Articles

We didn’t think it could happen here, did we? – Edinburgh Evening News

Ah, isn’t it lovely? Snowdrops, daffodils, and crocuses. Brighter mornings, longer evenings, and the promise of better days ahead. Recently returned to the UK after years abroad, I am in rapture with all of that, and all of this: the beauty, brilliance, and bounty of Britain.   Potable water and peace! Walkable streets and orderly …

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Cultural organisations driving progress on human rights

Good news! This year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023 will explore and celebrate human rights.   It’s the world’s biggest storytelling festival, with over 250 events from professionals worldwide. This year, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), creatives will share perspectives and practices that enable people around the …

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‘No more data “blah blah”. This is about empowerment.’ (World Data Forum)

“Data can empower vulnerable people by making their needs visible to decision-makers.” This is what many advocates for data for development have been saying for years.  The logic is that with visibility comes pressure for policies that respond to the needs, and a tool to elicit accountability for failure to deliver  on promises. After all, …

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Love will win

Last night, two men tried to rape me.  I saved myself by yelling in broken Tetum:  “I work for the police!  Next to the Commander General of PNTL (Policia Nacional de Timor Leste)!”   So I escaped.  Looking like I’d been visited by The Dementors.  Feeling upset, relieved, and furious.  And thinking, in the words of Ani DiFranco,“f*ck you”.     Timor …

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Unity or division – A letter to Scotland (Independent newspaper)

Dear fellow Scots,   Greetings! My name is Lucy.  I am an international civil servant who returned to Scotland for the referendum.   When divisions are so hardened that proponents do not listen to one another, facts and analysis don’t matter.  All that will be heard is what cannot be refuted: people’s experiences and beliefs.  Please …

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