· March, 2008

Stories about Women & Gender from March, 2008

Pakistan: Women and Honour

Five Rupees on the case of a woman who is trying to escape being killed for her family's honour – bringing to light issues of women's status in a society...

31 March 2008

Middle East and North Africa: Client Number Nine

Eliot Spitzer's fall from grace grabbed the headlines as soon as newsmen caught wind of the scandal. Bloggers followed closely on their heel, including those from the Middle East and North Africa, whose attention was turned to the humiliation his wife must have suffered from and indignation of having her to stand by him as he announced his resignation.

28 March 2008

Libya: Wedding Blues

“Libyan weddings are BORING. They are all the same – the same food is served, the same music is played, the brides all look the same. BORING… sigh,” writes Khadija...

28 March 2008

Jordan: Viagra Prescriptions

Jordanian Hareega, who is a doctor by profession, writes about the miracles of the magical blue pill -Viagra – and the changes it brought to some men's lives.

28 March 2008

Barbados: Archaic Laws

Barbados Free Press has heard of a woman “who was recently raped by her estranged husband – and our police say they are unable to lay charges because our laws...

27 March 2008

Cape Verde: Woman's day

Eurídice Monteiro [pt] takes the opportunity of the Cape Verde Woman's Day today to reflect on gender equality in the country. “The point is that we try to understand the...

27 March 2008

Burkina Faso: Home of black bags, baobabs and cute kids?

This roundup will begin with some old business. From Stephen Davis of Voice in the Desert: His book Sophie and the Albino Camel is up for the Norfolk Shorts shortlist of books under 150 pages. While he won’t know the outcome until April 16, he did expound on why he loves writing short fiction.

27 March 2008

Jamaica: Beauty and Race

“What beauty contests say about women is still an open and now tired debate, but what it says about race, particularly in a country like Jamaica is still up for...

24 March 2008

Czech Republic, Slovakia: Whipping Girls and Other Easter Traditions

Easter is a very important celebration both in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, called Velikonoce - from Veliké noci or Great Nights. Although the religious connotations of Easter were suppressed under the communist regime, nowadays Czechs and Slovaks are again aware of the strong Christian background of Easter, although they regard it as mostly fun times. Many traditions are still observed, especially in villages. Several bloggers have been describing some of them.

23 March 2008

Yemen: No Women Abuse

Omar Barsawad discusses reports on abuse and violence against women in Yemen and asks: “I visit relatives and friends in other parts of Yemen – I do not see or...

19 March 2008