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Young Women Speak Out

Poems:

One is enough. Two is too much.

Lumnay

 

Stories:
Nothing is Impossible
That Night
Not Enough!

 

 

The poems and stories above reflect the sentiments of young women writers on the topic of violence against women expressed during a Youth Writeshop held in December 2008.  “One is enough. Two is too much” seems to be about violence in an intimate relationship where the girl would like to get out of the abusive relationship; “Nothing is Impossible” is about domestic violence where the author sees a sign of hope through the advocacy efforts of international and local organizations; “That Night” is also about domestic violence being witnessed by an innocent child full of questions in her mind of why such horrible thing happen. The piece on “Not Enough” is a strong call to stand up against injustices and discrimination. Finally, “Lumnay” is a sad poem about fixed-marriages and the patriarchal nature/pressure for a man to have a son who will carry his name. 

 

This Youth Writeshop was an event organized by the CEDAW Youth Committee. The Committee, which was formed in 2008 under the CEDAW Watch Network with support of UN Women, is an extension of the Young Women Leadership Project entitled “Why Get Involved? Why Me?" initiated by The Miriam College- Women and Gender Institute (WAGI).  The Young Women Leadership Project, funded by the Royal Netherlands Embassy through its programme to promote gender equality and development, is in line with the school’s mission to educate women for leadership and service. Through this project, a series of leadership training on human rights, gender and good governance was conducted targeting young women student leaders and community leaders. The intention was to instill in them the capability to learn about human rights, including CEDAW, and how to assert and claim their rights.  It recognizes the urgent need to develop a successor generation of young feminists and young women leaders who will be active and proactive in engaging government and other social actors and institutions in the advocacy of gender equality, human rights and good governance.

The CEDAW Youth Committee is composed of young women professionals in different fields. The CEDAW Youth aims to increase awareness of young women not only in schools but in communities; and not just Christians but also Muslims. CEDAW Youth believes that the young generation today is full of potentials that need to be recognized and further enhanced by equipping them with adequate information on women’s human rights issues and the law. Young women are not apathetic to social issues but rather have different ways or means of expressing themselves and doing their advocacy.  The literary pieces above are testimony to this. 

 

Please visit the CEDAW Youth Committee website
Read the Speaking Out magazine of the CEDAW Youth Committee

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