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29 October 2010 in womensphere admin

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Maternity rights: European Parliament votes for more equality between women and men and a more sustainable future!

29 October 2010 in Childbirth Pregnancy, Employment Work, Equality, Europe, Government, Women's Group

The European Parliament by a large majority passed a Resolution in favour of substantially increasing European minimum standards for maternity and paternity leave provisions. In what supporters are lauding a great victory for the women and men living in Europe, the Parliament approved an increase of maternity leave provisions from 14 weeks to 20 weeks [...]

Women’s forums protest against new state policy in India

29 October 2010 in Asia, Demonstration March, Equality, Gender Mainstreaming, Government, Women's Group

Over 25 women’s organizations from across Maharashtra came together on Wednesday to protest against the women’s policy that the state government is in the process of framing. The state government has decided to bring in a new policy to tackle problems related to gender disparity. The policy aims to take into consideration the problems related [...]

Spousal Abuse Never a ‘Right’ says HRW of UAE court decision

29 October 2010 in Family Marriage Partnership, Legal Police, Middle East, Opinion Comment, Violence Against Women

Federal Supreme Court Ruling Effectively Endorses Wife Beating A decision by the United Arab Emirates Federal Supreme Court upholding a husband’s right to “chastise” his wife and children with physical abuse violates the right of the country’s women and children to liberty, security, and equality in the family – and potentially their right to life, [...]

Forcing an employee out of the company for being pregnant is not only discriminatory but also a violation of labour laws say Malaysian women

29 October 2010 in Asia, Childbirth Pregnancy, Employment Work, Equality, Legal Police, Women's Group

According to All Women’s Action Society Malaysia (Awam), employers tend to have the perception that women become unproductive once they were pregnant. “But this is completely unacceptable and it shows that the companies are ignorant about labour laws,” said senior programme officer Abigail De Vries. She said a number of women had approached Awam over [...]

Radical Women and Freedom Socialist Party condemn ultra-right attacks at the XXV Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres

29 October 2010 in Abortion Contraception, Feminism, North America, Opinion Comment, South America, Violence Against Women

As participants from the U.S. at the 25th National Gathering of Women (XXV Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres) in Paraná, Argentina we denounce the attacks by rightwing Catholics on feminists at the workshops on “Women, Contraception and Abortion” which resulted in a number of injuries and the hospitalization of one activist. This gathering is an historic [...]

In the North American media men dominate shows for kids

29 October 2010 in Equality, Gender Mainstreaming, Media, North America, Publication, Research

One small study by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, rather than take on the whole industry, the institute only focuses on what’s produced for children and who’s involved in those productions. Over the years, the institute’s studies have shattered any illusion that children’s programming doesn’t share the same prejudices of adult entertainment. [...]

Taiwan women’s rights groups balk at decriminalizing prostitution

29 October 2010 in Asia, Demonstration March, Government, Prostitution, Women's Group

Women’s rights groups came together to denounce the government’s plan to decriminalize prostitution and allow sex workers to set up small businesses, challenging the administration’s stance by asking whether it wished to boost the sex trade industry or reduce it. At a press conference centered around the theme of “Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation,” members of [...]

Congolese Women March Against Mass Rapes

29 October 2010 in Africa, Demonstration March, Rape and Sexual Assault, Violence Against Women, War Conflict, Women's Group

Thousands of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo marched against mass rapes, which have become increasingly prevalent in the country as a weapon of war. According to CNN, many of the marchers were rape survivors. The march took place in Bukavu, located in eastern Congo and followed a peace and development forum, reports Agence [...]

Women Sterilised Against Their Will Seek Justice Again In Peru

29 October 2010 in Abortion Contraception, Childbirth Pregnancy, Health, South America, Violence Against Women, Women's Group

Poor, rural, Quechua-speaking women in the Peruvian province of Anta who were victims of a forced sterilisation programme between 1996 and 2000 have filed a new lawsuit in their continuing struggle for justice. In May 2009, Jaime Schwartz, the public prosecutor investigating the case against four former health ministers of the Alberto Fujimori administration (1990-2000), [...]

A win for women’s reproductive rights in Australia

29 October 2010 in Abortion Contraception, Australasia, Women's Group

The outcome of a trial against a Cairns couple for procuring an abortion has turned the tables on the Department of Public Prosecutions and the Queensland government. The Cairns jury swiftly returned a “not guilty” verdict on October 14 and the question now being asked is “what real crimes are exposed by this case?” For [...]

Italy’s gender equality worst in EU

29 October 2010 in Equality, Europe, Global, Publication, Research

Women’s groups across Italy are angered by the news that the country ranks 74 in the new report of 2010 World Economic Forum on gender equality ranking. The report shows Italy ranks worst in the whole of Europe for equality between men and women and behind countries such as Ghana and Malawi, and Vietnam from [...]

EU to Strengthen Anti trafficking Laws

29 October 2010 in Europe, Government, Trafficking

The European Union (EU) is committed to strengthening anti-trafficking legislation, and delivering more residence permits to human trafficking victims, European Commission said in Brussels. On the occasion of the European anti-trafficking day, the European Commission expressed its strong will to combat human trafficking and strengthen the related legislation. “It is clear to all of us [...]

19 Year Old Syrian Woman Blogger Detained in 2009 Still Not Charged

29 October 2010 in Human Rights, Media, Middle East

The Syrian government should immediately release Tal al-Mallohi, a 19-year-old high school student and blogger held incommunicado without charge for nine months, Human Rights Watch said today. She has been held by Syria’s security services since being detained on December 27, 2009. State Security (Branch 279), one of Syria’s multiple state security agencies, summoned al-Mallohi [...]