· November, 2010

Stories about Women & Gender from November, 2010

El Salvador: New Law Targets Violence Against Women

  29 November 2010

“On Thursday, November 25, El Salvador's National Assembly unanimously passed the Law for A Life Free From Violence for Women. For the first time, the law creates a separate crime of femicide for the murder of a woman on account of her gender. The law also imposes stiffer penalties on...

Take Back the Tech to Eliminate Violence Against Women

  29 November 2010

The global campaign Take Back the Tech! started on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This year it is focused on developing actions that defend women's right to freedom and expression and information. Global Voices interviews Erika Smith, the Association of Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Program communications coordinator.

Brazil: five days of cyber-activism to end violence against women

  21 November 2010

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25th), a group of Brazilian feminist bloggers will take part in five days of cyber activism [pt]. Those involved will post interviews with activists and lawyers to raise awareness of causes, consequences and prevention of the practice. Meanwhile, online collectives have...

Dominican Republic: Girls Must Be Protected

  17 November 2010

Blogger María Isabel Soldevila [es] writes:”In a country in which gender violence is still considered a ‘passion’ crime, where the body and sexuality are being regulated without considering that girls suffer the worst abuses and neglect, the Millennium Objectives will never be reached. We have to wake up. It's urgent”.

Australia: Same-Sex Marriage a Step Closer?

  16 November 2010

Australia’s parliament is currently debating a private members bill about gay marriage. This one is not to change the law, merely to consult with the public about the issue. Many in the Oz blogosphere have strong views.

Africa: On the status of African women

  15 November 2010

Gregory Simpkins discusses the status of African women: “The status of women in Africa is a series of paradoxes. On the one hand, women have an exalted role as mothers and nurturers of their families. On the other hand, they are not accorded many of the economic rights women have...

Mexico: Data on Femicides, 2006-2008

  12 November 2010

Diego Valle-Jones provides data on femicides in Mexico from 2006 to 2008, pointing out that “As a consequence of the drug war Chihuahua has the highest levels of femicides.”

Japan: I now pronounce you friend and friend

  12 November 2010

For those who take note of social categories a new one has been created: that of ‘marriage mates’. The tomo-fuhfu (where literally tomo means ‘mates or friends’ and fuhfu ‘married couple’) is the new term coined by writer Megumi Ushikubo to indicate those couples who have grown apart from each...

D.R. of Congo: Letter from the capital of rape

  11 November 2010

I am writing these words from the world capital of rape. I’m not the one who named it that way, but Margot Wallström, Special Rapporteur of the United Nations, with regard to violence against women. So you understand, I am in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country where women...

Africa: What drives unsafe abortion in Africa?

  10 November 2010

What drives unsafe abortion in Africa?: “In our view two key factors ultimately sustain the persistence of unsafe abortion in Africa: the first is criminalisation of abortionwhich was inherited from colonial times, despite the fact that abortion has since been decriminalised in the “mother countries”, beginning with the United Kingdom...