I am participating at the UN DPI/NGO Conference in Bonn on behalf of the Access Initiative this week.There have been days of both inspiration and frustration. Today was a day of inspiration. Under the great moderation of TAI Director Lalanath de Silva we heard the stories of Rose de Lim Ramanankavana from Madagascar International Association of Charities and her decision with 5 other women to help the street children of Madagascar. This association was founded by a priest St. Vincent de Paul. They started with simply providing food for the street children but this has grown into a movement to provide education for these children, attack adult literacy in Madagascar, obtain registration documents for people and protect the environment. The poverty levels in Madagascar are shocking. She spoke of her commitment to fight against corruption and for transparency in Madagascar and the work that needs to be done to address the levels of inequity between the poor and rich in this former French territory.

Also inspirational was Anna Golubovska-Onisimova from MAMA- 86 who spoke about the start of her organisation with mothers whose children had been affected by the Chernobyl Disaster. From these small beginnings they have built a strong organisation which recognises, use and values citizens rights to access information, public participation and justice as well as improving sustainability and consumption issues in the Ukraine. She spoke of women in her organisation and their efforts to achieve access to safe drinking water, sanitation and promoting safety of chemicals. She explained that they just completed a successful campaign to obtain a new environment policy in the Ukraine which was passed through dialogue, media and heavy campaigning with the Government. She said that legal rights to information, participation and justice made their campaign effective.

Beautiful women with amazing stories of stuggle and triumph. I was so happy to have been able to hear their stories.