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#16DaysofActivism : VOY inspire
#MeToo: Talking about Sexual Assault
Consent Before Colors
Opinionated, as a complement
Countless times I’ve let myself off too easily. “It’s not your problem, you’re just a teenager”, are words I’ve heard again and again told to me and to many others my age. Eventually, I was deceived into believing just that. Temporarily I was enveloped by a feeling of insignificance, unimportance. In a world where chaos is so prevalent I was simply told to ignore such a thing. The justification for this was simply that I was a child. Children are harmed every single day. Whether it be at a school shooting or in one’s home, children are being hurt, injured and killed. The fact that they are a...
Hopeless Abused
There begins my life lasting discomfort. With joy, I was filled as he assured me false protection. Doomed by the one who swore my protection. Harshly, and ungodly, he violated me. It is over, pain and emptiness are my pleasures to feel. He betrayed and stole my innocence. Diminished my self-esteem for all it contains. Why? Why? Why? I didn't ask nor did I deserve this. I didn't ask to be a woman nor am I unproud of it. Forcefully, my pride was stripped away. Unloved by the greeds in need. For life has forsaken me with the harsh reality from a rapist. How I wish I could turn back the hands of...
Cyberbullying is a serious threat
The internet has been a huge part of our lives ever since we started using it. The first time I used it was when I was 8 or 9 years old back in 2005, I used nothing but Google. Now, 14 years later, I'm quite active on my social media, following famous people's accounts and reading news from all around the world. The internet has changed, we noticed it. The good change is that a lot of information is accessible, but the bad change is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is not an unknown term. I'm sure everybody who has social media knows about it or even has been a victim of this malicious behaviour...
Speak up
The bullies play a devil’s game You think you’re bad and you’re to blame So if you see them being mean To other people – intervene You’re in the right and they do wrong So don’t back off, be brave and strong Just go ahead and beat your fear Speak in a voice that’s loud and clear
Prevent atrocities against children by ending support to armed groups
As civil wars in several states escalate, the future of our children is at stake. Civil wars have left millions of children dead and thousands have been recruited as soldiers. Protection of children from mass atrocities requires unprecedented actions. In my quest to protect children I believe that, domestic and international support to armed groups to be the leading contributors of atrocities against children. First, rebels seeking and receiving domestic support from the public has led to the recruitment and arming of civilians which has created un-institutionalized military groups. With poor...
Overcoming challenges of social media in governance
Recently I have witnessed the rising of civil wars and increasing failed states with poor governance being the main reason advocated by social media users. In searching for a cure to poor governance I came to realize that public administrators have failed to use communication skills and harness the power of social media for business and government support. The world has 4.39 billion internet users out which 3.48 billion use social media. This number of social media users portrays that social media has a power to influence positive or negative changes in corporations’ and governments’...
A Merry Christmas?
I've been reading a lot about the world war, and it's really fascinating. Most history junkies know that on the Christmas of 1914, smack-dab in the middle of World War I, there were a series of ceasefires along the western front. Soldiers crossed enemy trenches unarmed, to shake hands, exchange gifts and they even went as far as to sing Christmas carols together. Alfred Anderson, the last known surviving Scottish veteran of the war, vividly recalled Christmas Day in 1914: “I remember the silence, the eerie sound of silence. Only the guards were on duty. We all went outside the farm buildings...
Broadway's butterflies
Amadi was sitting on the floor with his classmates, it was an English class. Their teacher was a volunteer from UNHCR, she was perfectly nice and helpful. Amadi was reading his homework when she stopped him and asked: "When you grow up what do you want to be Amadi?" He stood up on his feet and simply answered: "Before thinking of the future we have to first figure out how to deal with our present, and for the moment I want to be a butterfly; to wear my wings, to stand on the Broadway stage and to be a butterfly. She smiled "And why a butterfly?" she asked. "Butterflies are beautiful and they...
A dream across the border line
Only five steps towards the border line and now only two are left to look through the barbed wires. His name is "Kid", he is only 10 years old, he is young but old enough to realize that the sky above his head is divided into two; where he stands is emptiness and there across the line is Home. Now they stopped calling him "Kid", since the day they crossed that line he became "Refugee". It's been two years now, he was only eight when he left his home. At first he couldn't understand why all of a sudden the sky started raining fire and why instead of the flying white birds there are those black...
Peace: It's Importance to us!
What is Peace? Peace itself is a very beautiful and a powerful word. Peace simply means being in a place, where no hatred exists and every corner is filled with love, care and respect; where conflicts are handled peacefully. Peace is a Human Right and it's a Right for Everyone! Why Peace is so important? As peace is a basic human right, it is very, very important that we are have peace in all the possible aspects. For example, peace in policymaking processes, peaceful diplomatic relations with other nations etc. Should we add Peace Education to our education system? Well, yes, we should add...
Eradicate poverty by ending conflicts
For the last three years till June 2017, I was contracted to work for a commercial bank in a Sub-Saharan African country. I worked for the bank as a credit analyst for small businesses. With an educational background in business and experience working in the banking sector on microfinance, I came to the following realization. Small businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa are often faced with a slow, stagnant growth and lack of peace and harmony between owners and stakeholders. The three years working with the financial institution brought me to consider these somehow ethical questions: Why is there...
The measles of mankind
*This article was originally written and published in July 2016 at UNICEF Voices of Youth’s former website. It has since been moved here. I recently watched a documentary that explores how different nations tend to formulate our national identities around cultural products. “Whose is this Song?” by Adela Peeva is a comparative work about a wandering melody. A number of nations stake out claims on the song. The tune in question is known to me as “Üsküdar’a Gider İken.” I used to sing it in my school choir as a little child. Although it is hardly a building block for our culture, I was shocked...
5 things we can do to reduce violence in our schools
No one has to suffer violence
Call for peace and love
Youth of all nations, fuel of revolution and power of countries. Put peace in your souls and share it among people. Make life a better place for the weak and poor. Make our today a song for tomorrow's youth to sing. Never give up to the voice of the devil and light the fire in your homes. Remembering the youth who died in wars, is not a reason to fill your soul with violence, but to try to spread the peace. Don't listen to the call of devils who persuade you by violence and wars under words of religion or building new better countries. Don't be a word or letter in someone's agenda. Don't waste...
Do we need nuclear weapons?
As the world comes together to tackle global challenges such as climate change, food security and civil and interstate wars it is sad when some countries are left behind. Acquisition of nuclear weapon technology has left some countries isolated. The world leaders are fearing that nuclear weapons may enter the hands of terrorists and separatists if these countries happen to possess them. In fact, these countries cannot out rule that possibility if at the time being, they are involved in supporting different armed groups waging wars in different countries. Sadly, enough in their efforts to...