Category Archives: Writing

2022 Words of the Year

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With the end of yet another year, most dictionaries announce their word of the year. This word sums up how the English language morphed in the preceding 12 months, to recognize a trend in mainstream vernacular and comment on the human condition at that moment in time. So what did the various lexicographers choose as their word for 2022, one that reflects the world around us in that period?

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The Oxford Dictionary which was chosen by the public for the first time is “goblin mode”.
According to Oxford University Press (OUP), publishers behind the Oxford English Dictionary, the slang term refers to a type of behaviour that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations – traits that may have become familiar to many during the lockdowns. Social media can portray idealised versions of self-improvement, from waking at 5 a.m. and drinking a green smoothie, to keeping a journal, exercising and planning your weekly meal prep. That era may be on the way out. In its place is goblin mode – the opposite of trying to better yourself.

A group of lexicographers at OUP gave people a choice of: “Goblin mode,” “metaverse,” and “#IStandWith.” “Goblin mode” triumphed, racking up 318,956 votes or 93% of the total. “Metaverse” came in second and “#IStandWith” came third. ‘Goblin mode’ was the most popular word because it resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point. It’s a relief to acknowledge that we’re not always the idealised, curated selves that we’re encouraged to present on our Instagram and TikTok feeds. Although first seen on Twitter in 2009, goblin mode went viral on social media in February 2022, quickly making its way into newspapers and magazines after being tweeted in a mocked-up headline. The term then rose in popularity over the months following as Covid lockdown restrictions eased in many countries and people ventured out of their homes more regularly. Seemingly, it captured the prevailing mood of individuals who rejected the idea of returning to ‘normal life’, or rebelled against the increasingly unattainable aesthetic standards and unsustainable lifestyles exhibited on social media.

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Over at Merriam-Webster, gaslighting is their word for 2022. In this age of misinformation, of fake news, conspiracy theories, Twitter trolls, and deepfakes, gaslighting or the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one’s advantage was looked up 1740% more in 2022 with high interest throughout the year. The word comes from the title of a 1938 play and the movie based on that play, the plot of which involves a man attempting to make his wife believe that she is going insane. His mysterious activities in the attic cause the house’s gas lights to dim, but he insists to his wife that the lights are not dimming and that she can’t trust her perceptions.

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‘Permacrisis’, a term that describes ‘an extended period of instability and insecurity, has been named Collins Word of the Year 2022. It is one of several words Collins highlights that relate to ongoing crises the UK and the world have faced and continue to face, including political instability, the war in Ukraine, climate change, and the cost-of-living crisis. Six words on Collins’ list of ten words of the year are new to CollinsDictionary.com, including ‘permacrisis’.

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At the Cambridge Dictionary, homer, or the informal American English term for a home run in baseball was the word chosen to represent 2022. The word saw more than 65,000 searches for homer on May 5, when it was the answer to that day’s Wordle with 95% of searches outside North America.

I had not heard of Oxford’s word of the year, but I am loving it and I am going to use it as much as I can this year. What is your favourite word of 2022?

International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

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COVID-19 has devasted the world and has shown us how much of an impact this pandemic as well as that of major infectious diseases and epidemics has on human lives, wreaking havoc on long-term social and economic development. Global health crises threaten to overwhelm already overstretched health systems, disrupt global supply chains and cause disproportionate devastation of the livelihoods of people, including women and children, and the economies of the poorest and most vulnerable countries. There is an urgent need to have resilient and robust health systems, which can reach those who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations. The first-ever International Day of Epidemic Preparedness was held on 27 December 2020.

In the event of the absence of international attention, future epidemics could surpass previous outbreaks in terms of intensity and gravity. It is important to strengthen epidemic prevention by applying lessons learned on epidemic management and how to prevent the stoppage of basic services. There is a great need of raising awareness, the exchange of information, scientific knowledge and best practices, quality education, and advocacy programmes on epidemics at the local, national, regional and global levels as effective measures to prevent and respond to epidemics. It is important to strengthen epidemic prevention by applying lessons learned on epidemic management and how to prevent the stoppage of basic services, and to raise the level of preparedness to have the earliest and most adequate response to any epidemic that may arise, and recognising also the value of an integrated One Health approach that fosters the integration of human health, animal health and plant health, as well as environmental and other relevant sectors.

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International cooperation and multilateralism play an important role in the response to epidemics. The significance of partnership and solidarity among every individual, community, State, and regional and international organisation, in all stages of epidemic management, can’t be stressed enough, as well as the importance of considering a gender perspective in this regard.

Last month Singapore’s Ministry of Health officially launched a new research programme that aims to build up Singapore’s preparedness and response capabilities for future pandemics. The Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response’s (PREPARE) immediate task will be to work closely with MOH to develop a national epidemic research and development plan. This dedicated research programme will help to bring together multi-disciplinary experts throughout the pandemic research ecosystem in a coordinated fashion and will also further strengthen Singapore’s existing capabilities by forming research networks as well as developing necessary tools, methods, and products to respond to future infectious disease outbreak threats. Internationally, the new programme will strengthen research partnerships, share information and knowledge, and collaborate in clinical trials with various institutions in the region.

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The United Nations system, in particular the World Health Organization, plays a pivotal role in coordinating responses to epidemics, per its mandate, and in supporting national, regional and international efforts to prevent, mitigate and address the impacts of infectious diseases and epidemics under the goal of advancing the 2030 Agenda. There is a need to recognise the primary role and responsibility of Governments and the indispensable contribution of relevant stakeholders in tackling global health challenges, especially women, who make up the majority of the world’s health workers. Member states must commit to ensuring inclusive, equal and non-discriminatory participation, with special attention to those, who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations with the highest chance of epidemic infection. There is an urgent need to have resilient and robust health systems, to reach those who are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations.

The theme for the 2022 International Day of Epidemic Preparedness is

World Saree Day

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When I wrote my series on Indian fabrics and sarees, I was unaware of World Saree Day. And once I knew this day existed, I had to write about it. Celebrated today, 21 December, the day was started to encourage women to wear the saree, a timeless garment which, to me, defines a woman from India and the Indian subcontinent.

The origin of the drape or a garment similar to the sari can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, which flourished in north-western India between 2800 and 1800 BC. The garment developed from the common word sattika, which signifies a woman’s dress and appears in early Jain and Buddhist writings. Sattika was a three-piece outfit that included the Antriya or the bottom garment, the Uttariya or a covering worn over the shoulders or the head and the Stanapatta, a pectoral band. This ensemble may be dated back to the 6th century BC in Sanskrit and Buddhist Pali literature. Poshak, the Hindi word for costume, referred to the three-piece ensemble. The Antriya resembled the dhoti or the fishtail style of tying a sari. It further evolved into the Bhairnivasani skirt, which went on to be known as the ghagra or lehenga. The Uttariya evolved into the dupatta and the Stanapatta evolved into the choli.

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Cotton was first cultivated in the subcontinent around the 5th century BC and this was followed by the incorporation of hues and dyes like indigo, lac, red madder and turmeric to create a drape which was used by women to cover their modesty. As the years went by, the elite started wearing sarees with expensive stones and gold thread which could showcase their wealth. But the saree stood strong as the garment of the Indian woman and each region and state had its regional variants, both in terms of fabrics and saree styles.

Industrialisation brought with it synthetic fabrics and dyes and with this came new dyeing and printing techniques which meant the consumers had access to a wide variety of sarees. The development of textiles in India reflected in saree designs and sarees soon started including figures, motifs, and flowers.

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An extremely versatile garment, the saree can be draped in more than 80 recorded ways with the most common style or drape being the one where the saree is wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder, baring the midriff. It is widely believed that it was the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s brother Satyendranath Tagore’s wife Jnanadanandini Devi, who popularised the new form of wearing sarees which we see today.

Today when urbanisation and westernisation have taken over Indian fashion, a day dedicated to the attire which is synonymous with the Indian woman is essential. The saree is a reflection of the subcontinent’s rich cultural history and traditions and should not be allowed to wither away.

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So drape your favourite saree today and spread the word on the beauty and lushness of the fabrics and drapes present in the country and beyond.

International Mountains Day

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Yesterday was the International Mountains Day. December 11 was designated as International Mountains Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 which encouraged the international community to organize events at all levels on that day to highlight the importance of sustainable mountain development. FAO is the UN organisation mandated to lead the observance of International Mountain Day.

International Mountain Day has its roots in 1992 when the adoption of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 or Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development put a milestone in the history of mountain development. The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the UN General Assembly to declare 2002 the UN International Year of Mountains. The first international day was celebrated for the first time the following year, in 2003.

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Mountains cover 27% of the earth’s surface and are home to 15% of the world´s population or 1.1 billion people, hosting about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. They provide fresh water for everyday life to half of humanity and their conservation is a key factor for sustainable development and is part of Goal 15 of the SDGs. More than half of humanity relies on mountain freshwater for everyday life and six of the 20 most important food crops originate in the mountains. Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate change and overexploitation. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people — some of the world’s poorest — face even greater struggles to survive. The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people. This problem affects us all. We must reduce our carbon footprint and take care of these natural treasures.

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Women move mountains is the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day. Women play a key role in environmental protection and social and economic development in mountain areas. They are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity, keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture and experts in traditional medicine. Increasing climate variability, coupled with a lack of investment in mountain agriculture and rural development, has often pushed men to migrate elsewhere in search of alternative livelihoods. Women have therefore taken on many tasks formerly done by men, yet mountain women are often invisible due to a lack of decision-making power and unequal access to resources. As farmers, market sellers, businesswomen, artisans, entrepreneurs and community leaders, mountain women and girls, in particular in rural areas, have the potential to be major agents of change. When rural women have access to resources, services and opportunities, they become a driving force against hunger, malnutrition and rural poverty and are active in the development of mountain economies. To trigger real change towards sustainable development, it is important to engage in gender transformative change. International Mountain Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the need to empower mountain women so they can participate more effectively in decision-making processes and have more control over productive resources. By sharing excellence, opportunities and capacity development in mountains, the Day can promote gender equality and therefore contribute to improving social justice, livelihoods and resilience.

International Human Rights Day

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Human rights are basic rights that belong to all of us simply because we are human. They embody key values in our society and are an important means of protection for us all, especially those who may face abuse, neglect and isolation. Most importantly, these rights give us power and enable us to speak up and challenge the poor treatment from a public authority.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights or UDHR is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, it set out, for the first time, the fundamental human rights to be universally protected. The power of the Universal Declaration is the power of ideas to change the world. It inspires us to continue working to ensure that all people can gain freedom, equality and dignity. The Declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 during its 183rd plenary meeting. The UDHR holds the world record as the most translated document except for the Bible.

The 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be celebrated on 10 December 2023. During the 75th anniversary celebrations, the aim is to educate and increase global knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and its enduring relevance for our times and the future; promote attitude change by countering the increasing scepticism of, and rollbacks against human rights by establishing that human rights are never relative and must always be upheld as what unites all of humanity. It also empowers and mobilises by offering concrete knowledge and tools to help people better fight for their rights.

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Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December and commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The date was chosen to honour the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or UDHR, the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations. The formal establishment of Human Rights Day occurred on 4 December 1950. It is also on this day that the five-yearly United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights and Nobel Peace Prizes are awarded. When adopted, the declaration was proclaimed as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, towards which individuals and societies should strive by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance.

In the decades since the ratification of the UDHR, human rights have, in real terms, become more recognised and more guaranteed across the globe. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms to which all of us are entitled. It guarantees the rights of every individual everywhere, without distinction based on nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, language, or any other status.

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Although the Declaration its broad range of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights is not a binding document, it inspired more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights. Today the general consent of all United Nations Member States on the basic Human Rights laid down in the Declaration makes it even stronger and emphasises the relevance of Human Rights in daily lives.

In South Africa, Human Rights Day is celebrated on 21 March, in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre which took place on 21 March 1960. This massacre occurred as a result of protests against the Apartheid regime in South Africa. It is celebrated on 11 December in Kiribati.

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Each year, Human Rights Day has a different theme. In 2021, the focus was on young people and how one is never too young to make a difference in the world. In 2022, Human Rights Day is focusing on how rights are the beginning of peace within societies, and a way to create a fairer society for future generations.

If you want to commemorate Human Rights Day, you can speak up for what you care about, volunteer or donate to an organisation or cause that you believe in, make sure you choose fair trade or ethically made products and gifts and listen to those who have stories to tell which you must share with others.