AN OPEN LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD
An Open Letter to the women of the world from the women delegates and advisers at the first Assembly of the United Nations:
"We recognise that women in various parts of the world are at different stages of participation in the life of their community, that some of them are prevented by law from assuming full rights of citizenship, and that they therefore may see their immediate problems somewhat differently.
Finding ourselves in agreement on these points, we wish as a group to advise the women of all our countries of our strong belief that an important opportunity and responsibility confront the women of the United Nations: first, to recognise the progress women have made during the war and to participate actively in the effort to improve the standards of life in their own countries and in the pressing work of reconstruction, sop that there will be qualified women ready to accept responsibility when new opportunities arise; second, to train their children, boys and girls alike, to understand world problems and the need for international cooperation, as well as the problems of their own countries; third, not to permit themselves to be misled by antidemocratic movements now or in the future; fourth, to recognise that the goal of full participation in the life and responsibilities of their countries and the world community is a common objective toward which the women of the world should assist one another."--Reprinted from "The Unfinished Story of Women and the United Nations" by Hilkka Pietila (NGLS Development Dossier)
The above excerpt is from the First Annex of the first session of the United Nations General Assembly in London, February 12, 1946.
As Mothers, often time our day to day responsibilities cloud our understanding that what we do now with our children indeed has a global impact. What is Most impressive in this open letter generated by women who were considered to be world leaders at the time, is the statement "We recognise that women in various parts of the world are at different stages of participation in the life of their community."
Recently the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sent the Assistant Editor of The Final Call to the Durban Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland April 20-24. While there, the Assistant Editor took note of the presence some of the few women who made the effort to be there.
Finding ourselves in agreement on these points, we wish as a group to advise the women of all our countries of our strong belief that an important opportunity and responsibility confront the women of the United Nations: first, to recognise the progress women have made during the war and to participate actively in the effort to improve the standards of life in their own countries and in the pressing work of reconstruction, sop that there will be qualified women ready to accept responsibility when new opportunities arise; second, to train their children, boys and girls alike, to understand world problems and the need for international cooperation, as well as the problems of their own countries; third, not to permit themselves to be misled by antidemocratic movements now or in the future; fourth, to recognise that the goal of full participation in the life and responsibilities of their countries and the world community is a common objective toward which the women of the world should assist one another."--Reprinted from "The Unfinished Story of Women and the United Nations" by Hilkka Pietila (NGLS Development Dossier)
The above excerpt is from the First Annex of the first session of the United Nations General Assembly in London, February 12, 1946.
As Mothers, often time our day to day responsibilities cloud our understanding that what we do now with our children indeed has a global impact. What is Most impressive in this open letter generated by women who were considered to be world leaders at the time, is the statement "We recognise that women in various parts of the world are at different stages of participation in the life of their community."
Recently the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sent the Assistant Editor of The Final Call to the Durban Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland April 20-24. While there, the Assistant Editor took note of the presence some of the few women who made the effort to be there.
(Photographed on April 20th, 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland at the Durban Review Conference are four Iranian women shortly after the controversy generated by Zionist non-governmental organizations in response to the appearance of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Iranian sisters were vocal in their support of their President and their nation.) (Photo: Ashahed M. Muhammad)Our absence from the global stage has contributed to the chaos that we see within the world. Granting all the more merit to the adage, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."
While we are indeed consumed with the domestic responsibilities that we embark upon everyday as mothers, we cannot negate the other types of contributions/obligations that remain. Again the excerpt notes, "to train their children, boys and girls alike, to understand world problems and the need for international cooperation, as well as the problems of their own countries; ... to recognise that the goal of full participation in the life and responsibilities of their countries and the world community is a common objective toward which the women of the world should assist one another."
Thus The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has taught for decades that the home (and all its domestic responsibilities) is a woman's base. Not her place.
At the Durban Review Conference II, as in the Paris Peace conference of 1919 women were present, demonstrating either their support for their governments or their dissatisfaction. Today is no different.
We, as women cannot become complacent with the world as we work behind closed doors in our homes to make our contribution to the world through our children. Stand up for your nation, stand up for your own.
While we are indeed consumed with the domestic responsibilities that we embark upon everyday as mothers, we cannot negate the other types of contributions/obligations that remain. Again the excerpt notes, "to train their children, boys and girls alike, to understand world problems and the need for international cooperation, as well as the problems of their own countries; ... to recognise that the goal of full participation in the life and responsibilities of their countries and the world community is a common objective toward which the women of the world should assist one another."
Thus The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has taught for decades that the home (and all its domestic responsibilities) is a woman's base. Not her place.
At the Durban Review Conference II, as in the Paris Peace conference of 1919 women were present, demonstrating either their support for their governments or their dissatisfaction. Today is no different.
We, as women cannot become complacent with the world as we work behind closed doors in our homes to make our contribution to the world through our children. Stand up for your nation, stand up for your own.
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