Over 400 Asylum children to be deported from Norway

You Must Not Sleep
"You must not sit in your snug home,
and say: That's sad, poor people!
You must not endure so very well,
the unjustice that does not affect yourself!
I shout with my voice, the last breath,
you are not allowed to go and forget!"
By Arnulf Overland, 1935 (selected verse translated from Norwegian)

Innocent Children to be deported 
Tomorrow on a regular Thursday for most of us, over 400 asylum seeker children along with their families will start facing a new reality.

The Norwegian government has decided to deport children who have spent most of or their lives in Norway. They are integrated into the Norwegian culture and they are just like any other Norwegian child living in Norway, except their parents came to Norway as refugees. Therefore these children along with their parents will be sent back the countries their parents once escaped. Many of these children know no other country than Norway.

The United Nations Convention on Children's Rights states "a devotion to the best interest of a child, and Norway has ratified the whole Convention. Which according to UNICEF means that "national governments have committed themselves to protecting and ensuring children's rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interest of the child."

In this situation, we must have the best interest of over 400 children at heart, not a governmental policy trying to set an example in a stricter immigration/asylum policy.

Dare Not to Sleep 
Amnesty International Norway has a petition  if you are interested to look further into the issue.


More articles:
Kaldblodig og ummennesklig
A-for-anstendighet

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

Hawa Mahal - The Windy Palace

A February trip to Jaipur included a visit to Hawa Mahal, the Windy Palace. The beautiful Indian winter sun made the colours of the Hawa Mahal shine. While we visited the unique five story building, we could observe a lively celebration passing by on the street. Perhaps we were like the royal women who observed street life from the Windy Palace through one of the 953 windows, without being seen ourselves.

Jaipur, India.

Photos by author.

Magic Flute and Snake

In Jaipur, India

Photos by author. 

The Humanitarian Social Network

The Latest Within Social Networking: 
International Development and relief now has its own Social Network!

 

Are you interested in, or perhaps a part of the humanitarian aid community? If so, then you should check out aidsource a new social network. 

Sign up today and take part in live discussions, learn about career building or even living as an aid worker. I've already done it, now it's your turn. 

Fashion Across the World

Living in different countries it the fashion varies and one's own style influenced and changed.

The fashion I talk about is not the one on the runways, I'm talking the fashion of what normal women wear around the world. Inspiring each other. Wearing what they have, either in personal ways or perhaps in traditional ways, or perhaps they did pay close attention to the latest of the latest of a runway? I do not know, but it is interesting in terms of how people dress around the world. It is interesting how fashion can be a symbol of culture, tradition, personal style, economic status, fashion interest, religion or what ever else you make of it. 

Growing up in Norway, I've seen the fashion change season after season. People wearing what they felt like, or following the runway. Traveling and living in other countries, it's not only the fashion that changes, but how it is used that changes between countries.

In the US, living in the Midwest it seemed that hoodies and sweatpants was always in fashion alternating with t-shirts and jeans.

In India I'm not sure how the fashion works really - but it certainly is colourful in every season. Taking the metro, standing in the women's cart, has become one of my favorite things to do. It's colorful and diverse. There are women dressed beautifully in Saris, in Kurta's, in jeans and t-shirts, the lastest of the latest and/or whatever else. Inside the metro cart, I often think to myself that both western, Indian and whatever else type style of dressing is represented and I enjoy it. It certainly is very inspiring if interested in fashion.

Clothing can be a piece of art, and getting dressed can be like painting a picture. 
A dear friend of mine, Sara Strand, beautifully puts outfits together in a truly unique and inspiring way. I recommend you check out her blog, and also vote for her, Sara Strand, to become the Fashion Blogger of the year 2011! (She's already a semifinalist, please vote today, the deadline is fast approaching) 

Happy New Year

I hope you've had a great beginning to 2012 and that it will be a wonderful year, filled with new experiences and perspectives.

A blog post about potential new year resolutions will come soon, whenever I can come up with them. Also, I will come with a reflection of 2011 shortly.