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Information / news from 'Guests' of |
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20th November 2003 |
Anti-Slavery Award 2003 Anti-Slavery Interantional is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2003 Anti-Slavery Award is Vera Lesko for her outstanding work against the trafficking of women and girls into sexual exploitation in Albania. Vera Lesko is the founding director of The Hearth of Vlora Women, an organisation based in southern Albania, which has pioneered anti-trafficking efforts in the country. The Hearth carries out awareness raising activities as well as providing services such as counselling, medical and legal assistance. In 2001 The Hearth opened the country's first shelter for Albanian women and girls who have been trafficked. Vera Lesko and The Hearth are campaigning for international protection measures for victims of trafficking, to ensure that they are able to find a way out of trafficking and given the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety. Link to Anti Slavery Web Site: http://www.antislavery.org |
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6th November 2003 |
Brenda Hale becomes the first woman Law Lord Brenda Hale, a Court of Appeal Judge and outspoken feminist has been appointed to the country's highest court, the House of Lords, where she is the youngest of 12 judges, and the first woman to hold this office (in 600 years). Previously chair in law at Manchester University (1986), Queen's Counsel in 1989, moving to Kings College London as Professor of English Law. In 1984 she was the youngest person and first woman to be appointed a Law Commissioner. She has instigated key reforms; the Children Act 1989 restructured relations between parents, children and the state, and the Family Law Act 1996 legislated on domestic violence. She was appointed High Court Judge in 1994, Lady Justice of Appeal (the second) in 1999, and is to be Chancellor of Bristol Uiversity. See some of the responses to her appointment in: http://www.guardian.co.uk/gender/story/0,11812,1078665,00.html |
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5th November 2003 |
Rape Crisis Federation to Close For the full text of the press release about the closure of the Federation go to the notice posted on the Women in London public notice board, message number 81: http://www.quicktopic.com/19/H/nV4WDtdd6iMqf/m81 |
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October / November 2003 |
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Against Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons: Guidelines for Prevention and Response UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner, Kamel Morjane, appealed to humanitarian and development communities to join forces and 'assume collective responsibility´ for addressing the challenge of preventing and responding to sexual violence against women and girls in refugee settings. Unlike the 1995 original version of the guidelines which defined sexual violence as sexual assault and rape, the revised publication includes in this category demands for sexual favours in exchange for services and assistance, abduction, trafficking, female genital mutilation and honour killings, which affect mostly women and girls but also boys and men. For full details of the guidelines go to: http://www.unhcr.ch Silent Slavery, Conference Recommendations to Government states that 'the Government should recognise that trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation is a violation of human rights and not an immigration problem. The victims of this crime – their needs and recognition of their vulnerability – should be at the heart of UK law and Government policy'. A conference organised in London on 20 June 2003 by Jenny Jones (Deputy Mayor of London and Green Party Member for the London Assembly) and Jean Lambert (Green MEP for London) produced 15 recommendations for the UK Government on what it should do to stop the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation in London. You can read the full recommendations at: http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/downloads/other/0307trfickrcmend.pdf Women's rights are human rights is a new website available from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights web page at http://www.unhchr.ch/women/ These news items and links are from Women's Asylum News the newsletter of the Refugee Women's Resource Project at Asylum Aid, which provides free legal advice and representation to asylum-seekers and refugees, and campaigns for their rights http://www.asylumaid.org.uk |
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31st October 2003 |
Equalities Bodies to Merge The Government has announced the creation of a single equalities body, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. For more information go to: http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/equality/project/project.htm |
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October 2003 |
Prize for Women's Creativity in Rural Life 2003: On Wednesday 15 October 2003 at a special ceremony in Geneva moderated by Elly Pradervand, Executive Director of Women’s World Summit Foundation and Ilse Moser, WWSF-Prize Program Coordinator, five women laureates were honored for their contributions to sustainable development, household food security and peace. Betty Makoni (Zimbabwe) was honored for her work on behalf of children's rights in the village of hope; Marta Benavides (El Salvador) for her work in creating a culture of peace; Byatshandaa Jargal (Mongolia) for her efforts to combat malnutrition; Theresa Secord Hoffman (USA) for her work to revive native Indian basketry; and the Association of Austrian Mountain Farmers, for their presentation of a cabaret on rural development. The 5 Laureates were selected from amongst 33 Prize winners in 2003. For more information, see: http://www.woman.ch/women/1-award.asp ACFOA Human Rights Award and Vida Goldstein Awards/Helen Leonard Award for Contributions to the Women’s Movement: Following her return home to Australia in December 2002, IWTC’s former Executive Director Dr. Anne S. Walker has received the two awards listed above. Anne began her advocacy activities on behalf of women’s human rights with the YWCA in Fiji during the l960s. In 1976, on completion of a doctorate in education and in anticipation of returning to the South Pacific to continue her work there, Anne was invited to New York to assess the possibility of establishing a follow-up to the 1975 International Women’s Year World Conference and parallel NGO gathering, the IWY Tribune. The one-week consultancy transformed into a 27-year career as Executive Director of the International Women’s Tribune Centre. In addition to her responsibilities with IWTC, Anne has served on the Board of numerous organizations including the Association for Women in Development (of which she is one of the founding members), the Global Policy Forum, ISIS-WICCE (Kampala, Uganda) and SEEDS. She is currently serving on the ISIS International (Manila, Philippines) Board of Trustees and the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) Committee of Management in Australia. For further information,see: http://www.acfoa.asn.au/publications&media/2003_releases/Anne%20Walker_Sep03.htm Africa Prize for Leadership: Two outstanding African women leaders have been awarded the 2003 Africa Prize for Leadership. This annual award of The Hunger Project recognizes the “vital importance of emerging women’s leadership for a new future for Africa”. The two women are Meaza Asenafi of Ethiopia and Sara Longwe of Zambia. Meaza Ashenafi drafted the articles of the new Ethiopian Constitution on the rights of women and children and, in 1995, established the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA), which has handled literally thousands of court cases, many involving violence against women, women’s education and women’s political participation. Among its many other activities, EWLA broadcasts twice a week on women’s issues and policy reform. Sarah Longwe, the six-year chair of FEMNET, the African Women’s Development and Communications Network, has spearheaded the use of international human rights laws in Zambia’s domestic courts and became a prime mover of her country’s ratification of CEDAW during the early 1980s as a founding member of the Zambia Association for Research and Development. For further information, see: http://www.thp.org/prize/03/index.html This information about prizes to women is from The International Women’s Tribune Centre emailing Women's GlobalNet number 236. You can subscribe to Women's Globalnet by sending a blank emai to: iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com |
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13th October 2003 |
Ms Dynamite - Women of the Year Young Achiever Miss Dynamite was awarded the "Young Achiever of the Year Award" for her stand against guns after the shooting in Birmingham of 2 teenager girls last New Year". Other 2003 Award Winners were Birdie Mc Donald who has fostered over 700 children; Charlote di Vita who formed Trade plus Aid in 1992 and Sue Townsend author of Adrian Mole. Women of the Year Foundation Grant The Foundation's mission is to support women by offering them the opportunity to fulfil their dreams and ambitions. The Women of the Year Lunch was created 45 years ago by a group of visionary women to celebrate the achievements of women. Since then £1million has been raised for charities. Despite many changes in society over the years, there are still barriers political, economic and social that prevent some women from harnessing and developing their talents. As a group who recognise and celebrate the achievements of women from every walk of life, we have a wealth of experience that we would like to put to good use. To commemorate the dawning of a new century and to further our commitment to women everywhere, in 2001 we launched the Women of the Year Foundation. The Foundation's mission is to support women by offering them the opportunity to fulfil their dreams and ambitions. For full details of the Awards and the Foundation see: http://www.woyla.uk-site.co.uk/ |
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10th to 17th October 2003 |
National Personal Safety Week is an annual event established by The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, the UK's leading authority on Personal Safety. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of the importance of personal safety for everyone in society; men and women, young and old from all backgrounds and every area of the UK. The Personal Safety packs below contain lots of great ideas for personal safety events and activities. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust website has a range of Personal Safety packs available to download containing lots of great ideas for personal safety events and activities. Topics covered include: Personal Safety for the Family Pack; Personal Safety At Work; Personal Safety In Schools. Find out more at http://www.suzylamplugh.org/npsw/index.shtml#packs |
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10th October 2003 |
Shirin Ebadi Wins the Nobel Peace Prize for 2003 The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2003 to Shirin Ebadi for her efforts for democracy and human rights. She has focused especially on the struggle for the rights of women and children. As a lawyer, judge, lecturer, writer and activist, she has spoken out clearly and strongly in her country, Iran, and far beyond its borders. She has stood up as a sound professional, a courageous person, and has never heeded the threats to her own safety. Links to Full Press Release and Biography of Shirian Ebadi |
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3rd October 2003 |
Equality and Diversity Gender Research Forum - 3rd November 2003 - London The deadline for registration is Friday 3 October 2003 The theme of equality and diversity is one of the Women and Equality Unit's current priorities. There have been significant developments in recent years affecting policy making on equality issues. The next few years will see further developments: the enactment of legislation to outlaw discrimination in relation to employment and training on the grounds of sexual orientation, age, and religion; and there is ongoing discussion about the possibility of a single equality body being created. This Gender Research Forum event will bring together research relevant to the theme of equality and diversity from a range of sources. It aims to provide an overview of this research, to identify gaps, and to formulate questions for further research. It also aims to bring together researchers and policy makers working in areas relevant to the six equality strands of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age and religion, and to examine the implications of current research for policy and for further action to promote equality. Download the Workshop and Registration Form: GRF_workshop_and_registration_form.doc (103kb Word Document) and / or email: genderresearch@glasgows.co.uk |
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Black History Month 100 Great Black Britons is an alternative to the BBC's '100 Great Britons' and aims to recognise the achievements of Black People who were born, settled or have a connection with Britain. You can nominate up to 10 people who have made a contribution over the last 1000 years to make Britain "Great" when the website is launched on 1st October 2003: > http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/ Black History Month 2003 - Events supported by the Mayor: > http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/bhm/index.jsp Black History Month Events at London Libraries: > http://www.londonlibraries.org.uk/blackhistory/ Black History Month - CRE links: http://www.cre.gov.uk/ethdiv/bhm.html UK Museums And Galleries Celebrate Black History Month: > http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/exh_txo_en/ART18196.html Black History Month: Exhibitions, Displays, updated news and stories on Moving Here: > http://www.movinghere.org.uk/news/default.htm#history_month Channel 4 gateway to websites about Black History: > http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/B/blackhistorymap/ |
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Discrimination Against Pregnant Women EOC campaign in response to the issue about which they are most frequently approached - employer discrimination against pregnant women. See: http://www.eoc.org.uk/cseng/policyandcampaigns/unproductive_summary.asp There is an online form that the EOC are asking women to fill in about their experiences of pregnancy and work. See: http://www.eoc.org.uk/cseng/help/pregnancyeval.asp |
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