28 November 2017 - NPWJ News Digest on FGM & Women's Rights

Articles

Honduras election: Women's rights put on the agenda
by Heather Gies (Aljazeera), 29 Nov 2017

Lucia Vijil pounds out a flurry of tweets directed at Honduras' leading presidential candidates, pressuring them to make specific proposals on women's rights. It's more than clicktivism, she says. Vijil is one of hundreds of feminist activists with a clear message for politicians ahead of Sunday's election: Honduran women won't vote for candidates who ignore them.
 

Read More

War is Driving Girls Out of School
by Heather Barr, 29 Nov 2017

“There were two bombs in the school,” said 16-year-old Malalai, describing an attack in January 2016 against her girls’ school in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. She said the Taliban had left a letter in the schoolyard: “They said they put the bombs because you have to stop sending your girls to school.” Acid attacks. Kidnapping. “Night letters” threatening students and teachers. Improvised explosive devices. Gunfire. Schools closed for girls above fifth grade. Insurgents censoring the curriculum. Girls’ schools closed completely.

Read More

Women’s Rights Movements: Strong but Embattled
by Janet Walsh (Huffpost), 28 Nov 2017

A painted wall outside a women’s organization in Nicaragua names and shames, a kind of brick-and-mortar #MeToo. Inscriptions on the wall in front of the Colectivo de Mujeres de Matagalpa tell the stories of violence against women: names of the accused, descriptions of attacks, and more. In a country with high levels of gender-based violence, civil society repression, and decreasing funding for women’s groups, this is risky.

Read More

Brussels stands up for women’s rights
By Beata Stur, 28 Nov 2017

A major event on “Women’s rights in turbulent times” was organised by the European Commission on November 20.
“Gender equality is a fundamental right, laid down in the EU Treaties,” said First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. “We must use the current focus on these issues in the media and politics to turn principle into practice. Women across Europe have the right to equality, empowerment and safety, but these rights are not yet a reality for far too many women. Today’s event is about helping to bring about behavioural change and policy change so that we improve the lives of our citizens.”
 

Read More