The Home Front Letter Essay Example for Free

The Home Front Letter Essay How have you been? This War has everyone really going. The War will be over in a matter of months and our lives will back to normal. However, I am quite annoyed, just like most of my neighbours and colleagues, about the DORA. It has restricted the way we live. For example, we can no longer feed the dog. The news these days is just totally intolerable. Most of the news has to be censored, so how is one supposed to find out what is going on around the country. Those Germans are hated by every single Briton in this country. You should see some of the things they do. There are posters of Germans killing innocent babies and children for fun and raping women. It is just so inhuman. Recently, they have started sending in huge airships and bombing many of the large cities, including London. This has just got to end some time soon! My son, George, has also joined the army. My family and I are so proud of him. I feel that he will make a big difference to the war, just like the many other men that have joined. This whole war will blow over in the next few months. I dont think those Germans will last long at all. Take care of yourself. Yours sincerely, John.

Human rights institutions

Human rights institutions Introduction AIDS and HIV affect the lives of every human being, from those who are HIV-positive, those who know someone who is infected and those non-infected people. This is because, once AIDS and HIV hit, it will in directly or directly influences aspects of our life. As a matter of fact, AIDS is the only health concern in the world that has its own United Nations agency, also known as UNAIDS. However, apart from the work of the United Nations and its several organs does, there are several other international organisations that operate in the worldwide fight against AIDS and HIV. Examples of these international organisations are the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the African Union (AU). The United Nations The United Nations does not only contribute to the fight against AIDS and HIV by supply financial, technical and human resources to UNAIDS organisation only, but also coordinate a collaboration of projects and schemes through the majority of the UN agencies. These organisations all have their own particular international responses to reverse the spread of AIDS and HIV virus. Such illustrations are these international organisations: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Food expenditure in Sub-Saharan African has dropped by forty per cent in rural villages because of the AIDS and HIV virus. As stated by Marcela Villarreal who is a FAO and AIDS specialist Food is the first medicine for HIV/AIDS and often the only medicine as tragic as it is to be orphaned, it is very different being orphaned at 15 years of age than being orphaned at 7. If parents could live a few more years, they could take their children to the fields and teach them by doing.[1] In brief, parents cannot pass on the agricultural trade to their children, if their children are already orphaned by the age they could learn and understand. For this reason, FAO is working on the issue that everyone should have access to food. Food and agricultural are two vital issues for AIDS and HIV prevention, because malnutrition will increase body infections and spread AIDS-related illnesses in communities where extreme poverty reigns. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Based in Vienna, IAEA is operating to provide the technological expertise and the know-how to underdeveloped countries in regards to health and food nourishment. In 2005 the IAEA and its Director Dr. Mohammed El Baradei won the Nobel Peace Prize for the prevention of nuclear energy being used for military intentions instead for peaceful measures and goals. Therefore, IAEA decided to distribute the Nobel Peace Prize with the whole world by establishing the IAEA Nobel Prize Cancer and Nutrition Fund. This fund sponsor knowledgeable experts and research related to aid infant malnutrition and health in developing countries. Over the years the IAEA has supported numerous activities in infant nutrition where stable isotope techniques have been applied. These include projects to measure human milk intake in breast-fed infants, lean body mass (muscle mass) in lactating mothers, and bioavailability of iron in infants and young children.[2] International Labour Organisation (ILO) As stated by Juan Somavia, Director of ILO HIV/AIDS is a major threat to the world of work: it is affecting the most productive segment of the labour force and reducing earnings, and it is imposing huge costs on enterprises in all sectors through declining productivity, increasing labour costs and loss of skills and experience.[3] Concisely, employment plays a crucial role in AIDS and HIV prevention, because there are several matters that indirectly affect the livelihoods of human beings who are HIV-positive, such as: sexual discrimination, child labour and universal fundamental human rights. Thus, if there are more people who are not infected by AIDS or HIV, they can find a decent job sustain themselves and their family and thus in the end they are economically contributing the society and increasing the economic wealth. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Based in Geneva, UNAIDS is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family, bringing together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for people living with HIV, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic.[4] As a result since 2000, AIDS become an international health concern when the UN Security Council approved Resolution 1308, following this event; a series of achievements became apparent about the importance to reverse the spread of AIDS and HIV for instance the 2000 Millennium Development Goals, the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.[5] UNAIDS is also working in partnership with UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, World Bank, NGOs, MNCs and governments to put to an end AIDS by the year 2015. Office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) In 2001, the UN General Assembly ratified the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, as part of the programme to fight AIDS and HIV by promoting universal human rights on a domestic, regional and international level. Annex 1 of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/ AIDS states that [T]he full realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in a global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, including in the areas of prevention, care, support and treatment, and [] it reduces vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and prevents stigma and related discrimination against people living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS.[6] These universal human rights consist of health, gender equality, basic education and decent employment, which all play a significant role to fight AIDS and HIV epidemic. Therefore, if these human rights are not respected, human beings are vulnerable to be infected by this pandemic disease. United Nation Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) UNIFEMs procedure is targeted to help women and young girls combating AIDS and HIV from sexual relations, have access to reproductive health, by promoting maternal health and preventing mother to child transmissions. This is because gender inequality and violations of womens rights make women and girls particularly susceptible, leaving them with less control than men over their bodies and their lives. Women and girls often have less information about HIV and fewer resources to take preventive measures. They face barriers to the negotiation of safer sex, including economic dependency and unequal power relations.[7] Thus, UNIFEM forefront approach is reducing aggression and discrimination against women, improving women decision-making power and decreasing the household burden women carry on their own, especially when it comes to taking care of HIV-positive relatives while continuing to manage their household and working full-time. United Nations Childrens Emergency Fund (UNCEF) AIDS and HIV has radically altered the perspective of Sub-Saharan African children on how they view the world, especially if they are orphaned at a young age with nowhere to go and no one to feel belong to. As a result, UNICEF launched its response to prevent the transmission of AIDS and HIV particularly among children is by encouraging thefour Ps guide, which are preventing mother-to-child transmission, providing paediatric care, preventing infection among adolescents and protecting children affected by AIDS.[8] The 2005 campaign Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS was aimed to do away with the situation that few children reach beyond their fifth birthday, because of child mortality, inadequate medical care and lack of primary education. UNICEF isnt just seeking to eliminate AIDS among children, but according to Mr. Jimmy Kolker UNICEF Chief of HIV/AIDS and Associate Director of Programmes, UNICEFs goal is to eliminate the need for that treatment by seeing an AIDS-free generation .[9] United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) UNDP is undertaking the responsibility to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduce its impact. As a trusted development partner, and co-sponsor of UNAIDS, it helps countries put HIV/AIDS at the centre of national development and poverty reduction strategies; build national capacity to mobilize all levels of government and civil society for a coordinated and effective response to the epidemic; and protect the rights of people living with AIDS, women, and vulnerable populations.[10] UNDP is currently concentrating on AIDS in relation to development planning and mainstreaming; governance of AIDS responses; international law, human rights, gender equality such as sexual minorities, public health and development partnerships, basic education and maternal and child morality.[11] United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) UNESCO is working to stop the spread of AIDS and HIV around the world, by eradicating the social and cultural barriers and put forward on its international agenda the issue of universal education. This is because by increasing [the] role of education sectors is also a recognition that a good education is one of the most effective ways of helping young people to avoid HIV/AIDS.[12] Education is the basic foundation of every human being. Without education, human beings are more prone to be vulnerable to AIDS and HIV and that particular individual cannot develop the knowledge of trade so that anyone can economically stable. On the other hand, through its programme The Cultural Approach to HIV and AIDS Prevention and Care UNESCO is continuing to eliminate cultural ignorance of the local citizens to help them combat the stigma and discrimination that surrounds AIDS and HIV. United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) As stated by Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UNEP, UNEP as the principal UN body in the field of the environment, recognizes that human well-being is the focus of environment and sustainable development issues. Tackling poverty, promoting gender equality and combating HIV/AIDS are all linked to environmental sustainability; just as environmental sustainability is an essential component of achieving all the UN Millennium Development Goals.[13] In fact, developing countries were the least countries emitting greenhouse gas emissions, but they were the most affected by climate change due to desertification, lack of rain and drought. The environment erected a barrier towards AIDS and HIV prevention since there was the lack of food storage among African citizens. Thus, this is why, UNEP is contributing its share to compensate African countries which are the most badly affected by the issue of climate change. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Refugees around the world are more prone to be infected by AIDS and HIV because of ethnic conflict, dislocation, food insecurity and extreme poverty.[14] Food insecurity is the major cause for the fleeing of thousands of refugees to neighbouring countries for shelter and a chance to have a better life. However, refugees who leave their homeland, because of racial clashes often take whatever they have in hand to escape. Once they are in another region they are in deeper poverty because they do not have sufficient money to start a new life and thus they end up living in slum areas and relying on begging in order to get something to eat. Therefore, UNHCR is operating on the notion of food insecurity is the result for the spread of AIDS and HIV since human beings especially women against their wish turn to sex work as a means to economically sustain themselves. United Nations Human Settlements Programmes (UN-Habitat) UN-Habitat is working together with local and international policy-makers to improve this lies of people living both in urban and rural areas. These measure which include improved water and sanitation facilities, enhance the lives slum dwellers, eliminate extreme poverty and encourage sustainable development. Dr. Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka Executive Director of UN-Habitat, stated that in order to prevent the continuation of the spread of AIDS and HIV, one needs to first focus on the goal to have secure shelter, because without a secure home, and a caring family and community, it was difficult, if not impossible, to provide health care and effective counselling to those afflicted.[15] In other words, UN-Habitat has the responsibility to prevent AIDS and HIV, by first tackling the issue of safe housing particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where there are a lot of homeless people due to extreme poverty. United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) UNODC is in charge on the issue to prevent AIDS and HIV epidemic among injecting drug users and in prison settings around the world especially in the Sub-Saharan region. Therefore, the UNODC is mainstreaming HIV and AIDS into its activities at the national, regional and global levels, and is helping States and civil society organizations to develop and implement comprehensive HIV and AIDS prevention and care programmes for injecting drug users.[16] Also, with the slogan Think AIDS, before you start, before you shoot, before you share, the UNODC is aiming to increase awareness and knowledge on the dangers of illegal substances and their relation to AIDS and HIV viruses especially among adolescents. This is because, it is estimated that there are around 16 million drug users globally and there is the possibility that one in five are HIV-positive.[17] United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) UNPFAs responsibility is to promote prevention of AIDS and HIV among all genders and all generations, because UNPFA considers AIDS and HIV as an international humanitarian crisis that affects every human being around the globe. These are mainly done by distributing contraceptives and knowledge of birth control among women, refugees and young people, advertising universal access to health especially anti-retroviral drugs, gender equality, respect for human rights and eliminate abject poverty. UNPFA view the role of women as a key factor towards the progress of AIDS and HIV prevention. In fact, as stated by Ms. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA Women who have been affected by the epidemic are the real experts in the response to HIV Their experience allows them to give concrete, practical, down-to-earth advice. But their participation must continue beyond an advisory role. Women should also have more say in budgetary decisions.[18] World Food Programme (WFP) Like FAO and UNHCR, WFP is tackling the issue of food security as a root for AIDS and HIV prevention. Famine in Sub-Saharan African countries has forces local citizens to turn into piracy, crime and prostitution to feed themselves and their family. This is why WFP is working to distribute food as food is the forefront means against the battle of AIDS and HIV disease. According to James T. Morris, Executive Director of WFP, he believes that Existing therapies require sound nutrition. Adequate food is essential for prolonging the lives of parents and enabling them to have a few more precious weeks, months or maybe even years to work and spend time with their families. Perhaps we cannot give them hope for a cure, but we can give them time.[19] In other words, Sub-Saharan African people, apart from decent supply of medicines and drugs they are in need more of good quality of food. World Health Organisation (WHO) WHO is at the front position in regards to the wellbeing and health of citizens of those who are HIV-positive, are affected by AIDS and HIV or are in danger to be infected by this pandemic disease. Moreover, WHO strategic plan to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS are by facilitate inhabitants to know their HIV status, enlarge the health divisions towards the continuation of AIDS and HIV prevention, increase the development of HIV treatment, support and care, improve and enlarge health procedure, Invest in premeditated knowledge and awareness for better education in regards to AIDS and HIV response.[20] These five important guidelines will help to give a better life to patients suffering from AIDS or HIV. Policies of the African Union African Union is a pan-African and inter-governmental organisation that aims to have a mutual partnership to increase affluence and peaceful relations between all African nation states. This union, which consists of thirty-five member states, is currently chaired by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of the Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The African Unions purposes in international relations is to point towards to promote unity and solidarity among African States; to coordinate and intensify cooperation for development; to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and to promote international cooperation within the framework of the United Nations.[21] Above all, the African Union has various projects to put Africa on the international agenda, among these projects there are specific measures taken to eliminate the burden of malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS and HIV in Africa. These international health concerns are tackled, on an international level, with a collaboration of other international organisations such as the United Nations and the Millennium Development Goals. In order to deal with the problem of AIDS and HIV in Africa, the AU on May 2006 organised a Special Summit themed as the Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Services by 2010 in Abuja, Nigeria. This summit included delegations from civil society organizations, the UN and its agencies together with members of the African Union and its thirty-five AU member states. This summit started with a follow-up of the results that came out from the 2000 Declarations and Frameworks for Action on the Abuja Summit on Roll Back Malaria and the 2001 Abuja Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Related Infectious Diseases.[22] However, this special summit set out new goals that were: first is to re-evaluate the accomplishments made since the 2000 and the 2001 Abuja summits to make sure the AU reach the objectives, in the context of the Millennium Development Goals. Second is to recognise the disparities, limitations and confrontations of the aims of the Abuja Summits and Millenni um Development Goals. Third is to ascertain new plan of action that will allow the African Union to keep a record of additional and more pragmatic route with regards to attain the mention targets. Fourth is to get hold of the improved responsibility of the African Leaders for addressing the diseases of AIDS/HIV, malaria and tuberculosis and encouraging health and wellbeing in Africa. Fifth is to intensify the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) within the framework of the New Partnership for Africas development (NEPAD) and for assessing the development towards establishing social development. And, sixth was to plan Africas Common Position to global forums such as the 2006 UNGASS on AIDS and the 2006 World Health Assembly.[23] Recently, between the 4th and the 8th of May 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was launched the 4th Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Health. The subject of this conference was Universal Access to Quality Health Services: Improve Maternal Neonatal and Child Health. The AU Conference of Ministers of Health provided an important forum for Member States, development partners and other stakeholders to, among others: review progress in health sector development, particularly universal access to services and the health-related MDGs in Africa; devise/adopt strategies for accelerated action towards more effective implementation of commitments for promotion of maternal and child health, survival and well-being in Africa; share experiences and learn from each other as concerns ongoing programmes and activities on health and development in Africa.[24] In other words, this conference shows that African states especially Sub-Saharan countries are well aware about problems in their individu al health sector, and the lack of medicine and drugs to combat HIV and other AIDS-related diseases. Therefore, this is why they are working in an alliance to achieve mutual goals. This conference also publicly introduced the AUs Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa. As well as, the African Union is also giving special attention by concentrating on the issue of AIDS and HIV among the armed forces. Furthermore, on July 2009 in Sirte, Libya during the ordinary session of the African Union launched a programme named Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security.'[25] Overall, all of these key procedures are taken to deal with the issue of health and wellbeing especially AIDS and HIV from an African perspective, particularly focused to help fellow Sub-Saharan African states. African policy-makers and leaders are taking considerate interest to fight AIDS and HIV from every viewpoint, because they know at firsthand about the social, cultural and economical difficulties this virus brings among their nation. Thus, this is why they are undertaking the notions of health both maternal and infant wellbeing, the local economy, national security and agricultural and food security as a serious matter. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was founded in 2002, by a mutual partnership between national governments, the civil society, bilateral and multilateral international organizations, the private sector and affected societies stand in for innovative paradigm to global health funding.[26] The Global Fund is an exclusive international public and private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. On June 10th 2009, the Global Fund participated in the 2009 HIV/AIDS Implementers Meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, together with the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), UNAIDS, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank and The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+). This meeting themed Optimizing the Response: Partnerships for Sustainability, attracted more than 1,500 representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions related to AIDS and HIV. The scope of this conference was to implement a strategic plan and new policies for prevention that will help to stop the spread of AIDS and HIV around the world. In fact, recognizing the importance of a sustainable global AIDS response, the focus of this years meeting will be on optimizing the impact of prevention, treatment and care programs; enhancing program quality; promoting coordination among partners; and encouraging innovative responses to the pandemic.[27] Carla Bruni-Sarkozy who is Frances First Lady is currently the ambassador for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Ms. Bruni-Sarkosy is advocating the issue of mother-to-child transmission, by giving a voice on an international level for the many women and children suffering from or affected by AIDS and HIV. On September 2009, Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly, to call on all world leaders to guarantee the increase of the amount of anti-retroviral drugs to HIV-positive expecting mothers. During her speech, which also attended by UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy stated that In large parts of the world, the face of AIDS is a womans face, and often the face of a mother, a mother afraid for herself and for her child. Isnt this a major failure of our efforts to promote development, when women under treatment can better care for themselves and their families, and form the solid foundation of an entire community, an enti re economy?[28] Concisely, Bruni-Sarkozys vision is that, if African countries, with the help of Western nation states remove the barriers and start to educate women about maternal and reproductive health. This investment will build on fertile grounds, the basis of loving and supporting families which will be beneficial to the whole society and will results in better economic system that will be valuable to the whole nation. As part of World AIDS Day campaign, on 1st of December 2009, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria together with The U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief introduced another project that will mutually be providing anti-retroviral drugs to more than three million patients, around the world who live in states that have low or middle wages. PEPFAR and the Global Fund enjoy a complementary and supportive relationship in the fight against HIV and AIDS worldwide. In order to exploit synergies, PEPFAR and Global Fund-financed programs coordinate at the country level to ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively. Collaboration and coordination are crucial to the efficient use of money and for making further progress in providing AIDS treatment and care to the millions still in need.[29] In other words, both PEPFAR and the Global Fund aim to eliminate AIDS and HIV around the world by promoting preventive health care as well as anti-retroviral drugs t o patients suffering from AIDS or HIV in developed and underdeveloped countries. This is mainly done, by making the most of their available medicine to reach the vast number of people as possible, and thus change for the better the lives of the citizens. The Global Funds mission is to bring international health concerns like AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria on the international agenda so that the general public around the world can educate oneself about prevention and symptoms of such diseases. It also inform the civil society about how it badly effective underdeveloped countries such as Sub-Saharan states because of the lack of education that is available to the public. This is why, the Global Fund had launched a series of schemes and project to donate medicine and drugs in order to cure patients affected by AIDS and HIV or other related illness while educating those people who are not infected on how to prevent being contaminated by this virus. Conclusion AIDS and HIV consumes health, resources and productivity within the national and international; community. Therefore, this is why we are in need of a global response to fight AIDS and HIV illness from every aspect, because every aspect of ones life that is from education to health to housing to the national economy, affects the lives of the inhabitants especially those who are in danger to be infect by HIV or have an AIDS-related infection. Affluence plays a major role in the policy of a nation state, because the wealthier the country is, the more people can have a better standard of living and distant from any deathly disease. This is why the UN, AU and the Global Fund are bringing about the downfall of AIDS and HIV by implementing policies from every outlook. http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/11580-en.html [assessed December 2009] Kinley D. III (ed.) (2006) IAEA Nobel Peace Prize Cancer and Nutrition Fund. Austria: International Atomic Energy Agency. Page: 7. Citing Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (2001) An ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work. Geneva: International Labour Office. Page: iii. http://www.unaids.org/en/AboutUNAIDS/default.asp [assessed December 2009] http://www.unaids.org/en/AboutUNAIDS/Goals/default.asp [assessed December 2009] Citing the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS from OHCHR and UNAIDS (2007) Handbook on HIV and Human Rights for National Human Rights Institutions. Geneva: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Page: 3. http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/hiv_aids/ [assessed December 2009] http://www.unicef.org/aids/index.php [assessed December 2009] Citing Mr. Jimmy Kolker UNICEF Chief of HIV/AIDS and Associate Director of Programmes from http://www.unicef.org/aids/index_51958.html [assessed December 2009] http://www.undp.org/hiv/ [assessed December 2009] http://www.undp.org/hiv/docs/UNDP%20response%20to%20AIDS_08.pdf?asset_id=1671970 [assessed December 2009] http://www.ibe.unesco.org/AIDS/doc/WorldBank_Sourcebook.pdf [assessed December 2009] http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=496ArticleID=5445l=en [assessed December 2009] http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=searchdocid=42f31d492query=aids and hiv [assessed December 2009] http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=3011catid=5typeid=6subMenuId=0 [assessed December 2009] http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/hiv-aids/ [assessed December 2009] http://www.unodc.org/docs/thinkaids/Factsheets_2009/factsheet_EN.pdf [assessed December 2009] Citing Ms. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA from http://www.unfpa.org/public/cache/offonce/News/pid/1141 [assessed December 2009] Citing James T. Morris, Executive Director of WFP from http://www.wfp.org/sites/default/files/First%20Line%20of%20Defense%20English.pdf [assessed December 2009] http://www.who.int/hiv/aboutdept/en/index.html [assessed December 2009] http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/AboutAu/au_in_a_nutshell_en.htm [assessed December 2009] http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/conferences/past/2006/may/summit/summit.htm [assessed December 2009] http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/conferences/past/2006/may/summit/summit.htm [assessed December 2009] http://www.africa-union.org/root/UA/newsletter/publication%2040%20may%202009.pdf [assessed December 2009] http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2009/20090702_African_Union.asp [assessed December 2009] http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/partnership/?lang=en [assessed December 2009] http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/pressreleases/?pr=pr_090611 [assessed December 2009] Citing Ms. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, First Lady of France from http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/pressreleases/?pr=pr_090922 [assessed December 2009] http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/pressreleases/?pr=pr_091201a [assessed December 2009]

How Is Inactivity And Obesity Effecting Children Young People Essay

How Is Inactivity And Obesity Effecting Children Young People Essay The rise of inactivity and its consequences The prevalence of sedentary lifestyles is increasing in America and much of the developed world. In the US (our core geographic area of focus for this project) this trend coupled with poor eating choices has notably manifested itself in rising obesity rates across the country over the past two decades as depicted in Exhibit 1. As of 2008, over 68% of Americans were categorized as being overweight, with nearly half of that group being defined as obese or morbidly obesei. Between 1980 and 2002 overweight rates for children aged 6 11 more than doubled from 7% to 16%ii. Today that number is estimated to be closer to 20%iii. Shortened life spans. More than 14% of deaths in the US in 2003 resulted from obesity related conditions; and Diminished motivation to be active. Being overweight or obese makes physical activity more challenging, thus requiring greater commitment and effort to be active compared to a healthy weighted individual. The more overweight people become due to reduced levels of activity the less likely they are to engage in future activity. Furthermore, obesity is often tied to depression which causes individuals to experience lower levels of energy and motivationiv. Teenagers the gateway to addressing rising inactivity levels . The number of years a consumer leads an active life; The variety of sports or fitness related activities the consumer engages in over those years; and The products that the two factors above drive demand for. In order to optimize across all drivers we honed in on teenagers (primarily 13-15) as our focus segment. We view other groups, such as adults and, retirees, and so forth, who have a shorter customer lifetime value and being, as being more set in their ways, both in terms of habit and product affinities. In arriving at this focal segment we have taken the following factors into consideration: According to the Eight Stages of Development, adolescents learn about and define who they are between the ages of approximately 12 and 19. If being athletic, or at least active, is not established as central to ones identity, the probability of prioritizing athletic activity later in life is likely diminished. If more children define themselves as being active during this influential period, the market for healthy, sustainable athletes will likely increase over time. From a commercial perspective, the potential lifetime value of an active teenager is likely to be higher than that of an average U.S. adult. Firstly the cost of acquiring an active youth is lower, as there are fewer barriers to exercise/activity as outlined above. Secondly, the number of years that teenagers have to be active is significantly greater as they not only start younger but may potentially live longer due to their adoption of healthy and active lifestyles. Teenagers generally have lower opportunity costs of activity and learning to exercise than adults. A combination of the greater amounts of leisure time available to them and their propensity to experiment with new things makes teenagers more likely to be comfortable learning about and engaging in activity. Teenagers also tend to have many opportunities to choose to engage in activities. These include physical education (PE) programs, sports teams, community teams, and informal pick-up games. Section 2 of this report presents key underlying influences and trends that currently inhibit and have the potential to further diminish activity levels among teenagers. Section 3 of this report then discusses the selection criteria that potential solutions must satisfy in order to most effectively address the problem of teen inactivity. Finally Section 4 lays out a potential solution aimed at leveraging key influences to encourage more active lifestyles among teenagers. Section 2: Factors underlying teenage inactivity Family influences In order to address the rising levels of inactivity among teenagers, it is necessary to first identify and understand the primary network of influencers that ultimately impact their decision making behavior and involvement in activities. Dual income single parent households Traditionally parents have been one of the strongest sources of influence over teenagers, and have played a crucial role in shaping their overall growth and development. However insights from interviews conducted with families in the Boston area suggest that shifts in the overall structure and composition of the average American family have decreased the amount of influence that parents exert over their children. In particular, the steady increase in the number of dual income earners1 and the rise in the number of single parent households highlight that parents today are facing increasing time constraints. A significant consequence of this phenomenon is that teenagers are increasingly subject to less direct parental oversight, as working parents often outsource the supervision of their children to external parties such as baby-sitters, nannies and daycare centers. While parents have a vested interest in encouraging their children to lead active lives in order to promote overall health and well-being, external parties are more likely to encourage teenagers to engage in sedentary, home-based activities that are easier to supervise. Examples of such activities include watching TV, surfing the internet or playing video games. Decline of parental role models Another implication of parental time constraints is that parents have less face-to-face time with their children and consequently fewer opportunities to educate them on the merits of leading an active lifestyle and adopting healthy eating habits. Given these time constraints parents themselves are also less likely to demonstrate the very behaviors that they aim to instill in their children. Thus, an absence of role models that are leading active lives in the household could further explain why teenagers are tending towards more sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, if parents spend less time prioritizing the on-going supervision and support of their childrens activity levels, teenagers may feel less motivated to participate in sports or other physical activities at school. For example our interviews with parents suggest that parental inability to attend games to cheer for their children or even provide the basic resources that support their childrens involvement in sports, such as providing rides to practice, may result in teenagers being less inclined or able to pursue active lifestyles. Evolution of family dining A further implication of parental time constraints is that working parents are increasingly relying on convenience and on-the-go food solutions for meal preparation. These habits can have a profound impact on the overall health and well-being of their children as evidenced by Child Development research which suggests there is a link between the number of years a working mother spends in the workforce and their childs BMI.v The increase in child obesity has attracted a great deal of media attention which has, in turn, resulted in a heightened sense of awareness of health wellness issues among parents. The observation that child obesity persists in the face of this awareness suggests that parents are precluded from developing solutions because they lack the necessary tools to motivate their children in the face of time constraints. This insight highlights an area of opportunity for Nike to provide tools to: Assist parents in incentivizing their children to lead more active lives; and Assist parents in motivating their children in a way that fits into their busy schedules. Crime parental attitudes An emphasis on helicopter parenting2, which has gained popularity in recent times, combined with the persistent coverage of criminal activity in the media has resulted in a heightened sense of paranoia around crime levels and neighborhood safety among parents. The implications of helicopter parenting are straightforward. As parents become more concerned about the overall safety of their neighborhoods they are more likely to only allow outside activity with adult supervision. However, due to their personal time constraints, they often encourage their children to stay indoors or commute to school by car, rather than engage in outdoor activities or walk, for example. In this case, parents appear to be prioritizing the short term benefits of child safety over the long term risks of obesity and other future health problems due to reduced activity levels Friend influences Increasing prominence of friends as influencers Siblings, particularly older ones, have traditionally been a powerful source of influence over teenagers. Younger siblings generally tend to emulate the behavior and habits of their older siblings, especially if there is a positive relationship between the two. However as the size of U.S. households continue to decline, the average teenager is growing up with fewer siblings to rely on and learn behaviors from. As a result of teenagers being exposed to fewer siblings and busier parents, peers and friend groups have gained more prominence in the influence and authority they have over teenagers lives. School influences In light of the factors discussed above, such as the limited amount of time parents spend with their children; external environments can serve as important influences on teenagers. Schools are not only a physical representation of where teenagers spend most of their time outside the home, but are also the arena within which their social networks converge. Teacher attitudes resource constraints Given that teenagers are highly exposed to their social networks at school, their fear of failing at physical activities can often overshadow their desire to try something new or different to shine in front of their peers causing them to shy away from any activity. For example, a school that has a reputation for being a leader in a certain sport, say basketball, may place significantly more emphasis on winning than inclusion. In such environments, children have less room to fail, that is to say, not to be good at basketball. Such overtly competitive situations can lead to divisions (ball players vs. non ball players) which amplify less skilled students feelings of inadequacy. Teachers serve as de facto parents in the school environment. Their attitudes towards general wellness and encouraging teenagers can be powerful drivers of childrens sustained engagement in activities. However, the continuous budgetary pressures schools face often result in understaffing, which causes teachers to stretch themselves very thinly across large student bodies. In these situations, teachers may not be able to provide the level of encouragement and personal attention necessary for children to enthusiastically engage in activities. If a child does not enjoy participating in an activity, the child is unlikely to engage in that activity again in the future. Tension between academics activity Teenagers are increasingly living in an achievement-oriented society, wherein the results of their efforts today can have a profound impact on their future options. In light of this, parents are getting their children involved in an array of extracurricular activities, such as debating clubs and honors classes, in order to increase their childrens chances of getting into good colleges. This additional competition on teenagers time often leads to reduced levels of activity. City influences Rural vs. urban settings The natural resources and climate of a region can impact activity levels depending on the type of sports they encourage. For example, hiking is an activity that requires minimal financial resources to participate and would likely encourage higher levels of activity. However, the relatively higher cost of participation in skiing may deter people from adopting the sport and therefore drive lower levels of activity. Media Technology influences Celebrity influence Proliferation of media distribution channels Celebrities and pop culture icons have become significant influencers of social behavior as children spend less time with their parents. The emergence of distribution channels such as Twitter has increased teenagers ability to gain direct access to celebrities. Given parents limited ability to monitor their childrens internet and mobile phone usage, teenagers are now accessing messages of varying quality. For example, children are no longer confined to watching PBS, which has focus on activity and wellness. They can now watch the latest craze on YouTube or access celebrity gossip on other outlets, which typically place a premium on glamorous lifestyles over healthy ones. Such messages can have a great degree of influence on children, who are particularly impressionable. Addictive characteristics of technology Perpetually connected to the internet and their mobile devices, teenagers today have become attuned to interacting with their environments using technology. Activity which requires them to disengage from electronic devices may be seen as dull and involve de-addiction from perceived high stimuli technology driven experiences. Physical vs. virtual interaction The advent of mobile phones and online social networks has reduced teenagers need to meet in person, as they can rely on the immediacy of virtual communication. The increased usage of these platforms has fundamentally changed the ways in which teenagers interact with one another by allowing them to remain socially engaged without needing to physically walk or bike over to see a friend.

William Golding - Lord of the Flies :: Free Essay Writer

William Golding - Lord of the Flies William Golding William Gerald Golding, born in Cornwall, September 19, 1911, is a prominent English novelist, an essayist and poet, and winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize for literature. Golding's often allegorical fiction makes broad use of allusions to classical literature, mythology, and Christian symbolism. Although no distinct thread unites his novels and his technique varies, Golding deals principally with evil and emerges with what has been characterized as a kind of dark optimism. Contents: A plane crashes over the Atlantic. The only survivors are schoolboys and a choir. There are no grown-ups on the island they landed on. Ralph and Piggy find a shell and Ralph blows it. All the boys come together and they call an assembly. Ralph wins the vote for a chief and he and Jack, the leader of the boys choir, and Simon climb the mountain to explore the land. They discover it being an island. The boys have another meeting in which a little boy describes a beast he maybe has seen in one of his nightmares. Ralph gets the idea to make a fire and smoke on the mountain in order to get noticed and rescued. At first the boys collect wood as fuel, but they haven't got any matches or other instruments to inflame the pile. Then Jack suggests to use Piggy's specs to light it. So they do, but by accident they burn down a large part of the forest. Piggy calls their attention to the disappearance of the little boy who has uttered his fear about the beast. It is most likely that he died in the flames in the forest because he has never been seen again. While Ralph and Simon try to build shelters Jack and the others either hunt or rush off and do whatever they want. Neither the hunting nor the building of the shelters is successful because they don't work together. Ralph thinks that huts are more urgent in case that it rains and accuses Jack not to have helped them. This is the first sign of Ralph's and Jack's antagonism. Simon is seen to separate himself from the others; sometimes he goes to a place he likes and stays there for a long time. Jack and his choir go hunting. At the same time a ship passes the island. Because Jack needed all of them to hunt a pig they let the fire out. Ralph and Piggy are indignant of Jack's carelessness. This drives Jack to violence and he breaks Piggy's specs. This evening for the first time the hunters play their game: one pretends to be the

Interweaving Characters and Surroundings in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights:  Ã‚   Interweaving Characters and Surroundings  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Definitive criteria for judging the success or failure of a work of fiction are not easily agreed upon; individuals almost necessarily introduce bias into any such attempt.   Only those who affect an exorbitantly refined artistic taste, however, would deny the importance of poignancy in literary pieces.   To be sure, writings of dubious and fleeting merit frequently enchant the public, but there is too the occasional author who garners widespread acclaim and whose works remain deeply affecting despite the passage of time.   The continued eminence of the fiction of Emily Bronte attests to her placement into such a category of authors: it is a recognition of her propensity to create poignant and, indeed, successful literature.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a novel about lives that cross paths and are intertwined with one another. Healthcliff, an orphan, is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw, the owner of Wuthering Heights. Mr. Earnshaw has two children named Catherine and Hindley. Jealousy between Hindley and Healthcliff was always a problem. Catherine loves Healthcliff, but Hindley hates the stranger for stealing his fathers affection away. Catherine meets Edgar Linton, a young gentleman who lives at Thrushcross Grange. Despite being in love with Healthcliff she marries Edgar elevating her social standing. The characters in this novel are commingled in their relationships with Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. The setting used throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, helps to set the mood to describe the characters. We find two households separated by the cold, muddy, and barren moors, one by the name of Wuthering Heights, and the other Thrushcross Grange. Each house stands alone, in the mist of the dreary land, and the atmosphere creates a mood of isolation. These two places, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange differ greatly in appearance and mood. These differences reflect the universal conflict between storm and calm that Emily Bronte develops as the theme. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange both represent several opposing properties which bring about all sorts of bad happenings when they clash. For example, the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights were that of the working class, while those of Thrushcross Grange were high up on the social ladder. The people of Wuthering Heights aspired to be on the same level as the Lintons. This is evident by Heathcliff and Catherine when the peek through their window. In addition, Wuthering Heights was always in a state of storminess while Thrushcross Grange always seemed calm.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a fast paced play full of dramatic tension. Discuss how the portrayal of sex/sexuality fuels that tension, increasing the dramatic effect. Choose some but not all of the possible examples you might used â€Å"Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,† Written by Tennessee Williams is an excellent play about a troubled family that is dealing with buried acts of deception, conflict and tension. Along with these problems comes sexuality and sex, a very important aspect of the play which increases the dramatic effect. The pressure between husband and wife created by sexual tensions.The need for Brick to be seen as a man by repressing homosexual feelings from the world by turning to the effects of alcohol. Maggie’s sexual frustration with her husband who refuses to show her the passion she is longing. The frustration Big Daddy feels from not being sexually attracted to his wife. The relationship between Big Daddy and Brick, how they are more alike then they seem to be. These are among the main problems concerning sexuality escalating dramatic tension in this play. The sexual tension between Brick and Maggie is one of the most commonly occurring conflicts throughout the play.Brick and Maggie are a couple in the play who have two opposite feelings for each other. In Act 1 Maggie says to Brick â€Å"You look so cool, so cool, so enviably cool† the quote presents Brick to be represented to the audience as a man who is self contained, cool, untouchable and perfect physically. He physically embodies a real man. Maggie see’s herself as a women who is dissatisfied, ignored, and exhausted from sharing her desires with Brick as he does not feel the same way. Maggie refers to herself as a cat on a hot tin roof loving someone knowing that the love cannot be returned.Maggie confession to Brick about their relationship only increases the tensions between the two characters and forces Maggie to question their friendship for something much stronger . Maggie becomes bitter and anxious like a cat, she takes into account that without Brick’s love she will remain childless, and that they will be less favored to Big Daddy his heir and their position in his household will be put at risk. Brick, self concerned and rugged. Throughout the play, Brick continues to wash away all of his troubles and problems by drinking excessively.This is a problem that he has developed to separate himself from the problems. â€Å"One man has one great good true thing in his life. One great good thing which is true! I had a friendship with Skipper. You are naming it dirty! † This quote from Act 1 shows Brick acting out at Maggie for implying that his and Skippers relationship was more than just a friendship. This is the first time these implications are made and the first time in the play that Brick looses his cool, he links thoughts of homosexuality with disgust.This shows that the implications could be true, because when Maggie shares her own sexual approach, he reacts in a cool, calm and a completely removed manner, not showing any signs of concern. â€Å"You two had something that had to be kept on ice, yes, incorruptible, yes! † Maggie continues on about Brick’s relationship with Skipper, forcing Brick to acknowledge the fact that he did have homosexual feelings for his best friend rather than continuously mourning his death over the fact that his feelings had to be kept in secret from society.Bricks main goal is to keep his masculinity intact â€Å"Why can’t exceptional friendship.. Between two men be respected† Brick is disturbed by the fact that his desire is jeopardizing his masculinity, something that he cannot throw away because of sharing the possibility of his homosexuality. Big Daddy, the large â€Å"Mississippi Redneck† is the millionaire father of the family, effected with cancer unknowingly. Brick is the only one who knows, and hides it. Big Daddy believes that he ha s come back from the dead, realizing that his money cannot buy him happiness.His sexual life is now brought back into the picture. He was never pleased with his wife and did not love her the time they were married, he wants to explore sex again now that he has a second chance. This is much like Brick and Maggie’s current relationship, except Brick’s preference in gender, showing how alike Brick is to his father. He has a strong affection for his son Brick, who reminds him very much of himself. For this reason he wants Brick to be the heir to his throne. The only way to achieve this is if Brick and Maggie provide a grandchild for Big Daddy to continue his legacy.Although the possibility of this grandchild in unlikely because of Brick and Maggie’s sexual relationship. â€Å"Now, hold on.. I knocked around in my time† When Big Daddy finally learns the truth about his son’s sexuality he confesses his experimentation as a growing man, it is here that Br ick and Big Daddy are more alike than ever. Now that the truth behind Brick’s sexuality is revealed he tells Big Daddy that he is still dying from cancer. â€Å"You told me! I told you! † As a result of Big Daddy forcing Brick to face his homosexuality, Brick forces Big Daddy to receive the news of his inevitable death.Now Big Daddy is occupying the position that Brick has just gotten out of, Brick is revealing and Big Daddy is receiving. Sexuality and sex in this play does increase the dramatic tension between the characters. It is something that effects everyone in the play somehow. The examples above are only three of many others. The relationship between Maggie and Brick, is almost completely dependent on Bricks sexuality, even his excessive drinking is strongly related to his sexuality.He knows that he cannot be the heir to Big Daddy without a child, yet still chooses not to engage in sexual relations with Maggie. This makes Maggie greatly concerned about her plac e in the household. Big Daddy comes to a sort of revelation, thinking he has been given a second life. He acts cruel with his wife, because he accepts the fact that he never truly loved her and has been hiding his sexual appetite their entire marriage. The dramatic effect in this play is lead by sexuality and sex, it acts as foundation that builds up to vital events in the play.

Essay: Case Study

G became aware what the counterpart has planned for the agenda and he was surprised and concerned about he detailed and long business meals and cultural trips without any information or expenditures, knowing that the companies budget is limited. Asking for more information, the local organizer of the counterpart ignored Mr†¦ G's requests, even the solicitation to speak with the boss, was rejected due to busyness and non-existent importance. At the end of the conference Mr†¦ G was surprised in the positive way, that the conference finally was a complete success.Why were the communication and the procedure of organizing the conference between the two parties so efferent? According to the theory of Edward T. Hall Is this, a classical example of monochrome and polychrome cultures. In polychrome cultures like in the example of the venue, time Is flexible. It Is accepted to do various things at once, agendas and business meals were extended at the pleasant way or laid, and cultur al events will be organized without consultation. Also communication, via emails like in the example of Mr†¦G, is not always enjoyable with people from this culture. Because of the different meaning of time. Time is wasted and not taken seriously because it can be changed in seconds; they have a constant state of flux. Scheduled events or plans can be discarded or changed immediately. They interact with several customers at once, and are entangled with each other. Arranging dates therefore is very difficult. In the view of Mr†¦ G, who is obviously a monochromatic type, is this situation awkward. He likes doing things one by one and in an accurate way.Plans or events are scheduled down to the last detail without Interruptions and In a linear way of time. It is important take ointments seriously without breaking deadlines. Monochromatic types are short- term oriented and therefore leisure time Is only accepted after the Job Is done and projects are promptly and satisfactory. Another culture difference, which occurs In this example, is the dimension of power distance from the theorist Egger Hefted. And expect that power will be allocated unequally. According to Hefted there are two differences, low power distance and large power distance.In large power distance cultures as in the case, employees are awaiting for instructions by their boss. They need to be told what to do, in the way it has to be done and they also accept the high differences in the range of salaries and executive positions. Mr†¦ G requested several times for more information's but Ms. K the local organizer ignored his objection, even a request for a conversation with the boss of the local organizer was denied due to busyness of the boss. Which means the boss has other important things to do and no one is allowed to interrupt him or to question his decisions.Here the subordinates accept the high power status, and when the boss gives the control way like in the case, organizing the e vent, neither Ms. K nor Mr†¦ G has to doubt about the planning progression of the international conference. In lower power distance culture, subordinates like Mr†¦ G and others superiors consider to be treated equally. Flat hierarchies are expected, without having differences in executive positions. That's why Mr†¦ G felt quite unsatisfactory to be treated unfairly. He only wanted to be well informed about the progression for the conference and be aware of new circumstances for his planned project.