The Countdown Has Begun (if it ever stopped)
In around 350 days’ time, the year 2015 will begin. But, erm, shouldn’t we rather still be remarking that we’ve just celebrated the start of 2014? The Millennium Development Goals … Continue reading
Dollars for Dishes, Chores for Change
Should those (mostly women) who do not participate in the labor market, instead remaining at home to look after the house and raise children, receive compensation for their work?
Invisible or Forgotten? Women & Girls in Emergencies
Aid, donations and relief supplies are making their way to the parts of the Philippines most affected by the recent disaster. A conference held earlier this week in London and … Continue reading
Research, rights and responsiveness
You may have heard of the UN, but have you ever heard of UNRISD? Perhaps not – as a research institute they aren’t going to grab as many headlines as … Continue reading
(You gotta) fight for your right
Crystal balls, horse-drawn carts, headscarves and tarot cards. If we were playing a word-association game, what group of people would spring to mind? If your brain is leaning toward ‘gypsy’ … Continue reading
Uniform: restriction and liberation
Depending on how you are dressed, you can signal your status, identity, job and a myriad other markers which help locate you in a sociopolitical context.
Ciao, Bella: Death in Italian
When the moon hits your eye like’a big pizza pie…that’s amore. Substitute “moon” for “man” and that’s amore for a significant proportion of Italian women. Exact figures on domestic violence … Continue reading
Pride and Prejudice and Banknotes
Back in May I wrote about the derisively named ‘storm in a teacup’ over the decision of the Bank of England to remove reformer Elizabeth Fry from the £5 note.
The shadows of the informal economy
In which sector of the economy are women disproportionately (over)represented? And even though they are in the majority, still get paid less than their male counterparts? There may of course … Continue reading
Til Death Us Do Part
When you’re married to someone you (hopefully) love, they become the center of your universe. But what happens when they die?
The dark side of “paradise”
The South Pacific: a region of inviting sandy beaches, turquoise waters – and unacceptable levels of violence against women.
(Don’t) keep the change
How often have you opened your wallet or purse, taken out any banknotes and then instead of spending them or paying them into your account, actually studied them?
Call Me, Maybe
When asked what items they never leave the house without, many people (in the West at least) would likely answer, “my mobile (cell) phone.” It would be pretty difficult for … Continue reading
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Here’s a little quiz to start you off with: In which profession do women make up less than 2% of the global workforce? I’ll give you a clue and exclude … Continue reading
Growing hope in India
News reporting on India, more specifically news regarding women in India, has recently been somewhat unsettling. Horrific cases of sexual abuse (some fatal) have made their way from the Indian … Continue reading
Violence, Peacekeeping and Negotiations: Being Part of the Solution
This past month has seen some well-written policy briefs being published on NOREF’s (the Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre’s) website. As the name might suggest, a major theme running through the … Continue reading
Acronyms and Acrobatics
Tomorrow, March 15th, will mark the final day of the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57). As mentioned in my previous post, the theme running … Continue reading
99 Red Balloons
Next week, starting March 4, the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at U.N. HQ in New York. The main focus of CSW57 … Continue reading
Hijab Awareness Day
It may be a small cause – the World Hijab Day Facebook page has around 8,000 likes – but there’s no denying the reasoning behind the campaign: “Better Awareness. Greater … Continue reading
Wishing on a star…or a sleigh
Dear Santa, it seems some progress for women’s rights has been made in 2012 and awareness of issues disproportionately affecting women is increasing. So thanks to the little elves who’ve … Continue reading
That’s Plain Sinister, Sister
Perhaps appropriately (as it contains ‘Black Friday’) this has been somewhat of a dark week. The Church of England decided against allowing women to become bishops, and Saudi Arabia (according … Continue reading
Acting Their Age, Generating Change
Last month saw the first ever Day of the Girl – now it’s time to turn round and gaze in the other direction, to an older generation: grandmothers.
Girls on Board
With August coming to a close here’s something short and inspiring to remind us that unconventional approaches make a difference.
The Summer Floodgates
Summer 2012 will be most likely be remembered for the London Olympics, the Republicans’ awkward, gaffe-prone run-up to the US presidential election and the situation in Syria.
An Olympic Achievement?
The opening of the 2012 Olympics in London on Friday were definitely a spectacle to behold. Perhaps the show was enough to divert attention from the gaffes and muddles reported … Continue reading
The Quiet Election
After some spectacular financial fireworks and a volcano that caused havoc throughout western Europe, Iceland is back to its usual position in the international system: mostly overlooked.
Nursery Rhymes and Fashion Icons
It’s an oft-repeated saying that, in the fashion world, “what goes around, comes around”. On a much grander scale, this is what has happened in the South Pacific in a … Continue reading
Sex and World Peace
It’s a pretty provocative title, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, “The very best predictor of how insecure and unstable a nation is not its level of democracy, but the level … Continue reading
The Middle East: Hate and Courage
If you have not read Mona Eltahawy’s article, “Why Do They Hate Us?” published in the new edition of Foreign Policy – go do it now.
Missing in the Holy See
When it comes to the Vatican, all eyes recently have been on Pope Benedict XVI’s tour to Mexico and Cuba, and the adulation that followed.
Women Do Deliver
The month of March is one of ups and downs – we should beware the Ides but then cut loose on St Patrick’s Day; remember victims of slavery and detained/missing … Continue reading
CEDAW – Treaties as Art
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women – shortened to CEDAW – celebrates its 31st birthday in September 2012 (counting from when it entered into … Continue reading
A Game of Hide and Seek?
The field of foreign policy has been described as a ‘city of men’- but as can be imagined, it is not the only discipline where a gender imbalance has been … Continue reading
Woman versus Taliban
This past fortnight seems to have been full of surprises – Australia, for example, introduced a third gender category for passports, beyond the tradition male/female dichotomy.
Water, Conflict and Female Vulnerability
On Monday, August 29th, the Environmental Change and Security Progam (ECSP), part of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC, will host a free afternoon event exploring … Continue reading
Violence Against Women
Last week I was one of around 300 people who attended the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s event on “Violence against women – An obstacle to development.”
Cate Mackenzie 