Yesterday I went to the Transformation Resource Center (TRC) in Maseru to do some interviews. The TRC was started during apartheid in 1978 as a haven for South African refugees. The three objectives of the TRC are to establish justice, peace, and participatory development. I interviewed three people (a female journalist, female intern from Uganda, and a male communications officer) about the progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's). It was by far the most interesting and helpful interview yet. When I walked into their office, all three of them stopped working and gave me their full attention (which didn't happen at most of my interviews). At one point, they brought in bread and tea and after almost two hours of talking I had to stop and let them get back to work. About the interview...they told me how the general public perceived the MDG's-and how the people perceive most things the government decides. They said that most Basotho are wondering if the goals benefit them. The guy I spoke with, Chebe, said that people on the streets are saying "these goals come to us under the guise of an international commitment, but do they serve our best interests? history tells us no, history tells us that international organizations only care for themselves." While I found that comment really interesting, I don't understand how the Basotho could be suspicious of a goal to establish universal primary education or eliminate poverty. But it's true that corrupt gvnmts have been saying good things while doing terrible things behind the people's backs for years, so I understand their concern.
Another really interesting was what the journalist, Polo, said. She said that in order to meet the MDG's, people's attitudes have to be changed. She said that girls are raised to be below the man and a common Basotho saying is "your brother is your father" to emphasize that boys, even younger brothers, have more power and say than any girl. She said that HIV/AIDS and gender equality can not be worked on unless culture changes to respect girls. A law was just passed a few days ago about the equitable division of assets in marriage in Lesotho and Polo said that men were furious. Even though to women and to outsiders, dividing things equally seems fair. But the men feel like they are losing their power.
At the end of the interview, Chebe told me that the people of Lesotho don't even know what the goals are. He said, like most laws and bills, the goals were never discussed with the people and he has no idea how they are beinge evaluated. "If the United Nations arbitratily decides (for no one in Lesotho knows how they are being monitored) that we have passed these 8 goals," he said, "it will be by sheer luck."
Another really interesting was what the journalist, Polo, said. She said that in order to meet the MDG's, people's attitudes have to be changed. She said that girls are raised to be below the man and a common Basotho saying is "your brother is your father" to emphasize that boys, even younger brothers, have more power and say than any girl. She said that HIV/AIDS and gender equality can not be worked on unless culture changes to respect girls. A law was just passed a few days ago about the equitable division of assets in marriage in Lesotho and Polo said that men were furious. Even though to women and to outsiders, dividing things equally seems fair. But the men feel like they are losing their power.
At the end of the interview, Chebe told me that the people of Lesotho don't even know what the goals are. He said, like most laws and bills, the goals were never discussed with the people and he has no idea how they are beinge evaluated. "If the United Nations arbitratily decides (for no one in Lesotho knows how they are being monitored) that we have passed these 8 goals," he said, "it will be by sheer luck."
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