Reclaim the Night - tonight at 6.30pm

Tonight is the Reclaim the Night March in Sydney. 6.30pm at Town Hall.

After a week of contact with Peace movements (the Ministry for Peace, the Elders programme) it seems like a great time to take to the streets once again. I remember the first Take Back the Night marches I went on in South Africa. I remember the Rape Crisis Cape Town women wearing "Strong Women in Africa" t-shirts. I loved that T-shirt, and wore it proudly for years.

The stats quoted on the Reclaim the Night website, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show that the pressure for solutions and action remains essential. My personal dedication this week is to the four youngsters scared out of their minds by a horrific attack by a crazed sexual attacker in Waterloo in Sydney. Congratulations to those who participated in arresting the alleged perpetrator, and all strength to the survivors and to the family of the young woman who died.My thoughts are with you, and as we say where I come from "I wish you long life".

Peace and The Elders

[Left: Stella Cornelius and Faith Bandler receive awards at the Sydney Peace Foundation from Nelson Mandela]

There are some stunning ideas out there. And the more simple, the more extraordinary.

The idea of a Ministry for Peace, for instance. It's a complete no-brainer. We have Ministries of Defence and wonder why we're always at war. As my friend Claire Jankelson says, it would be fabulous if people had to, or even better chose to, consult the Ministry for Peace before taking action. Imagine the discussions about Other Ways of Doing Things that could take place.

Dr Stella Cornelius, OBE, is the living, breathing embodiment of peace and peace options. It was her idea in the beginning - nearly 28 years ago - that this was an option. She's still doggedely working for it and with the chair of the Ministry for Peace campaign, Biannca Pace (yes, her surname really is Pace!) the intiative is picking up pace.

Because of meeting Stella (and what a pleasure that was) yesterday, I have done some research. When she sent me an email with the closing "blessings from the Elders" I just had to snoop about and see if there was some special reason for this. First found Stella Cornelius being awarded a peace prize in Sydney by Nelson Mandela. And then I found this website: a profound initiative called The Elders. Led by Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel and Desmond Tutu, amongst others (Richard Branson and many more), it is to draw on the wisdom of the Elders for their power and skill to make Peace a reality.

Ministry for Peace

It's such a great idea: each government should have a Ministry for Peace. Simple as that.

Stella Cornelius believes this to be so. The Ministry for Peace website says of Stella:

Founder and Director of the Conflict Resolution Network (CRN) she is a peacemaker and a peace builder, a mother, grandmother and octogenarian.

Well known and highly respected on a global level for her work in the CRN and for providing this vital public service which is now used on a global scale to people of all classes and economic status. Dr Cornelius has initiated the following campaigns and programs.

In 1982 she launched an Australian campaign for a Ministry for peace established at Federal Government level which would “professionalise peace” and equalise opportunity between military and non-confrontational approaches. A book was published: ISBN 09499653024.

There's an event on the 29th October 2008 at the NSW Parliament House. Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000. It's open to interested people.

9am – 12.30pm, 29th October 2008
NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000

The inaugural Ministry For Peace’s Corporate Ecology Forum will be the opportunity to share views on the role that corporations have in bringing and maintaining peace to our world.

The Forum aims to provide new insights and indicate a way forward for corporations, should they plan to exist in the fast emerging culture of peace.

Five speakers from diverse disciplines will present cutting edge perspectives on why peace will
be the new brand on company’s balance sheets and why corporations cannot ignore it.
Forum Speakers:
Dr Claire Jankelson, Educator, Consultant and Facilitator
Sharon Ryan, Business Transformation Executive, Fujitsu Australia Limited
Bronwyn Edwards, OD Consultant and Executive Coach
Robert C. Hinkley, Corporate Lawyer
Chris Collingwood, Managing Director, Inspiritive Pty Ltd

I'll be there. I want to be part of getting this peace process on the road.

Tango in Buenos Aires, 2004

Malplaas orange

MALPLAAS. Near Botrivier, Western Cape... Now THIS is what I call an inviting establishment. I've not been there, I've just seen it for the first time on the internet today. I intend to make it a priority to get there the next time I am back in Cape Town.

There's something about the innovation of people in South Africa, the resourcefulness, the love of life that I love. My experience of South Africa, and I suppose that would mostly be Cape Town, is one of Can Do. If it needs to be done, it will be done. If it can be whacky and fun, all the better. If it can involve some major passion or passions (in this case Orange, Animals and the Great Outdoors), then it scores top marks.

I don't know who runs Malplaas (funny farm). Or why they started it. But it looks wonderful, complete with a carbon offset project. What a zest for life. And their website is wonderful, to boot.

If you go there, please let me know what it's like.

And to all of you at Malplaas - Go For It! You put a big orange smile on my dial.

Aussie women earn less than men

I am astounded how often I come across the idea that women in Australia (or perhaps I should say in Sydney) are merely earning to add some extra pocket money to their husband's huge wages. It is not uncommon for someone to say to me when I suggest that a particular position does not have the salary that I would expect on offer "but you're not exactly running out of money are you"? Now I fail to see how running out of money would be the reason for earning fairly. My understanding is that people should be paid fairly for the work they put in and the hours they put in.

In Australia women consistently earn less than men. A quick google search will show a good deal of evidence to back this. My belief is that women I have met in Australia are frequently prepared to offer volunteer services, pro bono work, and a variety of work-for-no pay. Voluneerism is good, and should be encouraged, as should pro bono work. But that has to be in addition to paid work. Why should women offer services free when similar services are not routinely offered by men free.

Granted, my impressions could be to do with working in the non-profit and service sector, where is seems that this idea is most prevalent. But experience in other countries is that the Third Sector is well thought of and remunerated relatively well.

I have heard, not infrequently, people saying: "but people don't do that kind of work for the money - you do it for the love of it" ?!? What's that about? Surely enjoying your work is not in place of being fairly remunerated. Take that argument a bit further and we'd have to believe that people should EITHER love their work OR be paid for it.

Balderdash.

Progress has been made in this regard - the gap is apparently getting smaller (in one article it said by 0.3% in 2007) but I think that this needs to be on the agenda of all HR decisions, and women should not be frightened to ask for their worth in remuneration. Go for it!