Stories about Women & Gender from October, 2009
Israel:Blog Action Day for the Environment
On Blog Action Day, October 15, Israeli bloggers were already looking ahead to October 24 when environmental organizations, activists, and bloggers too, are planning a day of climate change protest across the Middle East.
Global Health: Can Condoms Combat Climate Change?
As scientists and policymakers search for high-tech ways to fight climate change, a proposed low-tech solution is creating controversy -- contraception. A look at the debate as part of Blog Action Day, which focuses this year on climate change.
Trinidad & Tobago: Set Up?
Jumbie's Watch is “vex enough to fart fire” over developments in a court case involving the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, which he believes “was a set up designed to have the case thrown out.”
How the recession has affected motherhood
When the economies of world plummeted late last year, that “motherhood” would be a victim of the spiraling trend might not have been foremost in the minds of most. However, mothers are as much a casualty of the recession as the stock markets.
India: High Maternal Mortality
Ben Piven at World Focus interviewed Aruna Kashyap, researcher for the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch and the writer of the report on maternal health care in India titled “No Tally Of The Anguish“. In this interview Aruna discusses why the maternal mortality in India is still exceptionally...
South Korea: Korean women, sexually conservative or liberal?
The Grand Narratives has an interesting post on the stereotype of Korean women being sexually conservative.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Pessimistic Outlook
As news breaks of another murder, Abeni is “just not that optimistic” about the future of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Saudi Arabia: Housework for Men?
Do Saudi men help with household chores? Nzingha testifies that they do in this post.
India: Bigamy On The Rise
Bigamy is outlawed in India with some exceptions. However the Bigamy law has been twisted and milked through the gate of exceptions and the practice is on the rise in the country. Deepali Gaur Singh has details.
Egypt: Niqab Ban Stirs Controversy
Egypt's top leading Islamic leader, Sheikh Mohammed Tantawi told a 13-year-old student to uncover her face, saying it was not part of the religious obligations of Muslim women. A few days later, Egypt banned female undergraduates from wearing the niqab in the country's public universities. Bloggers join in the debate.
Saudi Arabia: To coed or not to coed
Should coed universities be allowed in Saudi Arabia? Saudi Jeans comments on the latest developments on this issue.
Singapore: More Cash ≠ More Babies
Will a cash incentive make women want to have a child? Going by recent figures under Singapore’s recent Baby Bonus initiative, a government plan to raise declining birth rates in the country, the answer is “no”.
Egypt: Amending the marriage certificate to protect rape victims
Group blog Bikya Masr reported: Prominent Egyptian female religious leader Soad Saleh has called on the country ministry of justice to amend its current marriage certificate regulations where women must write “virgin” or “divorced” or “widow” – the latter two considered one category. She said that the ministry should allow a...
Will Egypt import Chinese Hymens?
An artifical hymen kit is now available in the market. Egyptian law makers have banned the product while bloggers continue to debate the cons and pros of this Chinese 'invention' - and question its morality.
Japan: The Buddha girls
They call them 'Buddha girls' (仏女 butsujo), Japanese ladies in their 30s or 40s passionate about visiting temples and admiring statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva.
Philippines: Supporting Women through Pregnancy and Motherhood
If it goes against the religious mandates of a Catholic organization, can unwed pregnant females be fired from work or expelled from school? Bloggers discuss this situation currently faced in Philippines.
Jordan: Honour Crime
From Jordan, Kinzi attends a talk on honour crimes and shares her insights.
Georgia: An Azeri Wedding
Last weekend Global Voices Online's Caucasus Editor and an Azerbaijani blogger visited the ethnic Azeri village of Karajala in Georgia. The visit marked the first time two bloggers on Armenia and Azerbaijan worked together in the South Caucasus.
Barbados: About Polanski
Barbadian bloggers Boyce Voice and Jdid weigh in on the Roman Polanski controversy.
Jamaica: Breast Cancer Awareness
“Hopefully a cure for this disease is in the near future”: From Jamaica, Stunner's Afflictions recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Puerto Rico: A Crisis with Many Names
This has been a very difficult week in Puerto Rico: The governor Luis Fortuño layed-off nearly 17,000 government employees. After the announcement, people immediately mobilized. Comments and analysis on the precarious political, social and economic situation that Puerto Rico is enduring have flooded the blogosphere.
