Teach children to stand up for what’s right
It’s depressing that this has to be taught to young girls (‘Karate student beats up man trying to rape her’, Gulf News, April 26). Sexual violence against women happens all too often, and it doesn’t seem to matter where in the world we live. The culture is all around us. You can find it in conversations, music and cinema where we’re just supposed to laugh it off because they are “just kidding”. People who take a stand against such distasteful jokes are accused of not having a sense of humour, but it’s a necessary stand. People who defend themselves on these topics are often just embarrassed they were called out on something they know is wrong. Universities are finally being taken to task for condoning chants and campus songs that insinuate rape or harassment.
Teach your children that this is no laughing matter. Teach them to respect everyone. When I went to school, we were taught basic self-defence and it is part of the physical education curriculum for girls. It’s useful and I agree with it being taught, but when are we going to teach our children to stand up for what’s right even when their peers say otherwise?
From Ms Jocelyn Reel
UAE
Teach girls self-defence
The fact that this girl was able to save herself from a rapist is why all girls should learn martial arts or self-defence. My daughter is learning.
From Ms Sabrina Mansour
Dubai
Facebook comment
Time to defend ourselves
I agree with you, Ms Sabrina Mansour! Since men seem to refuse to change, it’s time for all women to learn martial arts.
From Ms Pankhuri Singh
UAE
Facebook comment
Teach in schools
That’s why martial arts classes are a must for girls starting in elementary school. This should be taught in all schools for no additional fees. I think that since this is important, there will be volunteers to do this for free. Then we will see the change. It must be part of school curriculums as a compulsory class for all girls.
From Ms C. Ida
UAE
Facebook comment
Necessary for all
Great job. I think that martial arts should be also taught to all women of all ages everywhere. Many women find themselves in difficult situations or in emergencies where they can’t immediately contact the police for help.
From Ms Shera J.
UAE
Facebook comment
Just like every other child
In light of the recent events on the exclusion of an autistic child from participating in a school trip, I feel there is a need to have more awareness (‘Facebook video: Austistic boy cries with happiness seeing his favourite band’, Gulf News, April 27). There are boys and girls that nobody invites to birthdays. There are special children who want to belong to a team, but don’t get selected because it is more important to win than include these children. Children with special needs are not rare or strange, they only want what everyone else wants: to be accepted!
From Ms Pearl Naren Rathi
UAE
Facebook comment
A tough job
I sympathise with the parents of children with autism. It’s not easy and they seem to be doing a great job. May God bless them.
From Ms Malika Boucif
Dubai
Facebook comment
Moving forward constructively
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster had serious consequences that we are literally still paying for today (‘A look at the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in numbers’, Gulf News, April 27). Globally, have any precautions been taken to avoid this type of accident in future?
From Mr Saeed Ahmad
UAE
Facebook comment
Natural disaster risks
That’s a great question, Mr Saeed Ahmad. We have three of these nuclear plants not so far away from my hometown. Another one of my concerns is, what if a severe tornado hits one of them?
From Ms Rosella Lm
UAE
Facebook comment
Transparency
Another concern is the transparency of governments in the event that something happens in a nuclear plant. Although the Soviet Union is a bit of an exception, they did try to play down the severity of the Chernobyl disaster.
From Mr John Marois
UAE
Facebook comment
Food wastage
This is so sad that when people are dying of famine and hunger in world, food is being treated carelessly (‘Facebook video: Follow the journey of a strawberry from the farm to the refrigerator to the waste box’, Gulf News, April 25). It is the responsibility of every person to reduce wastage of food and share with the needy.
From Mr Mohammad Nabeel
Dubai
Facebook comment
Contribute for you and our children
My heart cries every time I read or watch something related to food waste and ecosystem imbalances. Somehow at some point, we are also part of it and willingly have been increasing our wastage day by day. Everybody has a part to play and with so many initiatives by the UAE authorities, we should all try to minimise food wastage and responsibly recycle trash before it’s too late. It’s for us, our children and for our generations to come.
From Ms Sanya Arfeen
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Respect others’ aspirations
This is in reference to the news in India that Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi could go to the Rio Olympics for tennis. More than this news, what is heartening is that both Sania Mirza and Rohan Bhopanna have dropped strong hints that they are not willing to partner the 42-year-old Paes and jeopardise their medal winning chances. Their views should be respected and, like in the past, where Paes had his wishes, Mirza and Bhopanna’s wishes, too, should be accepted. Let us keep our fingers crossed, as Paes may have the last laugh!
From Ms Kavitha Srikanth
Chennai, India
India needs awareness campaigns
I really appreciate the move made by the Indian government to introduce the emergency system on mobile phones (‘Panic button mandatory on Indian mobiles’, Gulf News, April 27). With the rise in various types of crimes that threaten the society on a daily basis, the ‘panic’ button system enables a user to demand protection. People will now have a better reach to emergency services than before. However, as I read the article, I guess there are a lot of other factors to be taken into account before introducing this scheme and that of compulsory GPS in every device.
A lot of things need to be considered before introducing such an initiative.
The emergency system, which will come into effect from 2017 is indeed a well-planned move. But, as an Indian, I strongly feel that a lot more measures that need to be introduced alongside. A government may have limitations in working for the benefit of each individual in the world’s largest democracy. Above all, awareness and education of the masses on these schemes and their right to demand full access to these schemes without restrictions or fear of law keepers is needed for the betterment and progress of the country. The joint effort, which I might call out-of-the-way service for the country, from the privileged people may ease out the government’s efforts to reach out to all.
From Ms Maria Vincent
Dubai
Where’s the accountability?
There’s no doubt that the Italian court has named former Air Chief Marshal S. P. Tyagi and some of our political leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, for receiving bribes for purchase of VVIP choppers. Such cases are nothing new in our country, India. Such cases have been tumbling out of the cupboards of each and every government section for decades. Ironically, none of the culprits have been punished so far. Successive governments have not only failed to arrest the culprits, but also have allowed culprits to escape from the clutches of the law completely. Now, new revelations have come about the amassing of wealth by Karti Chidambaram, son of our former Finance Minister. We are quite sure that shortly he too will flee to the UK or Singapore, where he has business interests. The ultimate result of this VVIP chopper scam will be stalling of the proceedings in parliament at the cost of honest tax payers!
From Mr N. Mahadevan
Mylapore, India
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