International
Challenges of Arab Uprisings Reflected at World Social Forum
The World Meets to End Violence Against Women and Girls
A few facts: Violence is the order of the day for up to 7 in 10 women across the globe, and 603 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not a crime.
In New York, politicians, activists, and professionals gather now for the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. And world leaders are urged to implement concrete initiatives to ending the violence.
Follow the proceedings as Ms Lisbeth Pilegaard, Head of KVINFO's MENA Department, reports on WoMenDialogue's Facebook page.
Read more at UN Women.
Young Feminist Fund: Call for Proposals
Working to advance and defend women's rights? Groups founded or led by young women or transgender youth (under 30 years) can now apply for funding from Young Feminist Fund.
Read more at youngfeministfund.org
UN Officials Join Global Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls
United Nations officials joined millions of people around the world who are taking a stance against violence against women as part of the ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign on February 14th.
“The global pandemic of violence against women and girls thrives in a culture of discrimination and impunity,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message for the occasion. “We must speak out.”
Read more at un.org
On Thursday February 14th: Strike | Dance | Rise!
How about taking a few dance steps at work on Thursday? By doing so, you can join the international efforts to end violence against women.
This year, the global V-Day celebrates its 15th anniversary. On February 14th, millions of people around the globe will show their support for the anti-violence fight by taking up the challenge issued by the organization One Billion Rising: Dance, strike, or rise to show that you want the violence to stop.
The work to end violence against women is also the theme of the UN’s 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
It takes place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 4 to 15 March 2013 under the headline, Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.
KVINFO (the Danish Centre for Information on Research and Information on Gender, Equality and Diversity) participates in the Danish delegation to the Commission’s session together with Parliamentarians and women’s NGO.
Read more and get ideas for action for the February 14th V-Day at One Billion Rising.
Read more about the UN commission session at UN Women.
Wear Purple Showing You Are Against Domestic Violence
Wednesday February 13th is International Purple Hijab Day combating domestic violence in the Arab World.
The organisation Voice of Libyan Women encourages women and men to wear purple on this day: A hijab, a scarf, a tie. Or – simply – a pair of purple socks.
Read more at The Libya Initiative.
See photos from last year’s Purple Hijab Day and follow this year’s coverage at Voice of Libyan Women.
Photo: The Voice of Libyan Women / Facebook
Al-Azhar to release document on women's rights in November
The terms of a so-called “Women’s Document” have been agreed upon and will be issued by the beginning of November, Mahmoud Azab, adviser to Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, said Monday.
Read more at egyptindependent.com
A frank discussion from woman to man
“The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women,” Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and former Baptist minister once said.“It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.”
Unfortunately, Robertson is not alone in his negative view of feminism. The word “feminist,” which used to be associated with the bravery of the suffrage movement, these days seems to appear more often used as a pejorative than a positive term.
The passage is from the newly launched book “De Femme à Homme,” (From Woman to Man) by Lebanese sculptor, writer and businesswoman Nadine Abou Zaki. The author has worked with women for the past 10 years, both as the editor-in-chief of Al-Hasnaa, a monthly Arabic women’s magazine established in 1909, and as the founder of the Arab Women’s Forum. The book is her third and deals with gender issues and what it means to be a woman in the 21st century.
Avoiding ‘Pinkification’: Don’t Stereotype Toys
During Eid celebrations, I watched little boys and girls play with their toys. The most popular were a pink buggy for wheeling around dolls, a toy vacuum cleaner, and of course a football. I watched the children with a sense of pride as they disproved gender stereotypes about which toys to enjoy.
Read the rest of Shelina Zahra Janmohamed's post at mideastposts.com