21 Feb 2017 - NPWJ News Digest on FGM & women's rights

Articles

Islamic State rapes and tortures Sunni Arab women too: HRW
by The Times of India, 20 Feb 2017

Fighters from the Islamic State group, whose abuses against Yazidi women have been well documented, are raping and torturing Sunni Arab women too, Human Rights Watch said on Monday. The watchdog documented cases of arbitrary detentions, beatings, forced marriages and rape by the jihadists on women who have fled the town of Hawijah, which is still under IS control. HRW recounted the story of Hanan, a 26-year-old whose husband had already fled Hawijah, who was captured by IS fighters along with other women when they also attempted to escape the town. IS fighters told her that her husband's flight made her an apostate and that she should marry the local jihadist leader. When she refused, she was blindfolded, beaten with plastic cables, suspended by her arms for some time and then raped. "The same guy raped me every day for the next month without a blindfold, always in front of my children," Hanan told HRW. The group said the issue was not given enough attention and that too little was being done to tackle the stigma that prevents many more victims from coming forward. "Little is known about sexual abuse against Sunni Arab women living under ISIS rule," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at HRW.
 

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Gambia: 'My Govt Out to Ensure Protection and Development of Children'
By AllAfrica, 20 Feb 2017

President Adama Barrow has said his government is out to ensure the survival, protection and development of children in The Gambia. He also said all Gambian children 'must' go to school. He was addressing the nation on Saturday during his inauguration and the celebration of Gambia's 52nd independence anniversary, held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. President Barrow said his government would ensure the survival, protection and development of all children in The Gambia. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was charged with the responsibility of doing an inventory of the hospitals in the country, in order to determine the input necessary to upgrade the health centres. The health services are also to ensure a staff audit in order to identify concerns and develop programmes to ensure staff motivation. The government would seek to partner with ECOWAS, the AU, the UN and other traditional development partners like the US, EU, the UK and new development partners to improve on infant mortality and maternal health. "This is aimed to improve their well-being and reduce mortality. We will work to improve nutrition, sanitation, access to clean drinking water and ensure that primary health care is accessible and affordable to all rural and urban centres," he said.

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Bowing To Pressure: Iran Grants Women Spectators Access To Sporting Event
by The Huffington Post, 19 Feb 2017

Iran, bowing to external pressure, has allowed women spectators to attend a premier international men’s volleyball tournament on the island of Kish. The Iranian concession constitutes a rare occasion on which the Islamic republic has not backtracked on promises to international sports associations to lift its ban on women attending men’s sporting events. Human rights groups hailed the move as a positive, albeit small step forward. The Iranian concession appeared to contradict Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s hard line towards international pressure in the wake of renewed sanctions imposed by US President Donald J. Trump. “Everybody has tested Iran over the past 38 years and they all know that Iran is hardly moved by threats. We do not respond very well to threats. We respond very well to respect and mutual respect and mutual interest,” Mr. Zarif told CNN’s Christian Amanpour this weekend on the side lines of the Munich Security Conference. In contrast to Mr. Zarif’s assertion, the Iranian concession followed a decision by the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) to dump its quiet diplomacy approach towards Iran and revert to public pressure. The FIVB threatened on the eve of the Kish tournament to suspend the event if Iran failed to grant women spectators access. Iran alongside Saudi Arabia is the only country that bars women spectators from attending men’s sporting events. “From now on women can watch beach volleyball matches in Kish if they observe Islamic rules,” said Kasra Ghafouri, acting director of Iran’s Beach Volleyball Organisation.

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#OneBillionRising 2017 | Women call for resumption of GRP-NDFP peace talks
by Bulatlat, 15 Feb 2017

“Resume peace talks now!” This is the call of women, as well as men, who joined this year’s One Billion Rising (OBR) Revolution, a global event held every Feb. 14th. Here in the Philippines, the theme was “Women rising for jobs, land, justice and peace.” Women groups urged President Rodrigo Duterte to continue the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which had already gained ground in discussing the draft Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (Caser). Led by Gabriela and OBR Global Director, Monique Wilson, hundreds of women from different communities and sectors gathered at the Liwasang Bonifacio here on Feb. 14, and danced to the beat of remixed OBR theme songs. They were also joined by different artists and personalities such as actress Maria Isabel Lopez, director Bibeth Orteza, satirist Mae Paner and Sr. Mary John Mananzan. Students from different schools also joined the OBR. “The women organizations in the Philippines and overseas migrant communities in many countries led by Gabriela are focusing the 2017 OBR Revolution on pushing forward social and economic changes that will effectively empower women and help eradicate the root causes of violence and armed conflicts worldwide,” Wilson said. In this year’s OBR, the women are adding their voice to the clamor to continue the peace talks. Secretary Judy Taguiwalo and her co-workers in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were also at the event, cheering: “DSWD, narito na! DSWD nakikiisa! DSWD hataw na! DSWD One Billion Rising!” National Anti-Poverty Commission (Napci) Undersecretary Marion Tan read a solidarity message from Napci chairperson Liza Maza, who joined the call to eliminate violence against women, which she said can also be addressed through the peace negotiations.

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