Women's Views on News |
- Europe, women’s rights and climate change
- Measure for Measure: glossing over the problems?
- Pill charges: blatant discrimination?
| Europe, women’s rights and climate change Posted: 08 Jul 2015 02:10 AM PDT
Environmental policies impact directly on the health and living standards of individuals; in certain regions of the European Union, for example, access to safe water and sanitation is still not guaranteed. The state of the environment and climate change are the greatest challenges that the world faces, and men and women affect and are affected by environmental and climate change in different ways. And women's rights and climate change are interlinked: when women's rights are not protected, more women than men die from disasters, most of which, these days, are climate related. Not only that, but the more unequal a country is, the higher its carbon emission. While many women are present in ecological and environmental movements, they are largely absent from decision-making in this sector, including at the governmental level. And for women in Europe, with many basic issues – currently at least – sorted out, there is also the question of solidarity with the women on the planet who already have to live with the consequences of climate change. The proportion of women at high-level positions in the sectors of Transport and Energy is still very low, both at European and national level. This situation can largely be explained by gender stereotyping and education that defines technology and science as wor for men. EIGE studies indeed show that women are less likely to choose scientific and technological fields relevant to climate change; EU indicators on women and the environment focus mainly on decision-making, and should include other quantitative and qualitative indicators on the direct and indirect impact of climate change on women. There is insufficient research and data collection on exposure to chemicals, for example cleaning products, pesticides, industrial and farming products, consumer products, and their impact on women's and men's health – including cancers, pregnancy, and sexual and reproductive health – and access to safe water and quality sanitation such as public or school toilets; The privatisation of water – despite the EU’s Water Framework Directive – and public services, including public transport, can threaten the access women and men have to fundamental resources and services; Waste management and packaging are issues that have a great impact on women, and strict legislation needs to be implemented; In other parts of the world, women climate activists are threatened with criminalisation and pervasive forms of violence, including rape. Despite this, the action of grassroots women is making concrete change at local level; and The current GDP system does not integrate the impact of our lifestyles on the environment; we need new values that prioritise the protection of the Earth and the wellbeing of people. The European Women’s Lobby has six demands: 1. Ensure the right of all women and girls to be heard on environmental issues in their regions; 2. Systematically include a women's rights and gender equality perspective in the definition, implementation and monitoring of environmental/climate/transport/energy policies at all levels, including research activities and data collection, and in both EU external (including development) and internal policies; 3. Secure women's political participation and decision-making roles in environmental and climate change work, at all levels – regional, national, European and international; 4. Assess, disseminate and raise awareness on the impacts of environmental policies on women, by both public policies and the private industry; 5. Take action towards encouraing women's higher enrolment in science and technology-related fields of education, and women's entrepreneurship in agriculture, renewable energies, environment, protection and tourism, and enhance their contribution to innovation, quality of life and preservation of land, environment and culture; and 6. Speed up the elaboration of an environment strategy based on biodiversity, sustainable development, quality of life and wellbeing, from an intergenerational and gender equality perspective. Women make up half of the world's population: it is obvious that we won't save the planet without women's leadership and participation. Protecting the environment and addressing the impact of our lifestyles on biodiversity are largely considered as essential matters in the building of more sustainable and equal societies. However, the link between women and the environment is not always obvious and is largely not included in reflections on environmental issues. As part of its Year of Action on Beijing+20, the European Women's Lobby (EWL) held its first webinar on the issue of women and the environment recently, to celebrate World Environment Day. Five inspiring presenters were invited to bring different perspectives in the links between women and the environment, and feed into EWL's reflections and recommendations. The webinar aimed at addressing these three questions from a global perspective, but keeping a focus on the challenges and opportunities in Europe: Why are women's rights and climate change interlinked? What is and should be the role of women in the work on the environment? How can feminism contribute to the protection of the planet? The webinar gathered experts and activists from different sectors, in order to build bridges between knowledge and actions, between women's organisations, environmental organisations, academics and official processes. It also specifically informed everyone about the forthcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris in November-December 2015. The idea was to explore the links between women and the environment; to get in-depth information, data and a broader vision of the challenges and opportunities linked to the diverse issues at stake; to exchange ideas and strategies between women's and environmental organisations and to develop and strengthen policies and recommendations, in particular in light of COP21. You can watch the webinar here, and read some of the Tweets quoting the presenters below. Ilona Graenitz, from Austrian Coordination, gave a presentation of the EWL factsheet from the EWL report on Beijing+20 'From words to action' asking ‘Why should women and environment be linked?’ and ‘Why is it important for women's organisations to address the environmental issues?’ And remarked: "Western lifestyle won't be possible for much longer, but it doesn't mean we'll have less interesting or fruitful lives"; "Women are disproportionately affected by climate & environment degradation. No gender equality without change of society" and "Women decide what/where/when to buy in the household: crucial role in waste management". With her presentation of a book on women's empowerment, part of Friends of the Earth project Big Ideas Change the World, Jenny Hawley, from Friends of the Earth (FOE), asked ‘Why it is important for environmental groups to be active on women's empowerment?’ Some of her quotes Tweeted were: “If we don't transform society, we can't hit our environmental goals”; "Achieving environmental and gender goals both require new economic, political and social systems" and "Achieving gender equality within the environment movement is simply the right thing to do". Helene Ahlborg, doctor in environmental science, at Chalmers University of Technology spoke about ‘Alternative feminist visions: sustainable feminist economics’ and said: “Growth = economic dependence = exploitation / degrowth = economic instability = social injustice: Need a new non-violent society" and "Same logic and world view that exploits women, also exploits the environment". Justin Roborg-Söndergaard, Caring for the Future Foundation of the Graal, a member of the Portuguese Platform for Women's Rights (PpDM) talked about how ‘We can't continue to work in silos to bring about change in economy, the environment and women's rights’ and how "Women must be given the tools to play an active role in fighting climate change in the daily life". Yveline Nicolas, Adequations, a member of the French group 'Gender and sustainable development' together with the French national coordination of EWL, CLEF covered ‘COP21: concrete steps towards feminist climate change action The mobilisation of women's organisations’ and how "Environmental NGOs are often gender-blind. Need to convince them of the importance of gender equality" and "Remember not to consider women as a homogenous group in terms of level of consumption, health, engagement etc.". Comments Tweeted by the moderator Pierrette Pape (EWL) included: “Only Mexico gave a gender perspective of climate change in its contribution to COP21″ and "Environment debate is still dominated by male, imposing male perspective & male understanding of climate change" And from the Tweeter-sphere: "We need to transform society! A mountain of reasons for it packed with a lot of knowledge from women's rights NGO on how to make it!" "I'm listening to 'From Words To Actions' Webinar by @EuropeanWomen – oh my, how I love the possibilities of the Internet". And from EWL: thanks to all  |
| Measure for Measure: glossing over the problems? Posted: 08 Jul 2015 02:05 AM PDT
The problem with Shakespeare's "problem plays" is that they come so tantalisingly close to challenging convention. Contemporary directors face a choice between embracing the play's comic natures, or accentuating their more troubling elements. Dominic Dromgoole's current production of Measure for Measure at Shakespeare's Globe, in London, adopted the former option – although it does get good dramatic value from the key moment of ambiguity in the final scene. In true Globe style, Dromgoole immerses the audience right from the start, with the groundlings finding themselves in the midst of brothels, bawds and base humour. Full-on silliness and slapstick ensues. And as events unfold, the overall effect is of expanding comic chaos, and a sense that the cast are fresh from a Monty Python-athon. Think silly voices, brilliant facial expressions and gloriously pointless outbursts of physical comedy. The uneven tone for which the play's script is known becomes almost an asset, forcing characters to speak ever faster and subjugate sense to sound as the comic energy builds. The central character of the Duke of Vienna is famously open to interpretation. It is played here by Dominic Rowan as a loveable adventurer; often amusingly muddled, but ultimately a just and sincere leader. All this sets the context for the final scene, when the Duke unexpectedly proposes marriage to the chaste Isabella. The heroine is not given any words by Shakespeare at this point, so it really is left up to each production to decide how this story ends. In this case, Mariah Gale's Isabella initially responds with what I can only agree is an excellent "WTAF gasp", before turning away and picking up the robes the friar has discarded, a move suggesting she's contemplating a return to her convent. This makes good psychological sense. Almost in the same breath, the Duke has revealed Isabella's beloved brother is not dead, as she had believed; arranged a series of marriages – some happy, some less so – and then, almost casually, proposed to her. Yet within the production's own logic, a "happily ever after" is called for. Rejection would ring false, bursting the feel-good bubble we are all part of by now. After a considered pause, Isabella returns to take the Duke's hand, accepting his offer, it appears, on her own terms, out of love and free choice rather than obedience or conformity. In these cleverly staged final gestures, the play manages to have its cake and eat it. We get the happily ever after which is the inevitable terminus of the comic genre, with an extra dose of apparently independent action for the heroine. I have to admit, especially after seeing a production of The Taming of the Shrew a few years ago, in which the final scene of female subjugation was played to chillingly powerful effect, I was a little disappointed. I had hoped the play might embrace the "problem" of this final scene, using it as a powerful moment of dissonance, to expose the underlying absurdity of the genre. Like seeing a modern rom com with a final scene in which the heroine decides that maybe getting hitched isn't her sole ambition in life after all… But this was the pay-off for what was overall a thoroughly entertaining production, with plenty of delightful moments and a composite impression of optimism, tolerance and zest for life. Recommended if you are willing to take the show on its own terms and leave hang-ups at the door, Measure for Measure is running at Shakespeare's Globe until 17 October.  |
| Pill charges: blatant discrimination? Posted: 08 Jul 2015 12:58 AM PDT
Northern Ireland pro-choice pressure campaigner Alliance for Choice and Voice for Choice are petitioning Members of Parliament in the UK calling on authorities to drop charges against a mother who provided her daughter with abortion medication. Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland except in extremely rare situations. But in 2014 837 women from Northern Ireland travelled to England in order to have a safe, legal abortion; others have bought medication from the internet in order to induce an abortion at home. A woman is currently being charged under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act for purchasing abortion medication on behalf of her daughter. The woman, who cannot be named so as to protect her daughter’s identity, is accused of procuring a poison or other noxious substance, namely Mifepristone and Misoprostol, knowing that it was to be used with the intention of securing a miscarriage. If found guilty she could be imprisoned for up to five years. Alliance for Choice and Voice for Choice are calling on the authorities to drop all charges against the mother who provided her daughter with this medication; and to call off prosecutions of those who use the pills or help women to access them. By prosecuting those who use or provide pills the authorities are targeting the most vulnerable women; women who fall pregnant and want or need an abortion e.g. those who because of their age, a shortage of money, lack of support, a violent partner, or because of their immigration status are unable to travel. Using the law to prevent women using abortion medication puts them at risk – and makes doctors prioritise reporting women to the authorities, rather than providing them with any care they need – and potentially deterring women from seeking medical advice for fear of prosecution. Women living in England, Scotland and Wales can access abortion for free and do not need to seek out or pay for clandestine services or medication. It is time that women in Northern Ireland were provided with equal access to abortion too. Please sign now to email your MP asking what they will do to put pressure on the Northern Ireland authorities to drop the case against this woman, and against anybody who procures or takes abortion medication. Click here to help. Thanks.  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Women's Views on News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |