As I watch my daughter playing in the back yard, I think of my sister, Indrani. Twenty years ago, we were forced into marriage when we were teenagers. My husband was twice my age but years later, I was able to divorce him. Indrani wasn’t so lucky. She was murdered in an honor killing for …
Abi’s Interest in Blogging
"What comes to mind when I say, moon scraped knuckles and knocking knees?" Mats shook his head. "Nothing off the bat. Is it the name of a song, a poem, a movie?" "It's a name I'm thinking of giving my blog." "You have a blog?" "Not yet but I'm thinking of creating one on WordPress." …
Get Real About How You Feel
Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Week in Canada. There is so much stigma attached to mental health that people who are struggling with it suffer in silence because they don't know how others will react. Mental Health affects all of us and we need to have an environment which will offer support and …
Battered Women
Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) is an organization dedicated to freeing and liberating women from violence and empowering the community through training and education programs. The organization has been providing counseling and healing spaces for victims of abuse for over 35 years and helping women to be strong and resilient through advocacy, law reform and …
Child Marriage in Niger
Image by Plan Canada If you were the parent of a 15 year old girl, would you give your permission for her to marry? Most likely not. Yet in Niger, many girls under 18 are getting married with their parents’ permission. These girls face life of abuse and they are forced to give up their …
FGM in America
“To cut off the sensitive sexual organ of a girl is directly against the honesty of nature, a distortion to her womanhood, and an abuse of her fundamental human right”- Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere Jennifer, seen here as a child, underwent FGM When you hear about female genital mutilation (FGM), you automatically think of Africa where …
International Women’s Day 2021
Today is International Women's Day 2021. Celebrate a woman in your life. Let her know how much she means to you and how much you appreciate her. Women are cherished in God's eyes. He created them in His image. She is to be treated as an equal and to is entitled to a life of …
Bell Let’s Talk
Today is Bell Let's Talk Day. It's a day when people across Canada can speak up and do their part to break down the stigma toward mental health. This year the aim is to dismantle stigma and raise money for the cause. Click here for more information. Mental health affects everyone. Be supportive. Raise awareness. …
Teenage Bride
There is a law here in Mississippi which allows girls as young as 15 years old to be married with their parents' consent, but boys younger than 17 aren't allowed to get married. How can such a law exist? And here in the United States of America--the land of life, liberty and the pursuit of …
Retiring Aunt Jemima
"I can't breathe" these haunting words of George Floyd have set off a chain of events in the reckoning of race relations in America. One of these events is today's announcement that Quaker Oats is replacing the Jemima brand with a new name and image in order "to make progress toward racial equality." According to …
Notes to Women 