As
Turmoil Ebbs, Iraqi Women Seek Freedom of Road Again
December 2, 2008 – (Washington Post) The black-masked
militias have vanished from most Baghdad streets, and the car
bombings are down to one or two a day. So one recent afternoon,
Hadeel Ahmed, a ponytailed college student in jeans, did something
few Iraqi women have dared in recent years.
JORDAN:
First all-female demining team in Middle East
December 1, 2008 - (IRIN) An all-female team of 24
deminers, the first of its kind in the Middle East, started
its official duties on 30 November, working alongside dozens
of men who have been combing a mine-infested area on the Syrian
border.
Gender
violence in Iraq threatens to undermine families and society,
UN warns
November 26, 2008 – (UN News) The
top United Nations official in Iraq has called for the urgent
establishment of a national legal framework guaranteeing the
protection of women, warning that continued gender violence
threatens to undermine the country’s families and society.
Afghanistan:
Nobel Laureates Honour Afghan recipient of International Human
Rights Award
October 7, 2008 – (NobelWomensInitiative) Thankfully
there are courageous women around the world who, like Anna
Politkovskaya, are willing to speak truth to power. Malalai
Joya—the recipient of this year’s award—is
one such woman. The youngest-ever elected member of Afghanistan’s
national parliament, Joya has bravely stood up for Afghanistan's
citizens. Like Politkovskaya, her outspokenness has come with
a high price.
Afghanistan:
Afghan woman rights campaigner wins courage award
October 7, 2008- (Reuters) She has been called Afghanistan's
bravest woman, defying the Taliban and the warlords in a tireless
campaign for women's rights and the victims of rape. Malalai
Joya's bravery was recognised this week when she was named
as the second winner of the Anna Politkovskaya award -- in
memory of the campaigning Russian journalist murdered two
years ago in Moscow.
Iraq:
Iraqi Women Fear Going Public As Candidates
October 6, 2008 – (TIME) The 38-year-old teacher wanted
to participate in Iraq's first provincial elections in four
years — until she realized that a new law would require
the ballot to list her name, not just her party. Even as violence
has declined, lingering fear bred by rampant crime and a small
but die-hard insurgency has left many Iraqi women afraid to
run in the elections, to be held by Jan. 31.
Afghanistan:
In Poverty and Strife, Women Test Limits
October 5, 2008 - (NYTimes) Bamian, Afghanistan — Far
away from the Taliban insurgency, in this most peaceful corner
of Afghanistan, a quiet revolution is gaining pace. Women
are driving cars — a rarity in Afghanistan — working
in public offices and police stations, and sitting on local
councils. There is even a female governor, the first and only
one in Afghanistan.
YEMEN:
Protecting women, children from violence
October 2, 2008 - (IRIN) A Netherlands-funded project is aiming
to provide better protection for women and children exposed
to violence and sexual abuse. Sisters Arab Forum (SAF), a
local non-governmental organisation (NGO), will implement
the US$700,000 project - the first of its kind in Yemen. All
21 governorates will be covered in the four-year project.
AFghanistan:
Taliban claim killing of top female Afghan officer
September 29, 2008 – (International Herald Tribune)
An attack on a high-profile female police officer is the latest
in a wave of attacks on women across Afghanistan for which
the Taliban have claimed responsibility.
IRAN:
Activists Spotlight Rights Abuses on Eve of U.N. Meet
September 22, 2008 - (IPS) A day before Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses world leaders at the United
Nations, human rights activists criticised his government's
record and urged the international community to hold the president
accountable during his visit to New York.
AFGHANISTAN:
Self-immolation on the rise among women
September 9, 2008 (IRIN) - More than six years after the ousting
of the Taliban regime in 2001 when all women were denied the
right to work and education, many women suffer domestic and
social violence, discrimination and lack of access to unbiased
justice and other services, women's rights activists say.
Syrian
Case Tests Tolerance on Killing Kinswomen
Sept. 8, 2008 (WOMENSENEWS) - Oasis, Syria's first
shelter for battered and abused women, opened its door the
first week of August.According to a 2005 study prepared by
the Syrian Federation of Women, 1 in 4 Syrian women suffered
domestic violence at the hands of male relatives. While that's
comparable with levels around the region and the world, the
country's response to the problem has so far been lagging.
Iranian
women battle the system
September 5, 2008 (BBC News) - Four more women in Iran have
been sentenced to jail - six months behind bars - for campaigning
for women's rights. They were accused of "spreading propaganda"
against the Islamic system here - specifically for taking
part in the Million Signatures Campaign for equal rights for
women.
Woman
FM is within reach of Israel's highest office
September 2, 2008 (USAToday) —
For the first time in 40 years, a woman is within reach of
becoming the prime minister of Israel, a nation traditionally
dominated by macho military types and a religious establishment
decidedly lukewarm about equal rights for women.
Afghan
inquiry into freed rapists
August 27, 2008 – (BBC News) The Afghan President, Hamid
Karzai, has announced a full investigation into the case of
two rapists who have been freed on a presidential pardon.
Taliban
Violently Campaigns Against Girls' Education in Northwest
Pakistan
August 27, 2008 (WorldPolitics) - The
Swat valley, a picturesque region in the North West Frontier
Province of Pakistan, was once a tourist destination. Two
years ago, however, it became a Taliban haven when Maulana
Fazlullah, a hardline cleric turned militant Taliban commander,
launched a vicious campaign against the education of girls.
Kuwait:
Debate over the headscarves of female ministers
August 27, 2008 (WLUML) - Islamic MPs are obliging
Education Minister Nouriya Al-Sabeeh and Housing Minister
Moudhi Al-Homoud to wear hijabs during parliamentary sessions
in implementation of Islamic rules and regulations. The hijab
issue had been the core of debate and controversy amongst
MPs and political activists for a long time with some of them
for and others against forcing the female ministers to wear
the hijab.
Iran:
End pressure on women’s rights defenders
August 27, 2008 (AI) - On the second
anniversary of the launch of the Campaign for Equality on
27 August, Amnesty International is renewing its demand that
the Iranian authorities cease harassing and imprisoning women’s
rights defenders and to restrict their campaigning activities
for the repeal of laws and policies which discriminate against
women in Iran.
afghanistan:
Rape Surrounded by Impunity and Silence
August 27, 2008 (IWPR) - The few victims
brave enough to go public face an uphill battle to secure
justice, despite a one-off intervention by the president.
The case of 12-year-old Anisa has electrified
her home province of Sar-e-Pul in northern Afghanistan. Her
family has chosen to come forward, a courageous move in a
society where sexual taboos make it almost impossible to report
rape, and where the victim is often punished by her family
for bringing shame upon them.
Afghan
President pardons men convicted of bayonet gang rape
August 24, 2008 (The Independent) - The Afghan president,
Hamid Karzai, has pardoned three men who had been found guilty
of gang raping a woman in the northern province of Samangan.
The woman, Sara, and her family found out about the pardon
only when they saw the rapists back in their village.
Yemen
confronts plight of child brides
August 22, 2008 (CSM) - Two months ago,
at the start of the school vacation, 12-year-old Reem was
forced to marry her 30-year-old cousin. Reem is the latest
child bride to run from her husband's arms into the media
spotlight. But she is not the youngest girl to escape from
domestic violence and sexual abuse in recent months.
iraq:
Grooming a female suicide bomber
August 21, 2008 (LATimes) –
As violence levels have plunged across Iraq, the number
of attacks carried out by female suicide bombers has increased
- a potent threat that is especially difficult to counter.
The gowns favored by devout Muslim women easily conceal explosives,
and it is culturally unacceptable for the men who make up
the bulk of the Iraqi security forces to frisk them.
The
Afghan women jailed for being victims of rape
August 18, 2008 (The Independent) - Two-thirds of the
women in Lashkar Gah's medieval-looking jail have been convicted
of illegal sexual relations, but most are simply rape victims
– mirroring the situation nationwide. The system does
not distinguish between those who have been attacked and those
who have chosen to run off with a man.
Syria:
Wives of Islamist Suspects Detained, Whereabouts Unknown
August 18, 2008 (HRW) – The Syrian
government should immediately release three women detained
by state authorities since July 31, 2008, unless they have
evidence that these women have committed criminal offenses
and intend to try them for these, Human Rights Watch said
today. The women live in al-`Otayba, a village approximately
20 km east of Damascus, and are the wives of men currently
detained on charges of belonging to Islamist groups that were
planning violent acts.
Iraq:
Women Back In The Driver’s Seat
August 12, 2008 (IWPR) - As Baghdad security improves, more
women are plucking up the courage to drive around the capital’s
once treacherous roads. It is a scene that is played out day
after day in countries all around the world, but in Iraq,
even simple tasks for women such as running errands and driving
are deeply significant. Hussein, a mother of four, stopped
driving in late 2003 as security in Baghdad deteriorated –
but got behind the wheel again earlier this year.
AFGHANISTAN: Rape allegations force
Afghan government crackdown
August 11, 2008 (AP) — Rape —
a crime long hidden in Afghanistan by victims fearing a life
of scorn — is getting a public airing in this conservative
Islamic country. In recent weeks, several outraged families
have appeared on nightly news shows, demanding justice while
sharing heartbreaking stories of sexual assaults on teenage
daughters. Government officials say at least five rapes have
been reported in the past four months, though they and women's
rights groups say any reported statistics likely fall far
short of reality.
In
Syrian Refuge, Women Find Barest Survival
August 11, 2008 (WomensE-News) - In a
series of interviews with Iraqi refugees in Jaramana, a predominantly
Sunni and Christian suburb of Damascus, and Sayyida Zaynab,
a primarily Shiite suburb, Women's eNews spoke with women
barely eking out a living from low-income jobs, international
aid and sex work. Women such as Mohamed Ali, whose husbands
are dead, missing or disabled, were hit the hardest.
Iraq
nets three women would-be bombers in anti-Qaeda sweep
August 06, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi forces
have arrested three women who were plotting suicide bombing
missions against soldiers and police involved in a vast offensive
against Al-Qaeda, officials said on Wednesday. In all, Iraqi
forces have netted 483 suspects since the start of the operation
in the troubled central province of Diyala against Al-Qaeda
and Shiite rebels which was launched in late July, an official
said.
Rape,
Sex Abuse of Afghan Girls Continues
August 8, 2008 (Feminist Daily News Wire)
- Afghan girls continue to be sexually exploited, reported
the Afghan Interior Ministry Thursday. The Ministry told Reuters
that the number of sexual assaults on children has significantly
increased. The Afghanistan Human Rights Organization (AHRO)
has reported that in January a 10 year-old girl was raped
in Jowzjan province and that groups of men raped a 12 year-old
girl in June in Sar-I-Pol province and a 3 year-old girl in
July in Jowzjan province.
Proposed
Legislation in Iran Would End Death by Stoning
August 6, 2008 (Feminist Daily News Wire) - Iran's state media
announced Wednesday that Iran has suspended the use of stoning
as a way to carry out the death penalty. According to AFP,
Iran's judiciary drafted legislation that would end stoning
as a death penalty, the current Islamic punishment in Iran
for adulterers.
First
Afghan Woman Elected to CEDAW
August 4, 2008 (Feminist Daily News Wire) - Zohra Rasekh
has been elected to the United Nations' Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
She is the first woman to represent Afghanistan. Rasekh received
110 votes and will begin her four-year term on January 1,
2009.
Syria/Iraq:
For Iraqi refugee women, learning to laugh again
July 30, 2008 - (AlertNet) With the aim of empowering refugee
women, the United Nations Refugee Agency has launched a pilot
project with the international organization Clowns Without
Borders seeking to improve the self-confidence, relaxation
techniques and communication skills of some of the neediest
women. And in a few short weeks, the results are already being
noticed.
Iran:
End discrimination against the Kurdish minority
July 30, 2008 (AI) - Iran’s government is failing
in its duty to prevent discrimination and human rights abuses
against its Kurdish citizens, particularly women, said Amnesty
International in a new report published today.
Iraqi
women hold advocacy summit
July 22, 2008 (Middle East Times) - More
than 250 female representatives from Iraq's northern provinces
met with U.S. military officials and local leaders to push
for a greater role in society. The panel in Erbil convened
women from all seven of the northern provinces to engage in
discussions concerning employment, education, healthcare and
women's rights.
Afghanistan:
IOM engages religious leaders to combat human trafficking,
welcomes new counter trafficking law
July 22, 2008 - (ReliefWeb) IOM [International
Organization for Migration] and the Afghan Ministry of Hajj
and Endowment are today holding a first-ever roundtable with
religious leaders to discuss human trafficking in Afghanistan
in the context of Islam.
LEBANON:
Women, non-Lebanese children get raw deal
July 22, 2008 (IRIN) - Lebanese women cannot pass on their
nationality to their children and in the event of separation,
it is the father who gains automatic custody, according to
Lebanese nationality law. There is a saying in Lebanon: The
only woman you’ll see in parliament is the one wearing
black, mourning for the death of her husband or brother, whose
political mantle she has inherited.
Iraqi
human rights set back by repression
July 21, 2008 (METimes) - Iraqi security forces are plagued
by abuse and repression, and women continue to face violent
discrimination, a British foreign affairs report says.
ISRAEL:
Language barrier, lack of transport means Bedouin women miss
out on health care
July 21, 2008 (IRIN) - According to the Israeli Physicians
for Human Rights (PHR), a non-governmental organisation (NGO),
about 48 percent of Arab women in the unrecognised villages
are unable to speak Hebrew. Of those who do speak it, most
have only a limited knowledge.
Two
stories draw the attention of women’s advocates in Kirkuk
and Baghdad
July 21, 2008 (IWPR) - An IWPR-Iraq story on girls
who are being denied education in Kirkuk was powerful and
raised awareness about an alarming trend, according to several
women’s activists and education experts in the province.
The IWPR story, Girls Denied Education, detailed the plight
of girls whose parents are pulling them out of school, primarily
because of security concerns.
Nine
face stoning death in Iran
July 20, 2008 (BBC News) - At least eight women and
one man are reported to have been sentenced to death by stoning
in Iran. The group, convicted of adultery and sex offences,
could be executed at any time, lawyers defending them say.
Baghdad
Beauty Salons Back in Business
July 18, 2008 (IWPR) - Fundamentalists who view salons as
anti-Islamic have threatened and killed hairstylists throughout
Iraq over the past several years. But improved security in
Baghdad has given many women the confidence to re-open their
beauty businesses, particularly in wealthier areas, such as
al-Mansur.
Daughters
of Iraq graduate from training
July 17, 2008 (METimes) - Iraqi women
trained at police headquarters in Diyala province are to become
part of a security team known as the Daughters of Iraq, officials
said. Roughly 80 women graduated this week from the training
program held south of the provincial capital, Baquba, donning
the signature reflective yellow bands of their Sons of Iraq
counterparts.
iranian
Women a Force to be Reckoned
July 16, 2008 (METimes) - Iran's parliament
convened last month for the first time since the April 2008
elections. The results of the parliamentary elections are
in and all the votes have been counted. Surprisingly, or perhaps
alarmingly, women now account for a mere 2.8 percent of this
new conservative-dominated parliament. This is a decline from
the already low 4.1 percent representation in the previous
Iranian parliament.
TV
and online training seminar aims to equip women with the skills
to make a bigger contribution to Iraqi journalism output
July 16, 2008 (IWPR) - Around 50 women journalists from the
south of Iraq gathered in the northern city of Sulaimaniyah
in June for training in television reporting and online journalism.
RUNNING
FOR HER LIFE:
Afghan Athlete Seeks Asylum in Europe
July 14, 2008 – (Spiegel Online) Mehboba Ahdyar was
to be the poster-child for the Olympics but the 19-year-old
Afghan runner ran away from an Italian training camp last
week. She has since told her parents she is too scared of
reprisals and plans to seek asylum in Europe
AFGHANISTAN:
High birth rate killing mothers, infants - UNFPA expert
July 14, 2008 (IRIN) - After Sierra Leone, Afghanistan
has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world with
at least 1,600 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to
UNFPA and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Palestinian
factional divide shredding society
July 13 (Reuters) - A year after Hamas's seizure of Gaza from
Abbas, political differences that were kept in check through
decades of struggle against Israel have ripped through the
coastal enclave, leaving scars on relationships at every level,
touching marriages and close-knit families, even disrupting
funerals.
Afghan
women shot dead by Taleban
July 13, 2008 (BBC) - Two Afghan women have been shot
dead by Taleban militants in the country's central Ghazni
province. Taleban fighters told the Associated Press that
the women had been operating a prostitution ring for American
soldiers and foreign contractors.
Female
Afghan Outlaw Comes in From the Cold
July 9, 2008 (IWPR) - The government has finally won over
a woman who made her name as a militia commander – but
plans to give her a job to keep her out of trouble are proving
controversial.
Women
in Afghanistan: Deprived of basic necessities
July 6, 2008 - (MeriNews) Afghanistan has the highest
rate of ‘violence against women’ cases in the
world such that during the last six months more than 2000
cases of violence have been registered throughout the country.
It is said that most cases of violence against women are not
reported due to the traditional and cultural complexities
in Afghanistan; these cases include physical torture, murder,
marital exchange and acts of suicide under extreme psychological
pressure.
Syria:
Women Want Female Muftis
June 27, 2008 - (IWPR) Syrian women have largely welcomed
the news that female muftis are to be trained up to fill a
role that has generally been monopolised by men. Muftis are
Islamic scholars who are empowered to provide religious guidance
on personal and political matters. Until now, women in Syria,
as in many countries, have had to turn to male muftis even
when their concerns are gender-specific or personal.
IRAN: No Dignity, no Justice - New
Crackdown on Women Activists
June 24, 2008 - (Women News Network) While the global community
marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights with a year-long celebration of “Dignity
and Justice for All,” there is neither dignity nor justice
for women in Iran.
AFGHANISTAN:
Little support for victims of child sexual abuse
June 16, 2008 - (IRIN) At least 31 cases of child sexual abuse
were registered by the AIHRC in 2007. So far this year only
four cases have been reported, though it is estimated by the
AIHRC and other human rights organisations, that there are
hundreds of cases every year.
Iran
police start wider crackdown on un-Islamic dress
June 16, 2008 (IHT) - Iranian police have launched a more
extensive crackdown on "social corruption" such
as women flouting Islamic dress codes, the Farhang-e Ashti
newspaper reported on Monday.
Bahrain:
National Conference on Mainstreaming Gender in Development
June 11, 2008 - (UNDP.org) A two-day National Conference on
Mainstreaming Gender in Development was held in Bahrain on
June 9 - 10, 2008. The Conference, organized by the Supreme
Council for Women (SCW) under the patronage of His Majesty
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, aimed towards promoting inclusive
development, enhancing planning and policy-making abilities
and to emerge with practical recommendations towards the empowerment
of Bahraini women.
kurdistan/iraq: Women Claim New Law
Erodes Their Rights
June 10, 2008 - (IWPR) Secular women’s groups and religious
leaders are battling over how much influence Islamic law should
have over Iraqi Kurdistan’s new personal status legislation.
The Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, is drafting a new
personal status law to govern matters such as marriage, divorce
and inheritance, replacing the current Iraqi law that was
originally drafted in 1959.
Afghanistan:
Paris Donor Conference Should Prioritize Human Rights and
Urgent Need to Address Women’s Rights, Freedom of Expression,
Impunity
June 10, 2008 – (HRW) The Afghan government and international
donors should place human rights at the center of discussions
at the June 12 donors’ conference in Paris, Human Rights
Watch said in a public letter today. Human Rights Watch identified
women’s rights, freedom of expression, impunity, transitional
justice, judicial reform, and abolition of the death penalty
as among the key issues in Afghanistan requiring serious attention
and reform.
Iraqi
Kidnap Victims’ Wives Face Financial Struggle
June 10, 2008 - (IWPR) Women whose husbands go missing
in Iraq receive little financial support and get lost in a
welfare system that does not assist the families of kidnap
victims, critics said. Wives of the victims are emotionally
and financially devastated by the loss, say women's advocates,
and their suffering is heightened because often they cannot
access benefits intended for Iraq's most vulnerable.
Iranian
women's rights activist sentenced
June 2, 2008 - (AP) A young Iranian activist and his lawyer
said Monday that he had become the first man sentenced for
participating in a campaign to change laws that discriminate
against women.
Iraq:
Girls Denied Education
May 30, 2008 - (IWPR) Parents concerned about militia violence
are pulling their daughters out of school. According to a
local correspondant, girls and women are losing what little
independence they had because of the security situation.
Kuwait
names new Cabinet with liberal woman for the first time
May 28, 2008 - (IHT) Kuwait's leader appointed Wednesday a
liberal, Westernized woman to the Cabinet for the first time.
According to the lineup announced on the state-owned Kuwait
Television, he also appointed another woman, Nouria al-Subeih,
as education minister.
iraq: Iraqi prime minister arrives
in Sweden for UN conference
May 28, 2008 - (IHT) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
arrived in Stockholm amid tight security Wednesday ahead of
a U.N. conference that will review the political and security
progress in his country. Feminist
organisations show concern about Iraqi women's representation
at the meeting.
Rights
Groups Say Afghan Women Committing Suicide at Alarming Rate
May 27, 2008 - (VOA) Greater freedom for the women of Afghanistan
was one of the promises of the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.But
despite Western efforts, many Afghan women say their lives
have not improved significantly and an increasing number of
women are committing suicide by burning themselves to death
as a way to escape physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
Afghanistan:
Reinstate Malalai Joya in Parliament
Suspension of Female MP One Year Ago Is Setback for Democracy
May 21, 2008 – (Human Rights Watch) One year
after her illegal suspension, the Afghan parliament should
reinstate Malalai Joya to office, Human Rights Watch said
today
Women
and Kuwaiti parliamentary polls
May 18, 2008 - (Alldeadlinenes.com) Twenty seven women
candidates contested for 50 seats for the 12th legislative
term. No female candidate could make it to the House, but
Fakhro says three women were close to winning from their districts.
AFGHANISTAN:
“I sold my daughter to feed the rest of my family”
May 18, 2008 - (IRIN) A father said he sold his 11-year-old
daughter, Rabia, for US$2,000 to a man in Sheberghan city,
Jawzjan Province in northern Afghanistan to feed his wife
and three younger children.
In
Kuwait, Female Candidates Make a Second Try
May 14, 2008 - (WOMENSENEWS) Twenty-eight Kuwaiti women are
running to break into the all-male National Assembly in the
May 17 elections. One of the strongest contenders says their
chances depend heavily on the support and influence of their
elite families.
JORDAN:
Increased domestic violence among Iraqi refugees
April 29, 2008 - (IRIN) A study published in March by the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the mental
state of Iraqis in Jordan and Lebanon has pointed to mounting
social and economic problems as the cause of increased domestic
violence.
AFGHANIStan:
UN gardening scheme provides fresh start for Afghan women,
ex-combatants
April 28, 2008 - (UN News Centre) A United Nations gardening
and literacy project for Afghan women and ex-combatants seeks
to pave the way to peace and prosperity in the war-torn nation.
IRAQ:
Sense of Injustice Drives Women Bombers
April 28, 2008 - (IWPR) In Iraq, suicide bombings by women
are increasing. This week, two women blew themselves up in
Diyala province, bringing to nine the number of such suicide
bombings in the first four months of 2008. Experts link recent
increase in female suicide bombers to wartime suffering and
desire for revenge.
IRAN:
Iran's Female Activists Shudder at Talk of War
April 24, 2008 (WOMENSENEWS) - Iranian activists are bravely
pushing for women's rights. But Soheila Vahdati warns that
an outbreak of an Iran-Israeli war that involves the Bush
White House would fan the flames of fundamentalism and destroy
the cause.
IRAQ:
Call for action against murderers of women in baghdad
April 23, 2008 - (IRIN) Residents of a western Baghdad neighbourhood
have said militant groups in the area are hunting down women
and killing them, and have appealed to parliament to do something,
a member of parliament (MP) said on 22 April.
IRAN:
Iran women activists get suspended lashing sentences
April 22, 2008 - (Reuters) Three Iranian women's rights campaigners
have received suspended lashing and jail sentences for taking
part in a rally, a fellow activist said on Tuesday.
SAUDI
ARABIA: "For Saudi women, reaching adulthood brings no
rights, only responsibilities"
April 21, 2008 - (BBC News) Saudi women are being kept in
perpetual childhood so male relatives can exercise "guardianship"
over them, the Human Rights Watch group has said.
Afghanistan:
Half of Afghan children not in school, U.N. says
April 21, 2008 (Reuters) - Half of Afghan children are still
not going to school and the biggest group missing out on an
education are girls, the United Nations said on Monday.
PAKISTAN:
Violence against Women More than Doubled Last Year
April 17, 2008 (Feminist Daily News Wire) - A report released
by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reveals that
violence against women has gone up to 4,276 recorded cases.
This number is more than double that recorded by the HRCP
in 2006. HRCP Secretary Iqbal Haider told the BBC News that
2007 was a "brutal year for women."
Afghanistan:
Ten Schools Attacked Since March
April 16, 2008 - (Feminist Daily News Wire) The attackers
are believed to be Taliban insurgents who target schools because
they oppose the education of girls and claim the school curriculum
is "un-Islamic."
YEMEN:
Low cost women’s literacy project - big results
April 9, 2008 - (IRIN) Fatima lives in the Sanhan District
of Sanaa, where there are 50 UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-supported
literacy centres, with 2,068 female students. The centres
are part of a UNICEF project to accelerate girls' education.
Afghanistan:
Vocal 'Warlord' Critic Seeks To Reverse Her Expulsion From
Legislature
April 7, 2008 - (RFE/RL's Radio) She's been called
"the bravest woman in Afghanistan" for her criticism
of warlords, and even compared to Aung Sun Suu Kyi, the leader
of Myanmar's democracy movement. Now, Malalai Joya's courage
is again being put to the test.
IRAQ:
Iraqi Women Face Increased Human Rights Violations in Post-Invasion
IraQ
April 1, 2008 - (Feminist Daily News Wire) Iraqi women's
rights are eroding instead of improving in post-invasion Iraq.
Women's rights have had a prominent place in the Bush administration's
democracy rhetoric, but in reality women and children have
faced increased hardship since the invasion.
Iraq:
Politicians Resist Honour Crimes Reform
April 1, 2008 – (IWPR) Article 111 of the Iraqi penal
code - passed in 1969 - allows a lesser punishment for the
killing of women if the male defendants are found to have
had “honourable motives”
IRAQ:
The Iraq Legacy: Millions of Women's Lives Destroyed
March 31, 2008 – (Alternet) Politicians hoped
the Iraq war would see the advance of women's rights. Instead,
Iraqi women face violence, sexual abuse and segregation.
Iran:
Private Homes Raided for ‘Immorality’
March 28, 2008 – (HRW) In extensive interviews with
men and women inside and outside Iran, Human Rights Watch
has documented widespread patterns of arbitrary arrest and
torture based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
YEMEN:
Landmine-free by 2009?
March 21, 2008 - (IRIN) Yuka Ogata, UNDP's Crisis Prevention
and Recovery programme officer, told IRIN that landmines were
still a big problem: “There were many victims, often
women and children, and they either became handicapped or
were killed,” she said, adding that affected agricultural
land lay idle.
Iran:
Bush supporting Iranian women
March 19, 2008 - (Radio Fard) President Bush said in his interview
on the Persian New Year: “My message to the women of
Iran is that the women of America share your deep desire for
children to be -- to grow up in a hopeful society and to live
in peace…
IRAN:
Mokarrameh Ebrahimi released from prison!
March 19, 2008 - (WLUML) We are delighted to announce the
release of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and her son Ali from Choobin
Prison, in Takistan, Qazvin, in Iran, where she has been awaiting
execution by stoning for adultery for the past ten years.
SYRIA:
Muted Celebrations for Women’s DaY
March 13, 2008 - (Institute for War and Peace Reporting)
Syrian advocacy organisations demanded that women be granted
equal rights during International Women’s Day celebrations
last week.
IRAQ:
Minister leads call to end violence against women
10 Mar 2008 - (IRIN) Iraqi women on 8 March, International
Woman's Day, called for an end to violence against women nationwide
and for equal status with men, especially in top jobs, including
ministries and embassies
Yemen:
Despite progress, still an uphill struggle for women
March 9, 2008 - (IRIN) - Yemeni women, especially those living
in rural areas, continue to have high illiteracy rates, insufficient
medical care and face gender discrimination, specialists said
at an event held in Sanaa on 8 March to mark International
Women’s Day 2008.
Iraq:
Iraqi women demand equality, end to violence
March 8, 2008 - (Middle East Times) Scores of women rallied
outside a Baghdad hotel on Saturday demanding an end to violence
and equal social status with men as part of the observations
of International Women's Day.
afghanistan:
Sharp rise in reported cases of violence against women
March 8, 2008 (IRIN) - Registered cases of physical violence
against women and girls in Afghanistan have increased by about
40 percent since March 2007.
Libanon:
Women’s Work
March 8, 2008 - (HRW) New York – International
Women’s Day is an opportunity not only to evaluate women’s
progress in areas such as education, employment, and politics,
but also to honor the importance of what has been traditionally
viewed as “women’s work”: cooking, cleaning,
and childcare. For many of us, an incredibly precious and
important part of our lives is the well-being of our children,
the comfort of our elderly parents, and a safe, clean home
where we can count on nourishing meals. Yet society gives
little recognition to the daily labors required to nurture
a family and a home.
Iran:
International Support for Persecuted Women’s Rights
Campaigners in Iran
March 7, 2008 – (Change for Equality)
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, March 7,
2008: In a strong show of international support for the Iranian
women’s rights movement, over 280 leading women’s
right advocates and organizations from around the world including
six Nobel Peace Laureates have expressed their serious concern
about the persecution and prosecution of their Iranian colleagues.
MIDdle
EAST: No Day Is a Woman's Day in Gaza
March 7, 2008 - (IPS) Mahasen Darduna suffers in ways the
world recognises; her suffering comes at the hands of the
Israelis. But there are many Palestinian women whose suffering
the world does not see, because their hell is inflicted on
them by Palestinians.
afghanistan:
Afghan women face 'violence rise'
March 6, 2008 - (BBC) Afghanistan's independent human rights
commission says violence against women has increased over
the past year.
Afghanistan:
Inside Islam, a woman's roar
March 5, 2008 (Csmonitor) - Wazhma Frogh, an Afghan,
uses her religion to press for women's rights – and
development agencies take note.
Middle
East: UAE calls for more support to women
March 5, 2008 - (gulfinthemedia) The UAE has called for continuous
international efforts to boost political and financial support
to help improve the condition of millions of women in developing
countries and to help them overcome serious challenges, including
poverty, diseases and armed conflicts.
IRAQ:
WOMEN'S DAY: Surviving Somehow Behind a Concrete Purdah
March 6, 2008 - (IPS) Iraq, where women once had more rights
and freedom than most others in the Arab world, has turned
deadly for women who dream of education and a professional
career.
Israel:
Israeli court hands down 16 year sentence in 'honor killing'
March 4, 2008 - (International Herald Tribune) An Israeli
court sentenced a man to 16 years in prison on Tuesday for
aiding in the so-called "honor killing" of his sister.
The case was unusual for the fact that the women of the family
broke their usual code of silence and came forward to testify
against the suspect.
IRAN:
Iranian women's rights activist barred from travel to Sweden
March 3, 2008 - (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) An Iranian women's
rights activist has been barred from travelling to Sweden
to receive a prize from her work.
Parvin Ardalan is scheduled to receive the 2007 Olof Palme
award in Stockholm this week.
Iraq:
Anfal Widows Get Little Relief
February 29, 2008 - (IWPR) Women widowed by Saddam’s
ruthless Anfal campaign continue to struggle 20 years on.
Sabri Fatah has struggled to keep her head above water since
1988, when her husband disappeared after being arrested by
Iraqi troops during Saddam’s Anfal campaign.
EGYPT:
First Women to Conduct Marriages in Egypt
February 29, 2008 - (Feminist Daily News Wire) This week Amal
Soliman became Egypt's first woman able to perform Muslim
marriages. Soliman's appointment has generated controversy
within Egypt's Muslim community, especially among Muslim men
who insist that a woman should not hold the position of maazun,
or marriage registrar. The BBC News reports that the court
chose Solima over 10 male candidates due to her legal qualifications.
Solima has a master's degree in law.
IRAQ:
Suffering Without A Nation: The Plight of Kurdish Women in
the Diaspora
February 28, 2008 - (Wluml) "According to a recent
(9 Feb, 2008) report by BBC news - Iraq, “This semi-autonomous
area (in northern Iraq) is relatively safe, the economy is
flourishing and it is regarded in the West as a liberal haven
in an often-conservative region. But since the fall of Saddam
Hussein there has been an alarming trend – hundreds
of women have died after setting themselves on fire.”
IRAN:
WOMEN ACT AGAINST REPRESSION AND INTIMIDATION IN IRAN
February 28, 2008 - (Amnesty) The Iranian authorities are
continuing to harass activists working to defend women’s
rights. Ronak Safarzadeh and Hana Abdi – two Kurdish
Iranian activists – currently remain detained without
charge or trial. They were arrested in October and November
2007 for peacefully exercising their rights.
Iraq:
Group addresses women's issues in Iraq
February 27, 2008 - (UPI) Five female service members from
the U.S. Marines coordinated an engagement team to discuss
local issues concerning Iraqi women.
Afghanistan:
New Party To Focus On Women's Rights
February 20, 2008 - (Radio Free Europe) For nearly
three decades, Afghans have endured war and foreign occupation,
extreme poverty, and the Taliban. Yet some suffer more than
others. Not all Afghans are created equal. Fatima Nazari wants
to change that.
IRAN:
"We are Proud of Raheleh and Nasim for their Commitment
to Women’s Rights" Claims Raheleh’s Mother
February 20, 2008 - (Change for Equality) Raheleh Asgarizadeh
and Nasim Khosravi contacted their family members on Sunday
February 17, 2008 to inform them that they had been transferred
to Evin’s public ward 3.
IRAQ:
Honour Killing Outcry
February 18, 2008 - (IWPR) Activists call for legislative
reforms to tackle honour killing and other forms of violence
against women.
IRAN:
Is Change Possible?
February 18, 2008 - (Change for Equailty) This article
was written by Raheleh Asgarizadeh, about her experience of
engaging in face-to-face discussions and collecting signatures
in support of the Campaign’s petition, which asks the
Iranian Parliament to reform laws which are discriminatory
against women. Raheleh was arrested along with Nasim Khosravi
while collecting signatures in support of this same petition,
on Thursday February 14, 2007, in Park Daneshjoo, following
a street theater performance, as part of the International
Fajr Festival, on the subject of women’s rights. Raheleh
and Nasim are currently being held in Evin’s Public
Ward 3, in relation to their peaceful activities in support
of women’s rights.
IRAN:
Transfer of Raheleh Asgarizadeh and Nasim Khosravi to Evin
Prison
February 16, 2008 - (Change for Equality) Raheleh Asgarizadeh
and Nasim Khosravi, two members of the Campaign who were arrested
on Thursday February 14, 2007, were charged with "propaganda
against the state" and transferred to Evin prison on
the afternoon of February 16, 2008.
IRAN:
Ayatollah Sanei’i Issues Fatwa in Support of Women’s
Inheritance
February 16, 2008 - (Change for Equality) Grand Ayatollah
Sanei’i has issued a Fatwa regarding the inheritance
women receive from their deceased husbands. In this Fatwa,
Ayatollah Sanei’i has explained that when a man with
no heirs besides his wife, passes away, his wife becomes the
sole heir of his assets.
iran:
Campaign Members Raheleh Asgarizadeh and Nasim Khosravi Arrested
February 15, 2008 - (Change for Equality) Raheleh Asgarizadeh
and Nasim Khosravi, two members of the One Million Signatures
Campaign were arrested on the afternoon of February 14th,
in Daneshjoo Park, while collecting signatures in support
of the Campaign’s petition.
Kurdistan:
Ronak Safarzadeh and Hana Abdi’s Contact Colleague from
Prison: Don’t Forget Us!!
February 15, 2008 - (Change for Equality) Fatemeh Goftari,
Ronak Safarzadeh and Hana Abdi* members of Azar Mehr NGO in
Sanandaj, Kurdistan have been in prison for several months.
During a telephone conversation with Negin Sheikholeslami,
the Director of Azar Mehr NGO, the three women described their
situation in prison. In an interview with Kurds for Change,
the site of the Campaign for Kurdistan, Ms. Sheikholeslami
provides information about the status of these women’s
rights activists and their telephone discussion.
Iraq:
Conference addresses role of women in Iraq
February 14, 2008 - (Middle East Times) A newly formed women's
committee met before community leaders and their colleagues
in a school in Iraq to discuss issues regarding community
welfare. Representatives of the Hawr Rajab's Women's Committee
said women were faced with taking on head-of-household roles
as many of the Iraqi men have died from the violence since
the 2003 invasion, the Multi-National Force-Iraq said.
Saudi
Arabia: Saudi Arabian women need support to help advance society
– UN expert
February 13, 2008 – (UN News Centre) An independent
United Nations expert today hailed progress in Saudi Arabia
on advancing the status of women but urged more action to
prevent gender-based violence and raise their profile in public
life.
Iran:
Parvin Ardalan wins human rights prize
February 13, 2008 (Women Living under Muslim Law) Women's
human rights defender Parvin Ardalan has received the Olof
Palme Prize for 2007. (WLUML Networkers)
The Olof Palme Prize for 2007 goes to Parvin Ardalan, who
has succeeded in making the demand for equal rights for men
and women a central part of the struggle for democracy in
Iran.
Kurdistan:
Struggle to abolish gender discrimination and ethnic oppression
February 11, 2008 (Change for Equality) After spending
three months in holding cells at the bureau of the intelligence
services in Sanandaj, Ronak Safa zadeh, Hana Abdi, and Yasser
Goli were transferred to the city’s central prison and
their families were finally permitted to visit them.
IRAQ:
Increasing trend of women's suicide by fire
February 11, 2008 - (Women Living under Muslim Law)
Like their colleagues across Iraq, the doctors and nurses
at the Emergency Management Centre in Irbil work relentlessly.
The medical specializations at this hospital are war surgery
and burns.
Iran:
Does Government Fear Educated Women?
February 10, 2008 - (RadioFreeEurope) Who’s afraid of
girls? The Iranian government, it seems. Recent years have
seen a dramatic rise in the number of Iranian girls enrolling
in universities and other institutions of higher education.
While many governments would see this as a blessing worth
boasting about, that's not the case in Iran.
IRAN:
Influential Women's Magazine Silenced in Iran
February 10, 2008 - (WOMENSENEWS) Iran's most influential
women's magazine, Zanan, has become the latest victim of a
government intent on censoring, harassing and imprisoning
opponents, journalists in particular. Officials accused the
monthly journal of damaging society by being too negative
toward Iran and closed the publication Jan. 28.
IRAQ:
Desperate militants using women for attacks, analyst says
February 3, 2008 - (IRIN) With joint US-Iraqi military
operations pushing extremists out of their strongholds and
limiting their activities, Iraqi militants are growing desperate
and have increasingly resorted to training women to become
suicide bombers, an analyst said on 2 February.
IRAQ:
Kurdish Women Hit Glass Ceiling
February 1, 2008 (Institute for War and Peace Reporting) Political
parties pay only lip-service to women’s demands for
greater political clout. Despite a reputation for courage
on the battlefield, Kurdish women are unable to penetrate
the upper echelons of power in the region’s top parties
and government, according to politicians and women’s
activists.
IRAN:
Iranian women crucial in Majlis election
January 30, 2008 - (BBC) More than 7,000 candidates
have registered for the Iranian parliamentary election scheduled
to be held on 14 March. Almost 600 of them are women.
The election for the 290-seat Majlis will be crucial in determining
the future of the hard-line conservatives who broadly back
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
AFGHANISTAN:
Bleak prospects for country's estimated 1.5 million widows
January 30, 2008 - (IRIN) - Afghanistan has one of the highest
numbers of widows (proportionate to the total population)
in the world, owing to the armed conflicts that have bedevilled
the country for over two decades.
IRAQ:
Saddam's Unrepentant Judge
An Iraq High Tribunal member talks about Saddam Hussein's
trial.
January 29, 2008 - (Neews week) Judge
Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa is a member of the Iraq High Tribunal,
which was created to prosecute crimes that occurred under
the regime of Saddam Hussein. Khalifa presided over the conviction
of Saddam Hussein and the so-called Anfal trial, which specifically
dealt with the crimes committed against Iraqi Kurds.
IRAN:
Grand Ayatollah Mazaheri Issues Fatwa Allowing Abortion for
Unwed Mothers
January 23, 2008 - (Change for Equality) According
to Parsine News Agency, Grand Ayatollah Mazaheri, one of the
more renowned religious scholars based in Isfahan, has issued
a Fatwa allowing unwed mothers to obtain abortions.
Arab
World Forum Shares Gender Field Notes
January 18, 2008 - (WOMENSENEWS) Gender research in the Arab
region drew conference participants from across the Middle
East and North Africa this week. While challenges and restrictions
are abundant at women's studies centers, degrees and programs
are growing. But not everyone could make it.
IRAN:
Iran urged to prohibit execution by stoning
January 15, 2008 - (Toronto Star) Punishment for adultery
under state penal code. The woman stands chest-high in a pit,
surrounded by jeering onlookers. On a signal they will aim
small stones at her head, taking care not to pick up any heavy
enough to strike a fatal blow.
Afghanistan:
Afghan journalists seek release of colleague
January 15, 2008 - (Women living under muslim laws) 23-year-old
Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, reporter of Jahan-e Naw daily paper
and a journalism student at Balkh University in northern Afghanistan,
was detained three months ago. Dozens of Afghan journalists
and activists on Saturday sought the release of a journalist
detained by security officials for allegedly making blasphemous
comments.
AFGHANISTAN:
Who is Killing the Women of Basra?
January 9, 2008 - (MADRE) In Basra, Iraq's second largest
city, 2008 was ushered in with an announcement of the 2007
death toll of women targeted by Islamist militias. City officials
reported on December 31 that 133 women were killed and mutilated
last year, their bodies dumped in trash bins with notes warning
others against "violating Islamic teachings..."
But ambulance drivers who are hired to troll the city streets
in the early mornings to collect the bodies confirm what most
residents believe: the actual numbers are much higher.
United
Arab Emirates: UAE will soon have women judges: report
January 6. 2008 - (Middle East Times) DUBAI (AFP) Women in
the United Arab Emirates will soon be allowed to become judges,
breaking a male monopoly over the profession in the conservative
monarchy, the justice minister was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Afghanistan:
Afghanistan sets up panels for women's rights
January 6, 2008 - (India eNews) The Afghanistan Ministry
for Women Affairs has constituted two new organisations to
protect women's rights, a local newspaper reported Sunday.
IRAQ:
An End to Female Genital Cutting?
January 4, 2008 - (Time) These are busy times for Pakhshan
Zangana. Head of the women's caucus in the Iraqi Kurdish parliament
in Arbil, she is on the verge of pushing through a piece of
legislation that is the first of its kind in the Middle East
- a law criminalizing female genital mutilation (FGM).
IRAQ:
Islamic extremists target women in Basra
January 2, 2008 - (IRIN) One hundred and thirty-three women
were killed last year in Basra, Iraq’s second largest
city, either by religious vigilantes or as a result of so-called
“honour” killings, a report said on 31 December.
Jordan:
Women struggle for more rights to continue - activists
January 1, 2008 (Jordan Times) AMMAN - Women activists praised
the tangible improvements in women's rights in the Kingdom
in 2007, but noted that more lobbying was needed to change
discriminatory legislation.
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