SDG Archives - United Nations Association in Canada https://unacvancouver.org/tag/sdg/ Vancouver Branch Fri, 11 Mar 2022 02:16:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://unacvancouver.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/cropped-Una-Logo-_English-and-French__For__PRINT-July-2019-02-32x32.jpg SDG Archives - United Nations Association in Canada https://unacvancouver.org/tag/sdg/ 32 32 Digital Gender Divide: Migrant Women https://unacvancouver.org/digital-gender-divide-migrant-women/ Wed, 09 Mar 2022 00:30:14 +0000 https://unacvancouver.org/?p=6529 The post Digital Gender Divide: Migrant Women appeared first on United Nations Association in Canada.

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By: Koyali Burman

March 7 2022 / Vancouver

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day – a day to celebrate women’s achievements but also an opportunity to voice our concerns for persisting gender inequalities. As the world continues to struggle with the impacts of COVID-19 – and with our reliance on digital technologies at an all-time high – it is the perfect moment to highlight the digital gender divide. The digital divide between those who can access digital technologies and those who cannot remains a big gap. The COVID-19 pandemic not only laid bare existing disparities in digital access, but also widened the gap for many.

In Canada, marginalized individuals who faced barriers accessing digital technologies prior to the pandemic, such as migrant women, encounter obstacles that are now even more pronounced. Despite this, the pivotal role of digital inclusion in successful settlement for migrant women in British Columbia remains underexplored. From my understanding and broad experience in the settlement & integration sector, many migrant women are unable to afford or access independent computers and use their phones or share devices with their families for work, study, and social connectivity. They have expressed dismissal of their need to have devices of their own as another obstacle to digital access. Access to and control of digital devices has been a major component of migrant women’s experiences of family and domestic violence since the beginning of the pandemic. The digital gender divide for migrant women is intrinsically linked to existing socio-economic inequities, unevenness of technological infrastructure across geographical locations, disparities in digital literacy and skills across different age groups, and gendered allocation of resources and responsibilities within households.
 
Some settlement organizations in Vancouver have programs that provide devices like computers/laptops to migrant workers in general and women in need as part of their COVID-19 response programs. However, the resources available are not sufficient to address the level of demand. Digital inequity is multifaceted, and technology needs to be looked at from a social justice and service lens. Recovery strategies must ensure that migrant women are not left behind in the COVID-19 response.
 
Key considerations for service providers:
  • Provision of independent devices to migrant women in need, as well as supports to address data poverty and enable access to reliable internet connections, through community organizations, schools, and other charity programs will facilitate enhanced digital inclusion.
  • Tailored and culturally responsive digital literacy programs for migrant women of all age groups.
  • Addressing the digital divide and erasing digital poverty is key to facilitating the meaningful inclusion of migrant women into new and emerging digital spaces.

Author: Koyali Burman is an accomplished stakeholder engagement and economic development strategist. She has a decade of experience in research, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation both locally and internationally. Originally from India, she holds a Master of Arts in Adult & Higher Education from the University of British Columbia. She holds a leadership position and has spoken about international migration in various platforms and universities in Canada and India. She has held various board of directors and advisory positions in Canada with the most recent ones being Vice President (Board) to Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC and Secretary to United Nations Association in Canada-Vancouver.

Over the past 15+ years she conducted extensive research on women and girls from Sub Saharan Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to help develop relevant skills that will lead to livelihoods. She has developed a Gender-Sensitive Information & Communication Technology Strategy in Open Schooling and presented the strategy in the Pan Commonwealth Conference in Nigeria, Africa in 2014. Koyali in partnership with financial institutions, has helped create a Small Business Hub to empower women entrepreneurs. In 2018, she received the prestigious Pan Asian Recognition Award for her leadership role in supporting Pan Asian communities in British Columbia. As an executive to the United Nations Association in Canada-Vancouver she is passionate about supporting the UNAC-V’s vision on the Sustainable Development Goals to build strong, safe and resilient communities that will be inclusive and innovative for decades to come.

@ 2022 Koyali Burman

Original Article:

Digital Gender Divide: Migrant Women

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]]> Sustainable Spring Cleaning https://unacvancouver.org/sustainable-spring-cleaning/ Sat, 15 May 2021 01:19:15 +0000 https://unacvancouver.org/?p=6411 The post Sustainable Spring Cleaning appeared first on United Nations Association in Canada.

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As the annual Raincouver rainy season has begun and the spring blooms are flourishing, now is the perfect time to start your spring cleaning! Spring has traditionally been the season of renewal; a time to clean your home and refresh your surroundings! So, this year while spring cleaning, why not also focus on keeping your community sustainable and renewable?

Many communities and cities treat spring cleaning as a part of their annual rituals. This may involve getting rid of unnecessary items in your home or simply disinfecting your house from top to bottom. During COVID-19, it is now more crucial than ever for each of us to do our part to keep our environment safe, clean, and healthy.

In line with SDG 13: Climate Action, it is important to keep in mind the environmental impact of spring cleaning when going about cleaning your surroundings. SDG 13 is focused on climate action, which can also be incorporated into your daily cleaning routine. Additionally, SDG 11: Sustainable Development strives to create sustainable cities and communities. In order to encompass these SDGs into your spring cleaning, follow some of the tips below!

Use less water to clean your laundry by hanging it up to dry.

Opting to hang your clothes to dry instead of running your dryer can end up saving you some cash while also helping to reduce the energy used from this mighty, power-sucking appliance. BC Hydro states that “…dryers can account for 12% of your home’s energy. Dryers typically use more [energy] per use than any other appliance.” Since most of us are spending an extra abundance of time at home these days, hanging your clothes to dry can also be a great way to get a few extra minutes of exercise in!

Clean with reusable towels instead of paper towels

Whenever appropriate and available, using reusable towels is an eco-friendly alternative to disposable paper towels. Paper towels are single-use and therefore end up collecting in landfills without the possibility of being reused. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of paper towels and other disposable products has skyrocketed. This is alarming for the environment because paper towels require a huge amount of water to be produced – specifically, “…to make one ton of paper towels, 17 trees are used and 20,000 gallons of water are consumed.” So instead, try to utilize reusable towels when possible. You can even tie-dye or customize old rags or clothing into unique, DIY reusable towels!

Get creative with your wardrobe and shop vintage or second-hand.

Snagging an outfit from a thrift store isn’t only a cool look for Mackelmore! According to the 2019 ThredUp resale report, more than one in three Gen-Zers will buy secondhand and 51% of all consumers plan to spend more on second hand clothing in the next five years. Purchasing from a thrift or vintage store online or in-person means that the item gets a chance to be reused without being dumped into a landfill. Other ways to get second-hand items include trading clothes with friends or family, buying pre-loved items from Facebook Marketplace or Etsy, or even using recycled fabrics to create a whole new look. This also applies to clothes you already own and might be considering throwing out this spring. Consider gifting an item that no longer fits to a friend or selling it online before tossing it out. You can also donate your old clothing to a local shelter, thrift store, charitable organization, or reuse it as dish rags.

We hope you this helps you incorporate sustainable and ethical choices when it comes to your springtime routine. If there are any other tips or tricks you have, please share them in the comments below.  Happy spring from all of us at UNAC-V!

Special thanks to our Communication Volunteer Sharon Neb for her article contribution!

References:

https://www.bchydro.com/news/conservation/2019/hang-dry-your-clothes.html

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]]> UN Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination https://unacvancouver.org/un-day-to-eliminate-racial-discrimination/ Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:38:31 +0000 https://unavancouver.org/?p=6254 The United Nations (UN) declared March 21 as the International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination in response to the killing of a group of racialized and peaceful demonstrators in Sharpeville, South Africa. It is apparent that more work needs to be done; not only in our local communities, but all over the world.Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there have...

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The United Nations (UN) declared March 21 as the International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination in response to the killing of a group of racialized and peaceful demonstrators in Sharpeville, South Africa.

It is apparent that more work needs to be done; not only in our local communities, but all over the world.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many reports of cultural minority communities, particularly the Asian community, being targets of violence in Canada and across the world. The attack on Indigenous peoples in the healthcare system in BC and other parts of Canada are well-documented.

Racism identified in various structures of government, in community-based businesses, and other organizations must be eliminated.

Let us all work together to form a just and peaceful society for all, irrespective of race, gender, religious and political affiliations. Let us observe this day as a day to examine our own role in creating a racism-free world!

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