Defying gender roles in rural Afghanistan

Last week Al Arabiya published an article about Afghanistan's first female village chief. Zarifa Qazizadah who is the mother of 15 children have what some might say against all odds managed to become the mayor of Naw Abad, a village in the northern Balkh province. When she first announced her intention to run for political office she was ridiculed by some of the men in her community. Naw Abad as the rest of Afghanistan is a male-dominated community which for years have been controlled by the ultra-conservative Taliban. Hence, Qazizadah becoming the village chief have come as a surprise.

Zarifa Qazizadah's story is a great testament to what can be achieved in even the hardest of circumstances. The today 50-year-old mayor was married at the age of 10 and had her first child at 15. She lived for years with her husband in a remote village where she says that she was nothing but a servant. When the Taliban took over,she and her family moved to Mazar-e-Sharif where she began doing community work, including a vaccination campaign and education for children.

Today Qazizadah is a grandmother of 36 children, the head of the Women's Council in the village and organizes meetings for women whom she advises to follow in her footsteps. She is a source of inspiration to many in her community and she has proven that women are more then capable of holding political office in Afghanistan.

Read more about this inspirational woman and leader here: http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/05/29/217253.html

(Photo:OMGGHANA)

Campaign Video: the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence

"The International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict unites the organizations and individuals who have worked tirelessly to amplify survivor's voices and stop rape. The Campaign is the first ever global collaboration of Nobel Peace Laureates, international advocacy organizations, groups working at the regional and community levels, and people like YOU working to stop rape in conflict!" "Together we will demand bold political leadership to prevent rape in conflict, to protect civilians and rape survivors, and call for justice for all—including effective prosecution of those responsible."
(The International Campaign toStop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict)


Join online -- www.stoprapeinconflict.org
Follow on facebook -- www.facebook.com/stoprapeinconflict
Follow on twitter -- http://twitter.com/stoprapecmpgn

New Amnesty report: "Mali: Five months of crisis: Armed rebellion and military coup"

Amnesty International have launched a report on the deterioating humanitarian situation in Mali. In the report Amnesty writes that Mali is faced with its worst crisis since its independence in 1960. The northern part of the country  has been taken over by armed groups and tens of thousands of people have fled the region, creating a humanitarian crisis in the south and in neighbouring countries. Furthermore, a military coup in March of this year has set back almost twenty years of peaceful political changes and has isolated the country internationally.  Amnesty is concerned  that the entire sub-region risks being destabilized by the effect of political instability, armed conflict in the north and the food crisis.

As a result of the deterioating situation, women and girls are experienceing a lack of security and many cases of gender-based violence including rape has been reported. According to testimonies collected by Amnesty women and girls have been raped, sometimes collectively, by armed men including by members of the MNLA.

To read the report click here: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/mali-s-worst-human-rights-situation-50-years-2012-05-15

(Picture: Amnesty International)

Half the Sky: Movement Trailer

 

Coming as a special presentation of Independent Lens October 1 and 2, 2012

"A landmark transmedia project featuring a four-hour PBS primetime national and international broadcast event, a Facebook-hosted social action game, mobile games, two websites, educational video modules with companion text, a social media campaign supporting over 30 partner NGOs, and an impact assessment plan all inspired by Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, the widely acclaimed book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.

Half the Sky filmed in 10 countries, following Kristof, WuDunn, and celebrity activists America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union and Olivia Wilde on a journey to tell the stories of inspiring, courageous individuals. Across the globe oppression is being confronted, and real meaningful solutions are being fashioned through health care, education, and economic empowerment for women and girls. The linked problems of sex trafficking and forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and maternal mortality — which needlessly claim one woman every 90 seconds — present to us the single most vital opportunity of our time: the opportunity to make a change. All over the world women are seizing this opportunity." (PBS.org)

For more information visit: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/half-the-sky/

Take the Pledge to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict Today!

Support the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict by uploading a pledge. Go to www.stoprapeinconflict.org and upload YOUR pledge photo to http://www.flickr.com/groups/stoprapeinconflict/ or post it on our facebook wall!

"Together we will demand bold political leadership to PREVENT rape in conflict, to PROTECT civilians and rape survivors, and call for justice for all—including effective PROSECUTION of those responsible. Take the pledge today! " (the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict)

The Conviction of Charles Taylor Breakes New Ground for Gender Justice

Last week the first former head of state in the history of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Charles Taylor was convicted of  11 counts of aiding and abetting crimes against humanity and war crimes, including rape and sexual slavery in Sierra Leone.  Taylor was found to have aided  the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and other rebel groups, providing practical assistance, encouragement and moral support by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

The conviction of Taylor who is the former president of Liberia is in many respects groundbreaking when it comes to gender justice; it is the first time an international court of law  has convicted a former head of state of responsibility for sexual violence. Taylor was found guilty to the charge of enabling "outrages upon personal dignity", based on incidents where women and girls where forced to take their clothes of in public and then raped or sexually abused. The court also found Taylor guilty of terrorism; defining the raping of women and girls in public as a campaign to terrorize the civilian population. 

The court recognized in its verdict that rape, sexual slavery, and other forms of sexual violence were used as a strategic weapon of war. There have been a number of previous judgements in international war crimes tribunals in which perpetrators have been found guilty of charges of sexual violence. Nevertheless, the conviction of Taylor stands out because it recognizes that leaders who are far from the actual fighting, but who support or even encourage sexual violence, or does nothing to prevent it or hold those responsible accountable, can be held accountable for such crimes. 

The conviction of Charles Taylor is a victory for gender justice and illustrates a major shift in the way that the international community  views accountability in relation to sexual violence. Taylor will be sentenced on May 30th.                                                                                                           

(Photo: The Boston Globe)

Join the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict Now!

On May the 6th the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict will be launched with a week of action.  The campaign is the result of a coalition initiative with organizations  and individuals coming together to amplify the voices of survivors and stop rape.  This is the first ever global collaboration between Nobel Peace Laureates, international advocacy organizations, and groups working at the regional and community levels in conflict.

The Campaign will demand urgent and bold political leadership to prevent rape in conflict, to protect civilians and rape survivors, and call for justice for all—including effective prosecution of those responsible. These three pillars of the Campaign—prevention, protection, prosecution—signal a comprehensive effort to stop rape in conflict.

The campaign will initially focus on four countries—Burma, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo,  and Kenya. Theses countries represent places where immediate and coordinated action is needed. Within these four countries the coalition believe that united efforts can make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time.

To learn more and join the campaign click here: www.stoprapeinconflict.org

Discussion on the Impact of the Arab Spring on Women's Rights at the 2012 AWID Forum in Istanbul

Over 2,000 women’s rights activists from around the world gathered in Istanbul, Turkey last week for the 2012 Association for Women’s Rights in Development – AWID Forum. From April 18-22, the AWID Forum brought delegates form various grassroots, national, regional, and international organizations together to strategize, network, and learn skills in the effort to advance women’s rights. This year’s Forum was titled “Transforming Economic Power to Advance Women’s Rights and Justice” to focus on the overlap of economic power and women’s rights:

“Economic power impacts on and intersects with all women’s rights issues and agendas – from reproductive and sexual rights to violence against women, education, political participation and health. Without economic systems that take account of women’s needs and realities and value their contributions, rights and justice are not possible.” – AWID 2012 Forum.

One of the areas of focus during the Forum was the Arab Spring and what it means for women's rights in the region. At the opening of the Forum Lydia Alpízar Durán, executive director for AWID said that one of the reasons AWID chose Istanbul as the 2012 location was creating solidarity with women's movements in the MENA region. During the forum, activists from Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Libya, and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) spoke about their ongoing battles to enshrine women’s rights into new constitutions and increase female participation in new political systems – while often facing renewed challenges to their personal freedoms. 

Durán also said:
"In the post-Arab-Spring phase, we need to be clear that what happens in this region has major implications for women around the world. Cultural relativism is growing and we cannot allow respect for cultural traditions to justify the violation of women’s rights." 

For more information about the 2012 AWID Forum click here: http://www.awid.org/

(Photo: AWID)

The 2012 AWID Forum in Pictures

(Pictures: AWID)