Subject: [fem-women2000 469] Women's GlobalNet 155: Women in Politics
From: iwtc <iwtc@iwtc.org>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 09:21:37 -0700
Seq: 469
IWTC Women's GlobalNet #155 Activities and Initiatives of Women Worldwide By Anne S. Walker and Rana Arabi July 25th, 2000 WOMEN FIGHT FOR THEIR PLACE IN POLITICS This issue of IWTC Women痴 GlobalNet focuses on the activities and initiatives of women in several world regions as they increasingly make their mark on national political scenes. The examples given show the frustrations and difficulties faced as well as the successes achieved. Women and Politics in the Middle East 1. New Monthly Newsletter from GLIP (Lebanon) The Machreq/Maghreb Gender Linking and Information Project (GLIP) Beirut, Lebanon, has launched a monthly newsletter in hard copy and online. The pilot issue focuses on women, gender, and development. This is one of the three channels of communication that GLIP will use in distributing information relating to women in the Middle East. Other channels will include a regional newsletter and a special highlights issue. For further information, contact: Lina About-Habib, Coordinator, MACMAG GLIP, P.O. Box 165302, Beirut, Lebanon. Tel: (961-3) 615-046. Fax: (961-1) 611-079. E-mail: <glipcoord@intracom.net.lb> Website: <http://www.women-machreq-maghreb.com> 2. One Step Forward (Qatar) Qatar is the first Arab Gulf State in which women are permitted to take part as candidates or voters. In the most recent elections of the central municipal council in Doha, six women were nominated and 200 men. Although none of the women were elected, this remains an important step for women痴 political movement in the Gulf region. 3. One Step Back (Kuwait) Kuwaiti women were deeply disappointed last December when the parliament refused to pass a bill granting them the right to vote and to present their candidacy in the parliamentary elections. The leader of Kuwait, Sheikh al Sabbah, led the rejection of the bill along with conservative members of the parliament who argued that such a bill would contradict the Islamic, Shari誕 laws. Women and Politics in Africa 1. Enhancing Women痴 Participation in Politics (Kenya) Friends of Esther and Deborah (FREDA) is a Kenyan-based NGO that works specifically on designing programmes to support women痴 political participation. FREDA痴 first phase of work includes research using a participatory baseline survey on women痴 performance in elective politics and decision making in 11 constituencies in Kenya. FREDA has also been active in preparing a manual for civic education and lobbying for constitutional reform. As part of the regional and national Beijing Plus Five process, FREDA focused on lobbying for the implementation and adoption of affirmative action as a strategy for enhancing women痴 participation in leadership and decision making positions. For further information, contact Rose Waruhiu, e-mail: <freda@nbnet.co.ke> 2. Woman Minister of Parliament Publicly Abused (Uganda) Hon. Jane Frances Kuka, Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Uganda, has been harassed and physically abused on several occasions by a fellow Member of Parliament, Hon. David Chebrot, member for Tingey County-Kapchorwa District in Uganda. Recently, at the opening of a workshop on Female Genital Mutilation organized by UNFPA at the Green-Field Hotel in Kapchorwa town on June 27th, 2000, Chebrot used abusive language in an attempt to again belittle Minister Kuka in public. Isis Women痴 International Cross-Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE), based in Kampala, Uganda, has sent an alert worldwide in an effort to get support and solidarity for Minister Kuka as she struggles to overcome these continuing attempts to silence her in her important position. They ask that we send letters calling for a) a public apology >from Hon. David Chebrot and b) a stand to be taken on the issue by the government of Uganda. Send letters to: H.E. The President of Uganda at fax: (256-41) 235-459. Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda at fax: (256-41) 235-461. Human Rights Commission at fax: (256-41) 155-261. Hon. David Chebrot at fax: (256-41) 235-461. Isis-WICCE suggests that you send copies of your letter to Hon. Jane Frances Kuka, Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees at fax: (256-41) 349-194 and to Isis-WICCE by fax or e-mail. Fax: (256-41) 543-954. E-mail: <isis@starcom.co.ug> Women and Politics in Asia/Pacific 1. The UN Stands Up for Women痴 Right to Work in Afghanistan Earlier this month, the Taliban government of Afghanistan issued an edict barring women from working for NGOs and/or any international relief agencies. The Taliban have consistently banned women from working outside the home but in order to keep foreign aid coming, have allowed women to work for NGOs and foreign agencies. The United Nations coordinator for Afghanistan, Eric de Mul, spent months negotiating with the Taliban for what small advances were possible for women, and UN agencies have made the hiring of women mandatory if the Taliban want to continue receiving aid. On Thursday, July 13, 2000, the New York Times reported that the Taliban military rulers had finally agreed to rescind the new edict barring women from working for NGOs and international relief agencies. However on Tuesday July 25th, 2000, it was reported by a National Public Radio (USA) reporter in Kabul that the rescinding of the new edict was now in doubt. When they took over, the Taliban denied public schooling for girls, treatment for women at public health facilities, and work outside the home for women. They later made a few concessions in the areas of education and health, allowing informal schooling for girls in private homes, informal health clinics run privately for women, and work for some women in NGOs and foreign agencies. The Taliban痴 ban on women working outside the home has drastically increased the number of women and children begging in the streets. Many are widows. The UN estimates there are about 28,000 widows in the Afghan capital of Kabul alone. (Adapted from New York Times, Thursday, July 13, 2000, and "Morning Edition", National Public Radio, Tuesday July 25th, 2000). 2. Women Fight for Political Rights Following Armed Takeover of Parliament (Fiji, S. Pacific) With the collapse of the first Fiji Parliament to include 8 women as elected members-the largest number in history- and the first Fiji Government to be multi-racial, headed by an Indo-Fijian and in favour of a nuclear-free Pacific, the women痴 movement in Fiji is fighting hard to recover some of the momentum and political strength they had finally gained after years of work. Following the armed takeover of the government by a group of men calling themselves Fijian nationalists on May 19, 2000, and the taking of the Prime Minister and 33 other government officials as hostages, Fiji women mobilized and set up the Women's Action for Democracy and Peace (WAD'aP). In collaboration with the Fiji National Council of Women (FNCW), WAD誕P held daily candlelight vigils demanding the release of the hostages, issued regular media statements, and delivered letters directly to the military personnel ruling in the absence of a legal government. The hostages have now been released and an Interim Government has been elected. But the people of Fiji are economically, psychologically and in all other ways devastated. WAD誕P has protested at the lack of any real participation in the rebuilding process by women fighting for the return of democracy, and at the release of the hostage-takers into the community where they continue to pillage and terrorize at will. For further information, contact: Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Secretary, FNCW/Coordinating Secretary, WAD誕P. Tel: (679) 315-429/311-880/960-677. Fax: (679)315-429. E-mail: <ncwf@is.com.fj> For information on the ongoing political situation in Fiji, visit: <http://www.fijilive.com> Where There痴 a WILL, There痴 a Way (International) Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) launched Women in Legislation League (WILL), a new section to their website, during the Beijing Plus Five Special Session in New York in June. WILL functions as an online legislative information resource centre, serving women and helping them gain a better understanding of the social realities of legislation. It also fosters critical thinking about the legislative process and the implications of implementing gender-related law into diverse national legal systems and cultures. The website provides a unique forum for obtaining thoughts and concerns to those individuals and groups whom the legislation impacts. For further information, contact: Shazia Z. Rafi, Convenor, PGA/WILL, 211 East 43rd St. Suite 1604, New York, NY 10017, USA. Tel: (1-212) 687-7755. Fax: (1-212) 687-8409. E-mail: <ayakapga@aol.com> Website: <http://www.pgaction.org/will/index.htm> New Book Published on Women痴 Participation in Politics (International) The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has recently published "Politics: Women痴 Insight." This book provides a survey of 187 women from 65 different countries addressing four key questions: 1) How does women痴 participation in political parties, parliaments and the executive branch bring about change in political priorities, processes and outputs? 2) How far does women痴 involvement in political structures that are developed and dominated by men, generate a qualitative shift in the traditional political language and approach and in the prevailing, well-established electoral and other practices? 3) How are women affecting the institutional environment? 4) What difference does it all make to the daily life of the ordinary citizen? "Politics: Women痴 Insight" also includes surveys and statistics and is available through Women, Ink. (See below) IWTC Women's GlobalNet is a production of: International Women's Tribune Centre 777 United Nations Plaza 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (1-212) 687-8633 Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 Email: <iwtc@iwtc.org> You can subscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com You can unsubscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to iwtc-womensglobalnet-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com WOMEN, INK. For quality, cutting-edge publications on women and development by, for and about women worldwide, see Women, Ink's catalogue at our web site: <http://www.womenink.org>. Or contact Women, Ink. at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA. Tel: Yasna Uberoi (1-212) 687-8633 ext 212 or Mary Wong (1-212) 687-8633 ext 204. Fax: (1-212) 661-2704. 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