Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Women's Views on News

Women's Views on News

Inquiry to investigate lack of female film directors

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Summary of story from BTL News, January 24, 2012 The Sundance Institute today announced a collaborative inquiry with Women in Film, Los Angeles, into the lack of independent women filmakers. "Sundance Institute has long believed in the value of diverse storytellers contributing to a vibrant culture," said Keri Putnam, executive director. "Looking at representation of [...]

Why women run away in Mysore, India

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Summary of story from The Times of India, January 24, 2012 Relationship problems and academic pressures are the main factors motivating women and girls in Mysore, India to run away, according to the region’s police force. This was part of the message delivered by Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal at a two-day seminar entitled “Missing Girls [...]

Equality groups make case against sexism in UK media

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Heather Kennedy WVoN co-editor  In oral evidence presented today, leading UK equality groups called upon the Leveson Inquiry to address inaccurate, prejudicial and demeaning media portrayals of women. The inquiry, which began hearings in November last year, was commissioned by the government to investigate the culture, practices and ethics of the UK media. Speaking today, [...]

Proposed EU legislation may address faulty implants

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Heather Kennedy WVoN co-editor  The European Parliament announced today that it is “stress testing” proposed new legislation on medical devices, to see if it adequately meets concerns raised by the recent faulty breast implants scandal (see WVoN coverage). European Commission representatives met today at an Environment and Public Health Committee to discuss the new measures, [...]

Egyptian parties fail to commit to women’s rights

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Summary of story from The Daily Star Lebanon, January 24, 2012 A number of Egyptian political parties have refused to commit to protecting women's rights and abolishing the death penalty, Amnesty International reported today. The human rights watchdog contacted 54 Egyptian political parties during the run-up to the country’s first post-revolution elections, asking them to [...]

Women arrested in Kuwait for being naked under abayas

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Summary of story from Al Arabiya News, January 24, 2012 Three women could face charges after being arrested by Kuwaiti police for being naked under their abayas. The women, two said to be from from Gulf countries and one from Kuwait, were arrested by police in a shopping mall cafe in Salmiya, Kuwait. Police were [...]

Women still to break through the celluloid ceiling

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  Summary of story from Reuters, January 24, 2012 Women remain vastly underrepresented behind the camera in the film industry, a new report shows. Of the 250 top-grossing films in the US last year, 94 per cent were directed by men. There were even fewer female cinematographers, at just four per cent. Across the roles, [...]

Malawi police arrest forty “thugs” for attacks on women

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Summary of story from The Maravi Post, January 23, 2012 Around 40 people have been arrested in Malawi in connection with attacks on women for wearing trousers or mini-skirts, police report. The assaults took place in the three major cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu. Women were beaten and stripped by vendors in the cities [...]

Five women row themselves into record books

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Summary of story from Yorkshire Post, January 23, 2012 A five-woman British rowing team yesterday set two new world records after rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic in aid of anti-trafficking charities (see WVoN story). They completed rowing’s toughest event, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, with the fastest crossing by an all female team, and [...]

‘Persepolis’ trial in Tunisia postponed

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Summary of story from alarabiya.net, January 23, 2012 The trial of a Tunisian television director for broadcasting the Iranian animated film “Persepolis” resumed briefly on Monday before being postponed until April, amidst tense scenes in a Tunis courtroom. The animated film, directed by comic book writer Marjane Satrapi, tells the story of the Iranian revolution [...]

Bill introduced to help victims of sex trafficking in Hawaii

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Summary of story from ABC Radio Australia, January 23, 2012 In 2011, the Hawaiian State Government passed two bills making human trafficking for reasons of labour a felony, but these laws do not apply to sex trafficking. According to Kathryn Xian, Hawaii based director of the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, Hawaii’s geographical location and [...]

Three suspects arrested for Chinese new year gang rape in Manila

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Summary of story from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 23, 2012 Manila police have arrested three men in connection with the gang rape of a 20-year old student. Village watchman, Jerry Co, said that a young boy called him to a parking area at one am, where he found the young woman being raped by [...]

Palestinian woman spent 10 years locked in bathroom

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Summary of story from the Huffington Post, January 23, 2012 A 21-year-old Palestinian woman has told authorities she spent a decade locked in a bathroom by her Israeli father, who only let her out at night so she could clean their house. According to a social worker dealing with the case, Baraa Melhem claimed her father [...]

Rick Santorum explains his hardline anti-abortion position

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Summary of story from The Huffington Post, January 23, 2012 Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has clarified his opposition to abortion even in cases of rape, saying that women who find themselves in such circumstances should “make the best out of a bad situation.” Santorum, who has crusaded against abortion throughout his campaign as a [...]

Kenyan women believe circumcision stops HIV spread, study finds

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Summary of story from Plus News, January 24, 2012 A study of Kenyan women has found that some women believe that HIV is a less serious threat after their partner has been circumcised. The small study found 51 per cent of female participants and only 4 per cent of men believe that condoms are less [...]

Barriers to victims reporting sexual violence in Zimbabwe

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Summary of story from TrustLaw, January 23, 2012 Zimbabwe's laws for reporting rape should consider cultural factors that result in the underreporting of abuse, say advocates for victims of sexual violence. The country has strengthened laws and established the Victim Friendly System to provide specialised services for victims of sexual violence. But to make care [...]

New report shows hidden value of women’s organisations

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Harri Sutherland-Kay WVoN co-editor A new UK report reveals that between £5 and £11 worth of social value is generated on behalf of women, their children and the state, for every pound spent on women's organisations. The research, funded by Trust for London, was compiled by the Women's Resource Centre (WRC) over a two year [...]