Contributed by Norhana Kamid
Following a proposal from the social welfare ministry in Dhaka,
Bangladesh, the country's cabinet approved Hijras, a term used to
describe those classified as neither male nor female, as a separate
gender on Nov. 11. The Election Commission may consider including
identity of hijras on their national identity cards for participating in
the upcoming polls, the Dhaka Tribune reported Nov. 13.
Egypt has become the worst country for women's rights in the Arab world, according to a poll of gender experts, BBC reported Nov. 12. The study,
conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, found sexual harassment,
high rates of female genital mutilation and a growth in conservative
Islamist groups contributed to the low ranking. The Comoros islands came
top in the survey, and Iraq ranked second-worst after Egypt, followed
by Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.
Sequestration Takes Domestic Violence Toll
Time Magazine's 'Gods of Food' Excludes Female Chefs
Time magazine published a feature story in its Nov. 18 issue title, “Gods of Food,” leaving out mention of any female chefs, The Daily Beast reported Nov. 14. The list includes four women, such as coffee grower Adia Batlle and environmental activist Vandana Shiva.
Hijras Now a Separate Gender in Bangladesh
Six Australian Soldiers Fired for Demeaning Women
Australia’s Department of Defense has booted out six soldiers for
their part in the so-called "Jedi Council", an informal ring that shared
offensive material including vision of secretly filmed sex acts,
Australia's News.com
reported Nov. 14. Army chief Lt. Gen. David Morrison said their
services had been terminated for production or distribution of highly
inappropriate material demeaning women such as exchanged images of women
accompanied by offensive commentary, digitally altered images and
images of naked women.
Turkey Lifts Ban on Trousers for Women in Parliament
Turkey's parliament has lifted a ban on women lawmakers wearing
trousers in the assembly, in a further liberalization of dress rules
following a landmark decision to allow female deputies to wear the
Islamic headscarf, Yahoo News
reported Nov. 14. A deputy from the main opposition Republican People's
Party (CHP), Safak Pavey, drew attention to the trouser ban during a
parliamentary debate on the emotive headscarf issue, which has long
polarized opinion in largely Muslim but secular Turkey. The parliament
approved the measure late on Nov. 13.
Hawaii Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill
Hawaii’s governor on Nov. 13 signed a bill into law making same-sex
marriage legal in one of the first states where gays and lesbians
couples sought the right to wed more than 20 years ago, NBC News
reported. Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who called lawmakers to a special
session for the bill, has vocally supported gay marriage, which will
allowthousands of gay couples living in Hawaii and even more tourists to
marry in the state starting Dec. 2.
Women’s Health Protection Act Introduced in Senate and House
The Women’s Health Protection Act was introduced in Senate and
House in Washington D.C. Nov. 13, which would help reverse years of
callous attacks on abortion access, a press release
stated. The Women’s Health Protection Act would ensure women’s ability
to make personal health care decisions is not hindered by unnecessary
regulations that make it harder to access abortion care. If enacted, the
Women’s Health Protection Act would begin to reverse the devastating
impact of years of callous attacks on women’s health and allow women to
make their own personal health care decisions.
Egypt Worst Country for Women in Arab World
Sequestration Takes Domestic Violence Toll
In a Nov. 12 report
on budget cuts forced by sequestration authors measure the toll on
victims of domestic violence, finding that at least 148,090 victims will
not be able to access services each year due to the across-the-board
cuts.
UN Initiative Creates Women-Only Buses in Papa New Guinea
In an effort to create safe public spaces for women in Papua New Guinea, the UN has sponsored program for women-only buses, Radio Australia
reported Nov. 12. The initiative aims to encourage women to commute to
the marketplace where they can not only make purchases but also increase
their financial independence and sell. Both women and men attested to
the animus atmosphere towards women that public transportation entails.
Run By Women, For Women: A GOP Firm Seeks Women Voters
Three women are trailblazers for what could be the first GOP firm with a mission of acquiring female voters, The New York Times
reported Nov. 12. The firm will use public opinion research, TV
advertisements, and consulting for Republican candidates so that they
can tailor their campaign to attract women. The firm also aims to build a
long-term relationship with the women they interact with in order to
gain insight into their politics. Democrats have denounced the firm,
saying that Republicanrhetoric inherently detracts women.
Bush's False Prophecies About Iraqi Women Exposed
Since Saddam Hussein's extrication, Iraqi women have fared worse, NBC
reported Nov. 12. Domestic abuse, illiteracy, and prostitution have
proliferated producing women vulnerable when widowed. Women have attest
to increased conservative social constraints having impinged on their
public lives. Women's role in government affairs has also decreased
considerably post-Saddam rule.
Senegal Detains Women For Suspected Homosexuality
Police arrested five Senegalese women for allegedly being lesbians and violating the country's anti-gay law, Associated Press
reported Nov. 12. The women were taken from a restaurant in a district
that has been labeled the epicenter for homosexuals. All women are
unable to afford a lawyer despite a scheduled court-case. They can be
sentenced for up to five years and fined up to $3,000 for immoral
homosexual activity.
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