Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696591115145.pdf (United States)
Public Works A reflection of diversity in Public Works Winter 2019 Lessons from Rwandan Gender Equality 1 South African Sojourn 4 Co-Worker’s Corner 6 Public Works Training Videos 8 Public Works Diversity Committee Randi Begnaud PWAir x6637 Paul Bellis PWM x4937 Ray Joseph PWE x5249 Mark Koble WW x8607 Tom Klusman PWM x4865 Jennah Maier PWE 541-852-2227 Shelly Miller POS x4888 DeLynn Ransdell WW x8602 Brian Richardson PWA x5523 Lacey Risdal PWA x8476 Email the PWDC at: pwdiversity@ci.eugene.or.us Lessons from Rwandan Gender Equality Jennah Maier, PWE It’s true, in 2013 Rwanda became the first country in world history to have more women than men in parliament (Clerici and Hamelin).
It’s true that Rwanda is ranked the 5th best country in the world in terms of gender equality (Thomson).

However, it’s also true that Rwandan women are often unable to participate in local policy decision making because of societal gender roles and thus are not given a voice in their communities (Abbott 37).

And it’s true, Rwanda’s patriarchal society gives men more power than women and puts women at risk of gender based violence (Slegh and Kimo- nyo 41).
Any of these facts, taken on their own, paints a very different story than the complicated, layered reality of life on the ground for Rwandan women and men.

You probably know that Rwanda is a small, densely populated Central/East African country.

You most likely also know that the country was plagued with a tragic, devastating genocide in 1994.

What you may not know is the story of what happened in the aftermath.
Because the genocide killed 800,000 Continued on page 2 Kaleidoscope is published by the City of Eugene Public Works Diversity Committee for the employees of Public Works 1 Rwanda from page 1 Rwandans in only about 3 months (Thomson), it destroyed “not only the physical infrastructure, but the very fabric of society” (Abbott 7).

Almost overnight, women made up 60 to 70 percent of the population (Thomson).
In order for the country to continue functioning, women needed to step up and fill in the holes in society that the deaths had left.

The Rwandan government decided that, in order to keep progressing, opportunity and policy would need to be created to increase female contri- butions to the economy (Abbott 40).

In a lot of ways, the political changes have been successful both for the economic vitality of the country and for gender equity advances.
Rwanda is on track to achieve most of the 8 Millennium Devel- opment Goals, their poverty rate is declining, and between 2001 and 2014, Rwanda’s GDP increased 8 percent (Abbott 7 & Murori).

Also, policies have been put into place that require equal work for equal pay, encourage equal education of women, and give women the right to own and inherit prop- erty (Abbott 18, 29).
All of these accomplishments earned Rwanda a significant amount of positive press globally, and they are accomplishments that are certainly worth praising.

The Global Gender Gap Report 2016 ranks countries’ gender equality based on health, educa- tion, economy and policy, and its ranking Rwanda fifth after Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden caught the attention of just about every country that Rwanda surpassed.
It is seen as one of the most successful governments in Africa and is re- garded as a worldwide leader in gender reform.

However, that is only one side of the story.

You could also look at the status of women’s rights in Rwanda from the perspective that the genocide started a fight between the men and the govern- ment for women’s power.

Men want women to stay in the home and take care of domestic responsibili- ties, the government wants to get women into the workforce.
Women are stuck in the middle, trying to please both parties, seeking out jobs in addition to their traditional domestic and child care roles, and subsequently reaping minimal rewards (Abbott 42, 31).

As far as actually changing lives, empowerment of women is only successful if men and women adjust to both view and treat the sexes as equals (Abbott 15).

It would be easy to argue that this is not the state of affairs in Rwanda.

For example, women are not trusted to be in control of any family resources.
Women who don’t bear children are traditionally divorced.

Women are beaten by their husbands if they misbehave or disobey.

When communities settle disputes outside of the court system, they side with the men (Abbott 39).

Unfortunately, it seems “the transformative potential of the gender equalities policies is…limited by the deep-rooted social norms and practices within which gender inequalities are embedded” (Abbott 41).

So, is Rwanda a poster child for gender equality?

It’s hard to say.
It’s hard to say.

I cannot possibly understand the complexities of the Rwandan patriarchy from the few hours of research I did, and neither can you from reading this short article.

We like to simplify complex issues to make them easier to understand, but our refusal to accept nuances leads us to reject pieces of truth.

Most diversity topics have been politicized and most political topics have been polarized.

This is the way of our current culture and it may not get better any time soon.
But as we draw lines in the sand, pick sides, and brace ourselves against our newly defined enemies, we lose sight of each oth- er’s humanity.

We use news stories and statistics to prove our points, but just because something is true doesn’t rule out the possibility that there is more to the story.

Imagine you are in Rwanda and a woman opens up to you about the challenges of being female in her culture.
Think about how differently you might per- ceive the woman’s situation if your understanding of her situation was based on headlines about the gender reform policy accomplishments in Rwanda versus based on headlines about the continuing gender based violence problems in Rwanda.

Ideally, you would not respond differently based on your own biases, but how easy would it be to snub her hardship if you assume her country is one of the least sexist in the world?
The next time you hear something that you don’t agree with or that doesn’t make sense with the Kaleidoscope Winter 2019 2 Rwanda continued preconceived notions you have about a topic, I chal- lenge you not to write the person off or to tell them why you think they’re wrong, but to ask them to tell you more.

Lean into the opportunity to get to know a person and a new perspective instead of a statistic.
We all have stories to tell, all we need now is some- one to stop and listen to what we have to say instead of what they want to hear.

Changing culture and policy will take time, but how you think about and treat the people you interact with can change today.

The Rwandan government decided that, in order to keep progressing, opportunity and policy would need to be created to increase female contributions to the economy...

However, that is only one side of the story.

Sources: Thomson, Stephanie.


“How Rwanda beats the United States and France in gender equality.” World Economic Forum, 2 May 2017, Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

Murori, Kajuju.

“What Rwanda Can Teach Africa and the World on Gender Equality?” The African Exponent, 17 May 2017, Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

Clerici, Caterina, and Eleonore Hamelin.

“Moms and Dads are Switching Roles in Rwanda to Curb Domestic Abuse.” Time, 9 Feb. 2018, Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

Slegh, Henny, and Augustin Kimonyo.


“Masulinity and Gender Based Violence in Rwanda.” Promundo, Rwanda MenEngage Net- work, Sept. 2010, Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

Abbott, Pamela.

“The Promise and the Reality: Women’s Rights in Rwanda.” Oxford Human Rights Hub, Jan. 2015, Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

THIS IS YOUR NEWSLETTER!

If you have an experience, event or perspective that you feel would provide insight into our diverse world that you’d like to share with others, please send it to pwdiversity@ci.eugene.or.us.
Article ideas are also encouraged.

Thanks!

Winter 2019 3 Kaleidoscope South African Sojourn Zebras by Shelly Miller, POS In August 2018, my husband, daughter and I took the trip of our lifetime to South Africa.

Our motiva- tions were many but largely centered on our fear that soon the animals we’d always wanted to see would be extinct.

We were not disappointed.

There were aspects of traveling in South Africa that were relatively easy—everyone we met spoke English.
Also, the country is relatively stable politically and devel- oped in terms of our ability to access health care, if needed, and clean, though not abundant, water.

Some of the challenges we experienced were also what made it an adventure.

I assume because of the history of British colonization, people drive on the left side of the road.

This was incredibly challenging for us especially when we first got there after more than 24 hours of flight time.
So many of the driv- ing skills that are now second nature in the U.S. had to be thoughtfully considered.

Even attempting to glance up in the rearview mirror, I had to remember to look to my left to see the mirror.

The turn signal is on the right side of the steering column—I can’t tell you how many times I turned on the windshield wip- ers when I wanted to signal a turn!
We spent a little over a week on the west side of the country in Kruger National Park, a 4-million acre landscape of iconic shrub savanna punctuated by single or small oases of trees.

We rented a car and drove ourselves around the park stopping frequently to observe and photograph wildlife.
It was incred- ibly moving to see elephants spraying water from their trunks to cool themselves, giraffes awkwardly bending and stretching down to reach a watering hole, hippos bask- ing in the sun while crocodiles lounged nearby, and hyena cubs running and playing on the side of the road.
We frequently had to stop and wait while a herd of zebras, elephants, or giraffes crossed the road, asking our- selves, “What’s our exit strategy should they charge?” One of the more memorable wildlife sight- ings was a female lion dragging a recently killed warthog into the brush on a river bank.

The warthog was probably close in size to the lion her- self.

We also saw an antelope that had been killed and drug up into a tree, likely by a leopard.
We all pondered if the leopard was watching us from a nearby hiding spot.

Because of the real danger these animals pose to us (and us to them), it is illegal to get out of your vehi- cle outside of fenced camps.

Also, you must be in the camp at sunset or you will be fined.

The camps are surrounded by tall electric fence and barbed wire.
I couldn’t help but think about the people living in the towns and villages outside of the park that obviously carry on their lives outside of this bubble created for Hornbill Kaleidoscope Winter 2019 4 South African Sojourn South Africa continued tourists.

When talking to one of the waiters at a camp restaurant, he shared that he is very conflicted about elephants.

He feels like the elephants have “changed”.


He said they used to live in harmony with them, now elephants cause significant damage to his home vil- lage and occasionally kill people from his village.

Poaching is a serious problem in South Africa and other African nations with significant populations of wildlife like elephants and rhinos.
These animals are killed primarily for their horns and tusks which are believed by some cultures to transfer life enhanc- ing properties or are transformed into pieces of art.

Kruger National Park employs heavily armed, anti- poaching crews who patrol the park around the clock attempting to deter and maybe catch poachers.
The literature we read before our trip requested that you not post photos, of rhinos in particular, on social media because would-be poachers hack into people’s accounts to try to track exactly where the photo was taken to locate their next victim.

We spent about four days of our vacation/holiday in Cape Town, a beautiful city nestled in the shadow of Table Mountain on the west coast of South Africa.

Cape Town had been, and still is, under severe wa- ter restrictions.
The City had instituted a “Day Zero” campaign, in essence threatening the inevitability of an exhausted municipal water supply and put in place severe water restrictions—50 liters per person per day.

To put this in context, a typical 8-minute shower uses about 65 liters of water.

How did Cape Town get into this crisis?—extreme drought and a large increase in population.

I was surprised how little we heard about this situation in the U.S. We have lessons to learn here.
Recent racial tensions, corruption, and the difficulty of finding solutions to both have been in the news in South Africa over the last year or so.

I felt the legacy and scars of apartheid are still very raw.

Unemploy- ment is over 25 percent, and the national currency, the rand, is not strong.

I noticed in Kruger National Park nearly all of the staff were black, but we saw only one or two black people visiting the park.

Most of the visitors were white people from Europe, Australia, or South Africa.
Perhaps this was due to the time of our visit, we were there during their winter, but I believe there was something more.

Cape Town seemed more integrated with people of color in all types of jobs around the city.

It felt to me that even though the op- pressive regime and rules have been removed, over- Lion coming the multi-generational impacts of extreme segregation and persecution might take just as long or longer.
During apartheid, whole neighborhoods were destroyed and the people who live there were moved to government “housing” on the outskirts of towns.

I’ve always had a hard time wrapping my head around how a few can completely dominate the many.

Clearly history tells us it’s only through fear, violence and oppression.
So today, while technically a young black South African may be allowed to live where she wants, go to the school she wants, and work where she wants; having the ability to afford school, rent, clothing and transportation to bring those dreams to reality may still be out of reach.

I feel like we must try to be aware of not only the current situation for people, but also a people’s and an individual’s history to better understand their situation.
I recognize that my two-week stay allowed me to only get to know the surface of a complicated and beauti- ful country and people, but I know that I am richer for the experience.

Cape Town Winter 2019 5 Kaleidoscope Co-Worker’s Corner — It’s About Us!
An Introduction to the Public Works Diversity Committee This always brings a smile to my face: My dog, Hawaii, and Justin Timberlake Games I love to play: Any kind of trivia and old school nintendo Something very few people know about me: I’m deaf in one ear “Getaway” place: Maui Person I would like to have dinner with: Justin Timberlake, Beto O’Rouke, Barack Obama, Angela Rye, Van Jones, April Ryan, Jimmy Carter, Joe Biden, Viola Davis, Chelsea Handler, list goes on Athlete or team I enjoy watching: Oregon Ducks of course, SF Giants, Niners, and just about any team playing on Saturday CFB My dream job is: Travel Writer My most prized possession: My Dog Activities I like to do in or around Oregon: Coastal visits, rafting, local hiking, going to Portland.
Hobbies: Cooking, hanging out with the dog, naps, working out, traveling, football Musical artist or group: Justin Timberlake, Bob Marley, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Pink, Metallica.

A little bit of everything, though I’m not entirely fond of most country.

My teammates describe me as: Friendly, persistent, kind, receptive, gregarious, emotional, funny, nice, motivated, discreet, requisite, random, thorough, chill, adaptable.
Randi and Wilson Randi Begnaud Landside Operations Manager Airport Hometown: Eugene, OR College: LCC Major: Office Administration Professional ambitions: To create a good Landside Operations Program at the Airport.

To obtain my Certified Member status finally with the American Association of Airport Executives.

My biggest adventures: Maui and Costa Rica.

Smaller adventures are hiking around the mesas in Los Alamos.

Kaleidoscope Winter 2019 6 Co-Worker’s Corner — It’s About Us!
An Introduction to the Public Works Diversity Committee Brian and family Brian Richardson Public Affairs Manager Public Works Administration Hometown: St. Louis, MO College: Missouri State University Major: Broadcast Journalism My dream job is: St. Louis Cardinals General Manager My most prized possession: Things my children make in school This always brings a smile to my face: My children and wife, live music, sports (other than soccer and NASCAR), competition, baseball Games I love to play: Strategy games like Splendor, Carcassone, Settlers, Risk, most card games, basketball, baseball, catch, Frisbee, you get the point Something very few people know about me: I am an introvert and am uncomfortable in front of a group.
Activities I like to do in or around Oregon: Hiking, playing catch, going to breweries, being outside, hanging with friends, finding something new, sharing the beauty of the state with others Hobbies: Cooking, fantasy baseball, sports, yardwork Musical artist or group: Been wearing out the OAR live album recently, mostly anything alternative, classic rock, or bluegrass/folk.

Definitely not country!


Person I would like to have dinner with: Tony LaRussa My teammates describe me as: Caring, thoughtful, honest, punny, not funny, bad at math Winter 2019 7 Kaleidoscope Public Works Training Videos Training doesn’t have to be inconvenient!

You can watch or listen to a recorded training while you eat, work out, or at a team meeting.

You can even break it up over several days.

These trainings are ready when you are!


Check with HR to see if a video counts toward your annual diversity credit.
Check out our growing collection: • The Bully, Bullied, and Not-So-Innocent- Bystander • Understanding and Addressing Bias • Introduction to Gender Diversity • Creating a Respectful Workplace • Active Shooter Training • Brand Leadership • Fellowship and Recycling in Indonesia • International Fellows Talk Zero Waste and Organics The Bully, Bullied, and and Not-So-Innocent Bystander All of these trainings can be found here: Public Works Videos: Training and Diversity PWDC MISSION STATEMENT The City of Eugene Public Works Department is committed to fostering understanding, communication and respect among all members in the department.
We believe in a department that is accepting of everyone so that we capitalize on the strengths emanating from our differences.

By drawing on our individual strengths, we believe we can create an optimum and respectful workplace, one that can attract and retain a diverse workforce, allowing us to serve the community from which we come more effectively.

We believe that an inclusive diversity program is pivotal to reaching our professional potential, both individually and collectively.
The goal of the PW Diversity Committee is to promote a workplace free of harassment and discrimination.

We recognize and respect GOAL diverse viewpoints, cultures, and life experiences.

Kaleidoscope Winter 2019 8