World’s 100 richest could end global poverty 4 times over

Source: True Activist

Edited: Katerina Nakou

The world’s 100 richest people earned a stunning total of $240 billion in 2012 – enough money to end extreme poverty worldwide four times over, Oxfam has revealed, adding that the global economic crisis is further enriching the super-rich.
“The richest 1 percent has increased its income by 60 percent in the last 20 years with the financial crisis accelerating rather than slowing the process,” while the income of the top 0.01 percent has seen even greater growth, a new Oxfam report said.



For example, the luxury goods market has seen double-digit growth every year since the crisis hit, the report stated. And while the world’s 100 richest people earned $240 billion last year, people in ”extreme poverty” lived on less than $1.25 a day.
Oxfam is a leading international philanthropy organization. Its new report, ‘The Cost of Inequality: How Wealth and Income Extremes Hurt us All,’ argues that the extreme concentration of wealth actually hinders the world’s ability to reduce poverty.
The report was published before the World Economic Forum in Davos next week, and calls on world leaders to “end extreme wealth by 2025, and reverse the rapid increase in inequality seen in the majority of countries in the last 20 years.”
Oxfam’s report argues that extreme wealth is unethical, economically inefficient, politically corrosive, socially divisive and environmentally destructive.

The report proposes a new global deal to world leaders to curb extreme poverty to 1990s levels by:
- closing tax havens, yielding $189bn in additional tax revenues
- reversing regressive forms of taxation
- introducing a global minimum corporation tax rate
- boosting wages proportional to capital returns
- increasing investment in free public services

The problem is a global one, Oxfam said: ”In the UK inequality is rapidly returning to levels not seen since the time of Charles Dickens. In China the top 10 percent now take home nearly 60 percent of the income. Chinese inequality levels are now similar to those in South Africa, which is now the most unequal country on Earth and significantly more [inequality] than at the end of apartheid.”
In the US, the richest 1 percent’s share of income has doubled since 1980 from 10 to 20 percent, according to the report. For the top 0.01 percent, their share of national income quadrupled, reaching levels never seen before.
“We can no longer pretend that the creation of wealth for a few will inevitably benefit the many – too often the reverse is true,” Executive Director of Oxfam International Jeremy Hobbs said.
Hobbs explained that concentration of wealth in the hands of the top few minimizes economic activity, making it harder for others to participate: “From tax havens to weak employment laws, the richest benefit from a global economic system which is rigged in their favor.”
The report highlights that even politics has become controlled by the super-wealthy, which leads to policies“benefitting the richest few and not the poor majority, even in democracies.”
“It is time our leaders reformed the system so that it works in the interests of the whole of humanity rather than a global elite,” the report said.

Economic crisis and Young People - H οικονομική κρίση και οι νέοι

Publication; Social Activism of Athens
Edited by; Ellen Kalisperati –SociologistMail: info@erymanthos.eu Αυτή η διεύθυνση ηλεκτρονικού ταχυδρομείου προστατεύεται από τους αυτοματισμούς αποστολέων ανεπιθύμητων μηνυμάτων. Χρειάζεται να ενεργοποιήσετε τη JavaScript για να μπορέσετε να τη δείτε.

The Effects of the Economic Crisis on Young People

By Gennady Stolyarov II

Oι επιπτώσεις της οικονομικής κρίσης στους νέους

The current economic crisis may seem abstract and distant to some, but it cannot be more immediate and pressing for young people in their early twenties. Indeed, one of the greatest injustices to come out of this crisis is that its heaviest burdens are being imposed upon individuals who did absolutely nothing to bring it about – by any theory or argument. In particular, the graduating classes of 2009 and 2010 have been punished by this crisis for absolutely no fault of their own. In this article, I hope to convey some understanding of the experiences faced by this group of people, who have been marginalized and overlooked by virtually all of the institutions that unfortunately still dominate contemporary society. I will also argue that intense anger is warranted among young people, but that this anger should be constructively channeled into comprehensively reforming contemporary society through the heavy use of technology and spontaneously emerging, “bottom-up” institutions.

Read more; http://consultingbyrpm.com/blog/2010/07/the-effects-of-the-economic-crisis-on-young-people.html

Young people voice concerns on impact of economic crisis to UN officials

Νέοι άνθρωποι εκφράζουν ανησυχίες για τον αντίκτυποτης οικονομικής κρίσης σε αξιωματούχους του ΟΗΕ

5 October 2011 – Young people from 22 countries have gathered at the United Nations this week to shine a light on the impact that the global economic crisis is having on youth around the world.The lack of jobs, education cuts, and the need for greater inclusion in decision-making processes are some of the issues that the youth delegates have been raising with UN officials since they arrived on Monday for a two-week visit.The delegates have already met with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, participated in informal negotiations, and given their input on youth-related resolutions.

Read more; http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39951#.URI1cmenrCk

As the economic crisis worsens, young people worldwide call for a return to humanitarian values

Καθώς η οικονομική κρίση επιδεινώνεται, οι νέοι σε όλο τον κόσμο καλούν για μια επιστροφή στις ανθρωπιστικές αξίες

As young people continue to feel the effects of the global economic crisis, racial tension and the negative impacts of alcohol and other drugs, they are calling for a return to education based on humanitarian values, according to a poll released by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The results were released today at the organization’s 18th General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.The poll, which was shared through the global network of Red Cross Red Crescent youth, canvased the views of people aged 18 to 30 on factors that contribute to a culture of violence in their countries. It also examined what they believe would help create a culture of peace and non-violence.

Read more; http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/press-releases/general/as-the-economic-crisis-worsens-young-people-worldwide-call-for-a-return-to-humanitarian-values--latest-red-cross-red-crescent-poll/

Young people share heavy burden of global economic crisis

Οι νέοι μοιράζονται βαρύ φορτίο της παγκόσμιας οικονομικής κρίσης

Policies that are being formulated to respond to the global economic crisis are not creating job opportunities for young people.That's the message delivered by Juan Somavia, the outgoing Director-General of the International Labour Organization at the start of the agency's conference in Geneva on Wednesday.Mr. Somavia said that since the 2008 financial crisis, around 30 million people have been added to the unemployed and nearly 40 million more have stopped looking for jobs.

Read more; http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/2012/05/young-people-share-heavy-burden-of-global-economic-crisis/

Economic crisis hits young people

Η οικονομική κρίση χτυπάει τους νέους

Unemployment in the Netherlands has gone up substantially, especially among young people, figures published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show.

Η ανεργία στην Ολλανδία έχει αυξηθεί σημαντικά, ιδίως μεταξύ των νέων, αριθμητικά στοιχεία που δημοσιεύθηκαν από τη Στατιστική Υπηρεσία Ολλανδίας(CBS).

A year ago unemployment among young people was still around nine percent, but now it has risen to 11.4 percent. The number of registered jobseekers is steadily growing, but there are also many young people who have decided to study rather than sit at home.When there is an economic crisis it is always the young people who are hit first. In the Netherlands it is especially young men working in industry, the building sector, ICT and trade are affected most. In the second quarter of this year unemployment in the male age group of 15 to 25 is almost 12 percent, considerably more than a year ago.

Read more; http://www.expatica.com/nl/finance_business/banking/Economic-crisis-hits-young-people_14641.html

Youth: the hardest hit by the global financial crisis

Νεολαία:αυτή που πλήττεται περισσότερο από την παγκόσμια οικονομική κρίση

In times of economic recession, the labour market contracts and the number of unemployed people rises sharply. But for young people these periods are doubly troubling, not only are they the first targets of job cuts but also their transition from school to the job market becomes almost impossible. This is one of the most significant conclusions of the latest UN World Youth Report launched on 6 February 2012, which included a wide consultation process with youth all over the world.

Read more; http://www.unric.org/en/youth-unemployment/27414-youth-the-hardest-hit-by-the-global-financial-crisis

How can the public opinion of street art be improved?

Street art has plenty of different variations: graffiti, stencils, sticker art, urban knitting, writings on walls, paste-ups, installations and many more. Basically any visual art that happens in the public realm of our streets could be classified as street art. It makes a city more colorful, can open up new perspectives or draw attention to necessary changes and unnecessary nuisances. However, in the minds of many people, street art is just vandalism and an illegal action.


What can be done to change this opinion? What can street artists do to become more respected in their art? How could we make everybody see the positive effects of street art—see it as an important art for—and change opinions on the art form in general?

Greece is facing a humanitarian crisis

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/11/greece-humanitarian-crisis-eu

Published in Social Activism

Edited: Katerina Nakou

The EU's own poverty standards show that Greece is in crisis. But member states won't admit their 'bailout' was to blame
European societies typically assume that humanitarian crises only take place in the aftermath of natural disasters, epidemics, wars or civil conflicts.That such a crisis could happen in a European country, especially one that is a member of the European Union, seems out of the question to many of us.

And yet a number of experts would maintain that Greece is currently in the centre of a humanitarian crisis. The head of Médecins du Monde, Nikitas Kanakis, the largest and most prominent NGO in Greece, was among the first to declare it openly. The port area of Perama, near Athens, in particular, is in the midst of a humanitarian disaster. The Medical Society of Athens, the largest professional body of its kind, has even sent a formal letter to the UN asking for intervention.
If this humanitarian crisis has so far been little talked about, there are political reasons why. By acknowledging the severity of the situation, the Greek government and the EU would also have admitted that the current state of affairs has been brought about by the so-called economic "rescue" of Greece. So the authorities have chosen to keep quiet.
It is true that there is no general agreement on what constitutes a humanitarian crisis. But the definition used by those with experience in the field is practical and straightforward. A humanitarian crisis is usually marked by rising poverty, heightened inequality in education and social protection, and lack of access to social welfare services. Particularly important indicators are loss of access to primary health services, medical examinations, hospitalisation and medication. In other words: when you see a crisis, you will not mistake it for anything else.
Greece never imagined that it could face a humanitarian crisis. According to the UN Human Development Index, in 2008 Greece was ranked 18th in the world. No one in the country really thought that this could change so dramatically.
It was false security offered by the institutions and mechanisms of the EU. Member states had to pay for this imaginary security by meeting demanding economic and political criteria. The paradox is that even the EU, the supposed guarantor of the security and prosperity of member states, has well-defined ways of measuring poverty, both absolute and relative, which show that a humanitarian crisis exists in Greece.
On the basis of the criteria and the data of the EU, Greece is a country in serious poverty. In 2011, 31.4% of the population, or 3.4 million people, lived on an income below 60% of the national median disposable income. At the same time, 27.3% of the population, or 1.3 million people, were at risk of poverty. There is no data yet for 2012, though things have certainly got worse.
Using further EU indicators, a large proportion of Greek households currently live in conditions of "material deprivation". A little more than 11% actually live in "extreme material deprivation", which means without enough heating, electricity, and use of either a car or a telephone. It also means having a poor diet, devoid of meat or fish on a weekly basis, as well as total or partial inability to meet emergency expenses or payments for rent and bills.
The ineffectiveness of European programmes for reintegrating the unemployed into the labour market and the lack of national social protection programmes have pushed Greece even further down the ranks of poverty. The adult unemployment rate stood at 26.8% in October 2012. This level, although huge in comparison to the recent past, still does not give the whole picture.
It misses, for instance, unemployment resulting from the failure of thousands of small businesses. To the unemployed should be added the working poor, ie, workers with such low wages that they cannot meet basic needs. At 13% of the workforce they represent the highest proportion of the working poor in the eurozone.
There are three more indicators that point to a humanitarian crisis. First, the number of homeless people has risen to unprecedented levels for a European country: unofficial estimates put them at 40,000. Second, the proportion of Greek beneficiaries of NGO medical services in some urban centres was recorded at 60% of the total in 2012. This would have been unthinkable even three years ago, since such services were typically provided to immigrants, not Greeks.
Third, there has been explosive growth in soup kitchens and general food distribution. The levels are not officially recorded, but the Church of Greece distributes approximately 250,000 daily rations, while there are unknown numbers of rations distributed by municipal authorities and NGOs. By recent government order, municipal rations will be expanded further because of rising incidence of children fainting at school due to low calorie intake. There will also be light meals provided to young students.
The evidence of poverty, inequality, and inability to access primary services confirms the increasingly desperate statements by people at the frontline. The country has become a field of humanitarian action, and should be treated as such. It is shameful for the Greek government and the EU to turn a blind eye to it. The international humanitarian community should respond with urgency.

15 year old invents New Method of Diagnosing Cancer

Source: True Activist

Edited: Katerina Nakou

Jack is a fifteen year old freshman in high school. He developed a paper sensor that could detect cancer in five minutes for as little as 3 cents. He conducted his research at John Hopkins University. This research could change the face of cancer and promote early detection. He has been selected as the Intel 2012 ISEF winner and has won awards at multiple national and international math competitions. Jack is on the national junior whitewater kayaking team and enjoys playing with his dog and folding origami.

Jack’s method is 168 times faster, 26000 times cheaper, 400 times more sensitive and has a 90% success rate.

Shouting back: how women are fighting street harassment

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/the-womens-blog-with-jane-martinson/2013/jan/15/shouting-back-women-fighting-street-harassment

Edited: Katerina Nakou

Victims are using Twitter to highlight the 'invisible' problem, says Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project

Nobody should be surprised at official statistics showing that one in five women over 16 in England and Wales has been the victim of a sexual offence. Just before last week's report was launched and in response to a flurry of post-New Year accounts of harassment, the Everyday Sexism Project invited women to share their experiences of harassment on Twitter using the hashtag #ShoutingBack. Some 3,500 did so within the first five days.

The frequency of incidents reported is alarming: "Every day since I was 14 …" "I've lost count of the number of times …" "Called a bitch, whore, slut, slag on the street too many times to mention," were just a few of them. One woman said: "On street, bent to tie my shoe, man walks pass, sticks hand inside my top, into my bra & squeezes breast." Another described being "force kissed by a stranger in the street in broad daylight". One woman, a cancer patient, told how a man openly elbowed his friend as she passed and said: "You missed it. Totally bald. Proper dyke."
Many incidents happened on public transport, from "a man … putting his hand up my skirt and stroking my legs" on a packed tube, to a woman who tried to get off the train only to have a man grab her breasts and tell her "this isn't your stop, love". Another victim said a man "asked me to get off and f*** him … then tried to force my head into his lap".
The theme of harassers becoming aggressive upon rejection was also repeated again and again. One woman said shouts of "Hey … come here", switched to: "You whore, I'll beat you so hard," when she refused. Another described being "followed by a car of teenage boys who then tried to reverse into me when I wouldn't talk to them". In one case, "harassment started on the street, asking if I was married, ended with sexual assault on my doorstep at 3pm".
Threats of violence and sexual assault, such as "If I knew where you lived, I'd follow you home and rape you", were frequently reported, as were actual physical assaults. One woman was "Chased to my door at 11.30pm by two lads who 'Didn't want to hurt me.' I ran faster."
Nat Guest, a 26-year-old digital marketer from London, was walking home from a party on the morning of New Year's Day, when a man came up behind her, making "sexual overtures". When she didn't respond, he told her he had a knife and forced her to face a wall before masturbating into the back of her dress.
Although the police were supportive, the male officer said: "Usually I'd tell you to avoid walking around on your own late at night, but, you know – New Year's. You have to get home somehow." As a young woman in London, Guest experiences sexual harassment so frequently ("most days") that when she reflects on the incident, she says: "Theoretically, I feel angry about it but emotionally I don't feel much at all apart from resigned. But the fact that I feel resigned to this type of thing makes me feel angry."
Most worrying of all was the number of accounts that described the sexual harassment and assault of young girls. One said: "While walking home last year, a man inside a parked car ask[ed] me for a blowjob. I was 15 and in school uniform." One recounted "being told by my parents not to stand up for myself because that will get me raped".
Holly Kearl, founder of the US-based organization Stop Street Harassment, says: "Street harassment is often an invisible problem or one that is portrayed as a joke, compliment or the fault of the harassed person. In reality, it's a human rights violation."
As one of the male supporters of #ShoutingBack tweeted: "We have the power to stop street harassment. Don't do it. Don't let other men do it."
Until they stop, we will keep shouting back.

Gov’t launches 2013-2020 poverty strategy Η κυβέρνηση εγκαινιάζει νέα στρατηγική για την αντιμετώπιση της φτώχειας

AMMAN — The government on Tuesday launched the 2013-2020 National Poverty Strategy, which seeks to reduce the poverty rate to 6 per cent by the end of this period. A report issued recently by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation showed that poverty rate among Jordanians stood at 14.4 per cent in 2010, compared with 13.3 per cent in 2008. The five-aspect plan, launched at the Economic and Social Council (ESC), addresses poverty in a new holistic approach with a focus on human development, according to a statement received by The Jordan Times.

The aspects are: Care, gender, education, health, excellence in entrepreneurial projects that target the underprivileged and focus on services provided for the poor in the agricultural, transport, environment and housing sectors.

“The concept of poverty is narrow in terms of geography and we want to expand it to the district level in order to achieve the greatest level of fairness and accuracy in conducting the household income and expenditure survey,” Planning Minister Jafar Hassan said.

He added that the survey’s sample will be increased from 13,000 to 32,000, noting that addressing poverty will be on the household level and in cooperation with civil society organisations. Hassan indicated that the plan coordinates between the efforts extended by ministries, non-government and civil society organisations and donors to combat poverty. The minister said the database launched by the government last November to redirect subsidies to those who deserve them will be used and developed in the upcoming stage to help combat poverty.

Minister of Social Development WajihAzaizeh said the strategy does not stipulate the exclusion of beneficiaries from the National Aid Fund, but will help improve their living conditions. ESC President JawadAnani underlined the significance of the plan, noting that future governments should designate financial allocations for it. Work is under way to develop a detailed plan and executive programmes to implement the strategy, the statement said.

The government adopted the first poverty strategy in 2002, under which several social programmes have been implemented to create more job opportunities, eliminate unemployment and provide cash and in-kind assistance to the poor and marginalised groups.

http://jordantimes.com

Homeless people's rights What are the rights of the homeless people?

Επιμέλεια : Ελένη Καλησπεράτη,
Κοινωνιολόγος

Find out your basic rights.

You may have more rights than you think if you are facing homelessness or have already left your home.

Your right to stay in or return to your home;If you are asked to leave, it is important to check if you have the right to remain in your home. You may have the right to stay in your home if:

• your landlord tries to evict you without following the correct legal procedure
• after a relationship breakdown, even if you are not the home-owner or tenant.

If you leave your accommodation when you don't have to, or do not return when you have the right to, it could affect any right you may have to get homelessness help from the council. If possible, try to get advice before leaving. Even if you have already left your home, you may be able to return if you still have the right to live there. You may need legal advice from a housing adviser or lawyer. Use our directory to find a housing adviser.

Your right to emergency housing; Local councils have specific legal duties towards homeless people. If any person who is homeless or threatened with homelessness approaches the council for help, it has to provide them with advice and assistance. Some people are also entitled to accommodation from the local council. You are entitled to emergency accommodation if the council believes you fit certain legal criteria. Tomeettheseyoumustbe:

• eligibleforassistance
• legallyclassedashomeless
• inpriorityneed.

• Each of these terms has a special legal meaning. To find out what sort of help you might be entitled to, use our emergency housing rights checker.
• If you are aged 16 or 17, you are normally entitled to housing and support from social services. In most cases it will be social services that have to take responsibility for finding you somewhere to live, rather than the housing department of the council.
• Get advice if you are not sure of your rights or if the council housing department is refusing to help you.

Social services may have a duty to help you; Social services sometimes have duties to help certain groups of people who become homeless. These groups include:

• most young people under the age of 18
• people who have been in care (normally up to age 21 or up to the age of 24 if you are still in full-time education)
• peoplewithdisabilities
• peoplewithmentalhealthproblems
• olderpeople.

Social services may also be able to help families with children but they are not legally obliged to provide accommodation where everyone can live together. If you are in this situation or have problems getting help from social services, use our directory to find a local advice centre. You If you are homeless, you are still entitled to claim benefits. If you receive your money by giro, you can arrange to collect your giro in person from the Department for Work and Pension(DWP) rather than have it sent to you. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be able to apply for a grant or loan from the Social Fund. Your chances of getting one will depend on your situation and the amount of money in the DWP budget.

Registering with a doctor; If you are homeless, you are still entitled to register with a doctor. You can do so using a temporary address, such as a friend's place or a day centre. Youcanfind a doctorinyourareaby:

• visitingtheNHS Directwebsite
• calling NHS Directon 0845 4647.

There are also specialist medical centres for people who are homeless or roofless (sleeping rough). Call Shelter's free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444 or contact a local advice agency to find out if there is a centre near you.

The right to vote; If you are over the age of 18 and a UK citizen, you are still entitled to vote if you are homeless. Instead of registering at a permanent address, you can register at a temporary address or by making a declaration of local connection. This is a statement that you make to the local electoral office to say where you spend the majority of your time.

Homelessness rights if you are under 18; Young people under the age of 18 have different rights to benefits and different rights to accommodation if they become homeless. Your rights will also depend on whether you have spent time in care in the past. You could be legally entitled to help from the housing department, or help from social services, or both.

Housing rights if you have lived abroad; People who have lived abroad have different rights, which depend on their particular circumstances. If you have lived abroad, your rights depend on:

• whenyouenteredthecountry
• the purpose of your stay (eg visitor, student, for work or marriage)
• whetheryouareseekingasylum
• whether you are an EU or EEA national.

You may need help from a specialist immigration adviser.

Info from: http://england.shelter.org.uk

“Why Greece?” A Greek Miracle…

Edited:Katerina Nakou

Sources:

http://www.doctv.gr/page.aspx?itemID=SPG3451

http://pedroolalla.com/

 

An Audiovisual Conference by Pedro Olalla Gonzalez de la Vega

“What frightens me most is the level of disorientation of my fellow-citizens. What I fear is that most people are afraid to act. During the recent history of Democracy, politics has been devalued: it has become a private affair, whereby some networks, helped by their Governments, condemn entire nations to destitution so that they themselves can gain profit. People who are able can hardly get involved. This hurts Democracy , for Democracy is by definition a polity grounded in the virtue of citizens, without that element it lacks its foundations. Democracy presupposes a “demos”, people that are free and responsible, people with self- consciousness and self-respect, people who are determined to put them in practice. Where is that “demos” to be found today?”

Pedro Olalla González de la Vega, is a man of multiple virtues. He is an author, Hellenist, professor philologist, translator, photographer and filmmaker. He regularly collaborates in these fields, with publishers, universities and cultural institutions from various countries around the world. After twenty eight years, his relationship with Greece remains strong. Since 1994 he lives in Athens dealing with research, creating and teaching.

Last November, during the Classical Culture Day of Sagunto, by occasion of the New Spanish Educational reform that reduces the presence of humanities and particularly the study of Greek and Latin , Pedro Olalla gave an Audiovisual Conference on the importance of the Greek element in shaping culture.

“This humanistic attitude is not exclusively Greek-and it is repeatedly betrayed by the Greeks themselves. It was undoubtedly, however, conceived, cultivated, supported and retrieved again and again in the course of history, looking especially at the Greek element.

Greece as an ideal is a home eternal spiritual youth, an open challenge that runs through the story like a permanent revolution or as an enduring fascination for the better ... ".

Η δημοσιογραφία πολιτών από την θεωρία στην πράξη

Η Ελένη Καλησπεράτη ως κοινωνιολόγος μας αφηγείται πώς πέρασε από την θεωρία στην πράξη μέσα από την εργασιακή της εμπειρία στο πρόγραμμα της κοινωφελούς εργασίας για την έκδοση της ηλεκτρονικής εφημερίδας Social Activism Αθηνών

Είσαι κοινωνιολόγος, είχες την ευκαιρία να εργαστείς ως συντάκτρια στην εφημερίδα social activism και έχεις διανύσει τον τέταρτο μήνα της πρακτικής εξάσκησης, τι έχεις αποκομίσει από αυτή την εμπειρία και πως σκέφτεσαι να την αξιοποιήσεις;

Απάντηση Κατά τη γνώμη μου ήταν μια χρήσιμη εμπειρία για να μάθω με ποιον τρόπο λειτουργεί μια εφημερίδα και πώς γίνεται η χρηστική ενημέρωση των πολιτών. Οι θεωρητικές γνώσεις κοινωνιολογίας συνέβαλαν στην ενδελεχή ανάλυση των κοινωνικών προβλημάτων με τα οποία ασχολήθηκα και παράλληλα είχα την ευκαιρία να συναντήσω αξιόλογα πρόσωπα στο χώρο και μέσω συνεντεύξεων να ακούσω την άποψη τους αλλά και τις προτάσεις τους για την σημερινή νοσηρή κατάσταση στην οποία βρίσκεται η χώρα μας. Σημασία έχει επίσης ότι έμαθα να εκλαϊκεύω τις ειδήσεις έτσι ώστε να γίνουν πιο κατανοητές στο κοινό. Εν τέλει η τριβή με όλες αυτές τις επαφές έχει συντελέσει στο να με φέρει εγγύτερα στην πραγματικότητα των μέσων μαζικής ενημέρωσης . Συν τοις άλλοις μου δόθηκε η ευκαιρία να εργαστώ σε φορείς με πολιτιστική και κοινωνική δράση και μπόρεσα να διαμορφώσω άποψη για το Δημόσιο τομέα μέσα από προσωπικά βιώματα. Βέβαια δεν θα έλεγα ότι η άποψη που διαμόρφωσα είναι θετική, κάθε άλλο συνειδητοποίησα ότι όσα ακούμε τόσο καιρό για τους Δημόσιους φορείς περί διαφθοράς και μη αξιοποίηση πόρων όχι μόνο ισχύουν αλλά η κατάσταση είναι ακόμη χειρότερη βλέποντας την από κοντά. Δεν θα έλεγα ότι εκτελούν σωστά τα καθήκοντα τους. Ορισμένοι ενδιαφέρονται μόνο για την κάλυψη δικών τους αναγκών αδιαφορώντας για τα παράπονα και τις ανάγκες του κόσμου. Είναι προφανές, η γραφειοκρατία είναι απάνθρωπη στην χώρα μας.

Όχι μόνον δηλαδή δεν υπάρχει σωστός έλεγχος των υπαλλήλων αλλά και καμία ποινή για όσους δεν εκτελούν τα καθήκοντα τους όπως θα έπρεπε. Η δυσλειτουργία ολόκληρου του συστήματος είναι γεγονός και εν τέλει η εικόνα που απέκτησα είναι επιεικώς απογοητευτική.

Ποια ήταν τα θέματα που ανέπτυξες και δημοσίευσες ως άρθρα.

Στα θέματα με τα οποία ασχολήθηκα διαπραγματεύτηκα μεταξύ άλλων την θέση της σύγχρονης γυναίκας στην Ελληνική κοινωνία και συγκεκριμένα στην Τοπική Αυτοδιοίκηση, την φτώχεια, τον κοινωνικό αποκλεισμό, την ανεργία, την γραφειοκρατία κ.α. Συγκεκριμένα μέχρι τώρα έχω γράψει τα εξής κείμενα σε ελληνικά και αγγλικά: Πνευματικό Κέντρο Αθηνών – Προφίλ Κοινωνικά ερείπια αφήνει πίσω της η Ανεργία. Νέοι στο περιθώριο

Η φτώχεια μάς διηγείται πολλές ιστορίες.

Το τέρας της γραφειοκρατίας απειλεί το κόστος ζωής (;)

Φροντίδα Ευπαθών Ομάδων στον Κόμβο Βοήθειας και Αλληλεγγύης

Why Thinking Social Activism?

Καλές πρακτικές και έξυπνη διαχείριση της γνώσης στην Τοπική Αυτοδιοίκηση

Πνευματικό Κέντρο Δήμου Αθηναίων: Ταξιδεύοντας στο χρόνο

Τime banks in Greece; a new world order? Consumerism in Europe and USA - Καταναλωτισμός σε Ευρώπη και Η.Π.ΑWhat are the actions of consumers in Europe?10 Actions Consumers Can Take to Reinvent CapitalismConsumer-led or consumer-dependent?

Why Thinking Social Activism?

The challenges of European social movements

What could you do to combat poverty?

Ι have the right to be a child

Πως νιώθεις ως συμμέτοχος συντελεστής μιας ομάδας η οποία δεν έχει να κάνει απλά, μια οποιαδήποτε δουλειά αλλά, έχει να διαχειριστεί ζητήματα επικοινωνίας και χρηστικής ενημέρωσης;

Απάντηση Συμμετέχοντας σε μια συλλογική δράση κοινωνικού ακτιβισμού θεωρώ ότι είναι πολύ θετικό το γεγονός ότι μέσα από αυτή τη δράση ενισχύεται και καλλιεργείται η συνεργασία και το ομαδικό πνεύμα μεταξύ των μελών. Επίσης μπορώ πλέον να δημιουργώ ψηφιακό περιεχόμενο δεξιότητα την οποία θεωρώ πολύ χρήσιμη. Από την άλλη όμως θα ήταν μεγάλη παράλειψη αν δεν ανέφερα και τα αρνητικά ενός τέτοιου προγράμματος κοινωφελούς εργασίας τα οποία είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικά. Για παράδειγμα αποτελεί ένα πρόγραμμα ορισμένης διάρκειας και με ελάχιστες επαγγελματικές προοπτικές για το μέλλον. Σε ορισμένα παρόμοια προγράμματα μάλιστα οι προοπτικές δεν υπάρχουν καθόλου. Επομένως βρίσκω την όλη διαδικασία ένταξης και εργασίας σε τέτοια προγράμματα κάπως επιφανειακή. Δηλαδή ως μια καλή προσωρινή λύση για το πρόβλημα της ανεργίας έτσι ώστε να μειώνεται και ο αριθμός των ανέργων στις στατιστικές.

Πριν απο αυτή την εργασία ήσουν άνεργος; Νοιώθεις αδικημένος από τις συνθήκες που υπάρχουν στην χώρα μας για τους πτυχιούχους και νέους επιστήμονες;

Ήμουν για κάποιο διάστημα άνεργη και έχω βιώσει αυτή την τραγική κατάσταση. Πράγματι το να είναι κανείς άνεργος έχει τεράστιες επιβλαβείς επιπτώσεις τόσο σε ατομικό όσο και σε κοινωνικό επίπεδο. Ωστόσο σε ένα μήνα πάλι την ίδια κατάσταση θα βιώσω. Φυσικά και αισθάνομαι αδικημένη από την σημερινή κατάσταση. Οι νέοι πτυχιούχοι είναι αυτοί οι οποίοι θα έπρεπε να έχουν τις περισσότερες ευκαιρίες από οποιονδήποτε άλλο πολίτη. Βέβαια, συμβαίνει ακριβώς το αντίθετο. Η κακής ποιότητας διαχείριση επιφέρει αυτή την αδικία.

Υπάρχει μια φράση που λέει οτι, η δική σας γενιά είναι μια χαμένη γενιά, μέσα στην μετριότητα του συτήματος, που κυριάρχησαν οι φούσκες στην οικονομία, η κλεπτοκρατία, η διαφθορά και εν πολλοίς η αναξιοκρατία.Πως θα ήθελες να σχολιάσεις εσύ αυτή την εκτίμηση;

Απάντηση   Για το σύστημα που κυριαρχεί σήμερα δεν θα μπορούσα να μην σχολιάσω ακόμη και κάπως καυστικά για ορισμένους. Παίρνω θέση ως κοινωνιολόγος και μπορώ να πω ότι η σημερινή κατάσταση είναι ακόμη μια συνέχεια μιας παλαιάς κατάστασης που επικρατούσε στην Ελλάδα. Ανέκαθεν οι "ολιγαρχίες" ενίσχυαν και καλλιεργούσαν με κάθε μέσο και τρόπο την βλακεία... Τίποτε δεν τους εξυπηρετεί περισσότερο από μια άβουλη μάζα που αποχαυνώνεται σε ριάλιτι, σε άκρατο και άσκοπο καταναλωτισμό, σε επιφανειακή γνώση και πολλά ακόμη... δεν εκπλήσσομαι λοιπόν που βλέπω να μην ακούγονται οι φωνές αυτών που ξεχωρίζουν μέσα στη μάζα γιατί σε αυτή τη περίπτωση είναι άλλο οι "ολιγαρχίες" και άλλο οι "μειοψηφίες"... Οι φωνές αυτές αν ακουστούν.. ακούγονται και σωπαίνουν. Εκεί είναι το κρίμα. Όσο προάγεται ένα κλίμα άγνοιας μετριότητας και αυτοενοχής αυτός ο κόσμος δεν θα αλλάξει ποτέ. Η δήθεν θεσμοθετημένη διαφάνεια τονίζεται συνέχεια από τα πολιτικά στελέχη με σκοπό μη φανεί η οικτρή προσπάθεια τους για την κάλυψη της ρουσφετολογίας. Χαμένη γενιά ωστόσο δεν είμαστε. Αδικημένη και θυματοποιημένη γενιά ναι. Διότι οι νέοι αιχμαλωτίζονται σε συνθήκες μέσα στις οποίες δεν μπορούν να αξιοποιήσουν τις γνώσεις και τις δεξιότητες τους.

Όλο αυτό που κάνετε στην εφημερίδα νοιώθεις ως ειδικός συντάκτης στην θεματική σου ή νοιώθεις οτι συμμετέχεις σε ένα έντυπο δημοσιογραφία πολιτών όπως αυτό τουλάχιστον παρουσιάστηκε τελευταία στην εκδήλωση στο Hilton;

Απάντηση Η ομάδα μας αποτελείται από ποικίλες ειδικότητες : Ψυχολόγους, Περιβαλλοντολόγους, Κοινωνιολόγους, πολιτικούς επιστήμονες κ.α. οι οποίοι έχουν αναλάβει το ρόλο του δημοσιογράφου αλλά όχι με την επίσημη έννοια του όρου. Με την έννοια όμως ότι όλοι εμείς ως πολίτες εκφράζουμε με κάποιο τρόπο την άποψη μας μέσα από αυτή την εφημερίδα με κάποια επιστημονική προσέγγιση μεν αλλά κάπως πιο εκλαϊκευμένα. Επομένως δεν θα έλεγα ότι είμαι ειδική συντάκτρια αλλά ότι συμμετέχω σε ένα έντυπο δημοσιογραφίας πολιτών. Αυτό το σημαντικό ανθρώπινο κεφάλαιο, σύμφωνα με την παρουσίαση της κας Μπουρτζάλα στο Ξενοδοχείο Hilton, υλοποιεί στην ουσία δράσεις κοινωνικού ακτιβισμού σε μία διαδικασία μάθησης επί το έργω. 

Digital Humanitarianism

 

Edited by Katerina Nakou,
Journalist

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Article 19 Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Technologies must be used for liberation and not repression as everyone has the right to be included in the discussions on access to the new technologies. There is a digital divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ of internet access in the world today. Access to new technologies encourages social awareness and promotes social balance.

The disastrous earthquake in Haiti taught humanitarian groups an unexpected lesson: the power of mobile devices to coordinate, inform, and guide relief efforts. At TEDxRC2, Paul Conneally shows extraordinary examples of social media and other new technologies becoming central to humanitarian aid.

Paul Conneally is the public communications manager for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and a leader in using digital technologies for humanitarian aid.

Paul Conneally has worked as a journalist since 1988 in the print and broadcast media, primarily in the area of news reportage and documentaries that focus on socio-economic development and international politics. He worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross for 11 years working in communications, cooperation and operations in regions from North Caucasus and Central Asia to the Balkans, Afghanistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Israel & the Occupied Territories. He has also spent two and a half years as head of ICRC's donor reporting unit in Geneva.

Since August 2008, Paul oversees all aspects of public communication including audio visual production, advocacy initiatives, and online and social media for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.