While we continue to pour billions down the drain fighting ‘terrorism’ and the ‘enemy’, we continue to harm the women of Afghanistan by fomenting a continuing state of militarism with only lip service and a pittance of funding given to help them to fight the very real terrorism of violence against women. Via RAWA:

As the world marks International Women’s Day, ambivalence, impunity, weak law enforcement and corruption continue to undermine women’s rights in Afghanistan, despite a July 2009 law banning violence against women, rights activists say.

(WARNING–VERY Disturbing film)

A recent case of the public beating of a woman for alleged elopement – also shown on private TV stations in Kabul – highlights the issue.

In January domestic violence forced two young women to flee their homes in Oshaan village, Dolaina District, Ghor Province, southwestern Afghanistan. A week later they were arrested in neighbouring Herat Province and sent back to Oshaan, according to the governor of Ghor, Mohammad Iqbal Munib.

“One woman was beaten in public for the elopement and the second was reportedly confined in a sack with a cat,” Munib told IRIN.

According to the governor, the illegal capture of the women was orchestrated by Fazul Ahad who leads an illegal armed militia group in Dolaina District. Locals say Ahad, a powerful figure who backed President Hamid Karzai in the August 2009 elections, has been running Oshaan as his personal fiefdom.

“When the roads reopen to Dolaina [closed by snow] we will send a team to investigate,” said the governor, adding that he was concerned that arresting Ahad could cause instability. “We have asked the authorities in Kabul for support and guidance.”

IRIN was unable to contact Fazul Ahad and verify the charges.

Self-immolation in Afghanistan

Domestic violence, forced marriage and lack of access to justice force some Afghan women to commit self-immolation and suicide.

“I poured fuel over my body and set myself ablaze because I was regularly beaten up and insulted by my husband and in-laws,” Zarmina, 28, told IRIN. She, along with over a dozen other women with self-inflicted burns, is in Herat’s burns hospital.

Over 90 self-immolation cases have been registered at the hospital in the past 11 months; 55 women had died, doctors said.

“People call it the `hospital of cries’ as patients here cry out loudly in pain,” Arif Jalali, head of the hospital, told IRIN.

Beneath the cries lie cases of domestic violence and/or disappointment with the justice system.

“Self-immolation proves that the justice system for female victims is failing,” said Movidul-Haq Mowidi, a human rights activist in Herat.

Barriers to justice

Despite laws prohibiting gender violence and upholding women’s rights, widespread gender discrimination, fear of abuse, corruption and other challenges are undermining the judicial system, experts say.

“Women are denied their most fundamental human rights and risk further violence in the course of seeking justice for crimes perpetrated against them,” stated a report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan on the situation of Afghan women in July 2009.

Orzala Ashraf, a women’s rights activist in Kabul, blames the government: “Laws are clear about crimes but we see big criminals thriving and being nurtured by the state for illicit political gains,” she told IRIN, pointing to the government’s alleged failure to address human rights violations committed over the past three decades of conflict.

“Because no one is put on trial for his crimes, a criminal culture is being promoted: violators have no fear of the law, prosecution and a meaningful penalty,” said Ashraf.

Deep-seated ambivalence to women’s rights is evident from a law signed off by President Hamid Karzai in early 2009: The Shia Personal Status Law, dubbed a ‘rape legalizing law’, was amended after strong domestic and international pressure.

“The first version [of the law] was totally intolerable,” said Najia Zewari, a women’s rights expert with the UN Fund for Women (UNIFEM). “Despite positive changes in the final version, there are articles that still need to be discussed and reviewed further,” she said.

Another example of this ambivalence is the case of the men who threw acid in the faces of 15 female students in Kandahar city in November 2008: Karzai publicly vowed they would be “severely punished” but court officials in Kandahar and Kabul have said they are unaware of the case and do not know where the alleged perpetrators are.

“Judges say the men were wrongly accused and forced to confess,” Ranna Tarina, head of Kandahar women’s affairs department, told IRIN.

Violence database

Over the past two years more than 1,900 cases of violence against women in 26 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces – from verbal abuse to physical violence – have been recorded in a database run by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UNIFEM.

One recorded case is the murder, by her in-laws in Parwan Province north of Kabul, of a young woman who had refused to live with her abusive husband. Another is the regular physical and mental torture meted out to a woman by her husband and mother in-law in Kabul.

“The database does not give a perfect picture but it helps to highlight some of the common miseries of Afghan women,” UNIFEM’s Najia Zewari told IRIN.

UNIFEM is keen to make the database publicly available on the internet.

“Violence against women is not a new phenomenon in Afghanistan but it is good to see crimes do not remain confined to a home and a village,” said activist Orzala Ashraf.

Judy Rebick reflects on feminism:

In the end, my conclusion is that the inter-locking systems of patriarchy, colonialism and capitalism will maintain the oppression of women.  There is only so far we can go without challenging all of them.  That’s why I am thrilled to see the women’s movement become more global, more diverse, more radical and more integrated into other movements for social and environmental change.  Even if in the short time, we are less effective in making change, in the long term the change will be deeper and broader.

From Madre:

Honoring the lives of feminist Haitian leaders who died in the massive earthquake on January 12th, will be the focus of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2010, which is also the 100th anniversary of this annual celebration.

The main activity will take place that day in Plaza Catherine Flon in Champ de Mars in the center of Port au Prince, a park that symbolizes Haitian women’s participation to the war towards independence two centuries ago.

It is being organized by the Haitian women’s organizations locally to acknowledge and honor the human suffering of the catastrophe in Haiti, promore feminist values based on the human rights of all, the struggle for well being of all in Haiti and urban planning, reaffirm feminist struggles despite the loss of significant feminist leaders, strengthen solidarity and display a MEMORIA which will take the form of testimonies, a mural and a slide show.

Women’s groups around the world are asked by the Haitian women’s movement to organize a memorial activity as part of their celebration of International Women’s Day in their countries and communities.

Tamar Abrams asks us to focus our attention on ending maternal deaths this IWD:

We mustn’t let this critical discussion get bogged down in ideology about abortion or contraceptives or politics. I challenge you to look into the eyes of your own mother or sister or daughter on March 8 and say, “Sorry, maternal deaths are simply not a prority.” Or you could join me in celebrating International Women’s Day with a pledge to invest in the health and well-being of women.

Oxfam has this round up of news items that includes this thought-provoking tidbit:

The UN estimates that women grow more than half of all the food in the world. In sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, they produce up to 80 percent of basic foodstuffs. In Asia, they account for around 50 percent of food production. Despite their contributions to the global food supply, women farmers are often undervalued and overlooked in agricultural development strategies.

From the U.N. a status report on UNSCR 1325:

(T)he record of implementing resolution 1325 has fallen markedly short of expectation. As the 10 year anniversary approaches, women and girls continue to be victims of gender-based violence, especially sexual violence, during armed conflict and in post-conflict settings. They are raped, tortured, abducted and humiliated, and many are ostracized after the conflicts end because they either have been abused or have become pregnant. In this regard, implementing resolution 1325 cannot be seen in isolation from Security Council resolutions 1888 and 1820 (adopted in 2008 and 2009 respectively) since resolution 1325 focuses on the operationalization of resolution 1820. Through these resolutions, the Security Council sent a clear message that sexual violence in situations of armed conflict will not be tolerated.

Cessation of hostilities does not often guarantee an end to violence against women and girls. On the contrary, evidence shows that even after conflict has ended, high levels of sexual and gender-based violence tend to persist, creating long-term threats to security and to women’s health, livelihoods, and their ability to participate in reconstruction and peacebuilding efforts.

The persistence of violence against women in situations of armed conflict detracts from the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), whose targets in many ways are intertwined with the goals of resolution 1325. If girls live in fear of attending school because of the heinous violations that are often typical in armed conflicts, their access to education will remain unequal to that of boys and compromise MDG 2: achieving universal primary education. Sexual violence during armed conflict carries high risks of HIV infection and threatens the achievement of MDG 6: combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Achieving MDG targets will also be irrelevant to the women and girls whose human rights are persistently violated by gender-based violence which has become an inseparable part of armed conflict today. Indeed, the achievement of MDG 3: promoting gender equality and empower women, requires the global community to intensify action to ensure that women’s bodies are no longer an extension of the battleground during periods of armed conflict.

International Women’s Day is almost here and again this week announcements keep pouring in for all the amazing and inspiring events being held throughout the world. This will be our last weekly update but we will continue to post events between now and the 8th. Be sure to also check out tomorrow’s post on some Sell-abrations that we are less than enthusiastic about. Really, just one day a year could we maybe cut out the exploitation of women? Sadly, apparently not–but today we are all about the upcoming celebrations that honor women’s lives and on the 8th we will have a special post as part of the IWD Blogathon (see below).In the meantime, here is what we have to look forward to:

In Harlem (New York City), NY/US there will be numerous events to bring attention to the needs of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  See here and here for details.

Nevada, CA/US’s

KVMR’s Women’s Collective Members will join or replace regularly scheduled DJs on International Women’s Day to celebrate in our own, KVMR way! Please join us in spreading the word about International Women’s Day and listen in when you can.

From March 8-31, 2010, The Women’s International Network of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC-WIN)

is organizing the sixth annual International Women’s Day Broadcast Campaign. The campaign will feature programs produced by community radio stations around the world. This year’s theme is: “Empowering and celebrating women as agents of recovery.”

AMARC-WIN welcomes submissions on all topics of importance to women, especially those related to this year’s theme. Programs may be in any language, but must be accompanied by a brief description of content in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese. Submissions should be made by March 4, 2010. For more information on how to make a submission, click here.

The International Women’s Day Broadcast Campaign will begin at 1:00 GMT on Monday, March 8. The webcast will be available here.

Turkmenistan

has prepared a large-scale program of celebration of the International Women’s Day – March 8. As the Turkmenistan.ru correspondent reports from Ashgabat, the program was published in the print media of Turkmenistan. The program includes a series of exhibitions of works of fine and decorative art, festive forums, concerts, performances, soirees and competitions that will be held in the capital and across the country.

For example, the beauty contest among the female students titled “Talyp Gozeli -2010″ and contest of artists titled “Woman – the beauty of the world” will be held in Ashgabat ahead of the approaching spring festival in honor of “the fair sex” of humanity. On March 7, the opera “Shahsenem and Gharib” will be performed at the National Music and Drama Theater Makhtumkuli in Ashgabat.

By tradition, cash bonuses will be handed to women of Turkmenistan on behalf of the President of Turkmenistan.

Uganda

is preparing to join the rest of the UN member states to observe the international women’s day on Monday, March 8.

According to a release from the permanent secretary, Ministry of Labour and social affairs on Monday, Provision of equal opportunities for women is a critical path to prosperity for all in Uganda.

The release says inequalities between women and men, girls and boys in basic rights, resources allocation and utilization, voice and decision making exacerbates poverty and undermine development.

While these inequalities mostly disadvantage women and girls, ultimately they harm every one in society. It is important that measures to promote greater equality between women and men are integral parts of the prosperity for all programme said the release.

However, women with special needs such as women with disabilities, women in hard to reach areas, older women, women living with HIV/AIDS, the unemployed and those living in absolute poverty must be specially targeted in order to enable them escape this economic isolation, said the release.

In Guatemala

Thirteen Threads, a Maya women’s educational program based in Panajachel, is putting on its first International Women’s Day event. Representatives from each of its 22 participating Maya women’s groups will display their weavings and natural products. There will be live music, talks by indigenous women leaders, a mini-workshop on natural dyeing of fibers, free yoga class, a raffle with great prizes, face painting, and lots more fun for the whole family. All proceeds from the raffle will go directly to supporting Thirteen Threads’ educational programs. Come out to celebrate and support women leaders!

Sat., 6th, 10am – 6pm
Centro Commercial “Los Barandales,”
at the bottom of Calle Santander,
Panajachel, Lake Atitlán.

Jusco Kinta City (Malaysia)

will be a hive of activities as plans to celebrate International Women’s Day will be held in the lobby from March 8 to 14. An opening ceremony will see a cheerleading display by the Titans, followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony performed by State Executive Councillor Dato’ Hamidah Osman, President of Perak Women for Women (PWW) Dr. Sharifah Halima, and President of Soroptimist International Ipoh (SI Ipoh) Jeya Jeyaratnam. The two NGOs, PWW and Si Ipoh, are the organisers of the event. Dato’ Hamidah will then lead the advocacy activity  by sticking mock figures of both male and female to signify “equality” and “progress for all”, followed by invited guests who will  also add  their signatures. This is to signify support for the United Nations theme this year – EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

In Canada

Members of a variety of organizations including Oxfam Canada, Amnesty International, the We Can Coalition, unions and local women’s organizations have teamed up to celebrate International Women’s Day with a rally and conference called “Women’s Voices at the Table.” The “at the table” concept is part of a broadly-based Canadian and global civil society campaign to mobilize women to be heard and to declare our right to be “at the table” with leaders at the G8/20 meetings taking place in Canada this June.

From the White Ribbon Alliance:

“The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is asking people around the world to wear white and hold a dinner party in March for the 100th year of International Women’s Day on the 8th. Please get together with your friends, have some fun and join this global celebration of women and newborns saved and also to remember those lost.

Together women around the world can really show governments and national leaders that we won’t be ignored and that all women in every country deserve access to basic healthcare. We can save so many lives by refusing to be ignored. Please Play Your Part to prevent the needless deaths of women and newborns in childbirth.”

In Los Angeles, CA/US, Mujeres de Maiz will be holding their13 Anniversary Live Art Show: 13 Baktun,

An interdisciplinary, intercultural, intergenerational event honoring International Women’s Day and Women’s Herstory Month with events along First Street in Boyle Heights/East LA.

Click here for a list of blogs participating in the International Women’s Day Blogathon organized by Gender Across Borders.

Today we begin the annual month-long celebration of women’s history. During the last few decades there has in recent years been a sea-change in the amount of information about women’s lives and our past that is readily available.  Despite centuries of concerted patriarchal effort, the story of women is slowly becoming fully visible.  But there is still much more to be done until we can truly see the full measure of women’s lives throughout the ages.

Perhaps the most important thing is that we need to continue to get this knowledge into the schools so that girls can grow up knowing that they too have a past, a foundation of herstory on which to build their lives.  Another crucially important thing is to continue to push for women’s participation and visibility in the media and full representation in government.  Last week it was incredibly disheartening to find out that only 5 of the people invited to the healthcare summit were women.  In what way this is representative government, I have no idea, but it it is all too typical of business as usual in this country and that needs to change.

As you celebrate Women’s History Month, here are some interesting facts to consider and some resources for teaching women’s herstory.  There is only one problem–it would be impossible to celebrate everything there is to celebrate about women in one month.  Starting now, let’s continue to celebrate throughout the year and refuse to have the lives of half the population relegated to only one month.

Some interesting facts about women in the U.S. courtesy of the Census Bureau:

• There are 155.8 million females and 151.8 males in the United States as of Oct. 1, 2009.
• At 85 and older, there were more than twice as many women as men.
• There are an estimated 82.8 million mothers of all ages in the United States.
• $35,745 –The median annual earnings of women 15 or older who worked year-round, full time, in 2008, down from $36,451 in 2007 (after adjusting for inflation). Women earned 77 cents for every $1 earned by men.
• 29.4 million–The number of women 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more education in 2008, higher than the corresponding number for men (28.4 million). Women had a larger share of high school diplomas, as well as associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. More men than women had a professional or doctoral degree.
• 197,900–Total number of active duty women in the military, as of Sept. 30, 2008. Of that total, 34,300 women were officers, and 163,600 were enlisted.
• 14%–Proportion of members of the armed forces who were women, as of Sept. 30, 2008.
• 1.7 million–The number of military veterans who were women in 2008.
• 18%–Percentage of married couples in which the wife earned at least $5,000 more than the husband in 2008.
• 5.3 million–Number of stay-at-home mothers nationwide in 2008.
• 3.1 million–Number of girls who participated in high school athletic programs in the 2007-08 school year. In the 1979-80 school year, only 1.75 million girls were members of a high school athletic team.

This is the 30th anniversary of the National Women’s History Project:

The overarching theme for 2010 and our 30th Anniversary celebration is Writing Women Back into History. It often seems that the history of women is written in invisible ink. Even when recognized in their own times, women are frequently left out of the history books. To honor our 2010 theme, we are highlighting pivotal themes from previous years. Each of these past themes recognizes a different aspect of women’s achievements, from ecology to art, and from sports to politics.

When we began our work in the early eighties, the topic of women’s history was limited to college curricula, and even there it languished. At that time, less than 3% of the content of teacher training textbooks mentioned the contributions of women and when included, women were usually written in as mere footnotes. Women of color and women in fields such as math, science, and art were completely omitted. This limited inclusion of women’s accomplishments deprived students of viable female role models.

Today, when you search the Internet with the words “women’s +history + month,” you’ll find more than 40,500,000 citations. These extraordinary numbers give testimony to the tireless work of thousands of individuals, organizations, and institutions to write women back into history. Much of this work was made possible by the generous support of people like you.

Big WOW and Happy Anniversary to the NWHP and thank you for your very important work!

If you are a teacher, here are some great resources for teaching Women’s History Month:

• Gale.com has some biographies of famous women.
• History.com has information on women in politics, black women’s history, the history of the sufferage movement and more.
• Time for Kids has a list of women’s history milestones.

There have been numerous stories about how GPS enabled phones can sometimes endanger women by making it easy for their abusers to stalk them and track them down, but as this report from MobileActive demonstrates, cellphone technology can also help to improve women’s safety.

For women in Egypt, sexual harassment is an unwelcome but all too common part of life. In 2008, the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights released statistics stating that 83% of Egyptian women and 98% of foreign women in Egypt reported exposure to sexual harassment. HarassMap, a project based in Cairo, plans to give women an outlet to report instances of harassment.

Combining FrontlineSMS and Ushahidi’s mapping platform, HarassMap aims to be a voice for women…

…Unfortunately, although a law against sexual harassment was proposed in 2008, it was never voted on and there are currently no laws against sexual harassment in Egypt (although according to The National, a new law was recently drafted). The goal of HarassMap is to once again draw attention to the problem of sexual harassment in order to bring the issue back to light, and hopefully push the government to pass laws that give women more legal recourse against their harassers. According to Chiao, it’s very difficult for women to report sexual harassment to the police; they can, but it’s a difficult process and often futile. In fact, some police forces have taken an active part in street harassment at times. Strict anti-harassment laws would hopefully give women more leverage to report problems.

To learn more about the technology involved, click here.