This Week in Review focuses on our theme of
the month, which is Gender Equality and Well-being. Highlights of this review include; the
American army’s decision to allow women to fight on the frontline,
International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, Wikigender's most recent online discussion, 1 Billion Rising and 10x10, an innovative new feature film
about the power of education to change a girl – and the world.
This month, violence against women is at the top of global
agendas, and with this in mind, Wikigender ran an online
discussion on ‘Transforming social norms to prevent
violence against women and girls’. The forum posed the question of what type of
social behaviors catalyze violence against women and also looked to find
examples of policies and initiatives that have most successfully dealt with the
problem. Raymond Brandes, one of many contributors to the discussion, made a
particularly relevant point to the notion of gender equality, stipulating that ‘Realizing the
economic and social rights of all members of society and reducing inequalities
are important elements of addressing violence against women.’ The full results
of the forum will be synthesized and published in a report by the Wikigender
team in the near future. To access past Wikigender online discussions, click here.
The International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital
Mutilation is observed on the 6th of February each year to raise
awareness about this physically and psychologically damaging practice. Female
Genital Mutilation is recognized internationally as an extreme violation of
human rights and despite efforts from organizations and governments to push for
its eradication, FMG still affects around 140 million girls and women every
year. In the early stages of 2013, focus groups have made a concerted effort to tackle the concerning
trend of health-care providers performing FGM, which has contributed to its
legitimization in Africa, Indonesia and the Middle East (areas where the
practice is concentrated most heavily). To find out up to date information on
FGM, visit Wikigender's page
on the subject.
Yesterday, on V-Day’s 15th
Anniversary, One Billion Rising mobilized thousands of people to call for an
end to violence against women. The organization invited one billion women to
strike and dance against the reality that one in three women on the planet will
be raped or beaten in her lifetime. The movement is hoping to influence the UN
Commission on the Status of Women, which is being held in New York next
month.
Interestingly, while much of this blog post has centered around
global movements to counter violence against women, U.S Defense Secretary Leon Panetta
recently declared that the military would be eradicating its long-standing ban
on women partaking in frontline combat roles. This significant change in policy
not only opens as many as 237,000 new jobs for female soldiers but also allows
women to achieve higher leadership positions within the army. While critics have argued that the decision will
alter group dynamics and unit cohesion, it marks a significant step for the women
who have been seeking equity in one of America’s most male dominated
institutions. The Wikigender team is currently running a quick
fire poll to gauge the public’s opinion on the ruling, so be sure to make
your voice heard.
Finally, there has been a steadily growing social media buzz
over Girl Rising’s feature length film 10x10;
which augments the pervasive power of education to change the lives of millions
of girls across the world. The movement is attempting to break down the
barriers that hinder girls from receiving education while highlighting the significant
benefits it will bring to them and the global community. If you haven’t seen the
trailer already, look no further!
Look forward to more Gender Equality and Well-being blogs in the coming weeks!
Wikichild Coordinator
No comments:
Post a Comment