Work Within A Relevant Legal And Ethical Frame Essay Example for Free

Work Within A Relevant Legal And Ethical Frame Essay Assessment activity 1 1. Why is it necessary for employees to demonstrate, in all the work they undertake, an understanding of the legal responsibilities and obligations of the work role? It is necessary for employees to demonstrate; in all work they undertake an understanding of the legal responsibilities and obligations of the work role to support quality care. By ensuring that employees understand the legal responsibilities and obligations applicable to the workplace it becomes possible to set standards to which employees must adhere to. Key Performance Indicators should be set and agreed upon with employees so that all workers are aware of the standards expected to be performed. As a result, employees should be able to demonstrate in all work they undertake, an understanding of the legal responsibilities and obligations relevant to the organisation and to their individual work roles. 2. What are some of the areas, in community service organisations, on which legislation, regulations and statutes might impact? Community service organisations and their employees will need to comply with legislation, regulations and statutory requirements relevant to The prevention of discrimination Anti-harassment Privacy (national privacy legislation and principles) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Freedom of information Access and equality Social justice Mandatory notification Work health and safety Early childhood education and care 3. For what reasons are laws, regulations and statutes important? Laws, regulation and statues are important because they provide employees with details information regarding company procedures and how they contribute to legislative compliance. It also promotes a workplace culture in which compliance with legislation is a high priority. It provides staff with  immediate information about changes to legislation and how the changes effect there work. It provides a forum for employees to ask questions about legislation, regulations and statutory requirements and also offers opportunities to discuss legislative requirements and compliance processes. Assessment Activity 2 1. Summarise what you consider duty of care to entail. A duty of care (in Tort Law) is a legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring that they abide to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could harm others. This means that a person acting in a caring role has a legal obligation to act in ways that protect client and that prevent foreseeable harm. It also implies a legal obligation to have thought or regard for those who might be affected by ones acts or omissions. In forefilling duty of care obligations, therefore, community service workers must know what their duty of care entails and must take steps to provide a reasonable standard of care and to ensure that through their work practice harm to others does not occur. 2. Greg worked in an out of school hours care centre. One afternoon he brought in some CDs and put one on for Alice and Amanda to listen to. They were in the gym because Greg was also watching over some older children playing badminton. Alice and Amanda got up and began dancing around energetically. They hopped, skipped, and bounced around with great joy. Suddenly Amanda fell over. The gym floor was slippery and the girls had taken off their shoes but not their tights. Was there a breach of duty of care? Explain. Greg didn’t have a breach of duty as care. Although he provided the girls with music to listen to (not to dance to) he was not supervising them close enough to notice they had got up and began to dance. Although he was watching the game of badminton he should have kept an eye on the girls regularly as they are also under his duty of care. He should have noticed them dancing energetically but all of his focus was on the badminton game. Although he told the girls to listen to the music and did not allow them to dance the girls are under his care and he should have also supervised them  closely. Assessment Activity 3 How can you evaluate your own skills and why should you do so? Anyone can evaluate their own skills by many of the following ways. Asking for positive and negative feedback from co-workers and supervisors to improve and also motivate and strive to improve. Employees must know what is expected from them including their roles, responsibilities, lines of authority and reporting procedures. By asking co-workers, supervisors or boss appropriate questions it allows you to learn more and feel confident without running any risks. Also many resources should be provided in the child care environment to help evaluate your skills. It is important to evaluate your skills so that as an employee your performance is to a high standard for the organisation. It also allows employees to know what is expected and to identify any performance problems. Evaluating your skills helps to keep the employees organised and confident. Assessment Activity 4 1. What information is normally stored in client files and what is it used for? Client data such as case assessments, past history, personal data, family details, medical notes, psychological and therapeutical assessments, recreational and leisure preferences, etc should be recorded in client files. These client files are used for appropriate authorised staff only. This information is only collected when it is directly relevant to the treatment, service or case management being offered. 2. What legislation and regulatory requirements need to be complied with when collecting client information? When collecting client information there are regulatory and legislation requirements that need to be complied. Privacy and confidentiality is dictated by law and must only be discussed within the facility by appropriately authorised staff. When the clients records are recorded each organisation will have their own method of storing client files but there are also a number of Acts, regulations, administrative circulars and resources to health information. These specify that: Agencies can only collect personal information for a lawful purpose that is  directly related to their functions, if collecting the information is necessary for or directly related to that purpose. If an agency asks people for personal information about themselves, it must tell the person or their authorised representative why it is collecting the information, whether it has legal authority to collect the information, how and by whom the information will be used. An agency must take reasonable care to check that personal information is accurate, up to date and complete before using it The agency must do its best to make sure that the information is relevant to the agency’s reason for collecting it, up to date, of high quality, complete and protected from unauthorised access. A person whose information is held by a government or a private agency has a right to expect the agency will hold it securely and will ensure that access to the information is permitted only for legitimate purposes. The individual concerned shall be entitled to have access to their records, under the principles of access dictated by the Freedom of Information Act 1982. An agency must not use personal information for any purpose other than that for which it obtained the information Assessment activity 5 Why is it necessary to seek the agreement of the client prior to providing services? Every client has their rights and it is necessary to be aware of and protect the clients rights. Clients for instance have the right to the following: Deciding whether or not to undergo medical treatment after receiving an explanation of what is involved and any associated risks Be treated with reasonable care and skill, by appropriately qualified personnel Confidentiality of information about medical conditions and treatment Receive courteous and respectful service, with no mental, physical or financial abuse Receive services that respect their dignity and privacy promotes their autonomy. Receive services from a provider who recognises their individuality, is sensitive to and responds to their needs and preferences, including those based on ethnic, spiritual, linguistic, familial and cultural factors Suitable information about the organisation/s providing the services Work with the service provider in developing a plan of service, and to participate in the review and evaluation or revision of their service plan Raise concerns or recommend changes in connection with the community services provided or in connection with policies and decisions  that affect client interests without fear of interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal Be informed of the laws, rules and policies affecting the operation of the service with which they are interacting Confidentiality of records and personal information Assessment activity 6 1. Draw on the text and your own experience to explain the ways in which organisational policies and procedures can assist with the provision of services A policy is a high level, overall plan embracing the general goals and expectations of an institution or organisation. These policies assist with the provision of services as they are a statement that guides behaviour and sets general parameters related to how the business will be conducted and to what is expected of employees. For example – at my work a child developed hand, foot and mouth and we didn’t know the incubation period. We checked the policy and it told us exactly how long, what it will look like when it isn’t contagious and we will need a medical clearance from the doctor. We were able to refer to the policy to advise and inform the parents on this information. Procedures are the documented instructions on how policies should be practically applied. These procedures assist with the provision of services as it involves staff rosters, managing crisis situations, managing workplace programs and timetable management systems, coping with emergencies, conducting team meetings, administrative systems of the workplace including filing and record keeping, and staff security and safety procedures for responding to physical violence. For example, at my work we have the nappy procedures on the wall above the nappy change area. This reminds all workers and especially casuals of our expectations and procedures of changing each child’s nappies. 2. Why is it necessary that employees perform work according to the policies, procedures and protocols of the organisation for which they work? Policies, protocols and procedures include guidelines and practices developed to address legal, ethical and regulatory requirements. Each organisation has written policy and staff need to know how to access and interpret this documentation and why it is necessary to comply with the different policies and procedures. A policy is seen as a guideline rather than a rule and staff  must comply to these for the safety and wellbeing of the children and adults. It is necessary that employees know what is expected of them and must consistently behave in a manner that supports the organisations policies, protocols and procedures. Following these policies, protocols and procedures also ensures a consistent high level of service to all clients. This will contribute to the organisations reputation and credibility. Clients will know what to expect from the service and will be able to interact on the appropriate levels. Assessment activity 7 1. What are some useful questions that might be asked when reviewing and evaluating existing organisational policies, procedures and protocols? Some useful questions that might be asked when reviewing and evaluating existing organisational policies, procedures and protocols include What is the aim and purpose of the policy, procedure or protocol? What is it attempting to address (eg improve safety, make staff aware of required service standards)? How is its current effectiveness measured? How current is the existing policy on which procedures and protocols are based? How relevant are the policies, procedures and protocols to issues being faced by the organisation, its clients, staff and/or organisation? Are there clear and direct links between the policies and operational procedures? Have organisational policies been disseminated to all staff? When policies were first written, what research was carried out and are the findings still available? What current research or best practice information might improve/ change or impact on the policy content and application and on the associated development of procedures and protocols? 2. For what reasons is it necessary to periodically assess and evaluate policies? It is necessary to periodically assess and evaluate policies to determine whether they are being adhered to and whether they continue to be relevant to the organisation and its clients. Where policies are no longer relevant, outdated or not used then they might need revision. Also due to changing conditions it can be necessary to implement new policies and procedures. 3. Why should staff be involved in reviews and contribute to the  development of new policies, procedures and protocols? Employee’s should also contribute and involve themselves to any policies and procedures that they think are necessary. Each of their opinions should be contributed to the development of reviewing policies, procedures and protocols. Each employee’s voice and insight should be heard and respected. Assessment activity 8 1. What information enables employees to work within their position specifications, role responsibilities and scope of practice? The particular job specifications for each employee outlined in broad terms, (enables employees to work within their position specifications, role responsibilities and scope of practise) the employees role, tasks and relationships with others in the organisation. It also outlines the employees responsibilities and obligations, required skilled levels, knowledge requirements, level of authority and decision making expectations. 3. How can you clarify your job role, scope and responsibilities? You must know what your role is and how you are expected to perform alongside the performance standards. You must understand what boundaries apply to your role and others so that you can contribute to the organisation and perform the work you are expected to do according to your position specifications and role responsibilities. Whilst some of the organisations expectations will be outlined in the job specifications or will be clarified as a result of supervisor instructions, the workplace culture will determine the non-written, informal expectations of the workplace. Other expectations will be clarified by managers and supervisors who provide training, information, instructions and support. 3. What should you do if you are in a situation where the necessary actions are beyond your scope of responsibility? Employees must have a clear understanding of the boundaries where they work. Boundaries, levels of authority and responsibilities will vary according to the job type but legal constraints will also impact on what staff can and cannot do. If you are in a situation where the necessary actions are beyond your scope of responsibility it is best to talk to a supervisor or manager as it is not your responsibility to deal with that situation legally with regards to  clients, the organisation and stakeholders. Assessment Activity 9 1. If you do not understand the task instructions you are given, what action should you take? When you do not understand the task instructions given you should seek assistance and clarification of unclear instructions in order to understand and perform tasks correctly. It is also convenient to make notes during any training so you can rely on yourself and not always others to perform these tasks. 2. You are a new graduate, recently been employed in a community centre. You have been asked to develop the next weeks leisure program for the residents in the facility. You have seen previous programs but would like to try out some new ideas. You are not sure if the program you have worked out is suitable, or whether it fits within budgetary constraints. Who would you ask and why? If I were in this situation I would ask my mentor in the facility (often boss) as they are aware of the routines within the place and the past leisure programs which have been successful and which haven’t. This mentor will be able to provide you with information to see if the budgetary constraints are available and correct and they will tell you if it is suitable. They will provide you with information of what will work well and what they think you could change. 3. Why is it important to seek clarification of unclear instructions or of instructions that you do not understand? It is extremely important to seek clarification of unclear instructions or of instructions that are not understood as they can lead to dangerous or costly mistakes. Never make assumptions in a situation that you are even the slightest unaware of as it can result dangerously. Assessment activity 10 1. Explain what is meant by equity and access Community support workers must adopt a non-discriminatory approach to care provision. They must support the principles of equity, access and social justice. This acts to support the rights on the client when delivering services to them. Equity principles acknowledge there are groups of people who have different needs due to the attributes they were born with or have  acquired and which cannot be changed. Equity legislation ensured that no group is disadvantaged (or advantaged) at the cost of another. This also means that people should also have access to quality care suitable to their individual needs. This might entail providing additional assistance to some people to meet requirements. The quality must be high in both equity and access. 2. How can community service workers protect the rights of clients? Community service workers protect the rights of clients by adopting a non-discriminatory approach to care provision. They must not discriminate clients by their age, race, gender, ethnic or cultural background, religion, sexual preference, physical of intellectual disability, medical condition, political beliefs, marital status, family circumstances or responsibilities and economic situation. The protection and preservation of these rights should be integrated into organisational policies and procedures. Clients are entitled to experience a quality of care that respects their unique attributes and caters to their individual needs in a manner that is free from prejudice and harassment. Assessment Activity 11 What actions might a community service worker take if they believe that conflict of interest exists? This might affect them directly or it might involve other staff members. Employees can be exposed to competing value systems and to ideas and expectations that are so dissimilar from their own that they are unsure of how to react and they may also be confronted with situations which comprise a conflict of interest. If a community service worker believe that conflict of interest exists they must contact your boss immediately to stop the situation from escalating. Avoid any informal discussions about it that might influence others on the matter. If you are finding it difficult seek legal advice if you feel it Is impossible to resolve this conflict. Assessment Activity 12 1. What are some of the differences you might come across when interacting with clients, customers, colleagues and workmates in a community service organisation? In a community service organisation you can come across many differences between people, their cultures and their values which can enrich  and enhance all of our lives. Some differences include knowledge, interests, customs, ethnic food, art works, retail products and customs they can incorporate into their lives. It is necessary to accept everyone’s differences and understand and comply with the legislation that has been put into place to support fairness, equity, social justice and non-discriminatory practise regardless of personal values, beliefs, attitudes and culture. This diversity can contribute to everyone’s lives, making it exciting, richer, fuller and a lot more interesting. 2. Explain what the term culture means to you. Culture to me means the quality of a particular group of people who have different behaviour patterns defined by their language, knowledge, experience, religion, beliefs, values, attitudes, music and arts. It is a group of people who have a different way of life to another group of people. These communities and cultures make everyone who they are and extend on the worlds interests. 3. Why is it so important to recognise and understand the difference between people and their cultures? It is important to recognise and understand the difference between people and their cultures because the way we look at situations is coloured by the experience we have had. We view situations through our cultural filters but our view is generally subconscious so we are not aware of the ways in which our perceptions and reactions are influenced. In the community service industry it is necessary to be aware that clients will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and as workers we need to provide services that meet the cultural and preferential needs of clients to refrain from making assumptions, based on their own perceptions, about client’s needs and preferences. They need to understand that the things they consider to be necessary or right might not be considered so by others. When providing these services it is therefore necessary that employees do not make assumptions and they make allowance for the fact that two opposite perceptions can exist. 4. List and briefly describe three strategies that an organisation might follow to ensure that the cultural and diverse needs of a client/ customer are met. To ensure that services are available to all clients regardless of personal values, beliefs, attitudes and culture community services and their employees must: Respect peoples differences and their rights to do things differently.  Imagine your own feelings when others do not respect the values which are vital in your own life. Even if in your culture a certain mode of behaviour is frowned upon it might be acceptable in another country. Respect that different cultures have food requirements due to religious reasons. Provide them with alternative foods when there is a meal they cannot have. Recognise that ethnicity and culture may have an impact on a client’s behaviour. Assist clients to become aware of their own cultural values and let them know we respect that. Allow them to incorporate their beliefs and celebrations to the society, as well as within the organisation. Assessment activity 13 1. Why do you think community service organisations should have policies and expectations regarding professional boundaries, the acceptance of gifts and ethical interactions with clients? Ethics might be defined as philosophical ideals and behaviours that are in agreement with accepted principles for right conduct. These principles, rules and expectations are determined and agreed upon by the society and communities in which people live. I believe there need to be policies and expectations regarding professional boundaries as employees must remember their relationship with their clients are proper and that these boundaries are not crossed. Clients and carers can build strong relationships with one another but the service provided to the clients must remain transparent and professional at all times. Clients can build a strong bond with their carers (more personal than professional) which can put an unaware carer into a vulnerable position. These ethical standards must also be complied with and remain professional. Acceptance of gifts is often not allowed in government organisations due to the appropriateness of the gifts. Clients can also manipulate staff by giving presents. All of these policies are an act to protect workers and their clients from not being taken advantage of and for their own protection. 2. What actions should staff take if they believe that another person is acting unethically or if they are confronted with an ethical dilemma that affects themselves? If you are in this position it is best to report the situation to avoid any further harm. Each employee should be competent to handle potential and actual problems to the level of their responsibility and within the service guidelines and procedures. Where the dispute is outside  the scope of the employee it should be further noticed to an authorised person to handle the matter. The service will have procedures designed to ensure that ethical issues can be resolved fast and efficiently and to ensure a resolution. Disputes should be resolved in a matter which is professional and within the standard requirements of the organisation and any legislative requirements. Assessment Activity 14 1. Why should client-related matters only be discussed within the confines on the facility? Client related matters should only be discussed within the confines of the facility and authorised people within the enterprise. Each organisation has specific guidelines for employees to follow regarding disclosure and confidentiality. Personal and sensitive information about a case or disclosures made by a client to the person overseeing their care should remain confidential unless there is a legal need for this disclosure – self harm. 2. How can staff in community service organisations ensure that client information is protected? Staff in community service organisations can ensure that client information is protected by agreeing to their organisations guidelines and remaining confidential. Staff must be aware that information must only be discussed in ways or places where the discussion can be overheard by unauthorised people. All client information that is collected must be documented, recorded and stored safely within the premises. To ensure all information is appropriately protected, staff can demonstrate effective application of guidelines and legal requirements relating to disclosure and confidentiality. Assessment activity 15 1. How can you encourage clients or their advocates to bring issues or concerns out into the open – to identify and express their concerns? Clients or their advocates might have complaints or grievances that need to be heard and followed up in order for them to not feel this way. To support the clients it will be necessary to help identify the real concerns or issues. Once these have been identified they can be properly expressed. Question the client using open, closed and probing questions. Paraphrase or repeat back to the client the information you receive. This enables you and the client  to agree on the meaning of the concerns. Evaluate any outcomes resulting from your action, and decide, with your client, if further action is required. 2. Why is it necessary to do this? It is necessary to bring these issues or concerns out into the open so there is no disagreement or feeling of concern with these clients or advocates. The community service workers role involves aiding and supporting the client and/or advocate so they can identify and express any concerns they might have. By assisting the client to identify and articulate their concerns, the employee and the organisation are in a position to ensure that client’s needs are met. Assessment activity 16 1. What procedures might be used to refer a client to an advocacy service? The term advocate is often applied in a legal sense to plead the case for a defendant and is another name for legal counsel in some cultures. Often an advocate will act on behalf of disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups whose rights need to be upheld. If you feel that advocacy might benefit a client it is necessary to explain to the client what is involved in the representation by an advocate and why it might be beneficial. Before making a referral the client must be consulted and agree to be represented. If that person is unable to give consent a duly authorised guardian/ family member might be called to give upon consent. Staff can then select suitable advocacy contacts for the client and can offer to contact them on the client’s behalf. The staff member making the referral might offer to attend the introductory meeting in order to support the client and make them feel more comfortable. The client must be fully informed about processes and potential outcomes. 2. Why might this be necessary? It is necessary to go through these procedures to obtain informed consent from an individual client and protect the client’s rights through legal services. If for instance, a client has a physical or intellectual disability that impedes on their communication it affects comprehension you must do everything possible to make sure the client really has given informed consent. Assessment activity 17 Describe the steps that might be followed to aid a client in using the internal complaint management process When dealing with complaints it is necessary to remain calm and not react defensively. Be polite, treat the client and their complaint with respect and demonstrate willingness to negotiate a solution. Document the conversation, store and file it so they are available when needed. Empathise with the client and try to see the issue from their point of view. This doesn’t mean you accept blame but you are willing to assist the client. Give the client a time frame and deliver answers to your questions. Listen carefully to what they tell you Check to ensure that you and the client agree on what the complaint is intended to address. Make sure the clients know that the information they disclose will be respected and that their confidentiality will be remained if appropriate. Ask the client what outcome resolution they are expecting and provide information to the client about the most effective resolution process. If you are unable to handle the complaint or make resolution decisions then it is necessary to escalate to an authorised person who can manage the situation. Follow up on the complaint to ensure that te client has been given sufficient information and is satisfied Assessment activity 18 1. What are some of the signs with financial, physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect? Financial – sudden inability to pay bills, unusual or unexplained withdrawals or transfer of funds between bank accounts, loans made by the client but not repaid by the borrower, coercion to make investments Physical – unexplained accidents or injuries, bruising, burns, bite marks, abrasions, rope burns or fractures. Emotional – signs of fear and anxiety, apathy, resignation, depression, withdrawal and avoidance of eye contact Sexual abuse – psychological and emotional distress symptoms Neglect – malnutrition, malnourishment, dehydration, poor hygiene or skin care, soiled clothing, and in the case of the elderly or people with a disability a lack of aids like dentures, glasses, walking frame or stick. 2. What should community service employees do if they observe such signs? Any  suspected or observed signs of potential harm to a client or a person associated with the client must be taken seriously and reported immediately. Reports should also be made if a person has suspicions or observations that lead to a reasonable belief that a person intends self-harm or suicide. All reports should be clearly indicated and then documented and filed safely in case of any further investigations. All information regarding abuse or neglect should be passed onto the people or authorised bodies to take action to remedy them. Reports could therefore be made, depending on the type of neglect or abuse, to a supervisor, manager, the police or other authorised persons. Assessment activity 19 1. What are some of the cultural differences that might impact on communication processes? Cultural differences such as language used and the forms of language used, religious affiliations, practices and beliefs, spiritual needs, education, work ethics, food choices, preferences and taboos, holiday and religious observances, family customs and holiday celebrations can impact on communication processes. It can affect communication through verbal or written and also the body language gestures and para-language that people use. When communicating with people from other cultures you have to be aware of speaking to fast or slow, using slang words, low or high volume, not listening actively, not asking questions, using inappropriate body language and gestures and/or inappropriate humour. These could become offensive to people from other cultures. 2. What are some of the strategies that might be used to overcome verbal communication difficulties in the workplace? It is necessary to learn about different cultures from which your clients come from and to learn about some of the idiosyncrasies associated with them. Some strategies to help when communicating with people from another culture is to be patient speak clearly but do not shout. Repeat yourself, speak slowly, use signage, gestures, draw diagrams or pictures etc. Use appropriate body language, para-language, gestures and facial expression will also aid the communication process and overcome communication difficulties. 3. Why might a professional interpreter be used? Interpreters are used because they are professionally trained to understand the clients situation and understand both the verbal and non-verbal communication involved. An objective interpreter will ensure that accurate communication occurs while cultural sensitivities and confidentiality are taken into account. In time of crisis or in traumatic or emotionally charged situations, second-language competency can decrease dramatically. Being able to communicate in their first language can make clients feel much more secure and comfortable and qualified interpreters are bound by strict code of ethics, therefore, they practise impartiality and their conduct is professional. 4. How should community service employees recognise and respond to religious diversity? Community service employees should recognise and respond to religious diversity as spiritually it can be an important predictor of the quality of life of individuals receiving these services. Providing for spiritual support and making them allowance for clients to practice their religion is therefore, a responsibility of the organisation. The service needs to determine whether a client embraces some form of spirituality and the ways in which they practice this. Simply asking clients which religion they belong to is not an adequate means or determining spiritual needs. Obtaining a comprehensive history that addresses these issues during the assessment will be necessary. Family and other significant people could also be consulted regarding their perception of the client’s spiritual needs. Clients might have to assist in articulating the things that are important to them personally. Spiritual advice and support for some clients can be very appreciated.

League Of Nations

League Of Nations The League of Nations was an international association established by the victors of the First World War 1914-1918 as a result of the last point in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. It was set up to prevent future disputes, protect world peace and ensure security, thus the member states pledged to follow procedures when dealing with international crises. However it was not an easy job to set up an assembly that would have control over all nations, so in the end the League of Nations was not very long-lived, already by 1946 it was dissolved and replaced by the United Nations. An investigation will be carried out, taking into consideration the facts and the aftermath of international affairs, from the early 1920s to the 1940s. The essay will deal with two key questions. Firstly, for what reasons did the League of Nations fail and was it doomed from the start? Secondly, to what extent could this collapse be blamed on the lack of cooperation between Britain and France? The setting up of the World Parliament After the end of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, by Germany and the Allies of the Entente. As the result of this treaty an organization for international cooperation was founded. The American President, Woodrow Wilson was the one who actually drafted its creation and came up with the idea that international arguments should be sorted out and solved by the League which would be like the World Parliament  [1]  . His views and ideas clearly differed from those of Lloyd George and Georges Clemenceau. The League of Nations had a council, which was made up of 4 permanent members Britain, France, Italy and Japan along side the other 38 founder nations. Nevertheless throughout its existence the League did not manage to work up to its expectations of performing wonders as President Wilson has put it. Wilson hoped that the League of Nations would stop disputes and wars, improve peoples lives and working conditions and bring fairness and stability to Europe. However once the League was set up and he returned back home to the United States, he only found that the American Congress refused to join it. The Americans felt that by joining the LON they would be dragged into other countries conflicts and problems, which was not something they needed, thus they pulled out. This was just the very first weakness of the so called World Parliament.  [2]  The absence of the United States was not only a bitter blow which created a sense of incompleteness, but it also led to the major glitch in the Global Representation of the League. The United States was the driving force behind the LON and now there also would be no financing from their side. The League was all about embodying every nation and seeing that USA turned the LON down, any other minor member could feel like they had the right to leave any time. In 1922, it felt like the League was made up of sub nations since the worlds most powerful countries were not involved. The USA, the USSR and Germany were not members which left the League not as strong as it should have been and having an incomplete membership. Among other things the League did not have an army which was a big thing since their aim was to stop disputes and wars, the question arising, was whether they could do that if they had no fear -authority. Thus they relied on the members for military assistance who in turn refused to send their people to fight and for foreign lands, when they had no interest in that. The Treaty of Versailles left unhappiness, grief which stimulated jealousy, resentment and rivalry.  [3]  The inter-war economic situation exaggerated political reactions, condemned democracy and constitutionalism needed for lasting settlement. It slowly failed because there were no adequate guarantees. The Treaty of Versailles along with other treaties passed through the LON, were slowly going bankrupt and losing support. The International Labour Organization (ILO) failed too, in its attempt to convince the nations to adopt a different working policy. The League was already in danger of losing its popularity and authority. The Leagues aim was to maintain collective security and replace international anarchy. From the start it was supposed to be an organization that would use economic and military sanctions to stop aggressors. However the sanctions did not work since some nations managed to find ways to get around them, thinking that they would solely lose out on them. In 1931, at the time of the Manchurian crisis the League could not even agree upon the economic sanctions and later on in 1935, it failed again when attempting a ban on the sale of arms, rubber and metals to Italy, when the French and the British opposed these sanctions. They believed that this move would lead to Mussolini allying with Hitler. Also the League of Nations had been obliged to introduce a reduction of the armaments to the lowest, allowable for safety, level. A lot of time was put into this along with the effort from the Allies who have been bound to disarm together with the losers of the WWI. This was thought to be a step towards future peace development.  [4]   The problem with this however was, that the policy failed later on in 1923 because Germany refused to have lower armaments than everybody else. This led to other countries going against and bypassing the disarmament. This showed that there was not enough commitment and effort involved in the International decisions and actions. Another major difficulty for the League was handling disputes and solving problems. The specialized parts of the LON needed to cooperate but at the time of crisis they could not come to common understanding and decide on what was best for society. Also the decisions made within the League were unanimous which made it even harder for the organization to act out, it took them a long time to do anything and they were too slow to react. There were quite a noticeable number of international arguments in the years of 1919 to 1935 not dealt with properly, by the League of Nations for various immoral and to some extent, self-centered reasons. Too much pressure on the League of Nations The first instance of the Leagues passiveness is seen in early 1919, when the Italians took over the Fiume Port, which was previously granted to Yugoslavia by the Treaty of Versailles. The League of Nations did nothing despite the fact that it was their duty to prevent aggression and keep peace. In the end, an Italian by the name of Gabriele DAnnunzio governed the newly taken over port for over a year. Later on that same year, Poland and Czechoslovakia fought over Teschen Silesia, which was a bordering region between the two countries. The area was rich in iron, coal, railway lines, and a notable part of the Silesian coal fields and since both nations were just recently created, they both felt the need to strengthen their economies by acquiring Teschen. When the League was summoned to help solve the territorial dispute, what it did was just divide the region, among the two countries. Poland was unhappy with what they got and ignored the Leagues decision. The two countries argued over this issue for years to come. After 1919, town Vilna was considered to be the Capital city of Lithuania. However about 30% of the citys population was made up of Poles. In 1920, the Polish took over Vilna and when Lithuanians asked the League for help, it failed at making the Poles withdraw. They stayed in town until the start of the World War II. The League of Nations was once again powerless. We can see how many times within the same year the League failed at doing what it was created for. The second time the Polish broke the rules of the League, was in 1920. Poland invaded Russia and its army conquered Russian land. By 1921 the Russians finally signed the Treaty of Riga, agreeing to hand over financial compensation, railway materials and nearly 80 000 km2. The League of Nations did encourage them to make peace, however it did nothing to stop the Poles. Since Russia was communist, they would only gain advantage from such an operation, because they feared it and wanted to prevent it from spreading. To countries that were not members of the League, it might have seemed like the LON was selectively picking who is good enough and who is not to get help. This was another failure since it only angered the Russians and made them more hostile towards the Allies. Since the end of the First World War, one of the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles was that Germany had to pay reparations for the losses and damages that it had caused.  [5]  However when the Germans failed to do so in 1922, the anti-German feeling in both France and Belgium grew. Ignoring the laws of the League of Nations, both being members, France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr an important industrial area in Germany. But the arising question was whether the League would stop them. France was one of the main members and yet one of the aggressors. Britain could not afford to stand up against its powerful associates. The League failed this time, twice. Firstly and fore mostly because it broke its own rules and secondly, because of the example that was set for the other countries. This was not the first time that something like this happened, this was the second alarming authority-defying example the members of the League have set. Another dispute occurred in 1923, when an Italian commander Enrico Tellini, together with his assistants, was murdered on the border of the Greek territory. The Italians were sure and blamed the Greek nationalists for attacking their general. On the other hand the Greeks blamed criminals from Albania. Italy then demanded reparations and to be allowed to deal with the murderers, but the Greeks could not identify and find the killers. This sparked off an Italian attack on the Greek island of Corfu. The assassination of their General was not even the real reason, they have concealed the true motive all along. When Greece appealed to the League for help, the LON did not do anything but directed the matter to the Conference of Ambassadors who forced Greece to comply with Mussolinis conditions.  [6]  This was another failure since everybody knew that the Italians were just looking for an unjust excuse to invade Corfu and gain its coastline entrance position to the Adriatic Sea. Later on, in 1928 nearly all nations decided to sign, the Kellogg-Briand Pact. The pact prohibited any aggression and use of war unless required in need of self-defense. However the Pact of Paris did not live up to ideal expectations and did not succeed at preventing war.  [7]  It proved to be ineffective and did not manage to prevent the two future conflicts which together in turn sparked off WWII. These two were the real tests for the League. After the years of Depression, Japan still remained under its effects. She tried to overcome this by strengthening her empire although she lost many of her markets. This resulted in the Japanese searching for raw materials and trade markets. The province of Manchuria seemed perfect since right before; the Japanese had a strong economic presence there. Once the Japanese invaded Manchuria, the Chinese turned to the League of Nations for help. So what the League did was sent in, officials to Manchuria to analyze and study the root of the problem. They were very slow, it took them one year to do that and finally in 1933 Japan was ordered to step back and leave Manchuria. At the time the League did not seem as much of an authority any more which resulted in the Japanese ignoring the Leagues command. The League could do nothing about it. Japan was considered to be the greatest power in Eastern Asia and many countries supported trading with her. The Allies did not want a war and the LON cou ld not even impose sanctions. The League of Nations has yet terribly failed at encouraging peace. The other major problem of the League was that it seemed to be scared to anger the aggressors, instead of having a higher position of authority to suppress the assailants it just stayed neutral not to make them resentful. Benito Mussolinis idea of glory and popularity led him to believe that he could do anything he wanted. In 1934 he laid his eyes on the only African territory which was left without any control by the European Colonial Authority Abyssinia.  [8]  Italians had a previous encounter with the Ethiopians. In the year of 1895, Italians lost a humiliating battle and now were keen to get revenge. When Haile Selassie appealed to the League for help, the LON talked to Mussolini but with no success. He would not compromise and just ignored them and used the moment to his advantage to send an army into Africa and invade Abyssinia. The League tried putting sanctions but those did not work, there was nothing else it could do, because Mussolini was considered a potential ally against Hitler and the LON did not want to risk making him resentful towards the Allies. This was the last straw, after the Manchuria and Abyssinia crises the people just saw the League as a useless fraud, and once Hitler actually started to break the Treaty of Versailles there was no other way but to start off the World War Two since it would be the only way to stop him. All these unresolved disputes led to one another and in the end there was nothing left to do but to go to war. Also among the Leagues many failed crises there were the failed treaties and the Locarno Pact of 1925. The Washington treaty was a naval-limiting agreement signed in 1921 by Britain, United States, Japan, France and Italy; but it failed when the naval restrictions merely became unrealistic in the 1930s. The Dawes plan of 1924, that made Germany dependant on American loans failed when USA demanded the money back after going through a Depression and still did not get much back.  [9]  And finally the Geneva Protocol of 1925, proved to be ineffective when the disputes broke out. The lack of cooperation between the two main members of the League One of the big problems that the League of Nations faced was the fact that it had no army and thus it depended fully on Britain and France once USA did not join. And as a matter of fact, these two members were unwilling to share and help the League. Britain and France were very passive and as long as their own interests were not involved they preferred to stay in the dark.  [10]  They did not feel the need to or even want to use sanctions which as the members of the League they should have supported. Many historians fully blame France and Britain for the Leagues failure. They believed that since the USA was not a member, all the responsibility of taking control of the League lay on Britain and France who felt like they had their more important responsibilities towards their nations, outside of the organization. They ignored what had to be done to keep international peace and instead put their own priorities first. France feared Germany and did anything to ensure self-security because of suffering great devastation during the war, whilst Britain plainly concentrated on strengthening her empire.  [11]  These two members were the heads and yet they were not fully willing to commit. And what organization can survive without somebody managing it properly and willing to put in enough work and effort to run it especially when the heads of that organization fail to work together and fight towards the same goal. If we closely look at the crises that the League of Nations faced, we can see a pattern. In many of the cases the leaders of Britain and France were the ones to stir trouble. Taking the Vilna Crisis as an example, where France actually wanted to keep on the right side of Poland since she saw it as a potential ally against Germany and Russia in case a war would arise and as a buffer zone against communism. Britain was never prepared to act alone which resulted in the League not taking action against the aggressors. The two countries acted without thinking about the League and what was best for it. The main problem however was that the two members were unable to work together and thus bring any efficiency to the League of Nations. Each one had their own priorities and a lot of times they failed to reach agreements and come to compromises regarding the problems of Europe after the war. They clearly had different ideas of what the role of the LON was. As mentioned before France feared that Germanys bigger number of population would be a threat to her own, whilst Britain saw it as a commercial opportunity towards a quick and efficient economic recovery. Despite this being the time when the French needed the British support in case of a future encounter with Germanys aggression, Britain was not so keen on disarming Germany, which once again posed a threat to the entire stability of Europe. Both countries were obliged to show support for the LON in public, but really when in private they felt deep cynicism and pessimism for the organization but more importantly they had no faith in it. In order to properly understand the relations between Britain and France we have to consider looking at their past. During the years of the First World War, the British and French were allies and worked against the Central Powers. They strongly co-operated towards a common goal and in the end when the war was over they both were the victors. Immediately after the war, the British and French had been co-operating together, as their interests were very similar. They both needed countries like Germany and Russia weakened since they posed a bug threat to their nations and to the spread of Communism. Another similarity between them was that they both needed each other if they were to expand and strengthen their empires. At some point, there even was a very strong popular feeling in Britain towards France and when the leaders visited each other at latter countries they got warm receptions.  [12]   When the League of Nations was created, they both were the heads, and they had to accept the defense of countries between themselves. However after a while France started to see itself as a very powerful independent stand-alone power whilst Britain did not want to risk losing close relationships with Australia, Canada and New Zealand. This caused tension between the two and at one point the British were even thinking about free trade which would put France at stake by placing tariffs on its goods. Analysis There are various reasons as to why the League of Nations failed. The main ones being that it did not have enough support and a driving force willing to push it on. As a historian by the name of A.J.P. Taylor once said The League died in 1935. One day it was a powerful body imposing sanctions, the next day it was a useless fraud, everybody running away from it as quickly as possible. Hitler watched.  [13]  The actual idea of the League ensuring peace was great but since most of the member nations put their interests and priorities first, the League of Nations Failed. From the very beginning it was Wilsons idea to set up the League but then America was the one strongest nation whose presence was noticeably yearned. The league could not act alone and it was based and dependant on the two main members, Britain and France. This is where the bigger question comes in. Should these two be completely blamed for the collapse of the League? The answer is to a certain extent.  [14]  They only dealt with the smaller, weaker countries and did not dare to stand up to aggressors because they felt threatened. However that was not the main reason behind them being blamed. It is one thing when they do not feel secure and try to protect themselves and it is a completely different thing when they are not willing to work together even though the World Parliament relies on them. Japan and Italy betrayed the League thus Britain and France were its last hope. Nevertheless although Britain and France did not really betray the League, neither did they try to strengthen it and help it.  [15]  By invading the Ruhr, France let the Leagues authority down. Another example would be the Abyssinian crisis where Britain and France were the ones who actually confidentially gave up Abyssinia to Italy. The longer they kept this up, the less everybody believed and put their hopes in the League. At the end everybody just started to ignore it. Another factor was the Great Depression which made every country fight for itself and try to gain more and more power. The problem was that Britain and France were allies and had the same level of authority within the League but at the same time they lacked cooperation. Many times the two nearly went against each other to support their own self-interest only to be stopped by their own self-conscience that they needed each other.  [16]   One historian said It is not altogether impossible to bring the French and the British to see eye to eye- only their eyes are so different. It could be reasoned that Britain and France were at fault for the Leagues failure because had they cooperated more and worked their way up towards a common goal, together they might have been strong enough to stand up to the aggressors and prevent the crumpling of the world peace and the League of Nations. It was also said that the League was merely a field that Britain and France chose to fight on. On the other hand one can argue that other countries played a big part in the LONs collapse too and no matter how strong the bond between the two main members would have been nothing could have prevented the Leagues collapse and thereby the start of the WWII. All the crises that the League had to go through were not just the result of the lack of cooperation between Britain and France, but also the never-ending desire for more power within other strong countries like Germany and Italy, whose leaders knew just how to use the moment to manipulate others to get what they wanted. Conclusion In conclusion we can see that all of the events and crises that occurred in the inter-war years contributed to the fall of the League of Nations. However the most notable reason was the inability of Britain and France to effectively work together without competing against each other for full domination. Their mistrust, constant divisions and preoccupation with only their own affairs had cost the League some serious lack of development and effective performance which in the end resulted in a stalemate leading to new disputes and in 1939, the start of World War Two.

Gun Control :: Second Amendment The Right To Bear Arms

Many guns are used all around the world. All guns have the potential to become very dangerous weapons. The automatic assault weapon is one of these potentially dangerous weapons, which is used for many different tasks. Although some automatic assault weapons can be beneficially used, the sale of all automatic assault weapons should be banned because they allow many unnecessary accidents to happen, people who tend not to be dangerous have the possibility to become dangerous, and they allow the public the opportunity to become as powerful as the police and the military. Granted, guns can be used beneficially in many different ways. Hunting is one of these ways. However, is hunting still a sport when you can shoot off ten rounds in a second at an animal? Retaliation cannot even occur from these defenseless animals. So guns can be used beneficially, but not automatic assault weapons. The many numbers of accidental deaths by weapons is growing. This is due to the many different weapons out and the lack of knowledge about these weapons. If we are not going to ban automatic assault weapons we should make courses on each weapon mandatory. This will cut down on the many accidents due to automatic assault weapons. Also, people who own automatic assault weapons tend to become dangerous. With the weapon they now have the option of using or not using the weapon. This allows a small fraction of thought and if the person chooses the automatic assault weapon things could get out of hand and the person could become dangerous. More so, people will be allowed to become as powerful as the police and the military. The police and the military have trouble enough handling people without weapons. Also, with the weapons people become the same strength as the police because many of the automatic weapons that the police use are sold to the public.

The Group-Oriented Japanese :: Essays Papers

The Group-Oriented Japanese In contrast to American individualism, Japanese are group-oriented. Japanese do not like to be alone or to do things differently from others. They stick together: eating, working, or traveling in a group. Following others and being part of a group gives them a kind of carefreeness and joy. Why are Japanese group-oriented? The reasons originate from their geography, history, and culture. Geographical location and climate play a key role in promoting this group-orientedness. Japan is isolated from other countries. Japan is composed of four main islands which are surrounded by sea and located far from America, Europe, or Australia. Thus, Japan is isolated from other countries. In the past, this geographical location make it difficult to communicate with other countries, so this isolation reinforced their tendency to stick together. Furthermore, the climate of Japan has created a rice-producing country based on collective work. Japan is located in a part of the monsoon area which stretches from Siberia in the north to Indonesia in the south. In summer, seasonal winds blow from the tropical south seas and bring heavy rainfall to Japan. With the temperate climate and plenty of rainfall, Japan has become one of the most favorable countries for rice farming. Rice-farming involves rice-planting, cultivation, and irrigation works in large fields, so it requires a lot of workers. Rice-farming is collective labor or group work, and this collective labor encourages group rather than individual. In Japanese geography, the isolationism and the favorable climate for rice-farming have created their group-orientedness. In Japanese history, homogeneousness and the SAKOKU policy also helped to create the group-orientedness. Japan is a homogeneous country. The islands of Japan were first inhabited 5,000 years ago by some people from China. For 2,000 years since the founding of the country, Japan has been a racially homogeneous nation. No major invasion by other racial or cultural groups has occurred. In addition, the SAKOKU or "closed country" policy contributed to the formation of group-orientedness. In the beginning of the 17th century, many foreign Catholic missionaries began to visit Japan and were considered harmful to Japanese Buddhism. In 1639, a series of measures called the SOKOKU were enacted to prohibit Christianity in Japan. The SAKOKU prohibited Japanese from leaving the country, Catholic groups from entering the country, and all foreign trade and diplomacy. Due to this police, Japan was closed to the world for over two hundred years.

Alfred Stieglitz Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Alfred Stieglitz Works Cited Missing Alfred Stieglitz was an influential photographer who spent his life fighting for the recognition of photography as a valid art form. He was a pioneering photographer, editor and gallery owner who played pivotal role in defining and shaping modernism in the United States. (Lowe 23). He took pictures in a time when photography was considered as only a scientific curiosity and not an art. As the controversy over the art value of photography became widespread, Stieglitz began to fight for the recognition of his chosen medium. This battle would last his whole life. Edward Stieglitz, father of Alfred, was born in Germany in 1833. He grew up on a farm, loved nature, and was an artist at heart. Legend has it that, independent and strong willed, Edward Stieglitz ran away from home at the age of sixteen because his mother insisted on upon starching his shirt after he had begged her not to (Lowe 23). Edward would later meet Hedwig Warner and they would have their first son, Alfred. Alfred was the first of six born to his dad Edward and mom Hedwig. As a child Alfred was remembered as a boy with thick black hair, large dark eyes, pale fine skin, a delicately modeled mouth with a strong chin (Peterson 34). In 1871 the Stieglitz family lived at 14 East 60th street in Manhattan. No buildings stood between Central Park and the Stieglitz family home. As Stieglitz got older he started to show interest in photography, posting every photo he could find on his bedroom wall. It wasn't until he got older that his photography curiosity begin to take charge of his life. Stieglitz formally started photography at the age of nineteen, during his first years at the Berlin Polytechnic School. At this time photography was in its infancy as an art form. Alfred learned the fine arts of photography by watching a local photographer in Berlin working in the store's dark room. After making a few pictures of his room and himself, he enrolled in a photochemistry course. This is where his photography career would begin. His earliest public recognition came from England and Germany. It began in 1887 when Stieglitz won the first of his many first prizes in a competition. The judge who gave him the award was Dr. P.H. Emerson, then the most widely known English advocate of photography as an art (Doty 23). Dr. Emerson later wrot... ...raphers. At the turn of the century, a new class of creative individuals, called painter- photographer emerged. This group fulfilled Stieglitz' s dream for pictorial photography. Its presence provided the movement with individuals who were trained in the established arts and who legitimized the artistic claims of pictorial photography by the fact that they were willing to use the photographic medium. The very term painter photographer was made up in reference to Frank Eugene who worked simultaneously with Stieglitz in media for a decade. Eugene attended a German fine arts academy, and painted theatrical portraits of the United States. In 1889 he mounted a solo exhibition of pictorial photographs at the Camera Club of New York, which, pointedly, was reviewed in Camera Notes as painting photography (Norman 23). In conclusion Stieglitz's fight for photography developed into new ideas for future generations. He continued to make his own experiments and to defend the work of others also breaking new ground. The magazines he edited, like the galleries he founded, swiftly became dynamic points of contact between artist and public and a battleground for new ideas.

Development organisation in an urban facility

As we venture into this major event of building a manufacturing factory, which will be situated within a major residential development area, concerns are being raised about noise and the impacts it will have on the health of the community nearby. Since relocating, the company to a different place is an uphill task and very expensive, we have involved the local community in the decisions that might affect them due to the operations of our factory.In line with our goal to embody environmental sustainability and to support economic activity that will improve the quality of life of the nearby community and the urban residents, we will engage the residents in discussions to obtain their views and to alleviate their worries. In consultation with the community, which consists of people with various economic, education and occupation backgrounds, we have brought their needs, concerns and aspirations and presented them in this strategy.PURPOSE, AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTATION STRATEGYW e believe that a strategy is needed to provide a coordinated and effective approach to consulting our neighbouring residents. Industrial noise generated from stationary sources such as production plants, refineries, manufacturing facilities, factories, pumping stations, etc. can affect people in various ways depending on a number of key variables. The discussion would involve the residents nearby and not factory workers. Noise emissions from factories to the environment pose the greatest challenge to the industry and the regulators to establish and maintain appropriate limits. Noise is considered a biological stressor and excessive exposure to it is a health risk since it can contribute to the development and aggravation of stress related conditions such as high blood pressure, ulcers, migraine headaches, coronary disease and colitis.The body usually responds automatically to noise as a warning signal. Though reactions to a one time exposure to noise do not result in any irreversibl e effects, research suggests otherwise in some cases.   The purpose for this strategy is to provide clear guidelines on how to undertake the consultations and then implement the recommendations. The aim of this strategy is to minimize the noise levels that emanate from our factory into the environment by seeking the views of the neighbouring community and giving them a chance to influence our decisions. Our agreed objectives is to carry out a consultation that is inclusive, accessible and valuing diversity; communicate back the results of the consultation back to the community; implement the results of our consultation.TRANS-CULTURAL CHALLENGESWhy Culture?To determine these challenges, a framework definition of culture is important. Culture defines how we work, communicate, interact, decide, act and respond in the working world. Our backgrounds such as race, gender, or national origin shape our culture. Our economic status, groups that we join, where we live brand us with differen t cultures. Conflict resolution draws much from our cultural backgrounds. Since our factory is sited in a major urban residential area, the nearby people hail from different cultural backgrounds shaped with their economic status, place of birth etc.We expect to be misunderstood by some of our neighbours while illustrating to them our strategy, much of this might be because of different cultural values. Just as anthropologists Avruch and Black (1993) stated â€Å"†¦One's own culture provides the â€Å"lens† through which we view the world; the â€Å"logic†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ by which we order it; the â€Å"grammar† †¦ by which it makes sense†, we expect people to respond to our solution differently. Some might also interpret it as â€Å"abnormal†, â€Å"weird†, or â€Å"wrong† (Avruch & Black, 1993).Facing the ChallengesTo carry out this consultation, the influence of culture on our communication has to be understood. As engineers, we wi ll be tasked with interpreting to the community what we believe and have tested to be low noise and with minimum or no health hazard. We will also be expected to help in the decision making process for the implementation of the consultation results. We must also involve some representatives of the community in the daily operations of the factory and the environmental safety achieved at different stages.Sample ProjectIn a survey conducted on cross-cultural challenges involved in Japanese overseas projects, 33 Japanese professionals from various organizations educational institutions in Japan responded to the survey. This research investigated the challenges faced by the Japanese workers in international projects. Most of them preferred cross-cultural training to better equip them with what to expect from other cultures.Effectiveness of trans-cultural approachesTraining for our employees is necessary for them to understand the complaints that might be raised from time to time by the r esidents during the operations of the factory. The residents will also be notified of the allowable noise levels recommended by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO). In doing these, we expect to improve our interaction and communication with the residents and achieve our goal of environmental sustainability to improve the quality of life of the nearby community.LIST OF REFERENCES:Avruch, K. and Black, P. (1993). Conflict Resolution in Intercultural Settings: Problems and Prospects. Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice Integration and Application. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Media : empowering women in globalize world Essay

â€Å"Women must not accept; she must challenge she must not be awed by that it has been built up around her she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression†. -Margaret Sanger â€Å"There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing.† – Swami Vivekananda Media is a part of culture and society. It is widely accepted that media are transmitters of culture and engines behind globalizing cultures. We live in a globalizing age in which people around the world participate in a single information order. Because of globalization and the power of internet,  people from Caracas to Cairo are able to receive the same popular music, news, films and television programs. There is a clear intersection between women’s empowerment and media development in the globalizing world. Media were explicitly implicated in the second and third waves of women’s empowerment. The proliferation of media, the explosion of new technologies and the emergence of social media in many parts of the world have provided multiple sources for access to gender related information and knowledge. While inequalities and gender stereotypes exist in social structures and the minds of people, media have the potential to propagate and perpetuate or ameliorate these. S o, media workers can play an important role in opening up thinking of gender equality and gender-based stereotypes through media. Before discussing the topic â€Å"Media: empowering women in a globalize world†- it is important to define the concept of ‘media’, ‘empowerment’ and ‘globalization’ What is media? The term media is defined as a means of communication that operates on a large scale, reaching and involving virtually everyone in the society to a greater or lesser degree. Media feed the people with the latest information and create the need for change in contemporary society. Media plays a vital role in dissemination of information. Media is the today’s most powerful vehicle in molding of beliefs, attitudes, values and lifestyles. By becoming more gender aware in content and language, media can present a clearer and more accurate picture of the roles and responsibilities of both men and women in the society. It also paved the way for greater courage of human rights issues, and the condition of marginalized social groups. Media: Types and Influences Media has become an integral part of our lives and cannot be separated from our lives. The media include a wide variety of forms including print media, electronic media and new age media. Print media includes newspapers, books and pamphlets. Electronic media includes television and radio while the new age media include the internet and mobile phones. It is worth remembering  that there have been three recent revolutions in the history, i.e. agrarian revolution in farming, industry revolution & mass production and information revolution that provides global access. We are now in the midst of information revolution. Due to continuing developments in media technology, we are flooded by a huge volume of non-stop information. Media technologies allow us to take part ‘virtually ‘in occasions and activities in other parts of the world. Definition of empowerment of Women Empowerment is about people- women and men- taking control over their lives, setting their own agendas, gaining skills, building self-confidence, participating in decision-making process and solving problems. Empowerment requires having access to and control over resources and the benefits that are derived from development efforts. It is both a process and an outcome. Economic empowerment of women means – ensure women’s full participation in mainstream economic activities including decision making, implementation, access & control and enjoy equal benefits. Social empowerment of women means – the transformation of attitudes and beliefs about the rights, roles and capacities of women has enabled them to participate more fully in various spheres of life. Political empowerments of women means- take positive discrimination measures for women to ensure equal participation of women in politics. WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION? Globalization means to know about the social, political and economic empowerment of the women through their status. Globalization is a mode of sharing of the experiences, exchange of ideas, technology and network of the institutions and organizations through bilateral and multilateral arrangements. There are various means by which globalization mitigate the cross border problems with the help of air planes, telephone services, e-mails and instant capital flows. Globalization strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly women organizations. It is the phenomenon of increased integration of the world economy as evidenced by the international trade and factor mobility. In the feminist analysis of  globalization, two views are existent regarding the impact of globalization on women and these reveal two divert directions: (1)The critics of globalization. These views identified four major criticisms. These include: The gendered division of labor Women’s marginalization in the informal sector of the economy The exploitative nature of Multi-National Corporations Negative impact of Structural Adjustment programmes imposed in the name of globalization. (2)The second believe that are many positives and advantages for women bringing about women’s advancement. These including: Enhanced employment opportunities for women Helping to ease the problem of poverty Strengthening women’s networks Improving the access of women to health, micro-credit, employment opportunities and information in general. Globalization and the Media Until the 1970s, the media industry was differentiated into distinct sectors-for the most part, cinema, print media, radio and television broadcasting all operated independently of one another. In the past three decades, profound transformations have taken place within the media industry. National markets have given way to a fluid global market, while new technologies have led to the fusion of forms of media that were once distinct. By the start of the twenty-first century, the global media market was dominated by a group of about twenty multinational corporations whose role in the production, distribution and marketing of news and entertainment of news could be felt in almost every country in the world. These are the six major shifts that have contributed to bringing about the global media order: †¢Increasing concentration of ownership: The global media is now dominated by a small number of powerful corporations. Small-scale, independent media companies have gradually been incorporated into highly centralized media conglomerates. †¢A shift from public to private ownership: In the past few decades, the  liberalization of the business environment and the relaxing of regulations has led to the privatizations of media companies in many countries. †¢Transnational corporation structures: Media companies no longer operate strictly within national boundaries. Likewise, media ownership rules have been loosened to allow cross-border investment and acquisition. †¢Diversification over a variety of media products: The media industry has diversified and is much less segmented than in previous times. Enormous media conglomerates, such as AOL-Time warner profiled below, produce and distribute a mix of media content, including music, news, print media and television programming. †¢A growing number of corporate media mergers: There has been a trend towards alliances between companies in different segments of the media industry. Telecommunication firms, computer hardware and software manufactures and media content producers are increasingly involved in corporate mergers as media forms become increasingly integrated. †¢Contribution to the women’s empowerment: Today, media has an important role to play – to create awakening in women to achieve their potential as the prime movers of change in society. Gender sensitive indicators for media 76% of the people heard or read about in the world’s news are male. The world seen in news media remains largely a male one.† –Who Makes the News, Global Media Monitoring Project, 2010 The aim of the Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media (GSIM) is to contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment in and through media of all forms, irrespective of the technology used. The media are a channel to examine the right to freedom of opinion and expression. For empowerment efforts to be successful, women must be able to exercise their rights in the same manner and to the same extent as their male counterparts. Yet, being able to exercise a universally declared human right is insufficient for empowerment. Allowing women access to communication systems, such as media, does not guarantee that their opinions will be expressed equally or that their participation in the media will be mainstreamed: stereotyping and alienation of women by the media are still remarkably widespread phenomena (WACC 2010). According to the International Federation of Journalists (2009), â€Å"If we continue at the current rate of progress, it will take another 75 years to achieve gender equality in media.† Indicators pertaining to gender equality measure the extent to which women participate and are fairly represented in the media. Two main categories make up the gender sensitive indicators for media. These are: Category A: Actions to foster gender equality within media organizations Gender balance at decision-making level. Gender equality in work and working conditions. Gender equality in unions, associations, clubs and organizations of journalists, other media professionals and media self-regulatory bodies. Media organizations promote ethical codes and policies in favor of gender equality in media content. Gender balance in education and training. Category B: Gender portrayal in media content Gender portrayal in news & current affairs. Gender portrayal in advertising. Media’s Role in empowerment of women in a globalize world Communication is extremely important for women’s development and media play significant role. Growths of women’s education and their entries into employment have contributed to the growth of media. In all spheres of life whether for controlling population growth, spread of literacy or improving quality of life for vast masses, women have crucial role to play. However, women can be expected to play this role when they become conscious of their strength and are not deliberately marginalized by male domination. In this context, media has an important role to play – to create awakening in women to achieve their potential as the prime movers of change in society. In  today’s world, print, electronic and social media play a vital role in effectively conveying message that needs to be conveyed. Electronic and Print media: Empowerment of women Electronic media such as radio and television as well as print media such as books play a vital role in empowering women. In this context, media has an important role to play – to create awakening in women to achieve their potential as the prime movers of change in society. In today’s world, print and electronic media play a vital role in effectively conveying message that needs to be conveyed. â€Å"Family, society and workplace – women journalists have to deal with all three – the family allows them to work as pilots or doctors, but not as journalists† – Participant at roundtable in Dhaka, Bangladesh In such a rapidly changing environment, women in media have a large responsibility in not only changing attitude towards women but also shaping public opinion. In today’s world, with women holding responsible position in newspapers or electronic media, their competency is extend to a wider area and a range of issues. More importantly, a woman journalist is expected to show more sensitivity to issues relating to women and to more meaningful insights and perspectives. A significant number of women journalists are very successful in magazines dealing with various problems of women and child. With sensitivity and skill for analyzing events in depth, issues such as women abuse and exploitation, harassment of women at workplace and the trauma of HIV infected women, female infanticide in rural areas find a prominent place in such magazines. The magazines deal with the issues more in depth compared to newspapers and women are considered competent to handle such stories. As per a study in the NCR there are around 900 women journalists and even in cities like Chennai the number is impressive 200. Journalism is no more a male domain. This new trend has also led to a change in the portrayal of women in the media in general and newspaper in particular. It is important to mention here the success of ‘Khabar Lahariya’. A group of eight women belonging to backward class bring out this paper from the Bundelkhand region. This paper which is being funded by an NGO was started with an aim to encourage women to fight for their own rights. Such kinds of initiative are required in every nook and corner of our country, so as to empower the women at grass root level.  But on the other hand, the risks women in the media face, both in the urban and rural areas, have also to be seriously considered. As we move down, from the metropolitan towns and the state capitals, the risks increase. In remoter rural areas a woman journalist and particularly a reporter is a novelty not easily accepted and assimilated in the social milieu. Zakia Zaki, shot dead in her home in Afganistan Nadia Sharmeen was attacked and hospitalized in Bangladesh. She was harassed because of our religious fundamentalism. Despite these environments, It is noticed that more and more young graduates are joining the journalism degree and diploma courses, with an ambition to make a mark in the profession, and quite a good proportion of them are girls. With the rapid expansion, almost a proliferation of the electronic media through satellite channels, with the popularity of the FM on the radio and with the growth of the print media, notwithstanding the electronic media, now there is a good scope for absorption of both men and women qualified journalists in various media outlets. Women, young and old, are prepared to weather the risks. The society, therefore, must make arrangements to provide adequate security to the vulnerable section of women in the media to promote their participation at all levels. At last, it can be said that, now-a-days both electronic and print media play an extremely significant role in spreading awareness, promoting alternative-empowered images of women, breaking down stereotypes and shaping mindset. Women entering the labor market are at its peak, there is increase in the number of educated women, and heightened awareness of their mobilization to fight against the unjust and discrimination. Social Media: A tool for Women Empowerment Social media play a vital role for empowering women. Social media could enhance women’s participation in economic and political life, and allows them to increase their self-expression and promote social change, and this is a strong belief that has risen up in the society. For example, large segments of the population have been empowered by the sweeping societal and political transformations in the Arab region, where women became the main drivers for regional change and more engaged in civic and political actions  and took over a leading role in the historic changes sweeping over the region. However, at the regional and global levels reached a debate about the role of social media in these transformations, making it to the policy making circles. This graph shows to what extent the following statements (below each bar) regarding women and social media are valid- Fimage When analyzing the graph, it appears that the most popular use for social media as a tool of empowerment being communication and self-expression is followed by civic participation and social change. It was found at that more men (65%) than women (62%) believed that social media can be used for the political empowerment of women (Dubai School of Government Report, 2011). Women advancement through the blogosphere Blogging has become a solitary platform for free speech in the world. Many female bloggers in the world face a unique challenge: to speak out about women’s issues often means going against the grain of family and society, but there are well-known female bloggers discussing issues unique to women. Being part of the blogosphere will create a psychological support for women who are hesitant about starting their own blog. This is a key factor in advancing women’s courage to take their own personal initiatives. Against oppression and injustice in their communities, women can freely speak out with no censorship of their voices, through their blogs. Blogs are used as public diaries where women discuss personal and public issues in their life and development. Storytelling used by women in blogs to introduce their thoughts has been proven to have its major effect. The image of woman portrayed in mainstream media is that of a submissive stereotypical image. Alternative media concept originally aroused from the mainstream media’s black out of alternative opinion. It can be defined by rediscovering the purpose of mass communication. Alternative media are media inclusive of newspapers, radio, TV, magazines, movies, internet, etc. which provide alternative information to the mainstream media in a given context, whether the mainstream media are commercial, publicly supported or government owned. The main characteristics of alternative media are: †¢ Small scale and oriented towards specific communities, possibly disadvantaged groups, respecting their diversity; †¢ Independent of state and market †¢ Horizontally structured, allowing for the facilitation of audience access and participation within the frame of democratization and multiplicity †¢ Carriers of non – dominant discourses and representations, stressing the importance of self-representation. The main objective of alternative media towards woman’s empowerment is to support social struggles, awaken women’s consciousness to their subordination, advocate and defend rights. It also aims to promote various groups reflection and popular communication.  Alternative media provides an alternative platform to voice the plight of woman against various marginalization and it connects amongst the weaker sections of the society who are deprived of their will to fight against their basic human rights. Various alternative media practices in the world: Woman’s community radio: It is a kind of alternative media effectively nurtures equality, diversity and promotes democratic values amongst women. It help in promoting the grassroots activism and gives a whole range of platform to a â€Å"feminist public sphere† and serve as tool for woman’s empowerment. World pulse magazine: It was founded in 2003 and a nonprofit NY media organization in which ground level initiatives network of people has grown into an international network connecting women across borders and building and rising pulse of women’s empowerment across the globe. Such media help woman to become voice of change. GAMCOTRAP: It is a movement organization which is abbreviated as Gambia committee on traditional practices that affect health of women and children is a space where women speak in their own language – the very personnel and intimate experiences to express the challenges they face and share the coping strategies they have employed. NYC grassroots media coalition: It is the coalition which works to build the capacity of diverse communities to communicate, collaborate and strategize ways to increase awareness and participation in independent media and social justice movements. Democracy now: An alternative news service hosted by Amy Goodman. It plays a more subtle role which serves to sow powerful seeds of misinformation in a way that the ‘compromised’ mainstream media cannot. Black music radio or pirate radio: a form of alternative media that defies narrow definitions focused on radical content and social movement. Indy media: It is the Independent Media Centre â€Å"is a network of collectively run media outlets for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate telling of the truth.† AlterNet is news-magazine and online community that challenges the right wing media in the United States. OneWorld.net: It brings together the latest news and views from over 1,600 organizations promoting human rights awareness and fighting poverty worldwide. Jay’s Leftist & â€Å"Progressive† Internet Resources Directory is a vast site. Check on the Alternative Media topic, (under Subjects), which includes magazines (such as the New Internationalist, Third World Resurgence and Resurgence), publishers, e-zines and radio/TV. Community Broadcasting Online: It provides background information and links to Australian community radio and television. Alternative Radio is a source for public affairs programming which is made available without charge to all public radio stations. The Common Dreams News Center: It provides â€Å"news & views for the progressive community† as does Z-Net and the Alternative Press Review – all are American. Z-net also has an Alternative Media Watch page. Global Voices Online: It scans the international community of bloggers to bring attention to news that otherwise might go unseen. Conclusion â€Å"If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate an entire family†. – Mahatma Gandhi So, education is also one of the prime needs of women towards its development and empowerment in the society. With education, media can act as a platform or bridge to surpass the barrier of essential communication and