Features The Island 6 Thursday 11th March, 2010 Emphasis on law by itself can- not deliver, implementation key The Daily Star/ANN B angladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced her government’s resolve on the occasion of the 100th International Women’s Day to repeal all laws dis- criminatory to women and make a duly updated National Women Development Policy work to change the women’s lot in a radical way. It is worthwhile to note that a national women’s development policy was for- mulated by an Awami League govern- ment itself during 1996-2001 which was thereafter tampered with by the BNP-Jamaat alliance government that followed. Thus, if we took one step for- ward we were soon to go two steps backwards. In other words, mere presence of a policy document or a law (there were tough anti-dowry and anti-acid throw- ing measures aplenty) has hardly ever been anything more than a declaration of intent; for, it fell short of implementa- tion and therefore, not a suf- ficient guarantee for estab- lishment of all the rights for women that we set about achieving since the birth of the country, particularly since the inception of the country’s constitution. We have learned the hard way that it is easier said than done. First of all, a robust political will backed by an environment congenial to a paradigm shift in the women’s overall situation in the house- hold, family, society, workplace and policy and decision making fields will have to be brought to bear on the pressing agenda for women’s advancement. Secondly, the laws that exist against different forms of violence against and exploitation of women which have been stringent in words but weak in application will have to be rewritten to be made fail-safe. In a word, we have to have an adequate legal framework on protection, preser- vation and full exercise of women’s rights at par with those enjoyed in other coun- tries of comparable back- grounds which have hit the high road to success in terms of gender balance and equality. Another most important component of change relates to institutional prepa- rations which seem to be lacking in vital areas such as, for example, in the local body institutions where women have been given greater representa- tion but not an equal role. This instance can be multiplied, the list can be almost endless where women’s pol- icy and decision making roles are at worst conspicuous by absence or at best circumscribed by subtle devices. So long as the mindset does not change in the still male-dominant soci- ety, the women’s lot cannot be refash- ioned in a truly qualitative way of which the whole society can be legitimately proud and a full beneficiary. The Korea Herald/ANN S canning the many statisti- cal figures on women’s sta- tus in Korea produced by the media and various advocacy groups on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, which was on Monday, March 8, it is quite difficult to measure the ascent of women in Korean society. They are still suffering a lot at home, workplaces and everywhere else, under many types of social preju- dices, but women are making impressive inroads into posi- tions of power and influence these days in what pundits dub “women’s revenge”. Educated women are aiming high to grab powerful and high- income jobs from which they can fight social disadvantage more effectively. In the more sophisticated professional areas where sexual barriers have been removed, women prevail over their male counterparts in both job performance and finding employment. About 70 per cent of new judges and some 60 per cent of new prosecutors appointed this year were women. They are to be joined by male colleagues returning from compulsory mili- tary service later so that the pre- carious gender balance will barely be maintained at the jun- ior levels of the law enforcement jobs. The fertility rate of 1.15 last year, one of the lowest in the world, the high divorce rate and the growing proportion of women staying single indicate the continuing trend of women prioritizing their career over raising a family. Another signifi- cant statistic reveals that 82.4 per cent of female high-school graduates entered university this year, compared to 81.6 per cent of male graduates. Two decades ago, only 32.4 per cent of high-school girls advanced to higher education. Behind these remarkable fig- ures proving women’s rising sta- tus in Korea, petitions to the National Human Rights Commission reveal that women are molested and harassed sexu- ally, humiliated in public, abused physically and mentally, and disadvantaged in employ- ment. While the nation was struggling under the impact of the global eco- nomic crisis since 2008, the number of economically inactive women increased to 10.4 million as of the end of 2009, up by 286,000. Labor analysts say many of their lost jobs went to male workers. The overall picture is incon- gruous. Women’s success in pro- fessional areas is due largely to hard individual efforts and does not yet illustrate a change in society. Just look at the 299-seat National Assembly, which has 41 women lawmakers. Women’s status Elevating women’s position T he Peliyagoda police anti-vice squad on Tuesday evening nabbed a ‘mobile-bar’ that had operated in the Meegahawatte area for months. Police had received lots of complaints from the housewives in the area that there some per- sons were selling moonshine to their hus- bands, who spent all their income on rotgut. The women had told the police that kasippu mudalalis kept shifting their outlets and there- fore remained elu- sive. The police deployed decoys at places fre- quented by tipplers and nabbed the sellers with stocks of illicit spirits. Women showered praise on the police while hus- bands gnashed their teeth. T he Wattegama police found T-56 ammunition and a live 84-S cartridge among flowers on a flower receptacle (mal asana) of a Bodhiya on the Walala- Wavinna road on Monday. The police are conducting inves- tigations. No arrests have been made so far. T he Gampaha police on Tuesday arrest- ed a drug addict who used to extract protec- tion money from school children. He had obtained money from the chil- dren to pay for his ‘fix.’ It has been revealed that the drug addict used to waylay children bran- dishing a pointed knife and obtain money threat- ening to stab them. None of the victims had dared inform the par- ents or police of their predicament for fear of reprisal but one intrepid kid plucked up courage to go to the police. The Gampaha police sent several per- sonnel in civvies and caught the culprit red- handed. T he Maligawatte police raided a gambling den operated inside a house in the area and caught five women and two men playing cards for money on Tuesday. The police seized Rs. 88,000. The owner of the house was also taken into custody. The raid was led by IP Nuwan with several personnel including WPCs of the Maligawatte police. A 12-year-old boy came to the National Child Protection Authority all by himself yester- day and complained that he had been assaulted by his employers. The victim was from Bandaragama . He had worked in several houses in and around Colombo as a ser- vant . Whenever he was severe- ly beaten, he used to escape and find employ- ment elsewhere. The NCPA authorities told The Island that they would summon the child’s parents and arrest those who had illegally employed him. T he Galle anti- vice squad per- sonnel on Sunday (7) found three men riding a motorcycle near the Galle Wakwella Bridge and checked them on suspicion to find a 12 bore home-made gun (galkatas) and a gold chain in their posses- sion. The chain was damaged and police suspected that it may have been snatched by the riders. They were taken into custody around 2.40 pm. Further investigations revealed that the suspects had snatched the chain from a woman near Sanghamitta Girls School on the same day around 2.00 pm. They were from Madapathagala and Ginimellagahahena in Wakwella. The Galle police are conducting further investigations. Women who rivalled men at the wrong game arrested Hunter becomes the hunted Boy at NCPA doorstep with complaints Mobile bar busted Chain snatchers caught in 40 mins Unholy offering High maternal death rate overshadows Intl Women’s Day in Afghanistan PM Hasina March 8 marks International Women’s Day. Hundreds of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. The United Nations says the theme of this year’s cel- ebration is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.” Four years ago on International Women’s Day, the Afghan government unveiled a plan for accelerat- ing the improvement of women’s status in the country. Today, almost one-fourth of the Afghan parlia- ment is female. President Hamid Karzai also has selected three women as members of his new Cabinet. And while the Afghan government expects more than 3.2 million girls to enroll in school this year, the country’s acting Public Health Minister Suraya Dalil says improvements are needed to ensure their future wellbeing. On average, an Afghan woman will get pregnant six times during her reproductive years. Dalil says officials are working to educate people on contracep- tion, but only 15 percent of couples use one sort of family planning. Dalil says this contributes to a harsh statistic. “Every 30 minutes one woman in Afghanistan dies from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. So that is [a] really alarming figure,” she noted. Many women around the country lack access to hospitals like the ones in the capital, Kabul. So it is up to the government to bring the medical care to them. “One of the strategies to address maternal mor- tality is to increase skilled birth attendants,” she added. “That means midwives, nurses and physi- cians to assist deliveries.” Skilled birthing attendants are present at 25 to 30 percent of births in Afghanistan. Dalil says the gov- ernment hopes to expand its midwife training pro- grams and install these professionals in local commu- nities. Also this year, the Afghan government, along with its international partners, is launching a new mortality study. Dalil participated in the last study in 2002, which she says uncovered some shocking results. “It found that in Badakhshan the maternal mortali- ty issue was 6,500 [deaths] per 100,000 live births and that is the highest ever documented in human history,” she explained. Dalil says she hopes the new study will highlight improvements that can lead to lasting achievements for women’s health. But she stresses that the Afghan government needs a combination of international and public sup- port for health advancements before the overall well- being of women in the country can show real progress.
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FeaturesThe Island6 Thursday 11th March, 2010
Emphasis on law by itself can-not deliver, implementation key
The Daily Star/ANN
Bangladesh Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina has announcedher government’s resolve on the
occasion of the 100th InternationalWomen’s Day to repeal all laws dis-criminatory to women and make a dulyupdated National WomenDevelopment Policy work to changethe women’s lot in a radical way. It isworthwhile to note that a nationalwomen’s development policy was for-mulated by an Awami League govern-ment itself during 1996-2001 whichwas thereafter tampered with by theBNP-Jamaat alliance government thatfollowed. Thus, if we took one step for-ward we were soon to go two stepsbackwards.
In other words, mere presence ofa policy document or a law (there weretough anti-dowry and anti-acid throw-ing measures aplenty) has hardly everbeen anything more than a declarationof intent; for, it fell short of implementa-
tion and therefore, not a suf-ficient guarantee for estab-lishment of all the rights forwomen that we set aboutachieving since the birth ofthe country, particularlysince the inception of thecountry’s constitution. Wehave learned the hard waythat it is easier said thandone.
First of all, a robustpolitical will backed by anenvironment congenial toa paradigm shift in thewomen’s overall situation in the house-hold, family, society, workplace andpolicy and decision making fields willhave to be brought to bear on thepressing agenda for women’sadvancement. Secondly, the laws thatexist against different forms of violenceagainst and exploitation of womenwhich have been stringent in words butweak in application will have to berewritten to be made fail-safe. In aword, we have to have an adequatelegal framework on protection, preser-
vation and full exercise ofwomen’s rights at par withthose enjoyed in other coun-tries of comparable back-grounds which have hit thehigh road to success interms of gender balanceand equality.
Another most importantcomponent of changerelates to institutional prepa-rations which seem to be
lacking in vital areas such as,for example, in the local bodyinstitutions where women
have been given greater representa-tion but not an equal role. Thisinstance can be multiplied, the list canbe almost endless where women’s pol-icy and decision making roles are atworst conspicuous by absence or atbest circumscribed by subtle devices.
So long as the mindset does notchange in the still male-dominant soci-ety, the women’s lot cannot be refash-ioned in a truly qualitative way of whichthe whole society can be legitimatelyproud and a full beneficiary.
The Korea Herald/ANN
Scanning the many statisti-cal figures on women’s sta-tus in Korea produced by
the media and various advocacygroups on the occasion of theInternational Women’s Day,which was on Monday, March 8,it is quite difficult to measurethe ascent of women in Koreansociety. They are still suffering alot at home, workplaces andeverywhere else, under manytypes of social preju-dices, but women aremaking impressiveinroads into posi-tions of power andinfluence these daysin what pundits dub“women’s revenge”.
Educated women are aiminghigh to grab powerful and high-income jobs from which theycan fight social disadvantagemore effectively. In the moresophisticated professional areaswhere sexual barriers have beenremoved, women prevail overtheir male counterparts in bothjob performance and finding
employment.About 70 per cent of new
judges and some 60 per cent ofnew prosecutors appointed thisyear were women. They are tobe joined by male colleaguesreturning from compulsory mili-tary service later so that the pre-carious gender balance willbarely be maintained at the jun-ior levels of the law enforcementjobs.
The fertility rate of 1.15 lastyear, one of the lowest in the
world, the high divorce rate andthe growing proportion ofwomen staying single indicatethe continuing trend of womenprioritizing their career overraising a family. Another signifi-cant statistic reveals that 82.4per cent of female high-schoolgraduates entered universitythis year, compared to 81.6 percent of male graduates. Two
decades ago, only 32.4 per cent ofhigh-school girls advanced tohigher education.
Behind these remarkable fig-ures proving women’s rising sta-tus in Korea, petitions to theNational Human RightsCommission reveal that womenare molested and harassed sexu-ally, humiliated in public,abused physically and mentally,and disadvantaged in employ-ment. While the nation wasstruggling under the impact of
the global eco-nomic crisis since2008, the numberof economicallyinactive womenincreased to 10.4million as of the
end of 2009, up by 286,000. Laboranalysts say many of their lostjobs went to male workers.
The overall picture is incon-gruous. Women’s success in pro-fessional areas is due largely tohard individual efforts and doesnot yet illustrate a change insociety. Just look at the 299-seatNational Assembly, which has 41women lawmakers.
Women’s status
Elevating women’s position
The Peliyagoda
police anti-vice
squad on Tuesday
evening nabbed a
‘mobile-bar’ that had
operated in the
Meegahawatte area for
months.
Police had received
lots of complaints from
the housewives in the
area that there some per-
sons were selling
moonshine
to their
hus-
bands, who spent all
their income on rotgut.
The women had told the
police that kasippu
mudalalis kept shifting
their outlets and there-
fore remained elu-
sive. The police deployed
decoys at places fre-
quented by tipplers and
nabbed the sellers with
stocks of illicit spirits.
Women showered praise
on the police while hus-
bands gnashed their
teeth.The Wattegama police foundT-56 ammunition and a live84-S cartridge among flowers
on a flower receptacle (mal asana)of a Bodhiya on the Walala-Wavinna road on Monday.
The police are conducting inves-tigations. No arrests have beenmade so far.
The Gampahapolice onTuesday arrest-
ed a drug addict whoused to extract protec-tion money fromschool children.
He had obtainedmoney from the chil-dren to pay for his ‘fix.’
It has been revealedthat the drug addict usedto waylay children bran-dishing a pointed knifeand obtain money threat-ening to stab them.
None of the victimshad dared inform the par-ents or police of theirpredicament
for fear of reprisal butone intrepid kid pluckedup courage to go to thepolice. The Gampahapolice sent several per-sonnel in civvies andcaught the culprit red-handed.
The Maligawatte police raideda gambling den operatedinside a house in the areaand caught five women and twomen playing cards for money onTuesday. The police seized Rs. 88,000.
The owner of the house was alsotaken into custody. The raid was led by IP Nuwanwith several personnel includingWPCs of the Maligawatte police.
A 12-year-old boy came to theNational Child Protection
Authority all by himself yester-day and complained that he had
been assaulted by his employers.The victim was from
Bandaragama .He had worked
in severalhouses in
and aroundColomboas a ser-
vant .
Wheneverhe was severe-
ly beaten, heused to escape
and find employ-ment elsewhere.
The NCPA authorities told TheIsland that they would summon
the child’s parents and arrestthose who had illegally employed
him.
The Galleanti-vice
squad per-sonnel onSunday (7)found threemen riding amotorcyclenear the GalleWakwellaBridge andchecked themon suspicion tofind a 12 borehome-made gun(galkatas) and a goldchain in their posses-sion. The chain wasdamaged and policesuspected that it mayhave been snatchedby the riders. Theywere taken into custody around 2.40pm.
Further investigations revealedthat the suspects had snatched thechain from a woman nearSanghamitta Girls School on the
same day around 2.00 pm.They were from Madapathagala
and Ginimellagahahena in Wakwella.The Galle police are conducting
further investigations.
Women who rivalled men atthe wrong game arrested
Hunter becomes the hunted Boy at NCPA doorstepwith complaints
Mobile
bar busted
Chain snatcherscaught in 40 mins
Unholy offering
High maternal death rate overshadows Intl Women’s Day in Afghanistan
PM Hasina
March 8 marks International Women’s Day.Hundreds of events are held throughout the world toinspire women and celebrate their achievements.The United Nations says the theme of this year’s cel-ebration is “Equal rights, equal opportunities:Progress for all.”
Four years ago on International Women’s Day,the Afghan government unveiled a plan for accelerat-ing the improvement of women’s status in the country.
Today, almost one-fourth of the Afghan parlia-ment is female. President Hamid Karzai also hasselected three women as members of his newCabinet.
And while the Afghan government expects more
than 3.2 million girls to enroll in school this year, thecountry’s acting Public Health Minister Suraya Dalilsays improvements are needed to ensure their futurewellbeing.
On average, an Afghan woman will get pregnantsix times during her reproductive years. Dalil saysofficials are working to educate people on contracep-tion, but only 15 percent of couples use one sort offamily planning. Dalil says this contributes to a harshstatistic.
“Every 30 minutes one woman in Afghanistandies from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.So that is [a] really alarming figure,” she noted.
Many women around the country lack access to
hospitals like the ones in the capital, Kabul. So it isup to the government to bring the medical care tothem.
“One of the strategies to address maternal mor-tality is to increase skilled birth attendants,” sheadded. “That means midwives, nurses and physi-cians to assist deliveries.”
Skilled birthing attendants are present at 25 to 30percent of births in Afghanistan. Dalil says the gov-ernment hopes to expand its midwife training pro-grams and install these professionals in local commu-nities.
Also this year, the Afghan government, along withits international partners, is launching a new mortality
study. Dalil participated in the last study in 2002,which she says uncovered some shocking results.
“It found that in Badakhshan the maternal mortali-ty issue was 6,500 [deaths] per 100,000 live birthsand that is the highest ever documented in humanhistory,” she explained.
Dalil says she hopes the new study will highlightimprovements that can lead to lasting achievementsfor women’s health.
But she stresses that the Afghan governmentneeds a combination of international and public sup-port for health advancements before the overall well-being of women in the country can show realprogress.
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