It’s been a while since I’ve updated my blog - exams and end of school activities have certainly kept me busy!

In two weeks as well, I will be leaving for Namibia, a country on the west coast of Africa, that has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates among adults in the world. I will be working at the University of Namibia on the peer-to-peer education program, and conducting a research project on how gender plays a role in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Although internet access won’t be like it is here, I will have access to the internet often enough to give updates on this blog!

As violence against women is an issue that I am perpetually concerned about, here is another bit of writing that I did about violence against women in the Sikh community:

Although there have been many times I have struggled with my cultural identity in this patchwork-like nation of Canada, I have always retained a sense of pride and devotion to my religion, Sikhism.

As a person who strongly values community engagement, perhaps it is the tremendous success of the Sikhs in making an integral contribution to Canadian society in business, politics and philanthropy among others, that has helped fueled this unbroken connection.

As an ardent feminist as well, I have always been especially proud of the fact that Sikhism, a religion born out of 15^th century patriarchal India, holds gender equality as one of its core tenets and explicitly advocates for the honoured respect of women as equals in the Sikh holy scripture.

But like many people, this pride and devotion to my religion has admittedly not been an unwavering one, especially when actions in the community are completely antithetical to what the religion advocates for, and what I believe in as a person.

One of these actions is the seriousness of physical and emotional abuse of women in the Punjabi-Sikh community, and the accompanying complacency and discourse surrounding the topic in the community at large.

The Punjabi Community Health Centre (PCHC), an advocacy group based in the Peel Region, has called violence against women “the most silent kept secret within the Sikh community”, and the role of the Sikh community in confronting the problem and aiding abused women “pathetic”.

With a religion whose holy scriptures written over 500 years ago explicitly challenged the inferiority of women and whose founders elevated and emphasized her social status to that of equals, why then, in a research study conducted by the PCHC, is wife abuse in the Sikh community considered a serious problem by 75% of the Sikhs surveyed?

Several counselors from the Rexdale Women’s Centre, India Rainbow Community Service of Peel, Malton Neighborhood Services and the Family Services of Peel have even stated that the severity and the intensity of the physical and emotional abuse in intimate partner relationships can be greater in the Sikh community. It is believed that one out of every four Sikh women in the community have been abused by their partners in her lifetime.

Worse still, is the possibility that gender-based oppression is not just limited to women in intimate relationships, but to unborn Sikh daughters as well. 

While the nationwide average according to Statistics Canada is 105 male births to every 100 female births, a 2003 recent study by the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada found that in Surrey, British Columbia (populated heavily by Sikh-Canadian families), there were 109 boys to every 100 girls.

Although there is no public, conclusive data which would prove these numbers were the result from sex-selective abortions, the statistics are deeply troubling when seen in light of allegations last year that advertisements appeared in a Canadian-Punjabi newspaper for an ultrasound clinic that promoted the abortion of female fetuses.

This gap between the idea of gender equality explicitly called for in Sikhism and its practice is deeply concerting, though in some ways, not surprising. Indeed for too long, other religions have also been targeted as racist, sexist etc. when in reality, chosen few perpetuate it when there is absolutely nothing within the faith to promote or support such attitudes or actions.

Yet whether violence against women in the Sikh community is the result of a deeply rooted chauvinism in Punjabi culture, or other reasons, what is more disconcerting than its widespread existence is the complacency of the Sikh community in Canada is in terms of understanding and tackling the issue.

From acknowledging what are seen to be “individual, private” in public spaces, engaging Sikh men on the issue, to even challenging the still very male-dominated atmosphere of Sikh gurudwaras by including more women in leadership roles, a sense of community consciousness can emerge which will create conditions for the physical and emotional abuse of Sikh women to stop.

In the over 100 years since Sikhs first immigrated to Canada, the community has proven to be a resourceful, dynamic, and engaged religious community that has tackled issues of external prejudice and religious rights in Canada.

However, it is time the same level of will and community leadership be shown to ending one of the most serious, yet least acknowledged concern in the Sikh community.  

Minority group rights might not be a good solution from the feminist point of view, so says a fascinating essay I came upon by Susan Moller Okin titled “Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?” Growing up in a society like Canada, multiculturalism has always been a contentious issue, though admittedly, probably less contentious than the United States.

If assimilation is frowned upon, or seen as oppressive to those who view their culture as an inherent part of their identity, Okin’s essay asks what should be done when the claims of minority cultures or religions clash with the norm of gender equality that is at least formally endorsed by liberal states?

For myself, feminism and multiculturalism haven’t encountered a huge clash. I grew up in a very liberal family, where my own personal experiences with religion and culture did not discriminate against me, or prevent my own growth, development and flourishment, simply because of my gender.

Most cultures however are patriarchal and many of the cultural minorities claiming group rights are more patriarchal than the surrounding culture. (Though as a caveat, Western cultures are still guilty of sex discrimination, but at least in more liberal cultures women are legally guaranteed the same freedom and opportunities as men). Are cultural accommodation and group rights within Western states bad for women? There is evidence to show in the courts, with the issue of violence in particular, a women from a patriarchal culture in Canada might be less protected from male violence than other women are.

So what does Okin suggest to prevent this double standard, and protect women regardless of their culture, yet ensure that each culture does not feel oppressed by its members in Canada? She argues that the degree to which each culture is patriarchal and its willingness to become less so should be crucial factors in judgment about the justification of group rights, once women’s rights are taken seriously. Liberal defenders of group rights need to look at inequalities within minority groups, especially sex inequalities which are often less public and difficult to discern.

Since the United Nations adopted the resolution in 1977, Canada and other countries around the world have marked March 8 as International Women’s Day and used it as an opportunity to advocate for women’s rights and international peace.

It is a day for men and women to reflect that not too long ago, women in our society were not considered “persons”, were sparsely populated in the workplace, and did not have real choices when it came to career and families.

Now around the world we have female prime ministers, astronauts, continuous cohorts of female university graduates, and women enjoying the benefits of having a family and a career.

These and many other great improvements are a call to celebrate the collective power of women in the past, present and future, and to radiate a message of hope and progress.

The tone of International Women’s Day has in the past changed from highlighting the negatives to celebrating the positive achievements of women.

However I still believe it is crucial for Canadians, especially those living in a diverse global fabric right in their own cities, to consider the plight of women in the most marginalized communities in the world.

It is particularly on International Women’s Day, despite Canada’s own progress towards women’s full participation and equality that I am often reminded that basic rights such as health, safety and education are still being denied for millions of women around the world.

Globally, women’s education, health, autonomy and security are critically worse than that of men.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has said in particular that “violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families, and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence — yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned.”

Violence against women on a global scale is of pandemic proportions. According to the United Nations Development Fund for Women, one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.

They are also spared no mercy when considering the most devastating disease in human history.

Women disproportionately hold the burden of those infected with HIV/AIDS, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where they are three time more likely to be HIV-positive than men because of crippling inequality and lack of rights over their sexual choices and their bodies.

This inequality in many places around the world is also exacerbated by poverty, which traps women in multiple layers of discrimination that hinders their ability to claim their rights. Most often their lack of access to or denial of education has prevented their participation in economic, social, political and cultural activities further reducing their rights.

It is harsh realities like these that drive home how vital International Women’s Day is. It shows how important is to empower every individual woman to reach their full potential, especially if they grew up in an environment that did not encourage such a thing.

Indeed the theme of the 2008 Canadian celebrations of International Women’s Day is “Strong Women, Strong World”, demonstrating the belief that “a women’s place in society marks the level of civilization of that society.”

On this day I call on all Canadians to consider the challenges that still need to be overcome for women everywhere.

For young girls especially, it is vital to think about how we as individuals, and collectively as a Canadian conscious, can let the voices of marginalized women everywhere, be heard.

-Jasmeet

(The following was an article I published in the Toronto Star)

It’s a feminist’s dream come true.  

On January 1, while most of the world was celebrating the arrival of another year, across the ocean in Norway companies celebrated (or bemoaned, depending on whom you speak to) the coming into effect of a law requiring nearly half of all seats on public corporate boards to be held by women. 

Since creating legislature in 2003 forcing public companies to ensure a 40% quota for women on its boards (and giving companies 5 years to comply before it became law), Norway now leads the globe in gender equality at the board level, with more women in the upper echelons of decision-making circles than any other country.

According to the executive search firm Rosenzweig & Co., among the 535 most senior and highest paid positions in Canadian companies, just 4.8 per cent are held by women. A survey of all FP 500 companies in Canada last year found that only 15.1 per cent of corporate officers were held by females. 

Although such gender-balancing legislation in Norway fascinates feminists like me, several questions crossed my mind after my almost reflexive approval of the news. Wouldn’t qualified women already be on corporate boards if they were truly deserving of the position?

And while the corporate glass ceiling for women is commonly acknowledged, is government intervention the best way to achieve real change? 

And really, why should women be included on corporate boards?

It would seem that laws like this only reinforce the notion that women are incapable of achieving leadership positions in large companies on their own merits. 

Demographically speaking, nomination committees who propose new board members are often men. And while many highly qualified women can be found in candidate pools, the old dogma that we are more comfortable with those who are like ourselves can lead to men hiring other men. And outside these candidate pools women stand less of a chance, as they are often excluded from professional and personal networks that are used for informal hiring.

The results in Norway seem to indicate that legislation would assist women in reaching the top of their companies, who might have otherwise faced deep-rooted cultural barriers, despite their qualifications for the job.   

But why should any company even have women on their boards, forcibly or not?

Beyond the belief that “diversity is best,” many positive outcomes have resulted from including more women at the corporate level. 

For the companies themselves, having women on executive boards simply makes good business sense. Women are a huge group of consumers, employees, employers and shareholders that companies shouldn’t ignore. Women’s interests are best known and represented by other women, who can not only appeal to them but best understand their priorities and concerns.

It has also been shown that having more women on corporate boards improves corporate governance. In May of 2002, a study by the Conference Board of Canada found that more female than male directors pay attention to audit and risk oversight and control, consider the needs of more categories of stakeholders, and examine a wider range of management and organizational performance. The findings also revealed that 72% of boards with two or more women conduct formal board performance evaluations, while only 49% of all-male boards do. 

Perhaps most importantly, the presence of women might even improve profits.

A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that firms with women board members were much more likely than companies with all male-boards to be leaders when ranked by revenue or profit. 

Although it has not been proven that women are a direct causal factor to improved governance or financial performance, there can be no denying that there is a strong correlation between female numbers on boards and good governance credentials.

Though in Canada many are still cautious to the idea of government endorsed quotas for women on corporate boards, the situation in Norway brings hope to many women in the workplace seeking to finally break that elusive glass ceiling.

And perhaps one day explicit demand for female involvement in corporate boards won’t even be an issue, as women can hopefully be judged truly on their own abilities, and not hindered in any way because of their sex.

I’ve often wondered what it takes for a dream to become a reality. We see actors winning Oscars, athletes winning gold medals, singers winning grammies, and become caught up in the glamour, amazement, and the happiness they seem to exude for achieving their goals.

Though many of us don’t want to become actors, singers, or athletes, I know many of us can still feel the glamour and excitement in working towards a dream and achieving it. One of the best expressions I’ve ever heard concerning the dream-living potential in all of us is the following:

“Each of us contains seeds of greatness, which can be expressed in myriad ways, from starting a business to giving back to our community to raising the next generation of leaders. Life is all about finding that seed and nurturing it to its full growth.”

I know I was often faced with the goal-conundrum – what exactly do I want to achieve? Don’t worry if at first you don’t know exactly what you want to do. Just don’t make the mistake of never committing to anything! A good question to ask yourself if you’re stumped: “what would I truly regret if I did not achieve it? What would I do if I knew I could not fail?”

Don’t be afraid to dream big — or small. Life is full of wonderful possibilities and avenues, and all it requires is for you to decide what you want, and go out in the world and grab it.

Hi everyone!

My name is Jasmeet Sidhu and I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Back in 2005, I was the club-level winner of the Violet Richardson Award for the Humber Credit Valley and Brampton, and went on to win on the regional level as well, for Eastern Canada. I won for my work in establishing the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance, a youth-oriented organization that works on promoting environmental leadership within high school students. You can view our website here: http://www.peyalliance.com

A lot has changed since winning the award as a 17 year old. I’m now 20 years old, studying at the University of Toronto, and dealing with all the challenges that being a university student entails, including living on my own for the first time in a large urban city.

I was offered the great privilege from Soroptimist International to be able to connect with spirited, ambitious and innovative young women through this blog, and be able to relay my thoughts, ideas, and opinions to them, and many other young women around the world that might chance across this website who I can not only relate with, but hopefully be an inspiration to in their valiant efforts to achieve their dreams.

I hope to be writing every two weeks on a variety of topics, all of which will be coloured from my own experiences as a first generation Canadian, being a university student, and exploring my place in the world.  Some of my blog topics might include: recent book reviews, comments on world issues such as AIDS, Climate Change and Poverty, accounts of personal experiences, and hopefully little gems of wisdom and anecdotes as I navigate my exit of out teenagehood, and into full fledged adulthood.

So I hope you stay tuned, and perhaps together through this open dialogue we can help young women everywhere, find ways to live their dreams.

-Jasmeet