Friday, July 13, 2012

Women's Views on News

Women's Views on News

Nigerian senate confirms first female chief justice

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 12:02 PM PDT

Helen Thompson
WVoN co-editor

The Nigerian Senate yesterday unanimously confirmed Aloma Mariam Mukhtar as the country’s first female chief justice (CJN).

President Goodluck Jonathan nominated Mukhtar last week to replace Justice Dahiru Musdapher who will step down tomorrow  after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Senator Joy Emodi, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Affairs, said at a news conference:

"the appointment of Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, a woman, to head one of the three arms of government in Nigeria for the first time in almost 100 years of the country's existence and 52 years of Nigeria 's Independence is a victory for Nigerian women."

Emodi also applauded President Jonathan for appointing Mukhtar.

She said: “by this action, President Jonathan has added a new dimension to his promise of gender inclusive government and promoting women.”

Mukhtar has had an exemplary career.

In 1987 she was the first female judge to receive an appointment from the Senate to serve on the Court of Appeal.

In addition, in 2005, the senate appointed Justice Mukhtar as the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Currently there are three female justices serving on the Supreme Court.

During the Senate confirmation hearings, Mukhtar promised to get rid of corruption in the judiciary system and change public perceptions of the Nigerian court system.

“Corruption is in every system of our society," she said, "and I cannot pretend that it is not in the judiciary.

“What I intend to do to curb this is to lead by example and to hope and pray that others will follow."

Mukhtar addressed issues such as state governors refusing to release funds to the state judiciaries, conflicting rulings in the Court of Appeal, and the need for laws to address acts of terrorism.

She said: “I know that [terrorism] is something that is aching everybody’s mind in Nigeria and I know that everybody is anxious to ensure that this menace is curbed.

“We can only do that if there is a law in place, but right now there is no law on terrorism."

Senate president David Mark's response to Mukhtar's confirmation was hopeful:

“Clearly, there are number of issues that the judiciary would need to tackle to be able to improve the public perception of the judiciary and also to ensure that there is steady dispensation of justice.

“We can only pray that Honourable Mukhtar will improve the condition in which she finds the judiciary. We will work together with the executive and the judiciary to ensure that there is fairness and there is progress and development in this country.”

Justice Mukhtar will be inaugurated as CJN on Monday.

Unvaccinated women benefit from mass HPV immunizations

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT

Emma Davis
WVoN co-editor

Women who have not received the cervical cancer injection may still benefit from a decreased risk if others have been vaccinated.

An American study has found that young women who had not received the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine were half as likely to develop the disease if others in their age group had been immunised.

The study, published in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics, compared two groups of sexually active teenagers from the city of Cincinnati, Ohio.

The first group were recruited in 2006 and 2007, after the vaccine had only just been made available. None of them had been vaccinated.

The second group were recruited in 2009 and 2010. Half of them had been vaccinated.

When the prevalence of HPV was measured, it was found that the overall rate of the virus had decreased by 58 per cent.

In the young women who had not received the jab, the rate was 49 per cent, compared to 69 per cent for those who had been vaccinated.

It is thought that certain high-risk strains of the virus are responsible for around 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases.

According to Cancer Research UK, cervical cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for women under 35 in the UK.

However, the study seems to confirm predictions that the introduction of mass immunisation in schools in the UK will lead to a dramatic decrease in the cancer within the next 15 years.

Global funding to provide contraception in developing countries

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 05:06 AM PDT

Kathy Audin
WVoN co-editor

A global initiative of $4.3 billion dollars was announced at the London Family Planning Summit to provide contraceptive access to over 120 million women in developing countries by 2020.

The summit coincided with the United Nation World Population Day and attracted health ministers from 25 developing nations, charity organisations  and  private corporations.  The range of attendees included Prime Minister David Cameron,  Save the Children and Pfizer Pharmaceutical who rallied together in support of reproductive rights which impact sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The fundraising target of $4 billion was surpassed yesterday with major pledges from the British Government of $ 1.6 billion, the U.S. government’s Agency for International Development of $640 million and the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation donation of $560 million.

The donations were supported by The Lancet which reports maternal mortality can be reduced by 30% if women had access to contraceptive supplies and information on family planning.

According to a UN Population study, about 220 million women in the developing world face unwanted pregnancies and do not have access to contraception.

As a result, an estimated 67,000 women die each year from unsafe abortions in in the developing world.  The daily dose of reality is that 800 women die  from  pregnancy-related complications which is the leading cause of death of teenage girls.

Melinda Gates, a Catholic and vocal advocate, has faced adversity with the relentless  association of contraception and abortion.  She clarifies, " We're not talking about abortion. We're not talking about population control. What I'm talking about is giving women the power to save their lives."

 

2012 Olympics see Malaysia’s first female flag bearer

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 05:00 AM PDT

Emma Davis
WVoN co-editor

A Malaysian diver will become the country's first female flag bearer at the Olympic Games in London later this month.

Pandelela Rinong has been awarded the opening ceremony role, a privilege which is earmarked for the country's top athlete.

The 19-year-old was named as sportswoman of the year in April and won a silver medal in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, where she was also a flag bearer.

The Olympic Committee of Malaysia (OCM) faced criticism when it announced it was considering Rinong for the honor, with some within the sports community calling for the position to be given to badminton player Lee Chong Wei.

29-year-old Wei was the first Malaysian athlete to win a medal since 1996 when he took home silver from the Olympic games in Beijing.

OCM President Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar told Malaysian news website The Star online: ""We have good reasons for selecting Pandelela. I wish we didn't have to come to this where the matter has been blown into a big thing.

"We offered Chong Wei the opportunity to be the flag bearer four years ago but he declined because he wanted to be fully focused on his event then."

Lee is currently suffering from an ankle injury and has said this will be the last Olympic games in which he will compete.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia cited this as a reason as to why he should be the flag bearer, along with his celebrated sporting achievements.

An e-mail vote was held by the executive board members of the OCM with nine out of 12 votes in Rinong’s favor.

F1 test driver severely injured in crash

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 02:00 AM PDT

Penny Hopkins
WVoN Co-editor

Maria de Villota, test driver for the Marussia Formula 1 team, suffered serious facial and head injuries in a crash at Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire, UK, on 3 July.

She was testing the MR-01 race car for the first time. 

The car hit a support truck which had been used to transport it to the track.

De Villota is being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.  An initial statement issued by the Marussia team said: "Maria is conscious and medical assessments are ongoing…she has been receiving the best medical attention possible at the hospital."

In a subsequent statement it was revealed that she had lost her right eye but was in a stable condition.

Villota has had an extensive career in motor sport.  As daughter of former F1 driver Emilio de Villota, it was not a surprise that Maria would be involved in the sport somehow. 

Born in Madrid in 1980, she graduated from the European University of Madrid with a degree in sports science.  Her racing career began in go-karting in 1996.  She went on to compete in Spanish Formula Toyota 1300 in 2001, Spanish Formula 3 between 2002-06 and Spanish Superleague. 

She had her first test in Formula 1 for Paul Ricard in 2011, in a Renault R29. 

In March, she was unveiled as the new test driver for Marussia, relishing it as both a formidable test and a great chance.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with a Formula 1 team and gain important experience to help me progress my career,” she said, “including the chance to drive the new car later in the year at the Abu Dhabi test.”

De Villota was recently named as one of five Women in Motorsport Commission (WMC) Ambassadors.  She was excited about her new challenge.

"It is very important to let other women know that with enough belief and application, you can overcome any hurdle,” she said.  ”If I can be an F1 test driver, I am sure a lot of women can do it too…Being different is hard.  Not having another woman around to ask is tough and your destiny really is in your own hands."

Investigations into the cause of the crash are continuing.