Archive for the 'News' Category
July 2nd, 2010 by Andrew
Thanks to the work of the international campaign for Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR), the UN general assembly will vote today to create a new UN agency for women, to be called “UN Women.”
[From IPS] “After several rounds of intense eleventh-hour negotiations last week over the structure and composition of a proposed new “gender entity” and its executive board, the United Nations has cleared the last of the remaining political hurdles towards the creation of a separate and distinct U.N. agency for women.”
“The 192-member General Assembly Friday will authorise Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to launch the new entity under the leadership of a yet-to-be-named under-secretary-general (USG), most certainly a woman, holding a third-ranking job in the U.N. hierarchy.”
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More from the official GEAR website
June 21st, 2010 by Andrew
From Human Rights Watch:
“Shot at and raped. Arrested and beaten. Detained and deported. Extorted and robbed. Threatened and insulted. Ignored and shunned. The treatment of hardened criminals in some far-flung police state? The fate of political opponents by a repressive regime? Not quite. For Somali refugees – 80% of them women and children – this is their welcome to Kenya.”
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June 16th, 2010 by Andrew
Ban Ki Moon calls for more women to swell the ranks of the UN Police
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June 1st, 2010 by Melissa
Source: DESA News
Women’s participation is needed for more effective response to conflict and sustainable development. Read more.
May 25th, 2010 by Andrew
From UN News Center
Every day around the world, mass media sways how people view what it means to be masculine and feminine, “sadly, often resorting to destructive gender stereotypes in the process,” Ms. Migiro said.
“Such stereotyping, in turn feeds into the gender discrimination which is a rood cause of violence against women and girls,” she added…
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May 24th, 2010 by Andrew
From Madre News
“in coalition with other organizations, including KOFAVIV, a grassroots women’s group in Haiti, submitted testimony on the failure of the international community to respond to the sexual violence crisis women face in the internally displaced persons camps in Haiti. The coalition submitted the following statement to the UN Human Rights Council for the upcoming session…”
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May 24th, 2010 by Andrew
From IRIN:
“A five-year campaign to boost the number of UN female peacekeepers is progressing steadily in police units, but “seems to be stuck” at a minuscule percentage in military contingents [10%]…
“The advantages of a strong presence of female peacekeeper in conflict and post-conflict zones include creating a safer space for girls and women who have suffered sexual violence…”
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May 11th, 2010 by Melissa
Source: Human Rights Watch (HRW)
There must be greater accountability for abuses in Afghanistan. “Outspoken and active Afghan women who participate in politics or civil society live in a climate of fear, heightened by the failure of the government to provide security or to give priority to investigations into politically motivated killings of women.” Read more.
May 7th, 2010 by Melissa
Source: UN News Centre
“No woman should have to pay with her life for giving life.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, calling for global support for United Nations efforts to make motherhood safe for all. Read more
