may be due to our political reality.

as a result of is increasing violence against women and mental health issues.

03/04/2020

Using online tools to engage in for

Violence against trans folks continues to negatively affect their advancement, health and livelihoods. Are trans folks being given a voice in the movement? Are we providing safe spaces for identified men to share their stories and speak their truth?

03/04/2020

The power of online tools to keep conversations going.

Topic: The Intersections of Environmental Justice, Violence Against Women and Girls and Justice Systems.

determinants create certain situations (emotional, mental, physical) which enable violence and other social issues which some people may class as the cultural practice and behaviours of a group residing in and around areas which emit high levels of toxins which affects cognitive functioning, health, attitudes and behaviours.

The criminal injustice system which enables violence as it does not consider contributing issues such as toxins (ex Lead) which enable violent and socially adverse behaviours of people living in communities where there are high levels of toxins.

The intersection of race, food access and security, economic status and violence against women ought to be investigated including co-dependence within relationships, the tangible things victims of violence need to walk away including the psychological support.

Initiative

03/04/2020

Topic: The impact of sexualized violence and abuse on Sexual and Reproductive Health: Access, , and .

With online tools the conversation never ends

negatively impacts the of . , Access, Access, and Access. Are some of the many challenges faced by victims of sexual violence.

While the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) study showed the long-term health outcome by people exposed to multiple forms of trauma it did not look at the ways in which intersecting issues of oppression, poverty, racism, intersect with trauma and the ways in which those are trauma as well.

The more trauma a person experience the higher the risks for poor health outcomes in life.

Initiative

03/03/2020

ReFocuz Initiative fully supports this decision. Safety first.

Following the United Nations Secretary-General’s recommendation to Member States to amend the format and conduct of in light of the current concerns regarding coronavirus disease, the Commission gathered to make a final decision. United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) updated advisory here: http://unwo.men/nkrA50yAYmA

03/03/2020

This is indeed sad, however, safety is first priority. We fully agree with this decision.

"NGO CSW64 Forum Cancellation Notice
It is with a heavy heart that we have to share this regretful news with you.

Following the recommendation by the UN Secretary-General on the coronavirus sent on Friday, 28 February, and the 64th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) briefing held on 2 March, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York (NGO CSW/NY) Executive Committee has decided to cancel all NGO CSW64 Forum events due to the current threat posed by the coronavirus as per recommendations by the UN Secretary- General, UN Women and the World Health Organization (WHO)."

Following the recommendation by the UN Secretary-General on the coronavirus sent on Friday, 28 February, and the 64th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) briefing held on 2 March, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York (NGO CSW/NY) Executive Committee has decided....

02/27/2020

What was eye-opening, informative and what was missing from this conversation?

"All relationships have power dynamics based on our identities and experiences; but within global development, the power disparities are even more vast: between international NGOs and local partner organizations, between staff from headquarters and local staff, the CEO of an INGO and the “beneficiaries” of a program. This points to a large issue within development: are the interventions developed by iNGOs consensual? Are these organizations addressing issues in ways that make “beneficiaries” and local partners feel valued, included, and comfortable? In order to for the international development community to transform its work to allow for consensual relationships and partnerships, we must unpack and understand our own individual power, privilege, and oppression, to be able to shift towards more equitable structures and practices at the institutional level." - Center for Global Development.

All relationships have power dynamics based on our identities and experiences; but within global development, the power disparities are even more vast: betwe...