Latest news with #CommonwealthFoundation
Business Recorder
26-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Women agri workers to launch climate literacy campaign
HYDERABAD: In a major step toward advancing climate justice and labour rights, women agricultural workers and leaders from women-led cotton workers' trade unions in Matiari district have united to launch a district-wide climate literacy campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness among women workers and growers about the rising risks of climate change and the urgent need for safer, more dignified working conditions. The initiative emerged from a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Climate Change and Health Literacy, organized by the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) in collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation, held in Matiari. The workshop brought together 42 women from 21 villages, equipping them with essential knowledge and practical skills to become climate campaigners. The training focused on addressing the impacts of climate change on health, livelihoods, and productivity, empowering these women to lead awareness and action in their communities. The training was inaugurated by Javed Hussain, Executive Director of SCF, who stressed that 'Climate change is not only an environmental crisis but a gender and justice issue. Women agricultural workers are on the frontlines of this crisis, and they must be at center of its solutions.' In two days training participants explored fundamentals of climate change and its specific impacts on women in agriculture. Javed Hussain opened the technical sessions, followed by Dr. Hira Arain, who addressed the effects of rising temperatures on livestock and rural livelihoods. Zubaida Turk spoke on climate-linked working conditions, while Dr. Bakhtwar focused on the health consequences of heat stress, including low blood pressure, heatstroke, and reduced productivity. She also highlighted that extreme heat is contributing to menstrual irregularities, uterine health issues, dehydration, mental health challenges, and even increased breast cancer risks all of which impact women's long-term wellbeing and ability to work. Learned how to stay safe during heatwaves, engage effectively with local communities, and conduct awareness sessions. By the end of the workshop, the women had developed a collective action plan to roll out localized climate awareness activities. Afroz, a cotton worker leader from one of the villages Long Khan Jiskanai, shared, 'We now understand how climate change is harming both our health and our livelihoods. If we don't act now, the situation will only worsen.' She urged growers to increase vegetation cover in the fields to provide shade and protect workers during cotton picking in the scorching heat. Workers also emphasized the urgent need to set a minimum wage for cotton picking. 'Without fair wages, and better working conditions' they said, 'it becomes a serious violation of our labour rights, especially as climate conditions make our work even harder.' With renewed confidence, all 42 women will now serve as local climate campaigners in Matiari. Launching a Climate Literacy Week, they aim to reach over 1,000 women cotton workers, advocate for eco-friendly shade structures, and demand stronger occupational health protections marking the beginning of a women-led climate resilience movement in rural Sindh. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2025 Regional Winners Announced
Five writers—chosen from a record-breaking 7,920 entrants—have been announced as regional winners of the world's most global literature prize Judges hail stories that 'cause us to feel that our lives have been enriched' A Bangladeshi writer has won the Asia regional prize for the first time The stories feature compelling characters including a new mother protecting her child from a bloodthirsty creature, a football-obsessed boy who befriends a woman against his mother's wishes, and a young woman who is literally falling apart. The Commonwealth Foundation has announced five regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the world's most global literary prize. This year's prize attracted the highest-ever number of entrants, 10 per cent more than in 2024. The regional winners are Joshua Lubwama from Uganda (Africa region), Faria Basher from Bangladesh (Asia region), Chanel Sutherland from Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Canada and Europe Region), Subraj Singh from Guyana (Caribbean region), and Kathleen Ridgwell from Australia (Pacific region). They will now go through to the final round of judging and the overall winner will be announced on Wednesday 25 June 2025. Taking the reader from a surf shack in Australia to a village in Guyana on the eve of independence, the stories tackle powerful themes head-on. We read of a clash between generations as a boy's illiterate mother fears and resents the unconventional newcomer; the lost memories of enslaved Africans for whom storytelling is their final act of defiance; the legacy of colonialism reflected in a demon that threatens to prey on a young baby; the pressures on young women in their twenties to get married and rear children—or face dire consequences; and how two young people form an unlikely friendship in the face of racism and family pressure. Chair of the Judges, Dr Vilsoni Hereniko, said, 'These stories illuminate many aspects of human nature and demonstrate true mastery of the short story form. Each tale shows that geography matters in storytelling. They are works of fiction that are inseparable from the local culture and history from which they have sprung. They have colour and emotional resonance—and they moved me deeply. Congratulations to the regional winners and judges!' The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the Commonwealth 56 member countries. It is the most accessible and international of all writing competitions: in addition to English, entries can be submitted in Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish. The winning stories are: Africa: 'Mothers Not Appearing in Search' by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda) Asia: 'An Eye and a Leg' by Faria Basher (Bangladesh)
Scroll.in
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Bangladeshi-origin writer Faria Basher is the Asia winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The Commonwealth Foundation has announced the five regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize on Wednesday. The regional winners are Joshua Lubwama from Uganda (Africa), Faria Basher from Bangladesh (Asia), Chanel Sutherland from Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Canada and Europe), Subraj Singh from Guyana (Caribbean), and Kathleen Ridgwell from Australia (Pacific). The overall winner will be announced on June 25. Basher is the first Bangladeshi-origin writer to win the regional Prize. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Edinburgh and a master's degree from New York University. Taking the reader from a surf shack in Australia to a village in Guyana on the eve of independence, the stories tackle powerful themes head-on. The stories present the clash between generations as a boy's illiterate mother fears and resents the unconventional newcomer; the lost memories of enslaved Africans for whom storytelling is their final act of defiance; the legacy of colonialism reflected in a demon that threatens to prey on a young baby; the pressures on young women in their twenties to get married and rear children – or face dire consequences; and how two young people form an unlikely friendship in the face of racism and family pressure. Chair of the Judges, Vilsoni Hereniko, said, 'These stories illuminate many aspects of human nature and demonstrate true mastery of the short story form. Each tale shows that geography matters in storytelling. They are works of fiction that are inseparable from the local culture and history from which they have sprung…' The winning stories are: Africa: 'Mothers Not Appearing in Search' by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda). Against his mother's wishes, a young boy befriends a woman who has recently moved into the neighbourhood. Asia: 'An Eye and a Leg' by Faria Basher (Bangladesh). A darkly humorous and surreal take on the trope of the 'expiring' South Asian woman, with touches of the macabre. Canada and Europe: 'Descend' by Chanel Sutherland (Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines). As a slave ship sinks, enslaved Africans share their life stories. Their voices rise in defiance, illuminating memory, resilience and hope. Caribbean: 'Margot's Run' by Subraj Singh (Guyana)/ A new mother ventures into the night to protect her child from a bloodthirsty creature. Pacific: 'Crab Sticks and Lobster Rolls' by Kathleen Ridgwell (Australia). An Aboriginal boy sees himself as a crab stick – cheap, artificial, misrepresented. Through a forbidden relationship with a non-Indigenous girl, he comes to see his true value: a gilgie, authentic and deeply rooted in Country. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the Commonwealth's 56 member countries. In addition to English, submissions are accepted in Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish.
Business Recorder
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Business Recorder
Int'l Labour Day: SCF organises series of community awareness sessions
HYDERABAD: On International Labour Day, the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation, organized a series of community awareness sessions in Ibraheem Khaskheli and Meho Machi villages in district Matiari. The sessions aimed to address the decent working conditions and the impact of climate change on women cotton workers, with over 70 women actively participating. During the sessions, Javed Hussain, Head of SCF, underscored the compounded challenges these women face due to labor rights violations and the increasing vulnerability to climate change. He pointed out that despite being the backbone of the textile industry, women agricultural workers continue to suffer from a lack of basic climate safety measures. Rising temperatures in the region, which have reached 49°C, and more frequent heatwaves are making it difficult for workers to maintain productivity. With no shaded rest areas, insufficient water access, and the depletion of trees in cotton fields, the workers are forced to labour under extreme conditions, which jeopardize their health and earnings. Hawa Khaskheli, a leader from the Paras Trade Union of Women Cotton Workers in Ibraheem Khaskheli, and Zubaida Machi, a representative from the Sujagi Trade Union of Women Cotton Workers in Meho Machi, shared their struggles, saying that despite their critical role in cotton production, they continue to face exploitation in the form of low wages, lack of health compensation, and no protection from the rising temperatures. The women workers, along with SCF and the Paras Trade Union, demanded several urgent reforms, including the provision of shaded workspaces, clean drinking water, heat protection measures, and health compensation for workers during extreme heat. They also called for orientation for growers to increase awareness about climate safety and labour rights, and for social protection systems to ensure that these workers are financially supported during climate-related disruptions. Hira Arain, SCF Manager, emphasized that the sessions were part of an effort to build awareness around climate adaptation and labour rights protection, and urged the Sindh government to take immediate action to bridge the income gap and protect the livelihoods of these women. SCF continues to call on the Sindh government, Labour Department, implement comprehensive measures to safeguard the health, safety, and livelihoods of the women who are at the frontline of the climate crisis and the cotton industry. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Week in Pennsylvania: Real ID deadline, gift ban, energy
(WHTM) – On This Week in Pennsylvania, Dennis Owens talks to multiple powerbrokers in Pennsylvania politics about the biggest stories of the week. State Representative Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia) joined the show to discuss his legislation that would limit the number of gifts and amount of cash lawmakers can receive. Similar legislation has been introduced by lawmakers in Pennsylvania, but they have not come up for a vote. Andrew Lewis, CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, joined this week's show to discuss several issues, including school funding and energy in Pennsylvania. State Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll also joined the show to discuss the Real ID deadline on May 7. Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the week's biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Check your local listings for weekly air times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
