Ford Foundation and Injustice, Research Paper Example

Throughout the course of this class, multiple kinds of injustices have been discussed and presented for discussion and analysis.  Injustices occur throughout the world each and every day, and many of them are caused directly by the environments in which they occur.  Governments sometimes play a critical role in the creation of human rights injustice while other times it may be a rogue group of activists that determine the best way to handle a problem is to fight back at the detriment of anyone that may stand in the way.  Perhaps the greatest human rights injustice involves the hindrance of sexual reproduction and the rights to sexual health that individuals should receive in any society.  All around the world men, women and children are deprived of their sexual organs and abused at the amusement of others, at the request of the government, and at the suggestion of political and professional celebrities with a large popular following.

The Ford Foundation was created on January 15, 1936 through the initial funding of Edsel Ford, the father of Ford Motor Company creator Henry Ford.  Because of this initial funding, the Ford Foundation was appropriately named after the Ford family for their generosity and commitment to improving the quality of life around them.  The subjects of philanthropy and solving human rights crises around the world became the primary motive for the Ford Foundation in the mid 1940s after the board of directors for the organization determined that it would undertake the aspiration of becoming the largest philanthropic organization in the world.

The mission statement is for Ford Foundation concentrated on offering the best philanthropic services possible for any worthwhile cause.  Specifically, the goals of the organization are to “Strengthen democratic values, Reduce poverty and injustice, Promote international cooperation, [and] Advance human achievement” (FordFound.org).  One of the greatest problems facing philanthropy and human injustice involves having organizations that are willing to create programs to promote peace and social welfare for all individuals that experience any form of injustice.  The Ford Foundation “believe(s) that the best way to meet this challenge is to encourage initiatives by those living and working closest to where problems are located; to promote collaboration among the nonprofit, government and business sectors” (FordFound.org).  Surrounding the issue of sexual health and the right for sexual reproduction around the world, the organization has been able to create many excellent programs designed to properly educate individuals around the world toward becoming sexually responsible and to promote human rights for sexual reproduction.

The Ford Foundation has created many excellent programs and associations designed to improve the individual education and government cooperation for sexual health to alleviate issues of injustice.  This organization has spent millions of dollars and thousands of man hours on creating educational programs designed to describe the benefits of safe sex practices and proper sexual responsibility.  Furthermore, the organization has also designed programs to prevent and eliminate the spread of the HIV virus which is one of the main causes of sexual health injustice.  Many of the other forms of sexual injustice utilized by many tyrannical leaders around the world are to punish individuals by ripping out their sexual organs.  This type of behavior requires the continued use of programs designed to demand the support of political organizations and governments to end this injustice and behaviors that are deemed inhumane.

The problem with this type of injustice is that many of the problems that are discussed exist in foreign, less-developed countries.  Many third world countries in Africa, Asia and South America are primary areas of opportunity to fight against this type of injustice.  Although the areas are clear, the issues seem to be very far away from the United States and it is difficult to effectively get involved to make real change toward the issue for sexual health and reproductive rights.  The majority of my involvement would need to be focused here in the United States as I become a part of a social justice organization, such as that of the Ford Foundation or another sexual health organization that concentrates on eliminated this type of horrific injustice.  Perhaps one day I will be able to get involved abroad within a country that is in dire need of this type of support for its citizenry.  I truly believe that this is a worthwhile cause to be involved with and I can make a difference, whether that means making a difference abroad or for an international organization that is based here in the United States.

Unfortunately, a great problem surrounding this issue of injustice is the rather large criminal populations that do not receive adequate health services while serving time in jail or prison.  These social criminal outcasts must receive proper health care while serving time and must also receive sexual health education during their time served so that when they have been deemed worthy of re-entering society, they do not make mistakes in their sexual behaviors that can cause serious sexual problems for other individuals.  For instance, a great opponent for individuals receiving their sexual rights to reproduction is the occurrence of HIV-infected individuals.  Although this is an issue that the general public and government is not proud of, many criminals become infected with HIV while spending time in prison and then pass the virus on to loved ones outside of prison.  By working to increase sexual health education and sexual practices, this type of work will likely help improve sexual behaviors here at home and work to promote international education to criminals and the underprivileged abroad.

References

FordFound.org. “Mission | About | Ford Foundation.” Ford Foundation. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. <http://www.fordfound.org/about/mission>.

FordFound.org. “Sexuality | Issues | Ford Foundation.” Ford Foundation. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. <http://www.fordfound.org/issues/sexuality/our-focus>.

DiscoverTheNetworks.org. “Ford Foundation.” Discover The Networks. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. <http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/funderProfile.asp?fndid=5176>.