If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
One of the countless benefits I have received from yoga is feeling empowered to raise awareness about and money for communities that are suffering around the world.
In India, education is not a civil right but rather a privilege that young children dream and wish to be a part of.
I know many people who have risen to greatness without suffering, but few of those exhibit the level of selfless altruism that I was exposed to in meeting the women and girls of Half the Sky.
Women in developing countries are finally starting to dream big. At young ages, they can dream of being entrepreneurs, politicians, business owners, community leaders.
My mind turns to Afghanistan -- a country where bombs go off and have been going off intermittently for the past 50 years. I imagine my father risking torn limbs and shards for my education. I imagine how it would feel to live in constant and pernicious fear.
This nine-month-old child was precisely the size of her newborn brother. This infant's small head peaking out of the blanket showed signs of despair; sunken, glassy eyes shot right to my heart.
On Mothers' Day 2011, we mothers gave birth to the Mothers' Day Movement. By moving the apostrophe, we have pledged to make Mother's Day more meaningful by asking family, friends, and donors to rethink their giving priorities.
For six months I traveled through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and Nepal. I was curious about what it was like to be a woman in all of these places. I began to realize how deeply rooted these gender issues are.
Urmi's work in Kolkata has inspired women throughout India and around the world to be powerful forces for change.
The progress that those who have gone before us have made. The progress that seemed impossible, but was fought for and obtained. The progress I've personally witnessed, just in my lifetime. But there is much progress needed -- much still ahead of us.
"Even the smallest act of caring for another person is like a drop of water -it will make ripples throughout the entire pond." -- Bryan Matteo The be...
While public awareness in the US about the connection between child sexual abuse, human trafficking and prostitution has increased 100-fold in the past ten years, there are far, far less than 100 programs providing free housing and support for survivors.
I wanted to find myself through art, but Kristof told me that self-improvement comes mainly from helping others. I wanted to be happy, far from the maddening world, but Kristof taught me that happiness comes from connection to something larger.
Despite recent meaningful national and international discussions on women's economic, political, and educational opportunities, little has been said about whether the promotion and protection of women and girls abroad will remain a key policy priority for a Kerry-led State Department.
Universally recognized as a visionary for her courage, dignity, ingenuity and resilience, Somaly has been honored as one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People of 2009" and as a CNN Hero.
What we had stumbled upon was not a joyful wedding procession but most likely the forced and illegal marriage of a young girl.
