Dear policymakers,
I’m Alisha Aslam. I’m a 2nd-year student at the University of Toronto pursuing a Specialist in International Relations with a focus in International Economy. As you can tell, I think the world is always changing, and that’s why we need experts like you to guide it in adapting to them. However, there are some truths about the world that are static, throughout all changes– wars, famines, unemployment waves, and the like. Truths like everyone deserves to work in safe environments have always been truths– and we cannot ignore them. This is sometimes easy, sometimes difficult. I write to you because whether easy or difficult, it’s more than possible with the collaboration of global citizens like us.
I believe without inclusive and sustainable economic growth, we cannot sustain social and political growth. This is the message of the 8th SDG: it’s only by putting people in economically-safe positions that we can dare to dream of social prosperity. These positions must be created, regardless of whether national or international economic conditions are favourable or not.
We’ve just emerged from a year marked by some of the most unprecedented economic catastrophes. Unfortunately, we cannot expect the economy to bounce back as quickly as it deteriorated. But we can forge growth, especially at the local level. By creating strong economic safety nets, we help those affected by economic change to get back up, and those who are at risk of being affected to be prepared. Expanded access to financial services is a crucial aspect of this. The truth is we all benefit from financial literacy. This includes educating students but also strengthening domestic institutions to encourage entrepreneurship in those who previously did not have the means. This way, we bring those on the economic sidelines into the economy, which goes hand-in-hand with boosting local business. I propose these goals can be further consolidated through mentorship programs between students, adults and financial leaders in their own cities, and even between developed and developing countries in the future.
Cross-transfer of financial knowledge, when achieved, will inspire the political and social progress we crave. By feeling economically safe, people are better-equipped to have their say in how we design the social makeup of our workplaces.
I trust that we will see a better tomorrow. But we must start today.
Sincerely,
Alisha Aslam
Dear Policymakers,
Throughout history, women’s bodies have been exploited, objectified, and used for political and social agendas. Sexual violence is employed by rival communities, governments, and other non-state actors during war, often overshadowed by the international community. As we approach International Development Week, we must address members' urgent need and responsibility states to protect women and girls. This letter will highlight the growing urgency to safeguard vulnerable populations by drawing on a case study that draws to present-day challenges.
The Partition of British India in 1947 marked a pivotal moment in history, leading to the creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan. While the formation of these countries is often celebrated in the fight for freedom, it came at a tremendous human cost. During the partition months, violence against women, in the forms of sexual assault, mutilation, murder, and abduction, rose to alarming levels, as it was metonymic of the violation of the land (George, 2007, p. 136).
Thousands of women were abducted by men from rival communities, with sexual violence used as a way to attack the enemy's honour (Gonzalez, 2000, p. 105). Much of the violence was organized and supported by communalized bureaucracies and law enforcement agencies (Gonzalez, 2000, p. 104). Women’s bodies were seen as territory to be conquered by asserting religious and ethnic superiority (Gonzalez, 2000, p. 105).The Partition left a lasting legacy of violence, ethnic cleansing, and systemic human rights violations, with women bearing the most significant burden of suffering. The state's role was to influence women, whereas patriarchal power was used to preserve both states' national honour and identity (Aslam, 2020, p.62). Today, we continue to witness the widespread use of gender-based violence as a weapon in conflicts around the world (Gonzalez, 2000, p.102). Women remain victims of war, with their bodies exploited as instruments of power and control. As the Commission on the Status of Women approaches and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is revised, I call on the member states, non-state actors, and other governing bodies to emphasize protecting women and girls during conflicts and wars.
This implies ensuring that strategies reflect tangible solutions that are clear, concise, and realistic for member-states to implement in their government framework. Furthermore, it is essential to integrate intersectional perspectives into global security policies to ensure unique perspectives and experiences of women and girls. Policies should emphasize education and training while engaging non-state actors to support those who have experienced violence through a localized, community-based approach. Additionally, international organizations operating in conflict zones must be equipped to address issues of gender-based violence effectively. Only through this work toward collective change can effectively address and prevent violence against women in conflict zones be addressed and stopped for the present and future generations.Sincerely, Muskaan Waraich
Aslam, S. (2020). Recovered and Restored? Abducted Women in 1947 Partition Narratives. Pakistan Journal of Women’s Studies, 27(1), 49–64. https://doi.org/10.46521/pjws.027.01.0038
George, R. M. (2007). (Extra)Ordinary Violence: National Literatures, Diasporic Aesthetics, and the Politics of Gender in South Asian Partition Fiction. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 33(1), 135–158. https://doi.org/10.1086/518371
Gonzalez Manchon, B. (2000). Review Article : Women and Ethnic Cleansing: A History of Partition in India and Pakistan [Review of Review Article : Women and Ethnic Cleansing: A History of Partition in India and Pakistan]. Gender Technology And Development, 4(1), 101–110. Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/097185240000400105
Dear policymakers,
My vision for the future is one of inclusive and lasting peace. Despite the current state of international affairs and rising levels of polarization, I believe we are strongly positioned to maintain an environment that allows for the resolution of our differences through non-violent means.
Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals will not be possible in conditions of war, conflict, or insecurity. Peace is at the inflection point of our collective interests, yet our leaders continue to propose solutions that fail to produce tangible results for people on the ground. Around the world, individuals and communities strive for peace in their daily lives, often without the necessary support or resources to amplify their efforts and create lasting change.
To address global insecurity and build the foundations for peace needed to advance sustainable development, I urge you to consider the following recommendations:
The future is ours to shape, and we must ensure that others have the same sense of agency. If we can legitimize diverse perspectives, empower local decision-making, and support the production and dissemination of knowledge from those on the front lines, then we will finally forge the path to 2030 that we would all like to see.
Sincerely,
Yara Idris
To the MPPs of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario,
My name is Mia Vallière, and I am writing this letter to advocate for the implementation of Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) in Ontario’s curriculum. Many people living in Canada are fortunate to have access to quality education, but the Ontario curriculum’s coverage of sexual education noticeably falls short of CSE. This will undoubtedly have a lasting negative impact on future generations. Action must be taken to ensure children and youth of Ontario inherit an inclusive, equitable, and healthy society.
The importance of CSE has been established by research showing that comprehensive and accurate sexual education enables students to be informed on sexuality, leading them to making safe choices in their personal lives. CSE allows children and youth to develop age-appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills that contribute to healthy relationships, and positive values towards human rights, gender equality, and diversity. CSE saves lives by addressing the root causes of sexuality-related issues. Its teachings can lead to reduced sexual health-related risks, particularly those worsened by normalized shame and internalized fear.
According to Doug Ford, sexual education in Ontario supports parents’ rights. Under his leadership, attempts to instill elements of CSE have been repealed. Parents are even able to exempt their children from aspects of existing sexual education included in Canada’s human rights laws, such as sexual orientation. Allowing some parents’ preferences to deprive children of CSE will ultimately harm children the most. Further, advocates have raised concerns of homophobic and transphobic undertones in Ontario’s Catholic curriculum which emphasizes intimate relationships being between male and female bodies. In 2018, UN human rights experts even expressed their concern for Ontario’s sexual education via an official communication.
Sexual education cannot be treated as a negotiable term, nor a prop for pandering to prejudice. The wellbeing of children must be safeguarded, it cannot be put up for political debate. CSE is a life-saving measure that must not be denied.
UNESCO’s International Technical Guidance on Seuxality Education is intended to assist the implementation of CSE with an evidence-based approach. I encourage that it be used to guide the future of sexual education in Ontario.
I implore the Government of Ontario to take immediate action in rectifying the deprivation of CSE that children in our province face, and to fulfill its responsibility to protect their right to life, liberty, and security with CSE that will enable youth to lead long, healthy lives.
Sincerely,
Mia Vallière