Domestic violence on the rise in South Sumatra

18 January 2009 in Asia, Domestic Violence

Violence against women in South Sumatra rose dramatically in 2008, from 396 cases in 2007 to 568 cases, a year-end report from the Palembang chapter of the Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) has revealed. WCC Executive Director Yeni Roslaini Izi said on Wednesday that cases of domestic violence topped the list, with 210 incidence (39 percent), [...]

What Can Be Done for Iraqi Widows?

18 January 2009 in Middle East, War Conflict, Women's Group

Women’s groups and the Iraqi government agree on the need to help the huge number of widows in Iraq — but they disagree on how to proceed. A women’s rights activist and a Baghdad government official agree that the government needs to take action to help the huge number of widows in Iraq — but [...]

Feminism is part of the class struggle in Sweden

18 January 2009 in Europe, Feminism, Opinion Comment

Every day we read in the newspapers about new proposals hatched up by Sweden’s neo-liberal government. One day brings cut downs in social funds. Another day it is tax deductions for domestic services, making it cheaper for the well-off to employ a maid or a nanny (this is known as pigavdrag – “maid deductions”), or [...]

Present day Russia needs a renewal of the feminist movement

18 January 2009 in Europe, Feminism, Opinion Comment

In the Soviet Union feminism was elevated to the status of official state policy and ultimately was destroyed as an ideology and a social movement. The dominant concept was one of a general, global equality; as a result, a separate movement for the rights of women simply could not exist. The feminist reference points of [...]

Women and politics in Turkey

18 January 2009 in Europe, Gender Mainstreaming, Government

Billboards in Ankara and 18 other major cities have recently been featuring an absolutely enormous and somewhat unusual photograph. The photograph has the chiefs of the three main political parties facing the people with wide smiles on their faces and the text “We agree. ” Deniz Baykal of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Devlet [...]

Rape victims to get free care – Funding to come from fines paid by Michigan criminals

18 January 2009 in North America, Rape and Sexual Assault

No longer will Michigan’s rape victims be handed medical bills as they leave emergency care. New laws passed in Lansing in December prohibit health-care providers such as hospital emergency rooms from billing sexual-assault survivors. Instead, providers can seek reimbursement from the state’s crime victims fund. Other new laws will support and expand a statewide network [...]

Rape Victim Presses Case of Police Abuse in Japan

18 January 2009 in Asia, Legal Police, Rape and Sexual Assault

In Japan, rape is often kept hush-hush. But the high-profile case of one rape victim is challenging the silent treatment and raising questions about police practices. ‘Jane,’ as the victim is known, is suing police who required her to re-enact the crime. An Australian woman who was raped by a U.S. Navy sailor in Japan [...]

A new law has come into force in Norway making the purchase of sex illegal

18 January 2009 in Europe, Legal Police, Prostitution

Norway says the new law targets the clients and not the prostitutes Norwegian citizens caught paying for prostitutes at home or abroad could face a hefty fine or a six-month prison sentence, authorities say. The prison sentence could be extended to three years in cases of child prostitution. The Norwegian authorities say they want to [...]

At least half of Africa’s women, girls still live in bondage say experts

18 January 2009 in Africa, Equality, Human Rights

At least half of the women and girls in Africa are still living in some form of bondage despite the fact that the world marked the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights only about a month ago. Experts on gender empowerment, poverty reduction and women rights advocacy said women and girls were [...]