Womens Political Participation in Afghanistan Essay Example for Free

Womens Political Participation in Afghanistan Essay â€Å"As a global trend, rising number of women in politics will indicate that human beings are making progress towards a more humane world-not because women are necessarily more humane than men, but because any society that categorically excludes half of its members from the process by which it rules itself will be ruled in a way that is less than fully human† Kathlene Introduction The world over women are struggling to break the shackles that bind them challenging the unequal distribution of power in society. Transforming the existing in egalitarian pattern of gender relationships necessitates leadership in the state, markets and civil society- the key centers of power in the present globalizing economy. It is, therefore, imperative for women to be in the corridors of power and have the power to negotiate a better deal for themselves, if they are to influence policy decisions which have an impact upon them. Empowerment of women in all spheres, in particular the political sphere is crucial for their advancement and foundation of a gender-equal society. It is central to the achievement of the goals of equality, development and peace. Women’s political empowerment is premised on â€Å"three fundamental and non-negotiable principles: a) the equality between women and men; b) women’s rights to self representation and self determination.†(1) In empowerment, the key indeed is ‘power’; it is power to ‘access, ‘control’ and make ‘informed choices’. According to the Jakarta declaration â€Å"empowerment of women is not only an equity consideration, it was also a necessary precondition for sustainable economic and social development. Involvement of women in the political arena and in decision-making roles in an important tool for empowerment as well as monitoring standards of political performance.† (2)The application of the philosophical underpinnings of Jakarta Declaration are necessary ,because in the countries where women have gained near equal representation such as in Scandinavian countries, they have begun to alter the very nature of politics. Women are, however, virtually invisible in the political sphere. The notions of a distinct public/political sphere have been used to legitimize the exclusion of women from the public sphere. Under-representation or invisibility of women in decision-making reinforces their deprivation, leading to an unequal distribution of resources, neglect of their interests, needs, perspectives and priorities and no say in policy making. Their voices fall on deaf ears, and as Alida Brill vehemently insists, â€Å"without our own voices being heard inside the government arenas and halls of public policy and debate, we are without the right of accountability _ a basic entitlement of those who are governed â€Å".(3) To effectuate feminization of politics a critical mass of women in the decision-making bodies is yet to emerge. The substantial gains made by the women’s movement over the decades, are not adequately reflected in representation of women in positions of power. The 30 percent target of women’s representation fixed by the Economic and Social Council is not included in the International Development Targets. (4) The world average of women in legislative bodies continues to be merely 12-13 percent; only a few countries have 30 percent or more women in decision-making posts. (5) According to the United Nations Division for the advancement of women (UNDAW), Fact sheet on women in government of 1996, the percentage of women in both ministerial and sub-ministerial levels ranges from 0 percent (in about 15 countries, to 30 percent in 2 countries. 15 countries had 0 percent of women in governmental positions in 1996, out of which 8 were Arab countries. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) statistics, from 1945 to 1995, the percentage of women MPs worldwide has increases four-fold. Their latest statistics indicate that, in 2000, the world average of women in parliaments (both houses combined) is 13.8 percent. The regional variations, however, are significant. The highest percentage of women in parliaments in the Nordic countries at 38.8 percent, followed by Europe (including the Nordic countries) at 16.0 percent, Americas at 15.5 percent, Asia at 15.0, Europe OSCE member countries (excluding the Nordic countries) at 14.1 percent, Sub-Saharan Africa at 11.6 percent, Pacific at 8.3 percent and the lowest in the Arab states at 3.3 percent. (6) Among the individual countries Sweden ranks first with 44.7%percent of women in Parliament, followed by Denmark at 39.1%percent and Finland at 36.5 percent. Afghanistan ranks 37 With mere a 27.7% Percent of women in parliament. It is noteworthy that at least 9 states including Kuwait and United Arab Emirates have no women in Parliament. Given this factual background , there is a need for examining the existing power structures, the extent of women’s participation in the political process and suggest measures to increase the ‘critical mass’ or the member of women in politics, thereby paving the way for transformative politics. The issue is vast and to attempt to compress it within the confines of one paper is like putting an ocean into a jar. The present paper attempts to identify some of the key issues relating to women’s political empowerment, thereby helping to clarify and advance the debate. There are no claims here to produce an exhaustive analysis. The paper, keeping in view editorial guidelines, is structures along the following lines: * A review of international actions for women’s empowerment * A n overview of national efforts * Analyze the challenges faced by women in attaining de facto equality in Afghanistan * Identify future steps to enhance women’s political participation International Initiative for women’s empowerment The question of women’s political participation is now on the international agenda, and permeating many regional and national plans of action. Much hope has been invested in the United Nations and it has consistently been the engine for keeping the gender issues on political rights of women in 1952.Since 1975 four international conferences on women have been held under its auspices; all the conferences have emphasized women’s political empowerment as a key concern. (7) The issue of women’s political empowerment, while attracting considerable attention earlier, actually came to the forefront of the global debate for women’s rights at the time of Fourth World Conference on women held at Beijing in 1995.Henceforth, the issue continued to hold centre-stage of all discussions on gender justice and equality. Women’s equal access to, and full participation in decision- making was emphasized in the platform for action, as one of the critical areas of concer n. It unequivocally declared, â€Å"Women’s equal participation in political life plays a pivotal role in the general process of the advancement of women. women’s equal participation in decision-making is not only a demand for simple justice or democracy but can also be seen as a necessary condition for women’s interests to be taken into the account† .(8) A detailed set of recommendations were issued therein to all governmental and non-governmental communities, nationally and internationally , to enhance women’s political participation and decision-making.it recommended governmental commitment to gender balance in all spheres, reform of electoral systems, monitoring and evaluation of progress in women’s representation, revamping of party structures to remove barriers to women’s political participation, incorporation of gender issues and initiatives in the agenda of political parties, affirmative action, create or strengthen mechanisms to monitor women’s access to senior levels of decision-making among others. (9) it affirmed that women should have at least a 30 percent share of decision-making positions. However, recommendations are exactly that; they rarely, if ever, can be enforced with full authority and extent of law. Women’s political participation was equally focused upon at the Asia Pacific Regional NGO Symposium (1999) held in Thailand on the theme ‘Asia Pacific Women 2000: Gender Equality Development and Peace for the Twenty-first Century† too focused on women’s political participation as one of the critical areas of concern recognized in BPFA. It noted the gains but recognized that power structures continue to be dominated by men; women’s representation continues to be low and recommended that timeframes be set and monitors to meet assigned quotas on women’s representation in politics. Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) has launched a campaign for 50-50, that is, equal representation. This brief review reveals that women’s political empowerment is at the centre-stage of all discourse on women’s issues at the international level. Corresponding to the international efforts, various initiatives have been/ are being taken for the purpose at the national level too. Women political empowerment in Afghanistan The status of women in Afghanistan has been of deep concern since they were stripped of their fundamental rights under Taliban rule. Today, The Asia Foundation works to promote opportunities for Afghan girls and women through collaboration with a broad range of local partners, including government agencies and influential non-state actors, including civil society, and tribal and religious leaders. The Foundation provides growing support for girls to access education and programs that increase women’s economic participation and access to justice. The Foundation is helping build the capacity of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to be an effective advocate for policy reform and provision of services to women. Although Afghan women still face significant challenges, there have been some notable achievements, including a national constitution that guarantees women’s equal rights, the adoption of the National Plan of Advancement of Women of Afghanistan 2008-2018, and the growth of civil society organizations working to advance women’s rights and deliver much-needed services for women. There has also been significant progress in getting girls, who were banned from attending school under the Taliban, enrolled in public schools. Today, more than two million girls attend school, representing 35 percent of the total K-12 student population, and women’s university enrollment is also increasing. Four hundred women contested the 2010 parliamentary elections and for the first time, women served as election observers in all 34 provinces in Afghanistan. According to Women’s â€Å"Empowerment† in Post Conflict Afghanistan, After decades of war, among the many challenges of post-war reconstruction in Afghanistan, is women’s â€Å"empowerment†. But what does â€Å"Empowerment† mean? â€Å"Empowerment† is a very dynamic and context dependent concept. It can be conceived on different levels and domains, as debated by different development agents and feminists (Afshar, 1998). However, in feminist discourse, â€Å"power† is de fined in a more relational form. It is not defined in isolation but in consideration of the role and relationship of women with women, men and the wider community. The emphasis is not on the â€Å"power over†, as observed by Rowland (1998), which is a more traditional interpretation of â€Å"empowerment†. Rowland reflects on different interpretations of â€Å"power†, with the most possible different connotations, which change the terms of women’s â€Å"empowerment† out of its usual interpretation of being threatening to the power of the opposite sex. Some of the other interpretations, instead of â€Å"power over†, that she uses are: â€Å"power with†; â€Å"power to†; and â€Å"power within†. The interpretations in these other cases are in a more generic form, such as, â€Å"power with† refers to the collective action of tackling a problem together, â€Å"power to† as generative or productive power, which creates new possibilities and actions. Before I go further into women’s emancipation and their participation in social and political life of the country as cit izens, it is important to look at the power structure in a traditional society. What does women’s â€Å"empowerment† mean in a country where the question of â€Å"women† has been part of clashes between the modernists and the traditionalists, throughout the history? Considering the complexity of the â€Å"power† structure within the Afghan society and womens status within the family, community / tribe and finally the state, this research highlights the fact that womens â€Å"empowerment† cannot be discussed in terms of individuality, but, according to a feminist definition â€Å"in relation to men, women† and the community, not in isolation (Rowland, 1998). Afghan women are not a homogenous class. There are a number of significant socioeconomic factors, which contribute to the diversity of womens emancipation in the Afghan society, such as, age; educational level; and, the urban-rural divide. However, in general, Afghanistan is a traditional society where the notion of power is embedded in the patriarchal nature of the culture: reinforcing male supremacy and control over women to uphold family â€Å"honor† with conformity to accepted â€Å"behavioral norms†, which limits women’s life choices (Dupree, 199 8). As in other contexts, womens empowerment in Afghanistan cannot be discussed in a void, but should develop, through an understanding of the complexity of power and control structures in different layers around women. Stumbling Blocks and stepping stones The problems facing women wishing to run for parliament have been described as the ‘four Cs’- culture, childcare, cash and confidence. (10) The unequal participation of women in power and decision-making structures as the local, national, regional and international levels reflects structural, attitudinal and cultural barriers prevailing in all societies. Stereotypical gender roles remain a major obstacle in women’s political empowerment. On the one major obstacle in women’s political empowerment. One the one hand women are considered unfit for leadership. The public-private domain theory has been used as Vicky Randall observes, â€Å"ideologically to justify women’s exclusion from public politics, while women’s actual confinement to a narrow domestic sphere has been a major brake upon effective political participation. At the same time the public-private convention has masked the crucial interdependence of these spheres. Not only have women’s private roles limited and largely defined their public contribution, but public policies have confirmed their ‘private’ obligations. The impact is that political parties are hesitant to select women candidates from â€Å"winnable† seats. Women are usually fielded from ‘losing’ constituencies where the party does not want to waste a male candidate. â€Å" Male equivalence† the assumption that women access political life with the support, backing and contacts of family, in particular, that of the husband has been a dominant explanation for how women enter political life. It is difficult for women to establish a foothold without patronage from powerful men in the party- that too through close personal relations, as wives, daughters or sisters. The criterion for selection of women in constituency , but other apolitical considerations. Very few of the women in politics have an independent base as their entry point. Most enter politics as a sister, daughter, and wife of some men, who for some reason cannot contest election. A compartmentalization of the stumbling blocks leads us to the following points: social barriers include double responsibilities of women; traditional division of labor where women’s roles are ascriptive; lack of social services and support network; illiteracy; and socialization into gendered roles. Economic barriers may categorized as changes in a global economic market; biased theories and practices of development ; and feminization of poverty. Political barriers include type of electrol system; structures and agendas of political parties; lack of sufficient training and communication skills; and access to technology. Strategies Despite all the roadblocks that are clearly evident, it is possible to imagine and revision a more inclusive political system that allows for all the citizens to be democratically present in the political processes. In view of the need to ensure accommodation of the voice, ideas and the needs of women and to rectify imbalances in political representation, participation as the pre-requisite for facilitating and nurturing leadership is essential. The government must create an enabling environment for active leadership generating participation, which would ensure that women’s voices are heard in Afghanistan. Leadership too needs to be transformational, effecting changes in institutions of governance. Special mechanism must be introduced in order to induct women at all levels of decision-making to ensure that they form a critical mass and contribute to policy planning and implementation. The need is formulate institutional mechanisms and work out concrete measures to ensure and enhance women’s involvement and representations in positions of power and decision-making. Enhancing women’s political representation also entails reviewing of the process of selection of candidates within the political parties. The Beijing +5 Outcome Document too recognized the need to â€Å"encourage the nomination of more women candidates through political parties, quotas or measurable goals, or the other appropriate means for election to parliaments and other legislative structures, to increase their share and contribution in formulation of public policy†. The political parties must honour their commitment to gender justice and equality and ensure women’s representation all all levels of party hierarchy. Women, moreover, need to be actively involved in defining the political, economic, and social agenda. 26 This necessitates enhancing the performance and political skills of those women already in decision-making positions through imparting of formal as well as formal training, which could impart the art of lobbying, raising funds, networking as well as campaigning. Some systematized politicians would benefit new entrants to the political field. Women in senior positions, those who are already at the zenith of power could act as role models and mentors for the struggling ones. A massive grassroots movement must be initiated to change the perceptions of both decision-makers and voters. In this context, there is a need to develop strong linkage with already elected nearly one million grass root women. Lastly, it is absolutely essential to have a fixed time frame for achieving gender parity in political representation, without which governments and political parties cannot be held accountable. Conclusion â€Å"It’s not about simply mainstreaming women. It’s not about women joining the polluted stream. It’s about cleaning the system, changing stagnant pools into fresh flowing waters†. 27 when the interests and voices of half of humanity are not reflected in decision-making processes, the very legitimacy of the institutions, legislative and executive becomes questionable. Women are marginalized in the political process through co-operation, repression, socialization and sabotage. Women have been unable to find or create a space for themselves in decision-making sphere. The discourse, procedures, structures and functioning of political institutions remain heavily skewed in favor of men, as evident from disproportionately small number of women in decision-making bodies. The level of political participation among women in any society acts as a reliable barometer of the health of its system; it is clear that there is a systemic disease. Afghan women’s qualitative as well as quantitative participation at all levels of governance structures is absolutely essential for their empowerment. Bringing women into power is not only a matter of equity, of correcting an adjust and unrepresentative system, but is a means of addressing wider social issues of poverty eradication, employment, health and like, in short, facilitating a just , peaceful and humane social order. It is not an end itself, but a means to effectuate a change in the system. References: 1. CAPWIP , â€Å" Issues in Women’s Political Empowerment in the Asia-Pacific Region†, Proceeding of women in Asia and the Pacific: High-Level Intergovernmental Meeting to Review Regional Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, ESCAP, Manila, October 26-29,1999,p.281. 2. Jakarta declaration For the Advancement of Women in Asia and the Pacific, Second Asian and Pacific Ministerial Conference on Women in Development, Jakarta, June 7-14, 1994. 3. Brill Alida. (ed), A Rising Public Voice : Women in Politics Worldwide, New York, N.Y.: The Feminist Press, 1995, p.1. 4. UNIFEM, Progress of the World’s Women 2000: UNIFEM Biennial Report, New York, N.Y.: UNIFEM, 2000, P.9. 5. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands are a few examples of countries having more than thirty percent of women in decision-making posts. 6. IPU Website, http://www.ipu.org 7. In 1975, The World Plan of Action, adopted in the First World Conference held in Mexico City, put forward various suggestions, for the recruitment, nomination and promotion of women in various branches of government, public bodies, trade unions and pressure groups: In Copenhagen, in 1980, further steps were recommended to promote international cooperation and strengthen peace through women’s participation. The Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies, adopted in the Third World Conference on Women, Nairobi (1985) stresses that â€Å"Women by virtue of their gender, experience discrimination in terms of equal access to the power structure that controls society and determines development issues and peace initiatives† (Para 46) It was further pointed out that â€Å"For true equality to become a reality for women, the sharing of power on equal terms with men must be a major strategy.† ( para 51) the importance of governmental and non -governmental organizations in educating women to exercise their newly-own civil, political and social rights was emphasized. In this process of consciousness rising, efforts would have to be made to fix definite time-bound targets and even resort to be quota system. 8. Beijing Platform for Action , p 109 9. For details see Beijing Platform for Action, p 109-115. The goal of equal participation of men and women in decision-making as a crucial element to strengthen democracy was equally emphasized by commission on the Status of Women at its 41st session in 1997. The efforts for women’s political empowerment made by governments of Asia and the Pacific were also analyzed at the ESCAP High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Review Regional Implementation of Beijing Platform for Action , October 26-29,1999, The report reveals that of the 40 countries in region, the proportion of women in the national legislatures increased in 28 countries, declined in 8 and remained the same in 4.Yet women remained in a minority in the legislatures.( Report of ESCAP High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Review Regional Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, October 26-29, 1999 , p.86) 10. The best man for the job? The Selection of Women Parliamentary Candidates,† Finding of the Fawcett Society, February, 1997. Presented at listen to Women’s Vote. 1998, p. 19

Malaysian Airlines Computer System Management

Malaysian Airlines Computer System Management Malaysian Airlines (MAS) has won many awards for its quality customer service since it began on 1937. Since then MAS has increased its fleet size by providing both cargo and passenger travel. The company had gone through the tough times (2005) and some of its best times (2008, 2009) in the last 10 years. Even though the fuel prices are increasing MAS have reduced some of the costs of maintaining the fleet to be successful in the industry. By providing some of the best services in terms of technology and maintained the quality of the applications and hardware by outsourcing these areas to some of the most well-known companies in the industry. The company is currently implementing the hub-and-spoke network which considers Kuala Lumpur as the hub in the network. The increase in Low-cost carriers (LCC) has led to MAS changing some of its strategies, and in Business Turnaround Plan (BTP) 2 it was clear that the company is targeting to become a Five Star Value Carrier (FSVC). Current Business Model and recent Strategies The main hub of MAS is in Kuala Lumpur while it has recently announced its selection of Kota Kinabalu as its eastern hub. The reason for this is that it is targeting China, Taiwan, North Asia, Indonesia and Australia markets (Karantzavelou, 2010). MAS recovered from the loss in 2005 by cancelling some of the unprofitable routes and furthermore changing its operations from point-to-point services to a hub-and-spoke service. Using hub-and-spoke model it would reduce the number of routes and some of the more complicated tasks could be carried out at the hub rather than each node. Some issues that may need to be addressed may include that delays in the hub may affect the whole network by causing delays. Figure Hub-and-spoke network as displayed in BTP2 As displayed in the diagram some of the code share and interline partners of MAS are as follows: KLM for Northern Europe Alitalia for Southern Europe Virgin Blue for Australia South African Airways for Africa China Southern Airlines for Chine MAS were making losses of more than 1 billion on 2002, where the main reason for this was the increase in the fuel prices in 2000. Even though the cargo traffic increased between 2001 and 2002 the profits were not increased due to the rise in the operational cost. Some of the challenges MAS faced includes overcapacity, intense competition with yields and profit margins eroding as well as liberalization of ASEAN skies and rising fuel costs. The company started focusing on improving the cost and productivity of the company in accordance with BTP. One of the techniques that MAS used was to introduce the performance management system in all the company offices. This improved the staff performance by providing a reward and recognition scheme with motivated the staff by rewarding them on their performance and contribution to the company. It is known that such techniques to improve the decision making skill of all the staff and keep the staff motivated since they would feel as a valuable member of the company. After achieving the profit targets by 2008, MAS introduced the BTP2 which highlighted the rise of low-cost competition, increasing fuel prices and rise in the public pressure on environmental issues. The purpose of BTP2 was to maintain the growth that MAS has been experiencing after 2003. Hence MAS decided to build an airline that would provide the best services in the industry and has decided to become a FSVC. The way MAS currently works is by providing quality services at reasonable prices which are higher compared to budget-airlines such as Air Asia. MAS have been trying to renew its fleet by ordering Airbus A330s and A380s. Furthermore for the year 2010 it was identified that the main purpose is to maintain the growth following the last three years using the BTP. With the competition from Air Asia, MAS is trying to focus on the areas that it is good at and trying to co-exist with Air Asia in the market. There were delays in the delivery of A380, so compensation for this delay was collected by MAS. There was increase in fuel cost for MAS by almost 42% between 1st Quarter 2009 and 1st Quarter 2010, and it was only possible to reduce other expenditures by only 7% (Yee, 2010). However it was possible for MAS to gain a profit after receiving the compensation for A380. The most important plans currently are the fleet renewal plans. It is understood that by renewing the fleets the maintenance cost could be reduced by disposing the older models of planes which require more maintenance due to operating for a long time. Furthermore MASKargo  has been able to support the increase in demand for cargo at the end of 2009. The online services provided by MAS have been improving with providing online booking services to many additional destinations mainly in Europe. This would enable the customers to easily book their flights and furthermore provide details on prices, dates and other necessary details online. The need for customers to go to the ticketing offices would be significantly reduced and tickets could be bought at any time. MAS currently implement a frequent flyer program which gives certain benefits to its members such as priority check-in, priority standby and extra baggage allowance. The program is called Enrich frequent flyer program which increase the miles by using MAS services or even using the services of some of the partners of MAS such as airlines, hotels and credit-card companies. By implementing such programs MAS is able to maintain its more frequent travelers by providing quality services and providing them with discounts/ benefits according to the miles that the passenger have travelled. Current IT/ IS Infrastructure To reduce cost and increase profitability MAS selected Avaya for its Contact Center Transformation Project (Swamy, 2010). The purpose of the project was to improve the customer service by using Avaya since they already have well-established platforms that provide information in real-time. Avaya already has many systems such as Call Management System and Avaya Aura Workforce Optimization which would assist MAS to improve the workforce and customer services. Avaya was selected because they are a well-known and established company in providing customer services with experience in the area and it would be more beneficial for the company to give Avaya the project rather than having the company (MAS) staff work on the project. Thus, MAS would be able to use its resources (staffs) in other areas of business. These services are supposed to be implemented in mid-April 2011. Following the BTP2, MAS selected Nortel as the company to provide the communication network. Nortel offers real time communications such as voice, video and other multimedia services with low power consumption using Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 (Nortel, 2008). This system would improve the communication with a centrally managed network to provide support for the operations/ activities of the business. Since Nortel is experienced in providing these types of system would improve the quality of the services, and MAS need not hire experienced staff to develop it and could focus on other activities. These type of communication systems would help the company to communicate within the company and with the customers. MAS have a contract with IBM for 10 years to maintain the IT infrastructure, application maintenance and development (Amonk, 2003). IBM would be providing skill transfer to the IT staffs working in MAS such that staffs working in MAS would have the relevant knowledge to maintain the servers and applications. Since IBM is one of the leading IT service provider, MAS signed the contract with IBM such that it would help the company to meet the increasing IT needs of the future. Later MAS selected Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to maintain the data center and the maintain the IT network. According to the BTP, a key priority was to improve the Passenger Service System (PSS) such that MAS would have a quality IT system. Hence MAS selected Specialists in Air Transport Communications and IT Solutions (SITA) to improve the ticketing system (SITA, 2008). The introduction of the e-ticketing system, fuel efficiency programmers, rationalization of facilities and customer service would save lots of costs for MAS. The introduction of e-ticking and web check in systems provided customers with the convenience of getting tickets 24/7 and it improved the sales significantly. MAS currently have contracts with SITA and TSC to maintain the network of computers and Applications. It was further identified that MAS uses Symantec security products to reduce IT related risks (Symantic Corp., 2008). The risks of security increased with the development of online services and it reduces the risk of threats on its servers and applications. Another notable IT solution is the Sabre Movement Manager which was implemented by MAS in 2004 which assist the company in scheduling and monitoring of the flights and this system was later integrated with the other systems such as e-ticketing system (Business Wire, 2004). The company Sabre Airlines Solutions is one of the largest developer of this type of systems, hence this product could be considered very reliable. However, the company would need to be able to integrate this systems with other future systems that may require some of the data generated using this system. Furthermore, to make it easy for customers MAS introduced worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s first iPad Kiosks and self check-in Kiosks. (slinger, 2010). Conclusion MAS have been very successful with the BTP, since the company performed better than what was forecasted in the plan. The company had improved the productivity and reduced the costs for the company. MAS have been successful in attracting businessmen who are frequent flyers with the Enrich frequent flyer program. Furthermore, MAS have implemented the IT solutions by outsourcing the work to companies which are experienced in the area. The company has been improving the IT services especially to the customer with the latest technology such as the latest kiosk and iphone augmented reality application. Hence MAS is already a well-established company with the right IT infrastructure and implementing strategies that are suitable by taking into account the external factors. word limit: 1650 words

Hate Crimes Essay -- essays research papers fc

Final English Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Have you ever had a crime committed against you? In today’s society we are faced with crime all around us. There are crimes committed out of rage, revenge, jealousy, love, greed, etc; but there is another type of crime, or one could say act of violence, called hate crimes. Have you ever thought maybe that crime was committed against just because of your racial background, or religious beliefs? Throughout this country’s history, hate crimes have taken place, either by known groups who hate and, most commonly, individuals that are inspired by hate. Not until recently have the people of this country ever wanted to pass a law that would punish the guilty to an even higher extent because the crime was committed out of hate. There are two sides to every issue. Whether or not the issue is valid or if it is an unrealistic concept created by the media or by the federal government, then, in my opinion, passing a law of this type is totally unrealistic. It is a lmost impossible to prove that a crime is committed out of a bias hate. I feel that a law that punishes hate crimes should not be passed. One main question that would be asked is, â€Å"Prove it?† Saying just that, in some cases destroys the effectiveness of the law, especially if and when the crime is committed when both parties share the same sexual, ethnic or religious back- ground. Now, I think that the money grubbing lawyers and the media would love this new law because, for one, the prosecuting lawyers would, in many cases, use it against the defendant, especially if it was a white vs. black case, or vice versa. The media would emphasize racial discrimination just because the general public, especially minorities, love controversies that may make them sympathetic. Also, I would think that this law would tie up more court time. If you think about it, there would be more cases popping up all over the place and also what ever case is going to be herd the word, hate, would probably be thrown in there as well which would drag the case out even longer. Maybe, not as much in criminal cases, but more so in civil s uites. Look at how â€Å"sue happy† the public is now. This law would only add to it. For example, people sue their neighbors for their pets going to the bathroom on their lawn. How ridiculous is that? Another example is a lady put here dog in the microwave t... ...t â€Å"rape with hate† or â€Å"murder with hate.† You should be punished for the actual crime, not your feelings that go along with it. Now even if this law were passed, would the police and courts enforce it? If they didn’t, what would be the point of passing it to begin with. I guess you could say that about any law but in my eyes I could see our â€Å"system† twisting everything around. They would probably convict innocent people of â€Å"Hate crimes† and let the guilty people of â€Å"Hate† go. I don’t think it is fair to add another category to the crime list that could in the long run, ruin some peoples lives. I just think that it is wrong. I hope you see my point of view and agree with my opinion. Bibliography Jacobs, James. Hate Crimes. Challenging Intolerance 14 Nov. 2000 >http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=PA0212H- s57549sl&type=ART&artno=†¦Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Grigera, Elena. Hate Crimes. Corrections Today   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14 Nov. 2000 >http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=PA0212H-s57520sl&type=Art&artno= Walker, Samuel. Hate Speech. The History of an American Controversy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Hemophilia :: essays research papers

Hemophilia Hemophilia is a genetic blood disease, which is characterized by the inability of blood to clot, or coagulate even from minor injuries. This disease is caused by an insufficiency of certain blood proteins, called factors, that participate in blood clotting and often by sudden gene mutation. Therefore, with the absence of factors, the blood clotting process is prolonged. There are different types of hemophilia, hemophilia A and hemophilia B for example. Hemophilia A , the most common form is caused by the lack of factor VIII. In the second most common form of hemophilia, hemophilia B (also known as Christmas disease), factor IX is absent. The condition appears when the person is born. Also, the disease is hereditary, passed on from parent to child. Because of it's genetic makeup, hemophilia is carried by females however those affected are almost always males. In one-third of all cases hemophilia thought to be caused by spontaneous gene mutation with no family history. This is how females are able to be affected by hemophilia. Inheritance is controlled by a recessive sex-linked factor carried by the mother on the X chromosome. There is a fifty percent chance that the sons of a female carrier will have hemophilia. There also is a fifty percent chance that the daughters of a female carrier will be carriers of hemophilia. In addition, all daughters of men with hemophilia are carriers, but his sons are unaffected. Men cannot transmit hemophilia, and female carriers are free of the disease. Hemophilia is the most common hereditary blood disorder. Currently, approximately one in every 10,000 people in all parts of the world suffers from hemophilia. This blood related disease affects about 20,000 people in the

Womens Rights :: Politics, Race, Social Issues

The peculiarly passive obsession with security as the ultimate happiness, the compulsive conformity of life styles (engenderedat least in part by the virulent anti-communism of McCarthyismin odd combination with the Eisenhower era's pacifying blandness),and the pervasive apathy of most of the '50s was replaced in the1960s with an extraordinary and even reckless social energy and political activism. First Blacks, then other racial minorities, students, the New Left, peace protesters, and finally women, emerged one by oneas forces demanding social change. Each group became inflamed with a passion for the possible. The momentum of the feminist movement of the earlier decades ofthe 20th century had waned in the post-World War II decades. Thoughwork for women's rights actually continued by core organizations, it had become almost an underground resistance to a nearly overwhelmingly negative media blitz that insisted on proclaiming the death of feminism and on writing its obituary as it celebrated the happy suburban housewife. As early as 1946, Doris Stevens, a long-time militant suffragist with the National Woman's Party, wrote to a friend, wondering "if those who were living at the beginning of the last Dark Ages. . . knew the darkness had descended!"1 However, hope for a revival of feminist momentum in the UnitedStates was stimulated in part by a curious series of events. On August 26, 1957, (the uncelebrated 37th anniversary of the woman's suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution), the Soviet Union announced it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. On October 4, it launched Sputnik I, the first"man-made" space satellite, and on November 3, Sputnik II, which carried a live dog.

African American Experience Essay

African Americans lived differently than white men did during the turn of the century. They faced many problems within the society. Some of the issues they faced were out of their hands. Although things were not the greatest all the time, there were supporters and organizations that they could turn to. Along with these organizations they had leaders that tried to help the race. Many African Americans became successful in the late 1920’s, and still to this day there are many African Americans that are successful. During the time period around the late 1870’s through the 1920’s many African Americans did not have good jobs. The majority of African Americans lived in the southern states. Many were sharecroppers who worked the land and gave the land owners part of the profit from the crops. African Americans were cheated out of money through this process most of the time. The African Americans did receive the right to vote before white women. African Americans faced many issues throughout these years. A series of laws were passed in the South to keep the African Americans at the lowest point possible in society. These laws were known as the Jim Crow Laws. Shortly after these laws were established segregation became legalized, and black codes that were abolished during the Reconstruction resurfaced and were supported in Plessy vs. Ferguson. This lead to African Americans being looked down on and equality far from reach. African Americans were not allowed to go to the same schools or drink out of the same water fountains as whites; they were even told where they could and could not live. This put a strain on the race and the way they had to live. Many African Americans were also stripped of their voting rights. In 1890 a poll tax was enforced. This meant that poor people, of both races, were not able to vote simply because they could not afford to. They also instituted a literacy test where you had to show that you were able to read and write. Many times African American college graduates failed the test, yet illiterate whites were some how able to pass. The responses to these issues were not good. They did not understand why they should be treated any differently from the whites. This led to riots and outburst throughout the country. After this, African Americans became the center of violent and cruel attacks. Lynchings were on an all time high in the late 1800s with more than a hundred African Americans being lynched per year. Law enforcement usually did nothing to stop these terrible acts and sometimes even participated. African Americans fled to the North during this time in search of better jobs and home lives for their families. Many organizations were formed during this time in hopes of ceasing the violence and bringing America to equality. Two of the largest influences were Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. Both of these men had separate approaches with the end result being the same. Washington thought that equality would be achieved, but it would be a very slow and ongoing process. He wanted to concentrate on getting African Americans better paying jobs and a greater education. Du Bois believed that you should demand equality and stop at nothing to get it. He wanted better education, equal rights, and suffrage. Another well known advocate for African Americans was Ida B. Wells. She founded the anti-lynching movement that came into existence in the 1880s. This group set out to stop the violent acts aimed at African Americans. Wells’ goal was to make lynching a federal crime and keep the local law agencies from allowing and participating in hate crimes. White women from the North and some others supported this movement, but it wasn’t until the 1930’s that lynching became a federal crime. For a time, Wells published a newspaper, Free Speech. An angry mob of people burned down her office in Memphis, Tennessee and forced her to leave town. In 1891, Wells supported the strike of black cotton pickers. She was dismayed when fifteen of the cotton pickers were lynched. The whites sent a strong message that they were not going to conform to her desires and accept the equality of the African Americans for some time. With the end of the Civil War, the African Americans received freedom from slavery and gains some rights but lost many of those same rights a mere twenty years later . They had sacrificed much and did not give them up easily. Even though they were often defeated in court and often threatened with violence, a visionary group of leaders laid the foundation for the future successes of the civil rights movement. They founded important educational institutions and organizations to fight for civil rights and cultivated both a new generation of leaders and a growing number of writers, artists, and professionals who embodied Du Bois’s idea of a ‘talented tenth’ and who became increasingly active and effective in the 1920s. Almost a century later, African Americans are better accepted in society than ever before. There is less of a double standard and more equality thanks to the brave men and women who came before and strove to encourage, nurture, and raise their children to grow up in a more civil environment.

Division of Labor According to Manuel Ayau Essay

According to Ayau, trade and cooperation is beneficial to all parties despite differences among them in terms of capacity and talent. He states that everyone is made wealthier through cooperation, and how it is that the market economy leads to the benefit of everyone. In our world today, people base their decisions on the comparison of alternative opportunity costs at the margin, so naturally, they choose the least costly option. However, a person can only get rich by enriching others torpedoes claims to the moral high ground of those who propose that government redistribution of wealth is a means to alleviate poverty (Ayau 32). Ayau explains the workings of the free enterprise system, based on the benefits from mutual gains from trade arising from the creative productivity of a market-based and profit-guided system of division of labor. In addition, he explains that the division of labor through comparative advantage, satisfying society’s needs, trading with and by enriching others is the way someone gain wealth. He says people intuitively do what goes by the name of cost/benefit analysis, for they are quite conscious of what they are quite conscious of what they must forgo to acquire whatever they get in exchange. In his example, he explains it through simple diagrams and illustrations, with the same expenditure of time and without increasing individual productivity, the productivity of the combined effort increases the wealth of the group, creating the opportunity for exchange with mutual gain (Ayau 37-41). In the end, Manuel showed how when two participants have different opportunity costs, when trading; this is the key to understanding his attribute of increase in total wealth even when there is no increase in skill, resources, new technology, and etc. In the eyes of Ayau, people subjectively valve what t hey receive more than what they give and that wealth is made through comparative advantage. Works Cited Ayau, F., M., Not a zero-sum game. The Paradox of Exchange. 2007. Part 1, pp.23-50.