The Intersection of Gender, Culture and Education: Jamaica: The Next 50 Years!

“Globally, tobacco consumption causes 8 million deaths each year, 1 million of which occurs in The Americas. It is the main cause of preventable death in the world.”- Dr. Jarbas Barbosa- PAHO Director. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) states that 349 million people across 79 countries are facing acute food insecurity, many are in low- and middle-income countries. Interestingly, over 30 of these countries are on the African continent. Unfortunately, many of these countries use large areas of fertile land to grow tobacco rather than healthy food. Tobacco growing countries often face a negative economic impact due to the adverse health, environmental and social impacts of growing tobacco. In many cases, foreign exchange earned from tobacco exports is used to import food. Growing tobacco causes ill health among farmers and farm workers and irreversible environmental loss of precious resources such as water sources, forests, plants and animal species. World No Tobacco Day (WNTD...

“We want his remains back as a family and as Ethiopians because that is not the country he was born in.”- Fasil Minas, great-great-cousin. For lovers of history this makes for a fascinating read. Many nations have gone to war over similar injustices. Just imagine the audacity of the British Royal Family. What if the script was flipped and the body of a British prince was buried in Ethiopia? Buckingham Palace has refused a repeated request to repatriate the remains of Prince Dejatch Alemayehu of Abyssinia which includes modern-day Ethiopia who was taken from his home at age 6 in 1868 and died just over a decade later in England. The body of the teenage prince captured by British troops will not be returned to his remaining family in east Africa, the British royal family has said, in the latest high-profile feud over the legacy of its vicious colonial past. This stance by the British Royal Family should not come as a surprise given that they have not yet apologized regarding their inti...

“The very act of preparing and serving tea encourages conversation. The little spaces in time created by teatime rituals call out to be filled with conversation.”- Emilie Barnes. Tea is one of the world's most popular beverages, consumed by people all across the globe. Tea is rich in polyphenols which are natural compounds that have health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer. Tea is the world’s most consumed drink, after water. Did you know that tea is available in many varieties? They differ according to the applied oxidation and fermentation technique. It is believed that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China, but the exact place where the plant first grew is not known. Tea has been with us for a long time. Tea production and processing constitutes a main source of livelihoods for millions of families in developing countries and is the main means of subsistence for millions of poor families, who live in a number o...

Bees are among the hardest working creatures on the planet. By carrying pollen from one flower to another, bees and other pollinators enable not only the production of an abundance of fruits, nuts and seeds, but also more variety and better quality, contributing to food security and nutrition. There was a time when we saw more bees in and around our gardens. When was the last time you saw a bee? Where have the bees gone? Bees and other pollinators are fundamental for the health of ecosystems and food security. They help maintain biodiversity and ensure the production of nutritious food. However, intensive monoculture production and improper use of pesticides pose serious threats to pollinators by reducing their access to food and nesting sites, exposing them to harmful chemicals, and weakening their immune systems. World Bee Day is observed on May 20th each year. The theme this year is “Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production”. The United Nations (UN) adds that...

“Women are working in all facets of the maritime sector across the globe, on shore and at sea. There is still a significant gender imbalance in maritime. Times are changing but we need to accelerate that change.”- Kitack Lim, Secretary General- International Maritime Organization (IMO). Historically, women were not encouraged to work outside the home. While much has changed over the years women are still experiencing discrimination and biases as it relates to certain jobs. More focus and attention should be given to women who work in the maritime industry considering that this area of work is discriminatorily dominated by men. The International Day for Women in Maritime is observed on May 18th each year. According to the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC), women represent two percent of the world's 1.2 million seafarers, with 94 percent of female seafarers working in the cruise industry. The WiMAC was established in 2015 under the auspices of the International Marit...

“High blood pressure is the most cause of preventable premature death globally, accounting for 10 million deaths every year.”- Professor Bryan Williams, President of the International Society of Hypertension. When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked? I checked mine today. It was 106/71. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) states that more than one billion people around the world live with hypertension (high blood pressure), which is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide. The burden of hypertension is felt disproportionately in low- and middle-income countries, where two thirds of cases are found, largely due to increased risk factors in those populations in recent decades. Sadly, approximately more than half of people living with hypertension are unaware of their condition, putting them at risk of avoidable medical complications and death. World Hypertension Day is observed every May 17th in order to raise awareness and promo...

“The International Day of Living Together in Peace reminds us of all the work that remains to be done to achieve and maintain peace and non-violence. The importance of this work must never be underestimated and there will always be more to be done."- Audrey Azoulay UNESCO Director-General. Why is it that as neighbours we cannot live together in peace? Today’s world is characterized by high levels of intolerance and conflicts. Communities are engaged in long standing wars among each other, so too are families. The ongoing war in Ukraine launched by Russia is one prime example of the political, economic and social instability in our post World War 2 society. One only has to pause for a few seconds and look at the situations in neighbouring Haiti, in far away countries such as Sudan to reinforce that the world is in a crisis. Unfortunately, the international community continues to search for peace through the means of wars. This backyard solution to find that elusive peace has not ...

“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” – Friedrich Nietzsche. There is a global family crisis. The spirit of family is slowly being eroded. As we delve more into the era of modernity family members are becoming more insular and selfish. There was a time when the adage it takes a village to raise a child was true; sadly, this does not apply in this dispensation. The genuine concern of caring for each other within families no longer exists. The communal sense of sharing and caring in families is no more. As we move away from the principle of family our societies have become worse off. Families are engaged in fights and malice. No one seems to remember where they are coming from. It is fair to conclude that in many families the relationships are quite toxic. At best a significant number of families are dysfunctional. Sadly, many children have become pawns in their families as custody battles play o...

The World Health Organization defines Sexual Health as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. The ability of men and women to achieve sexual health and well-being depends on their: access to comprehensive, good-quality information about sex and sexuality; knowledge about the risks they may face and their vulnerability to adverse consequences of unprotected sexual activity; ability to access sexual health care; living in an environment that affirms and promotes sexual health. Sexual health-related issues are wide-ranging, and encompass sexual orientation and gender identity, sexual expression, relationships, and pleasure. They also include negative conse...

“African World Heritage Day is an opportunity to celebrate the richness of our common heritage in Africa, and to ensure its preservation and sustainability for future generations. As we emerge from a pandemic, we are also compelled to re-examine the role of culture and the importance for our well-being.” – Lazare Eloundou Assomo- Director, World Heritage. Too often the images emerging from Africa are of gloom and doom. This narrative is purposeful for those who are the owners of media entities with specific agendas that are rooted in Afrophobia. Africa is the world’s second-largest continent. The continent of Africa borders the southern half of the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean is to the west and the Indian Ocean is to the Southeast. Africa stretches well south of the equator. The continent consists of 54 countries and one non-self-governing country. Africa is home to some of the world's great civilizations including Ancient Egypt which ruled for over 3000 years and...

“Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.”- Walter Cronkite. World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on 3 May. Its main celebration is organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The day serves as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. The United Nations (UN) states that the day is observed in order to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and ...

Asthma cannot be cured, but its symptoms can be controlled. Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath. It is a chronic (ongoing) condition, meaning it does not go away and needs ongoing medical management. According to research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, asthma costs the US economy more than $80 billion annually in medical expenses, days missed from work and school, and deaths. World Asthma Day is held on the first Tuesday in May. The day is observed in order to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. Asthma affects more than 25 million people in the U.S. currently. This total includes more than 5 million children. According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2020 asthma deaths in Jamaica reached 65 or 0.37% of total deaths. In 201...