 Promoting fair play for all |
Issue 156 |
Fair Play… Everyone Gets a Fair Go
"Disability is both a cause and a consequence of poverty. Eliminating world poverty will not be achieved unless the rights and needs of people with disabilities are taken into account."
Jack de Groot CEO Caritas Australia
http://www.caritas.org.au/newsroom/
2006/20070219.htm
A fair go?
Fair play for all means that ALL people of ALL races from ALL social, religious or financial backgrounds, including those with disabilities, are entitled to a fair go in life.
On December 13, 2006 the Plenary of the UN's General Assembly adopted by consensus the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the optional protocol. The Convention and the optional protocol will be open for signature by all States and by regional integration organisations at United Nations Headquarters in New York as of March 30, 2007.
"Australia needs to be at the vanguard of supporting those with disabilities by signing the UN Convention on the Rights and Dignities of Person's with Disabilities", says Jack de Groot, CEO of Caritas Australia. "The UN Convention supporting people with a disability… is a crucial mechanism to truly challenge discrimination… 70% of the people with disabilities live in the developing world, and 82% of them live below the poverty line."
The environment… is that fair?
"Humanity, if it truly desires peace, must be increasingly conscious of the links between natural ecology, or respect for nature, and human ecology. Experience shows that disregard for the environment always harms human coexistence, and vice versa. It becomes more and more evident that there is an inseparable link between peace with creation and peace among people." Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message, 2007, #8
There has been a growing awareness and concern for our earth. We are gradually realising that our actions (and inaction) impact upon climate change. Australia is one of the greatest per capita emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. Poor communities are the most vulnerable in regards to climate change.
Climate change is a human rights issue. As a consequence of climate change, basic rights are being violated such as the right to life (and livelihood) and the right to liberty of movement as evident in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the right to an adequate standard of living (including housing) as evident in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
A land of abundance
Peru is located in South America and is bordered by the South Pacific Ocean to the west, Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east and Chile to the south. Its capital city, Lima, is home to a quarter of the 28,303,000 people who call Peru home. This makes Peru the third most populated country in South America.
To the Quechua Indians, Peru means "land of abundance" and it certainly is a land of a great variety of natural wonders and resources. National Geographic states that Peru ranks among the world's top producers of silver, copper, lead, and zinc. Its petroleum industry is one of the world's oldest, and its fisheries are among the worlds richest. It also has amazing mountains including Machu Picchu which has links back to the ancient Inca civilisation.
A local Peruvian making a life for his family
Adolpho is from the village of Jucul which is located in the Andean mountain ranges of Peru, 3,360 metres above sea level. He is married to Margherita and they have three children, Marbil, Cathy, and Anna Lee. Living in the mountains is not uncommon for the people of Peru who utilise whatever land they can in order to provide food and shelter for their families. Living so close to the mountains means that there is not a lot of suitable flat ground for farming. High altitude and cold weather can also affect seedlings and plants meaning that crop production can often be reduced due to environmental factors.
Planting seeds with a strong resistance to cold weather and high altitudes has made crop growing more successful. These are non-genetically modified crops. To find out more about Adolpho and his community go to: www.caritas.org.au/project_compassion_
07/pdf/Sec5.pdf
Fair play on the dinner table
The issue of genetically engineered food has been debated in science labs, around meeting rooms with Church authorities and between members of the public. For a DVD and booklet to aid discussion about genetically engineered food go to:
www.columban.org.au/assets/files/
publications/unjust_genes_order_frm.pdf
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
- Caritas Australia is holding a Festival of Global Concern in April 2007. The Festival is for students from around Australia and New Zealand in Year 11 and 12 and their teachers who are interested in working for justice and peace, making the world a fairer place, and making poverty history! For more information go to: www.caritas.org.au/events/
festivalGlobalConcern.htm
- "In the scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times." (Bono) Jesus was indeed an advocate for the poor. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus said: 'As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me' (Matthew 25:40). What is this saying about Jesus and his teaching and thoughts regarding the poor and marginalised?
- "Development cannot be restricted to economic growth alone. To be authentic it must be well rounded; it must foster the development of every person." Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples), #14.
Read Adolpho's story at: www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/Sec5.pdf
After reading Adolpho's story, explain what you think Pope Paul VI means. How are members of Adolpho's community living out Pope Paul VI's words?
- The lifestyle awareness calendar will help you think about how you can "Play Fair Today" especially during lent. Go to: www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/CaritasLifestyleCalA2.pdf
HSIE/SOSE/PDHPE/MATHS
- Go to www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/Sec8.pdf for statistics relating to health, education, life expectancy etc relating to Peru and Australia. Then go to: www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/Sec9.pdf for questions relating to these statistics.
a) Which statistics relating to Peru did you find surprising? Why?
HSIE/SOSE/PDHPE/MATHS
- Go to www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/Sec8.pdf for statistics relating to health, education, life expectancy etc relating to Peru and Australia. Then go to: www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/Sec9.pdf for questions relating to these statistics.
a) Which statistics relating to Peru did you find surprising? Why?
GEOGRAPHY
- Go to www3.nationalgeographic.com/
places/countries/country_peru.html and look at the world map of Peru.
a) List the countries that share a border with Peru.
b) Name the ocean that surrounds Peru.
c) How does the natural geography of Peru affect the crops that can be grown?
d) How does the amount of rainfall and the temperature of Peru affect the crops that can be grown?
- Go to www.millenniumcampaign.org/
site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b
=1008653&content_id={C433AF77-C6C7-
4482-95A8-0E4456E8ED3A}¬oc=1
Read an extract of a speech delivered by Bono from U2. How do his words impact on humanity and what do they say about how people power can help to reduce poverty?
SCIENCE
- Go to cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/
index.asp?theme=env&id=604 and read the facts and figures for the environment of Peru. Also go to
cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/index.
asp?theme=env and read the facts and figures for the environment of Australia.
a) Construct a table which compares Australia, Peru and the world and their:
b) Using the information in your table from part a. Explain the difference in CO2 emissions between Peru and Australia.
i. CO2 emissions per capita
ii. Cropland per capita
iii. Threatened species per capita
c) How could Australia reduce their use of CO2 emissions? Why would Peru's CO2 emissions be so much lower?
- Go to www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/
200703/s1859944.htm and read the newspaper article "Landcare unveils carbon trading market to help farmers".
a) How can businesses which have high emission outputs benefit from farmers who are willing to plant trees?
b) Why is it essential to try and minimise carbon dioxide emissions from factories?
c) How can carbon dioxide levels impact in a negative way on the environment?
PARISH, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUPS
- Unjust Genes is a 26 minute DVD put together by the Columbans. It includes a DVD and booklet to assist your understanding on genetically engineered food. The DVD addresses issues such as:
-The dangers inherent in the gene transfer process,
-The clandestine move by trans-national corporations to control the food industry using patenting laws,
-The long-term impact of gene technology on natural bio-diversity.
Copies of the DVD and booklet can be purchased at: www.columban.org.au/assets/files/
publications/unjust_genes_order_frm.pdf
- ACSJC has also recently released a paper 'Catholics and Nature'. See: www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/
content/publications/social_justice_papers.html
- Go to www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/15.pdf and read the selected Bible references and extracts. Discuss these in relation to how they impact on your life and church group.
- Reflect upon Adolpho's story at: www.caritas.org.au/project_
compassion_07/pdf/Sec5.pdf
After reading Adolpho's story, discuss what you think Pope Paul VI means. How are members of Adolpho's community living out Pope Paul VI's words?