Delhi: War on Sexual Violence

Source: India Today

indiatoday.indiatoday.in

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

 In 2012, a young woman was gang raped in Delhi. This violent act created an uprising of women trying to take control and fight for equal rights. Now, in 2015, Kavita Krishnan who is a leader of the Communist party of India, is actively trying to engage women in work and to fight for the dignity and rights of Dalit (lower caste) women. She plays a big part in the war against sexual violence. Krishnan is actively engaged in the war on rape culture, especially gang rape that happens quite frequently in India.

Africa: Human Rights Overcome Hate Crimes

Source: Amfar

www.Amfar.org

 Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Africa is one of the countries that still outlaws homosexuality. Without accepting same-sex relations, it's no surprise that Africa also has a ban on transgender people, who are ostracized and punished simply for being themselves. It's important to note that not only the government puts a ban on transgender, societal norms make it impossible to show one's true self. Transgendered citizens are violated in the following ways: “raped to prove your gender, humiliated and beaten, thrown out of home, job loss, psychological abuse, undressed and humiliation” and the list could only go on. Africa is working on getting Human Rights organizations over to help overcome the social stigmas, the abuse and rape culture, as well as implementing protections for people victimized by gender stereotypes.

read more here

India: First Transgender Mayor

Source: Star Observer

http://www.starobserver.com.au/

 Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Madhu Bai Kinnar is the face of a big revolution in India right now. Although gender hasn't been a huge issue in India-they have a gender just for transgendered peoples-it is still a big revolution to empower a transgendered woman into the seat of Mayor. Kinnar is the first transgendered woman to become mayor in India's history. Although Kinnar was from the lowest caste, she still beat her oponent by 4,500 votes; perhaps this is the start of a revolution to have complete equal rights for all citizens in India.

 Read more here 

Ireland: Breaking Gender Norms

Source: Irish Examiner

http://www.irishexaminer.com/

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

In Ireland, where women aren't outwardly oppressed, the societal norms and government implement sets of rules to lead the male gender above the female gender. In recent news, fashion shows have been arguing the norm and having collaborative catwalks for males and females to walk together, regardless of the gender the clothes are “meant” for. Brands like Prada, Armani, Saint Laurent, and Moschino all shared his idea of including men and women on stage at the same time. It was even noted that Prada Milan herself stated that she was having the genders share the stage to “create an opportunity to measure what genders share and what they take from each other” (Irish Examiner, 2015). rguing the stereotype that only women are models is one thing, but having genders mix while up on stage is an amazing statement that challenges the binary system as a whole. Ireland has taken one step towards equal rights for men and women by implementing these fashion shows.

Read more here 

Malawi: Outlawing Child Brides

Source: AllaAfrica

http://allafrica.com/

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Malawi, a place where women are disregarded and often given away as child brides, has now passed a bill to ban child marriage and raise the legal age to wed to 18. It has been reported that half of the girls become child brides, meaning half of the girls don't have a say in the rest of their lives. This new bill is working towards the creation of equal rights for women and men, something quite foreign to Malawi.

Read more on this article here

Delhi: Victim to Blame

Source: The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Recently in Delhi, a man by the name of Mukesh Singh was convicted of raping Jyoti Singh, a 23 year old woman. Singh reported in a jail interview that he simply is not to blame for raping the young girl, as she was asking for it by being out late at night. He stated that women out late at night are only there "to attract the attention of gangs and male molesters" (The Telegraph) and are therefore to blame for what happens to them. This speaks monstrosities to the way women are treated, portrayed, oppressed in Delhi. Women are subject to blame for anything that happens to them, because they are to subdue to their male inferiors. Other recent news reported on the rape have Singh's names in headlines while the victim, Jyoti Singh, remains but a number. The disturbance that is victim blaming is not an uncommon occurrence, even in the United States. Victim upon victim are blamed for being in the wrong place, wearing the wrong clothes, saying the wrong thing, whatever will get the perpetrator painted in a new-perhaps in a good-light; what is left to the fine print of these reports is the wrong doing of the male rapist.


The more infamous picture to go along with this story is this:

Source: The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

This is the picture of the rapist, who seems to be receiving more attention than the victim herself.

Click here to read the full article on this issue.