NEWSLETTER FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS HOUSE NETWORK

Summing up the articles posted for last week's 8 March International Women's Day by the Network Contact Persons throughout our ten established and emerging Human Rights Houses, this first of our topical 'specials', focuses on women's rights issues.

1) Women's status in contemporary Russia
The tolerant attitude towards accepting lack of equality between men´s and women´s rights legitimizes the unequal representation of women in society´s ruling ranks, the violations of women´s labour rights and spreading of sexual violence.

2) Quiet Violence: Female Genital Mutilation inside the UK
An estimated three million women and girls undergo female genital mutilation each year, according to a 2005 Unicef report. For many Europeans and Americans, these are three million female victims we should feel sorry for or donate to, or perhaps read a book about a girl who survived this practice thousands of miles away from Europe. But the reality is closer to home than we think. See also: Despite signs of hope, 3 million girls still subjected to FGM annually

3) Women legislators coming of age in Uganda
In comparison to the previous Parliament and those before it, there will be more women representing direct constituencies in the Eighth Parliament in Uganda. From Rukungiri to Kampala, there were interesting conquests for women contesting for the direct seats. See also: The struggle for women's rights is not yet complete

4) International Women's Day: history and modern times in Azerbaijan
The theme of International Women's Day for 2006 is "Women in decision-making: meeting challenges, creating change". Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev congratulated women on the occasion and noted women’s role in the formation of the moral value system.

5) Chance for apology or new beginning?
The women of Bosnia and Herzegovina, once again, received roses instead of rights on the 8th of March. Women´s access to employment is more limited than before, the majority does not have health insurance, domestic violence is a serious problem and most victims of human trafficking originates have their origin in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

6) Norwegian PEN calls for immediate release of Mexican journalist
To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, Norwegian PEN is focusing, together with other PEN Centres, on the case of Mexican writer and journalist Lydia Cacho, right. Cacho currently faces trial under charges of criminal defamation related to her exposure of the connection between prominent businessmen and a child pornography in her latest book.

7) Suicide, a common escape from it all among Kurdish women
Every year, hundreds of Kurdish women commit suicide, most commonly by burning themselves to death, in Kurdistan. What are he reasons why so many young women choose such a painful and dramatic way to end their lives, ask and Liv Kjølseth of the Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurds (RKR) and freelance journalist Abdollah Hejab. See also Halabja: 18 years after the attacks, Kurds are still suffering

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Sent by:
Nina Luhr
Editor
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