In the summer of 1913, 50,000 women walked across Britain to London. Starting from as far away as Land’s End and Newcastle, they converged in Hyde Park, London, on 26 July. They were demonstrating to the government how many women wanted the right to vote. Now, 100 years later, women from Barnsley to Portsmouth to [...]...Leggi Tutto
Interview with spoken word artist, teacher and writer Chimene Suleyman. Listening back to my interview with Chimene Suleyman I am struck again by a heartening feeling of optimism.     The 30 year-old spoken word artist is immediately engaging, with a perhaps unsurprising but none the less
British Athletics have announced who will travel to Moscow as part of the Team GB squad. With the World Championships less than three weeks away, we take a look at the top five hopes on the women’s side. Jess Ennis-Hill: Jess Ennis-Hill is one of the headline names in the squad, but her
Bhavesh Shah – DNA – Thursday, 25 July 2013 (originally published 22 Jul) The next time you see a woman instructing labourers at a construction site or giving ideas about the basic layout of a home, don’t be surprised. Supported by the state government, corporate houses and NGOs are
A survey has revealed that women remain under-represented in senior roles. One of the most comprehensive analyses of the health service’s gender make-up since the Health and Social Care Act 2012 reforms has been carried out by the Heath Service Journal (HSJ) and the King’s Fund, an independent
If something outrageous happens, we march, at any time of the day. Guest post by Zeynep Talay, a writer and sculptor born in Istanbul and now living in London. The ongoing Turkish protests have left us enlightened and emboldened. The overseas interest has waned but our protests continue amid a
What about healthy human relationships and women’s rights? Guest post by Heather Harvey of EAVES Pornography is meant to be material that is sexually stimulating. I think it’s very simple and clear to say that simulated or real rape should not be promoted as “sexually stimulating” – that is like
Three quarters of part-time workers feel trapped in their jobs and unable to progress, a study found. The Timewise Foundation, an organisation that helps jobseekers find quality flexible and part-time work, arranged for 1,000 part-time workers to be interviewed by an independent research agency
Oxford rape gang: Police and social workers also trashed victims. Will they be prosecuted? By Black Women’s Rape Action Project & Women Against Rape. [At the end of June] five men got life sentences for the vile sexual abuse of girls as young as 11. The men, and two others sentenced to seven
WNN Breaking (WNN/UN) El Fasher, Darfur, SUDAN, NORTHERN AFRICA: Fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region has displaced an estimated 300,000 people so far this year which is more than the past two years combined, according to United Nations estimates. Much of the struggles have been between
Some events for your diary for and about women for the week 22 – 29 July. Activism: 27 July: Beautiful Bodies Beach Bikini Bash at Southsea Beach, Hampshire A gathering on Southsea beach, promoted by the Hampshire Feminist Collective, to celebrate body diversity. An attack on the unattainable
Indonesia: 'Torture' as Bali 9 Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran wait to dieAndrew Chan, Myuran SukumaranAn insight into the lives of 6 Australians from the infamous Bali 9 drug-smuggling ring reveals their daily struggle with life jail terms in Indonesia and, for 2 of them, being on death row.Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran, Scott Rush, Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj and
Patrick Hinds – Advocate.com – Friday, 26 July 2013 (originally published 22 Jul) LGBT history overflows with stories of women who have come to the aide of gay men: the concerned mother who founded PFLAG, the doctor who proved that homosexuality was not a pathological illness, the
But the increasing numbers of alcohol-related deaths in women are still eclipsed by male deaths. It turns out that us women, us in our 30s and 40s, have been so busy ‘having it all’ this last couple of decades – the career, the family, the fun - that we’ve missed the effect
Women now own 4 per cent more tablets than men, according to new research. YouGov, the UK-based international online market research agency, has reported that not only is tablet ownership growing fast, but, for the first time, the majority of tablet owners in the UK are women. Twenty-two per cent
Protests have taken place around the world following the murders of two sex workers. The killing of Dora Ozer and Petite Jasmine sparked demonstrations in 36 cities across four continents. Ozer, a trans woman, died in Aydin, Turkey, on July 9 after being stabbed by a client. Jasmine was killed by
Highlighting and addressing the ‘blame culture’ surrounding violence against women and girls. Earlier this year The Everyday Victim Blaming network launched its campaign to confront and challenge the constant victim blaming in the media of victims of domestic and sexual violence and abuse. Victim
WNN Breaking (WNN/RFE/RL) Kabul, AFGHANISTAN, SOUTHERN ASIA: One of Afghanistan’s top religious figures has defended a series of religious decrees that observers warn could further erode women’s rights in the country. The eight-article fatwa was issued by a local ulema, or religious
Saudi Arabia: A beheading in the makingHousemaid pushes 4-year-old child on boiling milk potAn Ethiopian housemaid in Saudi Arabia pushed the four-year-old son of her employer on a boiling milk pot, causing severe burns to his body.It was the latest in a series of attacks by Ethiopian domestic workers on children at their employer’s
WNN Science & Health (WNN/IRIN) Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM, WESTERN EUROPE: Are you a global research consortium looking for sites to test treatments for neglected tropical diseases? Or a major biotech company interested in performing clinical trials on potential tuberculosis vaccines? Or a doctor
Everyday stories from Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Content warning for stories of sexual abuse Tanya Weaver and Lina Statham of the Regency Runners, a women’s running group based in Leamington Spa, recently organised a fund-raising ball for the Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
Welcome to the sports round-up, our weekly bulletin of British women’s results at home and abroad. Football: England have failed to advance beyond the group stages of Euro 2013. Following a disappointing loss in their opening match against Spain, and a lucky draw against Russia, England had
State of Alabama Plans to Execute Mentally Ill ManAndrew Lackey is a young man on Alabama's death row who has suffered from mental illness his entire life. The Alabama Supreme Court has ordered him to be executed on July 25 even though no state or federal court has completed appellate review in the case to determine whether his trial was fair or
Publishing house Virago celebrates 40 years with a free edition featuring forty of its writers. Virago was the brainchild of Carmen Callil, who was supported by many more behind the scenes including Spare Rib’s Martha Rowe and Rosie Boycott. Its mission was to “publish books which celebrated women
Racism and sexism, a double whammy for the brown girl. Guest post by Amna Germanotta Riaz I have been following the nomorepage3 campaign and am happy to see the progress made over the past few months. The campaigners quote The Independent on their About Us page: “The page 3 image is there for no
Increasing numbers of young women reject their husband’s name on marriage, but why aren’t more? According to Facebook, a third of married women in their 20s have opted to keep their surname. Good for them, I say, but that still leaves a massive sixty-something per cent who
Adam Grant – New York Times – Wednesday, 24 July 2013 (originally published 20 Jul) WHAT makes some men miserly and others generous? What motivated Bill Gates, for example, to make more than $28 billion in philanthropic gifts while many of his billionaire peers kept relatively
Carla Friedman – WNN Features – Interview (WNN) Taos, New Mexico, UNITED STATES, AMERICAS: What has been called her use of “passionate eloquence” author Mirabai Starr has been an inspiration to a wide variety of global religious leaders and laypersons. It’s not that
Jane Martinson – Guardian – Tuesday, 23 July 2013 (originally published 21 Jul) Victims of sexual assault and harassment are to be encouraged to come forward and report the crimes as part of a major scheme launching this week on London‘s transport networks. In the first initiative
Prepare for birth with false eyelashes and a bikini wax? Just like tennis players, it seems that women giving birth now have to be “lookers” and not ruin the effect with any of that sweaty groaning, moaning or screaming. Even if it’s a 10-hour labour, don’t spoil the picture of perfect
Carol Pearson – WNN Justice (WNN/VOA) Washington, D.C., UNITED STATES, AMERICAS: Four U.S. military veterans who are survivors of military sexual assaults testified Friday July 19 before a U.S. House of Representatives Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee. They asked for better care and
Dr Seirian Sumner and Dr Nathalie Pettorelli – Independent – Monday, 22 July 2013 (originally published 21 Jul) Scientists are generally viewed as private creatures who shy away from contact with the public. What, therefore, could be more remarkable than stumbling across a bunch of real
The Mayor Gallery exhibits Agnes Martin, one of the key abstract painters of the twentieth century. Given that this is the final exhibition in its Cork Street premises, this is seen as a fitting response to the 1925 opening show by gallery founder Fred Mayor of six male artists; Picasso, Herbin and
Saudi Arabia: Be patient, Binay tells kin of pardoned Filipino death convict Rodelio Dondon LanuzaVice President Jejomar Binay on Friday told the family of pardoned death convict Rodelio "Dondon" Lanuza to be patient, saying he would be freed by Saudi Arabian authorities "once the process for his release has been observed."Binay, in a statement, said the important thing was that he has been