Echo 72nd Edition by emanmuhammadalsaeed1

Editorial

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Editor in Chief Eman Muhammad Alsaeed emanmuhammadalsaeed1@ gmail.com Managing Editor CourtneyWeatherburne ccweatherburne@gmail.com Creative Editor & Graphic Designer Gabriela Valenzuela gc.valenzuelac@gmail.com Translation Editor Rashid James jray22339@gmail.com

Photo Editors Katerine Lara Rojas lararojasli@hotmail.com Marina Rumyantseva marinashak@gmail.com Pencil Artist Nematullah Akbar nematollahakbar@gmail.com Layout Design Editor Bagawathssing Nithiyanandan parvaden@gmail.com

GhinwaMaia ghinwa.maia@gmail.com Colleen Bosibori Mayaka bosiboricolleen@yahoo.com Diana Alnaser diana.alnaser@gmail.com

Muna Jamal Abu Hamour muna.abuhamour@gmail.com Masa Akbek akbik.masa@gmail.com

While ‘gender equality’ is mistakenly associated with women, the term means much more than that. It is, in fact, a human right issue and a fight against discrimination of all kind. It doesn’t mean that men and women should become the same, but it means that the rights and opportunities for both should not depend on their gender. That is why, in the light of the 25th anniversary of Beijing Platform for Action for Women, we decided to write about gender equality from 23 perspectives in 20 countries. In the 72nd batch of DJ class, we are mostly women, with only five men. But we, as professionals, decided to cover the topics of gender equality and women empowerment around the globe. We wanted this Edition of Echo magazine to cover these concerns in developing countries as achieving gender equality is crucial to obtain equitable and sustainable development.

Assistant Editors Asteria Ndjendja asteriah1@gmail.com

Marina Rumyantseva marinashak@gmail.com

Not just gender!

Special thanks to Prof. Anand Pradhan, Mr. Marydasan John, Mr. Pawan Koundal, Mr. Piyush Kant and Mr. Rajat Sharma for their editorial and layout Support.

In this Edition, we wanted each story to be a useful reference for other countries. In the process, we discovered that though we come from different countries we share common issues, goals and success stories. These inspiring stories came from the heart and soul of the writers. The Coronavirus lockdown came in the way as we were putting our acts together. But we did not lose heart. We worked as a team; kept our spirits high; and succeeded to provide the reader with different perspectives of our countries. With these words, we invite you to take a journey through our stories from different corners around the world!

ECHO Magazine 72nd Edition. January-April 2020. Published and Printed by Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, JNU New Campus, New Delhi - 110067, India. The ideas and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the printer and the publisher.

Contents AFRICA A boost for maternal and child health in Kenya

San people’s journey to new life in Namibia

Tanzanian women wedded to woods

South Sudanese women’s bid to march ahead

Women move up in Tanzanian leadership

Congolese women’s fight for a new life

Madagascar steps to promote girls’ education

MIDDLE EAST Women break glass ceiling in Egypt

Syrian women stare at a wall of hurdles

Jordanian women lead the change

Syrian Women: Slaves of Big Screen

Syrian women prove their mettle

Differing faces of Palestinian women

ECHO · № 72

Contents

Latin America and Caribbean LGBT in Belize navigating uncertain future

Colombian midwives fight to keep tradition alive

A ‘home’ away from home

Music and dance empower women in Peru

ASIA Post-Taliban, Afghan women make great strides

Women find bigger role in Tajikistan

Women’s struggle for equal-footing in Mongolia

Women make a mark in Vietnamese industrial landscape

Sri Lankan women on a new track

Combating domestic violence via social media in Russia

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A boost for maternal and child health in Kenya

H.E Margaret Kenyatta hands over a mobile clinic to Kisii County. Credit: Beyondzero.or.ke

Colleen Bosibori Mayaka

Principal Communication Officer, Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Nyamira County, Kenya bosiboricolleen@yahoo.com

ECHO · № 72

fter an hour of operation, Loveleen opens her eyes. The silence is too loud. Everything looks hazy and fuzzy. Doctors and nurses are standing around her in a somber mood. She feels a prickling sensation from her abdomen to the spine like pins and needles. She opens her mouth but no words come forth. It dawns on her that her baby is no more. She trembles with her teeth chattering as tears roll down her cheeks. She weeps. She is robbed of the joy of holding a baby in her arms. The pain of losing her first-born baby is intense and immense.

But she is not alone. This is the plight of many Kenyan women. According to the United Nations Child Education Fund, 74,000 children in Kenya die before the age of 5 years. The World Health Organization report reveals that 6.2 million children below the age of 15 years died in 2018 and 290,000 women died due to pregnancy related complications in 2017. Against this backdrop, the First Lady of Kenya Margaret Kenyatta launched the ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’ to improve and promote maternal and child health. Launched in 2014, its mission is to ensure that

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H.E Margaret Kenyatta acknowledges salutations from the public during Beyond Zero Campaign. Credit: Standardmedia.co.ke

all Kenyan mothers deliver safely, their children are born healthy, remain healthy and are HIV-free. It complements government efforts by influencing interventions towards achieving zero new HIV infections and zero maternal and child deaths. For the first five years, the campaign was driven by the rallying call, ‘No woman should die while giving life and every child should live to celebrate its fifth birthday.’

Beyond zero Marathon In a unique way, she launched a marathon event aimed at creating awareness and mobilizing funds. She is running the talk. She has broken away from the routine lifestyle of her counterparts to support mothers and children. Rising above her peers, she is dedicating her life and influence for a noble cause. She is the only First Lady who has run a world marathon. She was designated United Nations person of the year

2014 for her outstanding efforts to eliminate preventable maternal and child deaths in the country through the Beyond Zero Campaign. She stands out as the only First Lady ever to receive such an award.

five years the campaign focused on ending new HIV infections among children and deaths. This was conducted through medical clinics which provided free screening, treatment and referrals.

Locally, she is also hosting marathons annually. On December 3, 2019 the First Lady launched the fifth edition of the Beyond Zero Half Marathon. The event was held on March 8, 2020. The proceeds will be invested in building, refurbishing, modeling and equipping specialized clinics.

Through mobile clinics, otherwise known as medical safaris, women that are in hard-to-reach areas are now reachable. “Safari” is a Swahili word that means journey. The safaris are helping women to get free cancer screening, HIV testing and care during pregnancy. Other health services being offered include treatment for women suffering from fistula, an abnormal connection between two organs such as the reproductive organ and intestines. The World Health Organization records that there are 50,000 to 100,000 new cases reported annually. The causes of fistula include obstructed labor, when the foetus is unable to descend through the mother’s birth canal, and child birth. This leads to passage of stool

Beyond zero Medical ‘Safari’ Accessibility to quality healthcare is a major challenge that contributes to high maternal and child mortality rates in Kenya. The World Health Organization reckons that women and newborns are vulnerable during and immediately after childbirth. Yet, all these deaths are preventable. Premised on this, during the first

Accessibility to quality healthcare is a major challenge that contributes to high maternal and child mortality rates in Kenya.

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The number of women delivering in health centers has gone up from 600,000 in 2014 to about 2 million in 2016.

H.E Margaret Kenyatta (3rd left) launches the strategic framework (2018-2022) for Beyond Zero Campaign. Credit: Beyondzero.or.ke

through the urinary tract causing constant urine leakages, diarrhea, infections and pain.

Fruits of Beyond Zero According to Beyond Zero Campaign reports, together with other partners, the initiative has helped to establish and maintain mobile clinics across Kenya. This is boosting deliveries in health facilities, reducing maternal deaths and inspiring the government to increase resource allocation. There has been a reduction of HIV infection among children from 12,000 cases in 2013 to 6,600 in 2016. Access to child treatment increased from 32% to 76% between 2013 and 2015. The number of women delivering in health centers has gone up from 600,000 in 2014 to about 2 million in 2016. Maternal deaths decreased from 6,000 to 4,000. Through medical safaris, there is access to health service for far-flung areas. This year, the world celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of ECHO · № 72

Medical Safari in Bungoma County, Credit: Beyondzero.or.ke

the Fourth World Conference on women. In tandem with this, Beyond Zero campaign has made remarkable strides in addressing inequalities, inadequacies and unequal access to health care, violence against women and discrimination and violation of the girl child. It is focusing on early childhood and equitable opportunities for children living with disabilities. The Beyond Zero Campaign has brought hope to

thousands of women and children. It brings to one fold people of all walks of life in support of maternal and child health. The First Lady has provided admirable fodder for history scribes. Her talk coupled with action and tenacity is exemplary. If mothers are healthy, they will give healthy life as the old maxim says, “Life doesn’t come with a manual. It comes with a mother.”

The Beyond Zero Campaign has brought hope to tho usands of women and children. It brings to one fold people of all walks of life in support of maternal and child health.

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San people’s journey to new life in Namibia

San men making fire the traditional way. Credit: Extraordinary Journeys

aving led a nomadic life since time immemorial, Namibia’s San people are caught up between their traditional way of life and civilization. Some are still living like their ancestors, away from the present day advancements and basic amenities. They belong to a few remaining indigenous populations in the nation.

Asteria Ndjendja

Information Officer, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Namibia asteriah1@gmail.com

The majority of them now live in north east of Namibia in a small place called Tsumkwe, situated in the middle of the NyaeNyae Conservancy in the Otjozondjupa Region. Their population is estimated to be 38,000, accounting for about 2% of the nation’s 2.5 million people (nndfn.org/san). As per a report by the Legal Assistance

Centre (LAC) released in 2001, studies conducted in the 1950s and 60s among San communities emphasized their equal social structures and high level of gender equality. The San people lived as hunters and gatherers. They had different gender roles and responsibilities. Women were responsible for building temporary shelters, collect edible plants and fruits for food and drinking water. Moreover, men were responsible for hunting and making fire. Women were not only the main providers of food, but also retained control over the food they gathered. San women were generally respected by their male counterpart and had equal access to and control

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over natural resources. The influence of women was high due to commitments they made for the sustenance of their families and communities. However, gender relations and identities among San communities have been highly affected by the accelerating pace of development. Socio-economic and political changes, expanding social contacts and the influence of male-dominated neighbouring communities, led to San women slowly losing influence and autonomy. The shift to a modern lifestyle has brought with it challenges ranging from gender inequality, with corresponding problems such as illiteracy, social discrimination, lack of healthcare facilities, unemployment and domestic violence. Completion of formal education is a challenge for both boys and girls in San communities, but girls are more disadvantaged than boys. The key factors being sexual harassment, lack of financial resources to buy toiletries, lower self-esteem, teenage pregnancy and early marriage.

San women are said to be vulnerable than San men when it comes to health. Issues around accessing health care facilities and trained personnel during pregnancy and childbirth place women at a higher risk of complications. Women who engage in sexual relationships with non-San men are also highly vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases. Similarly, alcohol abuse triggers gender-based violence in most San communities today, and is attributable to a number of prior interrelated problems. Changes in gender relations as communities shift towards a hierarchical model, whereby men are seen as superior to women and men’s frustration with unemployment and poverty is responsible for growing instances of domestic violence. Another overarching concern is the lack of gender mainstreaming in many programmes and projects targeting San people. In spite of the specific challenges, researchers have argued that it is often a challenge to address the gender dimensions of indigenous peoples’ issues, as

doing so is seen as interfering with culture or imposing western values. However, from socio-economic and poverty reduction perspectives, gender analysis is a means to identify and address gender needs in a more accurate and targeted way. Henceforth, the government realized the need for concerted efforts to mainstream a gender perspective in all San development initiatives. Namibia has enacted laws, developed strategies and policies which promote the welfare of San women and men. In 2005, Namibia’s Former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertine Amathila introduced a Strategy to Mainstream the Marginalized Communities. The strategy saw different facilities such as schools and clinics brought to their communities. Through local and international partners, the government developed programs and projects on gender issues that aim to empower indigenous people. These programmes encourage them to participate fully with other local communities at all levels on gender issues.

ECHO · № 72 The San today, dressed in mixture of Western clothing and African print. Credit: Vagabond Manon

Women were not only the main providers of food, but also retained control over the food they gathered. San women were generally respected by their male counterpart and had equal access to and control over natural resources.

San men on a hunting mission. Credit: Travel News Namibia)

Through many programmes including conservancies, San men and women learn to utilize natural resources for their own benefits. The NyaeNyae Conservancy has now turned into one of their homes in which they have strong cultural connections. There a number of San women go through their days making handicrafts for tourists. They cut ostrich eggshells into little pieces to make necklaces and bracelets. A few women are also employed in the public and private sectors as cleaners. Most men go out in search of work on commercial farms on a seasonal basis for harvesting and as tour guides in their areas. In addition, San men are assisted to incorporate their innovation of bow and arrow in sustainable hunting techniques.

of laws and programmes targeting marginalized communities remains a challenge. With that said, development projects in San communities also suffer from sustainability and lack of effective leadership. Due to illiteracy, women show little interest to take up leadership positions. Another reason is their nomadic lifestyle.

Moving forward, experts have proposed assessment of policies and programmes directed at San communities in terms of their gender implications. Experts also suggest that such policies be adjusted as required to turn around the current trend of increasing gender inequality within such communities.

To remedy the situation, Namibian President Hage Geingob directed the National Planning Commission to develop a sustainable strategy on the most proficient methods to fully mainstream marginalized people. This is done with the end goal of creating appropriate development systems together with the San themselves.

This is but part of the beginning of the San peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new journey to modern day life with more challenges ahead. Regardless, with consistent resources from a sustainable blend of their activities, it is evident that the San people will have the options to push ahead and live with a mix of their tradition, civilization and modernity.

Private organisations are also deeply involved in promoting gender equality among the San people by mainstreaming gender in all their projects and programmes as part of their social responsibilities.Â The Namibian Constitution guarantees gender equality. The government adopted a National Gender Policy and a National Gender Plan of Action in 1999. In any case, legal provisions for gender equality do not automatically translate into effective gender equality on the ground. Despite genuine efforts, implementation

San women creating jewellery together in Grashoek's Living Museum. Credit: Vagabond Manon)

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Tanzanian women wedded to woods W

omen in Tanzania are the pillar of the family in every aspect whether it is raising children or supporting the family financially. They also play a big role in preserving the environment.

Aziza Hassan

Announcer/Producer, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation(ZBC), Tanzania azizahassanali@yahoo.com

For more than a decade, Tanzania suffered from deforestation which has contributed to climate change that has a major impact on farmers, herders, plants and even animals. This large-scale deforestation is because of lack of adequate education on forestry issues; particularly the benefits of

forest management and the way forests can employ many lowincome Tanzanians. Tanzania is among the most resource-rich countries, including large forest areas. It has three types of forests – forests of the Central Government; forests of Councils and Village Government; and forests that are not under the jurisdiction of the General Land. Tanzania is home to one of the largest tree covers in the world, but it’s at risk because of illegal logging. Since 1970s, forests have

ECHO · № 72 A woman with wood energy in mangrove areas. Credit: courtesy of the internet

Africa increasingly been overtaken by farmland and degraded grassland ecosystems due to rampant tree cutting and deforestation. Much of that is due to illegal logging. The current deforestation rate is approaching 373,000 hectares per year, making it among the highest in East Africa. Wood is considered the main source of fuel for Tanzanians, even in urban areas. Forests and wooded areas cover over 48 million hectares of land, more than the entire state of California, according to the Tanzanian Forest Services Agency (TFSA) 2015. It is really very unfortunate and worrying that Tanzania is blessed with this great wealth, yet the citizens don’t know how to benefit from it; instead of taking advantage of this nature’s wealth they become part of the destruction of this resource. The main problem is that trees are felled for firewood or turned into charcoal. However, with a steady population growth rate of over 3%, community forests designated to supply wood for fuel are unable to support the growing demand. But there is a ray hope. Tanzanian

women have been very active in preserving and protecting the environment in all aspects. They, led by the vice-president, have been able to control the environmental damage that posed a threat in some parts of Tanzania and Zanzibar. “It would be difficult for the government to attain its goal of industrial economy if there will be no environmental protection,” said Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first Woman Vice-President in Tanzania. It was with these words she started her speech in the World Environmental Day commemoration in Butiama (Mara Tanzania), one of the districts in the Mara region and hometown of Tanzania’s Founder Julius Nyerere who was famous for being a great environmentalist. Ms. Samia is one of the most active environmental leaders in Tanzania. She led the campaign to plant 1500 trees and warned miners that “the government will no longer tolerate environmental pollution through the discharge of toxic chemicals.” She also stated that in day-to-day environmental management, the community should reflect on the

The vice president planting a tree, in promoting tree planting in the country. Credit: The Office of the Vice President

Citizens in the process of planting trees to conserve the environment (photo courtesy of Zanzibar network)

contribution of every sector and every citizen to the conservation of the environment in which they live.

Wood is considered the main source of fuel for Tanzanians, even in urban areas.

There are many campaigns going on in Tanzania for saving the forest and environment. In the South and North Mara, the Water Users Associations, which is a local conservation groups (including women groups) managing the water resources in the Mara area through awareness campaigns. These groups started to distribute brochures highlighting their work and different conservation activities around Mara river and wetlands. They shared their success in environmental conservation awareness to communities in 16 villages and this led to the formation of more conservation groups like the Women Weaver group to deal with sustainable harvesting and smart production of papyrus products. Other groups are the Mshikamano group that grow tree seedling and make energy saving stoves, and the Tupendane Tusaidiane group, which practices smart horticulture. This is all possible if every Tanzanian takes responsibility for protecting the forest. In their own style, finally Tanzanian women are showing the way to protect the prized forests of the country.

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South Sudanese women’s bid to march ahead H

Rashid James

Journalist and Translator, South Sudan jray22339@gmail.com

igh level of illiteracy, early child marriage, poverty and long suffering! These are few words that describe the situation of south Sudanese women. These are norms in their daily life. One can understand the situation better if one is told that girls under the age of 14 years are getting married at a cost of just 150 cows. In such a scenario of child marriages, unwanted pregnancy makes their life even harsher. Women never had an experience of

ECHO · № 72 The girl for cows

peaceful time since Sudan gained its independence in 1956. Some women were taken captives to be sexual slaves, cooking staff and so on. At an early age, many of them run to refugee camps in Uganda and Kenya. Many peace agreements had been signed from 1973, but it never addressed the root of the problems. In 1983, the war affected every woman in villages and towns. The Sudan government used Russians airplanes to bombard every place

13 in the South. There was no time for women to go for education. Most of the women are fighting two types of wars –against high illiteracy rate and lack of lasting peace. The World Bank report shows that 51% of the population in South Sudan are living under the poverty line. In turn, many women are not provided the opportunity to go to school so that they stay at home and help their families. However, now steps are being taken to allow more children to go to school. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is working on an education system for girls. According to the 2006 Household Health Survey, 46% of women with no education are married before they turn 18 years. Child marriages are often used to recover lost economic resources as woman's family receives a dowry from husband’s family. Parents are interested in having their girls married off at a very early age to whoever offers the highest price. Another reason for the high rate of marriage among young girls is the fear of pregnancy out of wedlock. This causes dishonor for the family; as a result, girls are married off at an early age. While there are laws that prevent child marriages, the government does little to enforce them, so people often do not abide by them. Dowry is one of the reasons why so few women get divorced in South Sudan. According to the culture, in case of a divorce the family of the girl has to repay the dowry to the family of the husband. Many women in South Sudan do not have adequate access to health services. While women often face inequality, there has been little progress in this regard. In recent years, this inequality has gained national attention.

Education's instead of marriage

However, things have started to change. Women have started educating their children in the camps in Kenya, Uganda and abroad. Even the married girls are going back to schools. Realizing the importance of women, President Salva Kiir issued four decrees announcing appointment of more women in diplomatic and foreign services. Among 90 ambassadors deployed, nine were women, constituting ten percent, as of March 2019. Another push to women empowerment came when the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (TCRSS) stipulated that at least 25 percent of seats and positions in each legislative and each executive organ of the state needs to be allocated to women as part of Affirmative Action designed to redress historical injustices. According to Ms. Lula Riziq, director of the South Sudan

Women's Empowerment Network, of the total number of registered voters, 52 percent are women. Today women make up 65 percent of South Sudan's total population. There is need to integrate more women in nation and state building projects. We cannot achieve any political, economic and social objectives without successful integration of women into the nation-building project. Progress in South Sudan will depend to a large extent on how the state integrates the masses particularly women into the nation-building project. To conclude, I have to mention the ‘‘Born to lead” campaign. The campaign is led by a civil society leader Riya William who once said: “We as women, we want to remind everyone, especially our leaders that South Sudanese women and girls are born to lead and that we have the power – we have the capacity and we have the ability to lead.”

According to the 2006 Household Health Survey, 46% of women with no education are married before they turn 18 years.

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Women move up in Tanzanian Leadership

The Chairwoman of the women coalition is thinking of presenting a presentation to women on how best to run for women. Credit: Tanzania Media Women's Association

Saada Suleiman

Announcer/Producer, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation(ZBC), Tanzania saada_10@hotmail.com

ECHO Âˇ â&#x201E;&#x2013; 72

espite the fact that women are vital part of the society, gender inequality has been showing its ugly face in Tanzania. However, lately the call for gender equality is being trumpeted through various channels and platforms. The Government and other civil society organizations are working on programs to inspire and motivate Tanzanian women to take leadership position in different sectors. Women havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been present in the decision-making positions

in Tanzania. Male chauvinism, traditions, customs, religion, low level of education, lack of confidence, men monopolizing leadership positions in political parties, election laws, as well as high costs of participation in elections are the factors that led to lack of women representatives in political life. Tanzania conducts General Elections every five years for electing the President, Members of Parliament, Members of House of Representatives and Local Administrative Leaders. Normally,

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Studies show that women do well in leadership positions as they keep their promises, do not take bribe, and respect equality and gender.

women participation in these elections is very low despite the government’s effort to reach fifty percent each for men and women. In the last General Election (2015), the number of women who became Members of Parliament from the Constituencies, Special Seats and Presidential Nominations were 126 out of 393 members, which is equal to 32 percent. During Tanzanian elections, women voters are more than men voters; therefore, an elected leader must involve both genders in decision-making. However, the number of women representatives is still low compared to the number of women in the country. For a country to implement the ideals and principles of democracy it should ensure that there are participants from all genders. Women and men have different views in dealing with social and development issues. Experts say that when women are motivated to become political

leaders it increased the chance of a better life condition and development in education, health, and other sectors. Women who fully participate in leadership, normally bring development in social, legislative and political organs as well as in people’s life. Studies show that women do well in leadership positions as they keep their promises, do not take bribe, and respect equality and gender. Many great achievements worldwide have been made by women leaders. Women have been making great decisions which contribute to world development. Tanzania has consented to various international agreements that emphasize on rights of women participating in political life. Those agreements form strategies to ensure women participation in leadership and not to be discriminated based on sex or gender. One of these agreements is the Agreement of Independent African Countries on Human

A woman who participated in women's training and leadership contributing to the topic of how a woman can lead and bring development to the community. Credit: Tanzania Media Women's Association

Right. This agreement opposes all types of humiliation. It was established in 1979 and has set different elements/ sections that indicate prohibition and opposition to all kinds of women humiliation including discrimination in political and leadership participation for women. Section 7 of this agreement explains clearly about women’s political and social life participation in general. Another agreement is Maputo Protocol which was signed on 11th July, 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique. Section 9 of this agreement stresses the right to women’s participation in decisionmaking organs. This agreement has provided various opportunities for women to contest for positions of leadership. Tanzania is part of another protocol, Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is a zonal agreement of Southern African countries that was signed in 2008. It contains 43 sections which explain eradication of differences and separation of women from different development areas as well as helping them to get gender equality in their countries. By applying the SADC Protocol, the government is promoting a plan for women’s participation to reach 50% in leadership positions including House of Representatives. Civil societies such as Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA), Zanzibar Union of Female Lawyers Association (ZAFELA), Union of Women Representatives in Zanzibar (UWAWAZA) and Association of Disabled Women Zanzibar (JUWAUZA) have been at the forefront to empower women and encourage them to participate in political life.

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Congolese women’s fight for a new life D

espite the new laws adopted by the Democratic Republic of the Congo government and amendments in the existing laws, the high rate of illiteracy and sexual violence among girls due to early marriage remain great concern for the country.

Nyemba Izayeye Anthonio

Journalist and Freelancer, D.R.Congo anthonionyemba10@gmail.com

ECHO · № 72

Today with the provision of free basic education, there is a higher rate of educated women. Previously, women were considered

home-makers. Their jobs were limited to taking care of the house. They were entitled to work only in the countryside. However, lately authorities have started to work on a program to encourage girls to go to school. Women today are able to read and write unlike in the past. Previously, only boys were sent to school while girls stayed at home to be groomed for early marriage. Usually parents chose the husband without their consent. The father

will choose the husband for his daughter depending on the social position of the boy’s family in the village. For example, if the boy’s family has several hectares of fields, poultry, pigsties etc. it will be considered a good family. After that the two families will join and discuss without informing the boy or the girl. However, with the adoption of new laws that prevent early marriage, girls are sent to schools instead of marrying young. Despite the Congolese women’s efforts to participate in political and community life, women hold few public decision-making positions. Many have withdrawn from seeking office or getting involved in public life even though they are disproportionately affected by the civil wars and the resulting humanitarian crises that have plagued the country for more than 20 years. Women are still under-represented or absent from national and

international consultations in peace-building processes. Also, the participation of women in the electoral process remained very low due to a law imposed by the government that discriminates specifically against women in the electoral contest and doesn’t take into account their socioeconomic conditions. It states that a deposit of $1,000 must be made by candidates. This is an astronomical sum for women and young people living for the most part on an income of less than $1 per day. Another emerging issue in DRC is the increase in birth rate. A woman could give birth up to 10 children or more due to the ignorance and societal pressure. However, lately with increased rate of educated women and the government efforts the situation has improved and women now understand the importance of birth control. Prostitution is another emerging

issue in the country. Whether a profession or exploitation, it should be prohibited or regulated. There are many reasons for the increased number of girls who work on prostitution. One of the main reasons is the high rate of poverty among people. In fact, women all over the world are poorer than men. Women do not enjoy the same level of wealth as men; however the difficulty in finding a job, low education, few jobs available and weak social policies push some women to turn to prostitution for their survival. In her work, Metanoya Martine Costes-Peplinski, a French author, said that prostitution decreases when poverty goes down. Hence the government has to give them better life by educating them and providing dignified jobs.

With adoption of new laws that prevent early marriage, girls are sent to schools instead of marrying young.

Clearly, the women of Democratic Republic of Congo still have a long way to go. Indian Institute of Mass Communication

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Madagascar steps to promote girls’ education

At Center AKAMASOA the children go to school. Credit: Perepedro.akamasoa.net

ccording to World Population Prospects in 2019, women made 50.1% of Madagascar’s population; this shows that for the development of the country we must empower women, especially through education. In spite of the focus on education during 60 years of independence, women in rural areas are still vulnerable and silent. They face challenges hindering their educational progress. In a country where more than 58 % of the population has little or no Administrator and Communications Officer, access to clean drinking water, the Directorate of Blood Transfusion in the responsibility of collecting water Ministry of Public Health of Madagascar often falls on the shoulders of nyainafilamatr@gmail.com adolescent girls. Hence the number

Ramananarivo Volaniaina

ECHO · № 72

of girls enrolled in public schools is far fewer than boys. Drop-outs of schools and low attendance rates amongst adolescent girls especially in rural communities have lot to do with the fact that girls spend three to four hours a day collecting water from unsafe springs. Many of them fall sick from drinking dirty water, causing them to regularly miss school. Lack of proper sanitation in schools proved to be a challenge for those undergoing their menstrual cycle. Inadequate toilets and washing facilities often make them more susceptible to infections and other water-borne diseases.

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After the independence, schools’ facilities were not properly constructed. The government provided access to primary education with reducing school costs for families through subsidies for teachers’ salaries and school kits for children due to poverty. Children used to have classes under trees or iron sheets. The majority of those who attended these classes were boys. Most of Malagasy people are happy with their current government, led by Andry Nirina Rajoelina. The government started supporting and improving the education system by strengthening the foundations of primary education and rebuilding the capacity of stakeholders, and improving the community participation and social responsibility. The government started funding schools and improved their infrastructure, with special training of teachers and school principals, as well as school feeding. It is important to educate girls, since educated women have a greater chance of escaping poverty, leading healthier and more productive lives, and raising standards of living for their children, families, and communities. This can be done through campaigning to raise awareness, public support and funds to help more girls attend schools. Investing in girls’ education is investing in the future of the nation. The government, as well as local and international NGOs, does its best to increase the number of girls in schools. In 2011, the National Movement for Education for All in Madagascar known as NMEAM launched a campaign for positive discrimination in favour of girls. The campaign aimed at sensitizing parents, governments and citizens on the importance and benefits of ensuring good education for women

Children in class in big numbers compared to the past. Credit: Perepedro.akamasoa.net

and encouraging competition. This was a necessity as Malagasy girls drop out of school quite early and parents prefer boys to go for further studies to prepare them for future roles as heads of their families. This is especially true in rural areas where patriarchy remains strong. The campaign gives special attention to Analanjirofo, a rural based region that has a high record of illiteracy with only 30% girls completing primary education and moving on to secondary education. Despite all efforts a lot is still needed to be done. Strategies adopted in Madagascar improved girls’ attendance and success rates. This showcases a certain type of school offering an effective learning method in a safe, healthy environment that takes into account gender differences, where a child is in the center of attention. The government made education compulsory and free; this strategy is considered a cornerstone in any national program aimed at eliminating gender discrimination and achieving universal education.

Eliminating tuition fees or providing financial support to families with daughters in school, as well as explaining the benefits of schooling for girls is of paramount importance in overcoming the obstacles for poor families that face economic difficulties forcing them to choose sending only boys to the school. It is better for classroom strategies to focus on the needs of children taking into consideration gender sensitivity, and to root educational activities in life and community context. The President of Madagascar launched the Madagascar Emergency Initiative (IEM) which is based on participatory teaching and learning, where play and study is combined in a creative manner. It focuses on making the maximum use of local languages and cultures that have been marginalized in the past even though it was spoken by all people in the country. These measures resulted in huge success and a higher school enrollment rates for girls.

The National Movement for Education for All in Madagascar known as NMEAM launched a campaign for positive discrimination in favour of girls.

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Middle East

Women break glass ceiling in Egypt “

Firial the legend” starts her day at the wheel. Forty-sevenyear-old Firial Khalil is one of the few women who works as a truck driver in Egypt. A career that started at 17 took a pause when she decided to get married and have a family. It is to support this family that she decided to become a truck driver.

Eman Muhammad Alsaeed

Journalist and editor, Almussawar Magazine, Egypt emanmuhammadalsaeed1@Gmail.com

Firial is one of many women in Egypt who are fighting gender stereotypes and doing jobs that used to be only for men. Another example of the successful working women in Egypt is Liqaa El Khouly, the first female mechanic in Upper Egypt. Taking after her father,

Liqaa decided to carry the legacy and work as mechanic. It started by Liqaa helping her father in his shop. Now she thinks of opening her own mechanic school for women. There are very few women in Cairo and Alexandria who work as car mechanic. Seham El Husien is one of the few women in Egypt who works in plumbing. After her divorce, 66-year-oldSeham decided to support her family. She has been a plumber for 20 years now and she is proud of it. As a matter of fact, women in Egypt work in almost all fields. There are women TukTuk drivers, ship master,

ECHO · № 72 Dr. Sahar Nasr, female politician, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Credit: The economist 2019

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2017 was declared the year for Egyptian women. Then the government launched a campaign to empower Women by 2030. The campaign consisted of 5 Axis -political empowerment, economic empowerment, societal protection, cultural and legal axis.

Liqaa el kholi-Egyptian Mechanic. Credit: https://www.alhurra.com/

Boxing champion, carpenter, Pilot, Darbuka player and the list goes on. Latest Statistics released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) reveal that there are 45.9 million women in Egypt, representing nearly half of the population. Moreover, women are breadwinners for over 3.3 million families in Egypt, representing 14% of the total number of families. The history of working women in Egypt goes back to 3000 years in ancient Egypt. Back then, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t unusual for women to rule like Cleopatra who took over the throne from her uncle and ruled Egypt for almost three decades. She was welleducated and clever. She also spoke various languages and served as the dominant ruler in all three of her co-regencies. Her romantic liaisons and military alliances with the Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, as well as her exotic beauty and powers of seduction, earned her an enduring place in history. When we come to the modern age, we find that women in Egypt fight a long battle for equality, rights in education and work. Back in 1956, Egyptian women obtained the right to vote and run for President. Then women started to run for the Parliament in 1957. In

1962, a law was passed that there should be minimum 5% women representatives in the National Congress. However, after the June 30 revolution there was a noticeable increase in the percentage of women participating in Parliament election. Due to the increased number of women interested in running for election for a Parliament seat, the Constitution was amended to give 15 per cent representation for women. Hence in 2015, the Parliament saw the presence of the largest number of women -90. Another Constitution amendment in 2019 gave Egyptian women 25% representation in the National Congress.

Women are breadwinners for over 3.3mn families in Egypt, representing 14% of the total number of families.

The empowerment campaign started to pay off and in 2018 for the first time in Egyptian history, the Cabinet had a total of eight female ministers. They represented nearly 25 percent of it. One of them is Dr. Hala Zayed who is the second female minister in the history of Health Ministry since its establishment in 1937. Hala was the president of the Academy of Health Sciences, the chairwoman of the Supreme Committee for Combating Corruption at the Ministry of Health and an advisor to the minister of health and population. Also, in 2018, Egypt got the first female mayor, the first woman deputy governor, six women as vicepresidents of the State Cases Authority and the first female judge to assume the presidency of a court.

The highest percentage of Egyptian female workforce was recorded in 2016, which was 24.2% compared to 75.8% of working males, while the lowest percentage in 2015 was 23% for females. According to the National Council for Women in Egypt, the female unemployment rate in Egypt decreased from 24.7% in the second quarter of 2017 to 19.6% in the first quarter of 2019 which means that Egyptian women are getting more chances in the working field. Under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the year

Queen Cleopatra. Credit: fromallnations.org

A TukTuk driver or a minister, it is the Golden Age for women in Egypt. The society is changing from within and women are not settling for less. Today working women in Egypt are paving the way for future generations to break the stereotypes and to become smart, empowered, multi-tasker and powerful.

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Middle East

Syrian women stare at a wall of hurdles

Bouthaina Shaaban: Syrian politician and is currently the political and media advisor to the President of Syria. Credit: Syrian Arab News Agency

“ Ghinwa Maia

Journalist, Arabic-English Interpreter and Translator at the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Syria ghinwa.maia@gmail.com

ECHO · № 72

Rami defied his community to marry me,” said Aya, a 28-year-old Syrian Muslim woman married to Rami, a Christian who converted to Islam to be able to marry her. On a trip from Damascus to Beirut, I met Aya with her daughter Mariam. The two were travelling for the first time after the death of Rami from mortar shrapnel that fell on their Damascus neighborhood. Mixed marriages between religions are not allowed in Syria; this forces thousands of men and women

to either convert to a different religion, leave the country or just abandon those they are in love with. Aya's hopes of visiting her Lebanese grandmother were dashed when she was denied of travelling, as Syrian laws deny a mother from traveling abroad with her children without the permission of the father or a male from his family. “Sorry Ma'am, I am just abiding by the law, please try to get the permission,” said the immigration

Middle East officer. Later that day Aya told me that the father and the brother of her late husband failed to get permission because they are still Christians and according to the law a nonMuslim does not have jurisdiction or guardianship over a Muslim. Aya and her family are not the only ones suffering from these laws. This year marks a hundred years of Syria as a republic; during this period Syria had five constitutions. Despite the amendments made in these constitutions a huge gap in gender equality is still there, especially within family levels. Syrians are now involved in talks sponsored by the United Nations in Geneva, suggesting and discussing amendments to the current constitution. Women are well represented in these talks. In early 20th century Syrian women

got involved in movements for their rights. In 1949 they obtained the right to vote, and received universal suffrage in 1953. In the 1950s a woman ran for Parliament but was not elected. Throughout the time women participated vigorously in social and political fields. The current Parliament (People's Assembly) includes 29 women out of 252 members. The former Speaker of the Parliament was a woman. The Syrian government has developed a number of plans and strategies to improve the conditions of women, and the constitution guarantees that “Citizens shall be equal in rights and duties without discrimination among them on grounds of sex, origin, language, religion or creed” (Clause 3, Article No. 33. Syrian Constitution 2012). It also stresses on protecting maternity and childhood and that “The

state shall provide women with all opportunities enabling them to effectively and fully contribute to the political, economic, social and cultural life, and work on removing the restrictions that prevent their development and participation in building society,”(Article No. 23. Syrian Constitution 2012). Syrian women succeeded in different areas by their educational achievement and prominent presence in decisionmaking positions, breaking stereotyping and gender barriers as they became vice-presidents, ministers, members and Speaker of the Parliament, judges, military officers, etc. In spite of all efforts to improve the conditions of Syrian women, discrimination against them persists, especially at the family level where the governing laws are based on religion. Supported by

The current Parliament (People's Assembly) includes 29 women out of 252 members. The former Speaker of the Parliament was a woman.

Indian Institute of Mass Communication A Session of the People's Assembly (2020). Credit: Syrian Arab News Agency

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A woman who once was considered as a goddess or was chosen to be a queen is now struggling to obtain her basic human rights.

the third article of the constitution which says “Islamic jurisprudence shall be a major source of legislation,” Syria made a dual legal system including secular and religious courts. Religious courts depend on Sharia law which discriminates against women. These laws caused a contradiction between the roles a woman can have in a society. For example, according to these laws a woman can be a judge and her rulings are accepted and never be questioned, yet a woman’s testimony is equivalent to half of a man's testimony. The distinction and preference of a man's testimony to a woman’s contradict the constitutional principle of equality. Similarly, personal laws put men in a position of authority by granting them rights that restrict the movement of women and their freedom to choose. This makes marriage a "male's institution" where a woman loses her freedom and has no will or decision regarding herself or her children.

Syrian women during the parliamentary elections of 1954. Credit: https://truthandsatire.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/image1.jpg

Even if a woman is working and economically independent, in most cases she sacrifices her work or promotion in order to maintain balance with men in her family. Under these laws a woman does not have the same rights as a man regarding inheritance and freedom of movement. She cannot work without the permission of her husband or a guardian, whether it is her father, uncle, grandfather, or even her young son! The distinction in the personal laws has led to the emergence of a paradox between what women were able to achieve in political and social levels, and their position within a family. It also had negative effects in the process of development. Based on these laws and norms in some Syrian communities the number of girls dropping out of schools is larger than that of boys and a big number of literate women refrain from being active in the economy, for social or marital reasons. These are just the tip of the iceberg of troubles and obstacles facing Syrian women and preventing them from exercising their full citizenship, as well as, in participating actively and fully in developing their society. Religious entities and strict traditional communities stood against any amendments to these laws. In 2019, amendments were issued relating to marriage

ECHO · № 72 Laila Touma, Miss Syria of 1952. Credit: https:// truthandsatire.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/image15.jpg

contract, alimony, dowry, divorce, etc. However, the law continued to contain many discriminatory articles against women. Women activists considered these amendments as marginal and not making a change in the status of women. For 70 years, Syrian women suffered from a law that gives an accused in an “honor killing” an excuse and help him escape punishment. Recently, President Bashar al-ASSAD referred to the People's Assembly (Parliament) a draft resolution to abolish the Article on honor killings in the penal code. The Assembly adopted and issued the resolution, which is a milestone in protecting and empowering women. In the 21st century, societies are not devoid of discrimination against women. However, the levels of discrimination differ from one society to another. Those dominated by patriarchal mentality related discrimination against women to the “sacred” and what is ordered by God. A woman who once was considered as a goddess or was chosen to be a queen is now struggling to obtain her basic human rights. At a time when Syrians continue their discussions on the issue, the question remains: Will other new laws be adopted? Will there be a secular constitution supporting Syrian women and protecting their rights?

Jordanian women lead the change

Caricature freedom for women. Credit: Osama Hajjaj

magine a raped girl marrying the rapist? Two crimes at once. First, the crime of rape; second, the psychological and social impact of the crime on the survivor. Maram (name changed), a 14- year-old girl who was subjected to rape, was forced into marrying the rapist. It is a case of imposing marriage on a victim to allow the accused to evade punishment.

Muna Jamal Abu Hamour

Human Rights Trainer, Jordan muna.abuhamour@gmail.com

The Jordanian law, Article 308 of the Penal Code, exempts the rapist’s punishment if marriage takes place between the two. The law states: “Raping females from the anus is not considered rape, but rather an indecent assault, even if she is a minor." But, penalty for raping girls under the age of 15 is punishable by death.

Women activist in Jordan had launched a campaign called “Surviving” (2014-2017) to mobilize the support for the abolition of Article 308, to protect survivors of sexual crimes and prevent perpetrators from impunity. The campaign comes as part of women's efforts to monitor policies and laws on their protection. It is part of building effective partnerships and relationships with decisionmakers and influencers in local communities to gain support for women's rights. Activists sought to reduce numerous forms of discrimination against women in local legislation, by submitting a proposal to amend and/or repeal Article 308 in line with Jordan’s obligations to national

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Middle East spread awareness of the negative effects of the law. The third level of campaign focused on decisionmakers, deputies, Prime Minister and the Bureau of Legislation. Meetings aimed at persuading all in favor of repealing the Article 308 were held.

Activists stand in front of the Parliament of Jordan. Credit: ACCTS

After 3 years of hard work, in response to the demand by the Jordanian Civil Alliance, the Jordanian Parliament, in 2017, repealed the Article 308 of the Penal Code as it was discriminatory and unfair to women. The Alliance welcomed the move and it was considered a victory for the rule of law and an end to the policy of impunity for sexual crimes perpetrators. After this historic decision, now, the focus of the campaign is on providing services and protection to survivors of sexual crimes such as: provide treatments for psychological trauma, physical and health problems. Rehabilitating and integrating survivors of sexual crime into society will help them overcome the consequences of sexual violence and shape families based on affection and respect.

Activists cheered upon hearing Speaker of the Lower House Atef Tarawnehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement that the Lower House voted in favour of the abolishment of Article 308. Credit: Petra

Jordanian Parliament, in 2017, repealed the Article 308 of the Penal Code as it was discriminatory and unfair to women.

ECHO Âˇ â&#x201E;&#x2013; 72

and international agreements for protecting the rights of women and empowering them. The first level of campaign focused on the grassroots community based in various governorates of the Kingdom for establishing the Jordanian Civil Alliance to repeal Article 308. The coalition at the time of formation included 55 organizations, institutions and local bodies in 2015 but reached to 110 associations and institutions at

the end of 2016. Members of the coalition implemented dozens of activities in governorates targeting decision-makers, youth leaders, and association of different bodies and committees. It can be termed as the community awareness campaign. The second level of campaign focused on the media, raises sensitivity of workers to the issues of women, violence and discrimination which they are exposed to, specifically the applications of Article 308, to

There is no doubt that society which guarantees equal rights for women always thrives. Human rights organizations conduct programs to reduce gender disparities, empower women, determine life goals, and help strengthen communities. At the end, women should have access to all services to reach full potential which will make them realize their rights as humans to build brighter, more prosperous future. Partnering with the Government of Jordan and the private sector will ensure women to have access to all kinds of support, which means access to establish or expand small businesses, professional development opportunities, and gender-specific health services.

Artist "Dima Al-Jounde" from the series "Sabaya". Credit: Tishreen Newspaper

Syrian Women: Slaves of Big Screen M

en slapping and kicking women, grabbing them by their hair and throwing them to the floor, sometimes, even shooting them; these attacks are shown in a number of Syrian TV series. Sure, such scenes can be seen in many Hollywood films too but in Syria, these shows aren’t just harmless fiction, they influence how men see and treat Lubna Shaker women. They encourage men to be Journalist and Editor, Several Media Outlets, Syria physically and emotionally violent lubna123lubna@hotmail.com towards women. At the same time,

these series only portray women as one-dimensional characters devoid of substance and inner strength. One such drama is called “Chains of Gold”. The female characters simply follow the men’s orders, they are portrayed as silly, mischievous and petty. They gossip and talk about makeup and fashion. In "AL Hiba" the women are shown as just pretty faces or accessories for men. They are seen as sex symbols, only there to happily provide pleasure to

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Middle East They also addressed several sensitive and hard to talk about themes. For instance, the 1970 TV series “Harat Al Qasr” presented the story of girl who had a baby outside of marriage. “Asaad Al Warraq” in 1975, and “Fawzia” in 1977 dealt with similar issues. All these works helped women get through some of the hardships depicted in the series. It gave them hope and strength to move on with their lives. Later on, in the eighties, dramas such as "Wings", "Women without Wings", "Women Sessions", "Young Women", and "Woman from Ash" showed women who were more aware and determined to rise above social stereotypes and triumph in spite of customs and traditions. So, it seems, today’s Syrian TV series are going backwards. Instead of progressing and celebrating the strength and dynamism of women, they are degrading women and forcing them to conform to society’s definition of what it means to be a woman. Drama should not seek to imprison women but liberate them. Drama should be a true reflection of reality and a portrayal of positive change.

These shows do not present the admirable qualities of women nor the struggles and sacrifices women make for the betterment of their children and the country.

Two artists," Karis Bashar" and " Dima Bayaa", from the series “Chains of Gold”. Credit: Tishreen Newspaper

men or endure sexual harassment in silence. In other TV dramas, that depict honor crimes, women are always labeled as evil and deserving of violent acts such as being shot in her private parts, pushed down stairs or being suffocated. In these series, men are always seen as the heroes, ‘the good guys’, regardless of how awfully they treat women. These shows do not present the admirable qualities of women nor the struggles and sacrifices women make for the betterment of their ECHO · № 72

children and the country. The series directors and producers are not concerned with the negative impact of these portrayals. They just want to make money and attract as many people to watch their dramas. But, Syrian TV drama wasn’t always this bad. When TV production companies or directors started producing TV series a half a century ago, they portrayed the reality of people's problems. They presented women in various positive roles such as stay at home moms, teachers, journalists and leaders.

Artist" Karis Bashar " from the series “Chains of Gold”. Credit: Tishreen Newspaper

Syrian women prove their mettle

Fatima, a Syrian refugee who has sought shelter. Credit: medium. com

ince ancient times, Syrian women have been fighting to protect themselves and their people. They played an important role in leadership and other aspects. One notable historical figure is Queen of Palmyra, Zenobia. She was a cultured monarch and fostered an intellectual environment in her court which was open to scholars and philosophers; she was tolerant toward her subjects and protected religious minorities. She embodies power, strength and resilience.

Masa Akbek

Media Person, Anchor & Editor, Syrian Satellite Channel, Syria akbik.masa@gmail.com

Throughout the years, despite attempts to silence and enslave them, Syrian women continued to preserve their role as leaders, mothers, wives, professionals among other fields in society. During the French occupation women took up many roles in the fields of politics, war, literature, arts and other specialties. For instance, Nazik Al-Abed accompanied

the martyr Youssef Al-Azma in confronting the French and completed the national march after him. Later on, women entered Parliament and exercised the right to vote. After 1970, women took up the highest political and sovereign ranks in Syria, from a female Speaker of Parliament to a Minister to an Advisor to the President and the Vice-President. Although women persevered and made strides to establish their rights and position in society, the crisis presented a number of challenges for Syrian women. They suffered social, psychological and economic hardships. During the crisis, Syrian women lost their husbands, sons, brothers, houses and overall support system. They were left as widows and spinsters to find jobs and take care of the

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Middle East

Early marriage rates are rising in Syria. Credit: medair. org

children on their own. So, without the breadwinners, it changed their social status and gave them additional burdens to provide for their families.

During the crisis, Syrian women lost their husbands, sons, brothers, houses and overall support system.

These additional duties affected womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emotional and psychological stability as they lived in anxiety and panic. Many women suffered from depression. Actually, so much was expected of women and it was overwhelming for them. Aside from the impact of additional familial responsibilities, women were targeted and endured sexual violence committed by armed terrorist organizations.

With the war receding and the defeat of radical movements, Syrian women are beginning to recover, especially in the countryside. They have shown great resilience during the war and crisis and also their true potential to bear the burdens, perform multiple roles and adapt to difficult situations.

Although there are multiple international agreements and laws aimed at protecting vulnerable women during war but it is still not enough. Also, many underaged girls were and continue to be forced into marriage which perpetuates the cycle of abuse and depression among young girl. The war also had a significant impact on the economic stability of women. The cost of living was very high and many women lost

ECHO Âˇ â&#x201E;&#x2013; 72

their jobs especially in the private sectors. Now, many of them live in poverty. The high cost of living was due to lower income levels and the devaluation of the Syrian pound caused by economic sanctions on Syria. Many women were forced to do unethical work to make money for their families.

A Syrian woman is a breadwinner for her family due to the loss of the father and the breadwinner, Credit: Concernusa.org

Palestinian school children attend a lesson in a classroom on the first day of a new school year, at a United Nations-run school in Khan Young in the southern Gaza Strip. Credit: Brookings

Differing faces of Palestinian women P

alestinians have always looked towards future with optimism, unlimited confidence in the capabilities of the new generation. We consider education as the most powerful weapon for knowledge, values and morals, to enable women and men compete in an increasingly declining job markets. Reforming and improving the state of education have become a focus of attention.

While many countries are seeking to increase girl's enrollment in education, the scene appears different in Palestine, despite the Israeli Military occupation. The Diana Alnaser statistics show that 96.3% of the Diplomat Attache, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Palestine population of Palestine is literate. diana.alnaser@gmail.com Women have made great strides in

literacy over the past two decades, with the rate jumping from 78.6% in 1995 to the current 94.1%. The school curricula in Palestine were a copy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Arab Republic of Egypt, until 1998. Later, Palestine had the approval to establish special and unified Palestinian curricula. Unfortunately, the image of women in the Palestinian educational curricula still needs to be modified to suit the rights of equality between men and women. In many images, females appear in a certain stereotype that determines their social role. For instance, while looking at

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Middle East

Palestinian Students are welcoming the first day of school by playing at the Ramallah friend’s school. Credit: Friends United Meeting

the pictures in school books, we find that there is quantitative and qualitative difference between the images of men and women. We can find images of men alone, as opposed to the absence of any image of a single woman without a man. It points out that a woman always needs a man by her side.

Ministry takes the necessary measures to ensure the application of the compulsory education law and punish anyone who violates this.

Education system plays a huge role in shaping the child’s personality and enhancing his/ her understanding about gender through school curricula and learning. Firstly, it helps a child to expand the circle of relationships, to give the opportunity to spend time with other people. Secondly, it gives social skills development by teaching methods of self-control and emotions. Thirdly, it teaches a child to take care of oneself and others, to learn how to work and share with peers. In fact, the Palestinian law and the Ministry of Education provide free education for the basic and secondary levels to ensure that all students, especially female students, have an opportunity to complete their education. In addition, education is compulsory to the age of 18 years, until the twelfth grade. Ministry takes the necessary measures to ensure the application of the compulsory education law and punish anyone who violates this. But the image of women in Palestinian school books does not reflect the presentation of women in

ECHO · № 72

real life, especially in public sphere. The Palestinian woman is a strong person, who had always played a huge role in the national movement against the British Mandate and the Israeli Military Occupation. It was Fadwa Touqan who was the first Palestinian poet who fought with words and poems for the country’s freedom. To name another example, Hind Al-Hussieni was the first Palestinian woman who established an orphanage after the War in 1948. She collected fifty-five orphans who lost their parents in the massacre of Deir Yassin, and established an orphanage with only 138 Palestinian pounds. International conventions guarantee the right of all groups to education, and affirm the right of women to obtain equal educational opportunities with men. They emphasize that material barriers should not stand in the way of the right of people with low incomes or the poor to access appropriate educational opportunities. The Ministry of Education focuses on what is mentioned in CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) regarding the status of women and aims to develop the curricula in way to "change the stereotypical image of women reinforced by previous educational curricula". Director General of Rehabilitation and Educational Supervision at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Tharwat Zaid, stated that the Ministry of Education works

within the principles of representing the image of women according to the Palestinian laws and treaties. Zaid added that they are in the process of a comprehensive evaluation of the Palestinian curriculum. Developing a regular plan for training on modern educational methods on gender-specific concepts is crucial. It must show the importance of women's involvement in societal development, and the importance of women's access to decision-making positions. The concepts must be communicated to students through the curricula and pedagogy. So that it must reflect in public life and society. The Ministry of Education should employ more female social workers and counselors. And it should work on training social workers in schools, especially on the concepts of gender, sexual education and democracy. In 2015, a study prepared by the Federation of Civil Institutions Development, in partnership with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, titled “Palestinian School Curriculum, Development for Gender Equality” was released though it hasn't been included in the Palestinian curricula yet. We cannot deny the importance and necessity of constantly changing and developing the curricula to be compatible with the need of modern times and also to establish new values in the Palestinian society. The changes are to come soon for the power of knowledge and equality.

LGBT in Belize Navigating Uncertain Future

Courtney Weatherburne

News Reporter & News Anchor, 7News Channel, Belize ccweatherburne@gmail.com

magine being a teenaged boy and not recognizing yourself in the mirror. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably one of the most puzzling and deeply disturbing experiences of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. It certainly was for Orange Walk trans woman 34-year-old ZahniaCanul. As a boy, Canul was effeminate. She wore make-up and played with dolls. But her mother never reprimanded her nor forced her to be more masculine. Transwoman Zhania Canul, Indian PostInstitute Transition. ofCredit: Mass Zhania Communication Canul

Latin America and Caribbean

Zhania Canul and other transwomen in Belize. Credit: Zhania Canul

Canul didn’t understand the distinction between male and female as a child but as a teenager, it affected her self-image. She suffered from depression, anxiety and anorexia. Fortunately, her family supported her throughout her childhood and also during her transition at the age of 30. Canul is now happily married to her husband of almost four years. While Canul has found joy in the face of countless adversities, many LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community members in Belize are still searching for their happiness. Many had horrid childhoods where they were bullied by family and schoolmates. They were called “faggot”,“battyman”,“sissy” among other derogatory terms. Others suffered traumatic acts of physical and sexual violence. For most members, this reality is like a looped nightmare as they are ECHO · № 72

continuously targeted and live in fear for their lives. In July 2019, a woman insulted a man on a boat because he was gay. She refused to sit next to him and told him to keep away. A fight broke out between the woman, her friends and the gay passenger. The police intervened, took the male passenger off the boat and put him in a sleeping hold to subdue him. The angry mob on the boat jeered at him as his gaunt body became limp in the arms of a plump policeman (Channel 7 News Belize). In January 2014, an 18-year-old male cross-dresser was robbed and killed on a Belize City street. His male lover, who had recently found out the victim’s sex, was allegedly the culprit. These are just a few of many incidents of hate crimes that have been reported. Belize

predominately

conservative. So, aside from the intolerant and homophobic people, there is backlash from the church community who outright rejects the homosexual and trans lifestyle. While that is a snippet of the LGBT experience at the social level, there is the legislative angle that has made a difference in the rights of LGBT persons. In August 2014, human rights activist Caleb Orozco convinced Belize’s Chief Justice to rule that Section 53 of Belize’s Criminal Code is unconstitutional. It states “every person who has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any person or animal shall be liable to imprisonment for ten years” (Belize Criminal Code 2000, p.61). Caleb argued that it violated the right to dignity and freedom of expression for homosexuals. So now, consensual same-sex acts between adults is legal. It was a historic win for the gay community.

In August 2014, human rights activist Caleb Orozco convinced Belize’s Chief Justice to rule that Section 53 of Belize’s Criminal Code is unconstitutional.

Latin America and Caribbean

Another Bill that was published in January this year is going further than only addressing same-sex acts. It is called the Belize Equal Opportunity Bill. It is basically an anti-discrimination legislation. It “provides protection from discrimination in public life, to promote equal opportunities and address inequality” (Equal Opportunity Bill 2019). The Bill protects persons from direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization based on age, disability, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status among 12 other characteristics. It is an allencompassing Bill. There will also be an equal opportunity commission and tribunal to investigate claims of discrimination. According to Orozco, who has been a human rights advocate for 24 years, this is the first Bill in which the characteristics of sexual orientation and gender identity are identified. In a phone conversation with Canul, she describes the Bill as a “step in the right direction.” She commented that it is about time that transgender persons are included and represented in the law. Section 53 of the judgement was geared towards the rights of homosexuals, not trans. And yes, there is a difference. Each population has their own personal issues and needs that deserve equal attention and respect. Canul co-founded the advocacy organization called Trans in Action Belize in 2014. She has been partnering with regional LGBT rights organizations and hosting educational forums with transgender persons. This Bill creates an even broader platform to raise awareness among Belizeans about what it means to be transgender. But the Church community does not want to hear about sexual

Human Rights and LBGT Activist Caleb Orozco at Mexico Pride Event 2018. Credit: Caleb Orozco

orientation or gender identity. In one of the countrywide consultation sessions, Pastor KermThimbrel from the Evangelical Church Association vehemently rejected the Bill, saying that he strongly believes that the main aim of the Bill is to empower the LGBT community and that all the other characteristics are just distractions to cover up the real agenda. There has always been a clash between the LGBT community, the churches and the wider conservative citizens. In fact, there will always be opposing views on this issue. The courts are the intermediaries, seemingly trying to balance the

The Bill protects persons from direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization based on age, disability, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status among 12 other characteristics.

scale of equality and morality. The Bill is yet to be debated in the House of Representatives and the members of the House will decide if it would pass the Bill into law. Until then, the LGBT community members and their supporters, with the colors of the rainbow proudly flowing through their veins, will relish this progressive and inclusive Bill. For them, it is a sign of hope and change. While the religious folks, with their prayers and Bible scriptures, will stand on their pulpits to cast out the rainbow stains. Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Latin America and Caribbean

ColOmbian Midwives Fight to Keep Tradition Alive

Midwive: Nelly Perea Flórez, ancestral midwife of Kilombo Girasol, showing some of the plants she uses for births. Credit: Author

he practice of ancestral medicine and midwifery has been passed down from Afro-descendant people in Bogotá, Colombia. Although ancient healing methods are still used, midwives are in a constant struggle to get their rights and qualities as healers recognized.

Katerine Lara Rojas

Social Communicator, Journalist, Photographer & Professional in Audio-visual Media from Colombia lararojasli@hotmail.com

ECHO · № 72

At least once a month, midwives and ancestral doctors meet in indigenous places like malocas or

in the Afro kilombos of the city to share knowledge. In one of these meetings, Nelly Perea Flórez, ancestral midwife of “Kilombo Girasol” from the locality of Usme, commented that she has been using medicinal plants since she lived in the department of Chocó. Today, despite being displaced by violence, she celebrates the fact that she can meet in the city with other midwives to work together

Latin America and Caribbean in the community. For Nelly, “the midwife is a woman who knows what she is doing with her plants and with animal oils. The midwife always goes to where the pregnant woman is during, before and after childbirth, ensuring the woman follows a healthy diet. The midwife is responsible for repositioning the child so that no caesarean is made.” She adds that they are against caesarean because they believe the procedure causes cancer. According to the WHO report ‘The State of Midwives in the World’, midwives can help avoid two-thirds of total maternal deaths. The PanAmerican Health Organization revealed that 830 women die every day in the world, mostly due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, while a large percentage of women consult qualified health personnel at least once during pregnancy, only about half receive the recommended minimum of 4 visits during pregnancy. Women who do not receive the necessary check-ups can’t detect problems and receive appropriate care and treatment, especially vaccines and the prevention of disease transmission. Midwife Nelly explained the process they usually follow for a pregnant woman, a process which

is different from what is used in ‘modern’ medicine. “Midwives attend to pregnant women in the 45 days of their diet until the hip is closed, because a woman who gives birth has to close her hip, if it is open, in her next pregnancy she can have a miscarriage. In hospitals they don't do that. The midwives take care of a pregnant woman with her cleansing (smoke purification) with the medicinal plant drinks such as rosemary to assist in heal.” In 2019, the National Administrative Department of Statistics in Colombia reported a total of 471,434 births of children, of which 2,315 were attended by midwives. In this only 4 correspond to the city of Bogotá. Although the district government tried to implement a plan to identify Afro and indigenous communities that require ancestral medicine, it hasn’t been successful. Midwife Fidelina Hurtado pointed out that “the midwives, both indigenous and Afro, are women that the national heritage does not understand or value, but we are bearers of life. When my mother taught me this practice, we corrected any harm the child had; today hospitals do not do that; today children grow up with problems in their limbs or in their hips”.

In practice, the work of midwives is common in rural areas in the country. In the case of Bogotá, the majority of midwives are requested by people who do not have access to the modern health care system. Ramiro Romero, a midwife of the Muisca indigenous community, says: “There are many places in Bogotá which do not have Sisben (Identification System of Potential Beneficiaries of Social Programs) or EPS (Health Promoting Entity), where the State does not arrive and they call us a lot.” There are different types of midwives and different ways of giving birth; the charges for their services vary from free to more than 1,700 US dollar. The road is still long, but the struggle of these women will continue. The WHO report states that if the government invests in educating and formalizing midwives, it could generate a return 16 times higher than the investment. And there are already success stories in the world: 500 midwives are being educated in Bangladesh, which can save around 36,000 lives.

National Administrative Department of Statistics in Colombia reported a total of 471,434 births of children, of which 2,315 were attended by midwives.

Tail piece: The United Nations has declared May 5 as International Midwife Day, highlighting the importance of midwives in promoting the health of mothers, children and their families.

Indian Institute of Mass Communication Seedbed of medicinal plants. Credit: Author

Latin America and Caribbean

A ‘home’ away from home “T

hey have taught us to love each other, to know that if we want something, we can achieve it.” Leslie Pazmiño happily shared this reflection during one of the sessions at Casa de la Mujer or House of the Woman. Pazmiño is one of over 200 women who attend training at this facility in Cuenca, Ecuador. Casa de la Mujer is one of the most recognized social projects where vulnerable women learn about their rights. They learn tips on how to be good leaders in society Christian Andrade and in politics. They get valuable Journalist & Political Communicator, Freelancer, Ecuador information on how to become 56renatoandrade@gmail.com financially independent.

Equally important, the project managers offer referals, legal and psychological assistance for women who are victims of gender-based violence. The main objective is to empower women in all aspects of their life. Many Ecuadorian women who are victims of rape and domestic violence do not feel empowered. It is a major problem in Latin America. It is very difficult for many women to escape these abusive relationships because they are dependent on their male partners for financial support. So, these women have no freedom or independence but Casa de la Mujer gives them a space to learn

ECHO · № 72 An assistant from the artisan workshops practices in the elaboration of “Paja y Toquilla” hat. Credit: Author

Latin America and Caribbean

and develop their skills so they can be self-sufficient. One of the main focuses of this initiative is to provide women with the opportunity to become economically empowered. So, the participants are taught artisanal and entrepreneurial skills. They get to showcase their creations such as textiles, paintings, home ornaments and ceramics at several fairs annually on public holidays in Cuenca. It is a mandatory to grant and generate spaces for women to participate in the festivals, which is a huge step towards achieving the true economic empowerment. It should be mentioned that a lot of women who are a part of the project go on to start their own business. This initiative has been impactful and life-changing for the participants. One woman, Bertha Becerra, commented: “I joined the Women's House due to some circumstances that had happened in my life. Now, I am very happy to have the opportunity to meet all of you and to form many new and healthy friendships.”

Two elderly women practice the art of weaving. Credit: Author

In one of the sessions, she took a few minutes to talk about her experience in the “Leading Together” process. While drinking coffee she said, “It makes me feel that I’m not alone and there are a lot of people who care about me.” That is a powerful statement. It is a space that provides practical skills and opportunity for women to grow together and feel love and emotional support. While this program has made a difference in the lives of many women, there are still so many Ecuadorian women who are suffering from physical, emotional and psychological abuse. A lot more work needs to be done in Ecuador to reach out to these vulnerable women.

Women participating in the Growing and Undertaking Together project. Here they market their artisan products. Credit: Author

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Group of Machitas from Machita mujer caporal. Credit: Fidel Carrillo

Music AND dance empower women in Peru

ccording to QuechuaAymara tradition, social relations were based on a complementarity between inti (sun) and killa (moon), kupi (right) and ch´iqa(left), or chacha (man) and warmi (woman). In the rituals to worship the Pachamama (Mother Earth), as per Andean worldview, men could play instruments and dance, while women could sing. If women did it, maybe the land would not harvest when she had both feminine energy. The Quechua-Aymara region is located in the high plateau region of Puno, on the banks of Titicaca lake. But after the arrival of colonialism in 1492, evangelization and

ECHO · № 72

eradication of idolatries and forced labor of indigenous and African slaves, their culture and traditions were changed, especially gender relations. Indigenous and African women were treated as animals, sexually marked as females, but without the characteristics of femininity, just like sexual objects and strong enough to perform all kinds of work. The equality of division of roles between women and men got broken.

Over time, eradication of idolatry became part of new religious culture and practices. This led to the beginning of Candelaria`s

Gabriela Valenzuela

Social Development Specialist & Dancer, Peru gc.valenzuelac@gmail.com

Latin America and Caribbean Virgin festival. This is a festival of culture, dance and music which brings together the Catholic faith and the Andean religion to pay homage to the Virgin of Candelaria. The Virgin represents fertility and purity, and is strongly associated with Pachamama. It is this common factor of both religions that brings them together for the festival. There the indigenous and mestizo population were allowed to share the same space and integrate with music and dances in the urban area.

Women in Candelaria`s virging festival beginnings

However, in both cases, the participation of women was nil. In the sikuris, the QuechuaAymara tradition did not allow the Indian women to play the sikus, since they shared same energy as Pachamama. And in morenos, being a chola mestiza, they had to respect tradition, assert status and their social role in the public space. Hence, to represent female figure, men would don women’s dress. This shows two types of characterization of women: first, the indigenous woman whom no one acknowledges and is dependent on indigenous man. So, she lives in a social subordination, resulting from Spanish colonialism. Second, the chola mestiza, in which the women are capable of making decisions, but their power is restricted to home. This situation left the chola mestiza without a position of equality in the public sphere; but worse, eliminated indigenous women from all participation.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in the celebrations to Candelaria, the main troupes were sikuris and morenos. The first are musicians and dancers who through the siku duality are complementary. It means that they need dialogue between siku ira, which refers to the “male”, and siku arca, “female”. Only then, through an alternation of sounds, they bring music to life.

The change

The morenos or morenada was a representation of the chained African slaves, who were marched to Potosí mines (Bolivia), for which, dancers use the noise-maker as a symbol of chains. This dance is a satire of mestizo population to portray slavery practiced by Spanish Colonization.

In the 1970’s, the chola mestiza took the strength to impose her presence on the morenos. Their wives began to dance with their own clothes: a Spanish origin dress adopted by them to differentiate themselves from indigenous women, to express prestige and social status. These women are merchants, they have

In the 1970`s the chola mestiza took the strength to impose her presence on the morenos. Their wives began to dance with their own clothes.

However, sikuri women are not indigenous, they mestizas. But, nowadays they don`t do just for a policital cause, sikuri women do for love and vindication of indigenous people and their traditions that are being oppressed.

Cholita from the Poderosa y Espectacular Morenada Bellavista Plana Mayor. Credit: B&B Studio

Imilla from Qhantati Ururi de Conima. Credit: QUC

Sikuri woman from the Agrupación de Zampoñistas Sikuris del Altiplano. Credit: Irazema Carbajal

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Latin America and Caribbean

But some women decided they wanted to dance with freater skill and strenght as empowered women. So, they changed their skirt for pants, and became machitas.

Caporalita from Asociación de Arte y Folklore Caporales San Juan Bautista. Credit: María Paz Rossini.

the economic management of home and business. They already have the right to vote just like men. In case of sikuris, women joined Puno traditional groups as dancers named imillas (young woman), but not as sikuris. The sikuri women appear in the 80s at Lima, in universities where the migrants’ sons formed new metropolitan sikuri groups. In that decade, they prioritized the indigenous thoughts and aligned with leftist revolutionary movements. In that way, they opened up allowing women’s participation in the struggle. However, sikuri women are not indigenous, they are mestizas. But, nowadays they don`t do just for a political cause, sikuri women do for love and vindication of indigenous people and their traditions that are being oppressed.

“Machita”, mujer caporal In 1997, another characterization of women appear among the variety of dances presented on Candelaria`s virgin festival; with an energetic, youthful, cheerful and sensual style, ECHO · № 72

Andrea Chuiman from Machita mujer caporal. Credit: Fidel Carrillo.

that resonates their boot`s bells. In the caporales, a dance that represents the African slaves’ foreman, they initially had characters of caporal (men) and cholita or caporalita (women). But some women decided they wanted to dance with greater skill and strength as empowered woman. So, they changed their skirt for pants, and became machitas (foreman women). While it’s been true that almost all groups of caporales have blocks of machitas, they do not relate this character as empowering. That’s why in 2019, Andrea Chuiman, an actress and dancer from Peruvian National Folkloric Ballet proposed to develop a project of female empowerment through the “Machita”, caporal woman. With this, she seeks to develop a strong and independent personality, to enhance identity, leadership and teamwork, in order to break the patriarchal pattern manifested in the dance, where the women just play a role of companion of men. Hence, women will work through art

to express themselves without fear and leave the established patterns as “masculine” or “feminine”.

Culture is transformed. Women are empowered In a country where 168 cases of femicide have been reported the previous year, 10 teenagers are victims of rape every day, and 7 out of 10 women have experienced some type of street harassment, it is necessary to have a new version of women. Women need to show inner strength and transgress the power system installed by indigenous purist beliefs, colonialism and machismo, which for years have prevented her from developing thoroughly in Peruvian society. Art is a human right, let the music and dance be instruments of empowerment for women. Let’s be proud indigenous women, cholas mestizas, sikuris, imillas, caporalitas and machitas, let’s be free and empowered women.

Asia

Post-Taliban, Afghan women make great strides T

he living conditions of Afghan women during the Taliban era were among the worst in the world. Let that sink in for a minute. Many of you might not be able to relate to this statement but Afghan women know all too well. From 1996 to 2001, they have endured oppression and unspeakable hardships under Taliban rule.

Atefa Mohammadi

Journalist of Banoo TV and Executive Officer of the National Assembly of Afghanistan, atefamohammadi457@gmail.com

In 1997, the Taliban banned the education of girls and women in public schools. They were limited to learning the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an. Women were also banned from working in public places. Many female teachers were dismissed, leading to a number of

jobless women and a shortage of staff. The literacy rate in Afghanistan dropped to 13 percent in cities and 3 to 4 percent in villages. But women like Halima Sangar were fearless in the face of this adversity. Sangar was a fitness coach. She had been coaching girls for almost 40 years and she continued training them secretly in an underground room during the Taliban rule. Her resolve and dedication to her work was unwavering. At end of 2001, the grip of the Taliban was shaken as the Afghan government overthrew

Indian Institute of Mass Communication Situation of women during the Talibal period. Credit :(Reuters / Tim Wimborne)

Asia

After Taliban was a lot opportunity for women to learn. Credit: VOA ( Voice of America)

the military group. It was an era of institutional reform. Dozens of national institutions began to defend women's rights and improve their status. As such, there were many opportunities to promote and develop democracy and human rights in Afghanistan. In terms of education, many schools in the country were reopened. In 2003 the right of women and girls to education was recognized in the new Afghan constitution. Article 44 of the constitution states: “The government is required to implement effective programs to improve the balance of education for women, as well as to improve tribal education and the elimination of illiteracy in the country”. According to April 2017 statistics, 9.3 million children are in schools, 39 percent of which are girls. There was also constitutional provision for the employment of women. In 2001, the Transitional Government allocated $10 million to the Ministry of Women's Affairs ECHO · № 72

to strengthen the women's status in society. With the fall of the Taliban, women gained the right to vote and to be elected under the country's

Halima Sakgar who Coach Girls During the Taliban Era. Credit: 2feeds

constitution. Thus, the new constitution and the election law stipulate that at least two female candidates from each province must run for Parliament. In 2020, there are two women in the Cabinet; ten women deputy ministers and two

women ambassadors. In the field of health, Article 52 of the Constitution lists health care for the general public as one of the priorities of the new government. According to the law, the government must provide all citizens with free facilities for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Also in 2009, a law was passed to prohibit violence against women in the country. So, over the last 18 years, there have been educational, social and economic improvements in the lives of Afghan women. Still, there are many challenges that women, especially those in rural Afghanistan, face. Issues like patriarchy, low literacy and awareness are reasons that hold women back. One sure way to keep inspired and continue the fight for women rights in Afghanistan is to remember the words of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru: “How can a nation go forward while keeping half of its people in a kind of prison?”

According to April 2017 statistics, 9.3 million children are in schools, 39 percent of which are girls.

President of Tajikstan Emomali Rahmon meeting with women activists.Credit: www.prezident.tj

Women find bigger role in Tajikistan C

Nematullah Akbar

Deputy Chief Editor of The Main Scientific Editorial Office, Tajik National Encyclopedia, Tajikistan nematollahakbar@gmail.com

apable, strong and proactive. These are few words that describe Tajik women. Lately, the government is encouraging women to participate in political activities. Statistics show that as of the beginning of March 2020 women represent 25% of the civil servants and 19% of them are in senior positions. Until the end of 2019, the number of women in the Government was 4.7%, and today this figure has reached 14.7%. In the Parliament election held on March 1, 2020, a large number of women candidates were successful and elected to the Parliament. In his speech on International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, President Emomali

Rahmon said that women are great contributors to the well being of Tajik society. He spoke about the selfless work and faithful service of Tajik women and girls in the Armed Forces and their great contribution to the development of legislation, entrepreneurship, trade, energy, financial and banking system, industry, agriculture, transportation, science and education, culture, health, sports and tourism, and all other socio-economic spheres. Since its independence, Tajikistan has been taking steps to strengthen the status of women and to enforce constitutional rights that help them. The President has issued a series of decrees to enhance the role

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Asia abroad, 12,300 are girls. Around 150,000 girls are studying in higher, secondary and primary vocational educational institutions. From the beginning of the establishment of the Presidential Quota until the current school year, more than 11,000 girls from remote mountainous regions have entered the higher education institutions; more than 10,000 of them received higher education and mastered the professions and crafts. Today they are successfully working in various areas of the national economy.

Women along with men take a worthy part in protecting their homeland. Credit: www.prezident.tj

Tajikistan banks bet on women. Credit: www.prezident.tj

In the field of education, women and girls make up 73% of total employees.

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of women in society. One of them is the law on “State guarantees for men and women on equality and equal opportunities”; another one is “National Strategy for enhancing of the role of women in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2011–2020”. In the field of education, women and girls make up 73% of total employees. In health and social

protection, they constitute 67% of the total work force and in the field of culture they make 51%. More than 82,000 women and girls have chosen to be teachers and make a worthy contribution to education. The number of Tajik girls studying in higher education institutions abroad is growing every year. Of the 30,000 students currently studying

However, traditional perceptions on gender roles and gender stereotypes regarding behavioral norms and patriarchal division of labour persist, particularly in rural areas. More and more women and girls are being hindered or steered away from advancing in their education, work, career, and being pushed into private sphere. But the government is putting much effort into advancing women and getting women economic justice through facilitating their entrance into workforce, and into spheres currently dominated by men. It should be noted that to improve the role of women in society, a number of concrete steps have been taken by the Government such as: establishment of coordination council among the representatives of the ministries of justice, labor and social protection; setting up of a committee on women’s affairs and family;and formation of state prosecutors’ office and NGOs for prevention of violence against women. In the ministries and agencies related to social sector issues, departments have been created for resolving issues on family, women and children. Clearly things are moving fast, life of Tajik women are changing for better and they are showing their capabilities in many areas of national life.

Asia

Women’s struggle for equal-footing in Mongolia “

Udaabayar Ganbold

International News Journalist, C1 Television, Mongolia udaagan@gmail.com

A woman's hair is long but her mind is short.” This is an ancient saying in Mongolia. Because of this traditional patriarchal thinking, women are barred from being involved in public life and socio-economic development. They are also not entitled to the benefits of development.

herding, hunting and slaughtering animals and maintaining their shelters. On the other hand, women were responsible for day-to-day decisions including housework, milking animals, making dairy products and nurturing children. This distribution of responsibilities is still strong in Mongolian society.

For many centuries, there was customary gender division of labor in the nomadic pastoral society. Men typically handled external affairs and made long term decisions. Men were responsible for

Bat and his wife Tuya are in their 40s and have 3 children. Bat’s family lives in Ulaanbaatar. They met and got married while studying in university. Their class had 25 students and 20 of them were

Indian Institute of Mass Communication Conference In government palace Source:”Zasgiin gasriin Medee” . Credit: B. Gerelchuluun

Asia Men are considered better at decisionmaking and problem-solving. They are not emotionally aware of the perspective and therefore take up leadership positions. Not only men but also women admit it. A survey of 100 primary school students found that 90 percent of students said that the President of Mongolia should be a man. 86 percent of students also said that the Prime Minister should be a man.

President of Mongolia H.Battulga and female members of parliament. Source:president.mn. Credit: by president.mn

women. After graduation, Bat started his career and Tuya gave birth to three children. They tried to enroll their children at the kindergarten but the admission list was full. Since there was no other good school near their home, they took them to the city centre. Tuya was responsible for taking the children to school. For 20 years, she was busy raising children and caring for her husband. During this time, Bat pursued his career, developed himself and expanded his social circle. As a result, he is promoted to the executive level. After 20 years of her graduation, Tuya tried to find a job but is not successful. This is due to lack of work experience, knowledge of foreign languages and technology. She spent four years and paid high tuition fee to study at the university. Unfortunately, her productive age ends without participation in the development of the country. Even if Tuya puts off her family chores and pursues a career, it is unlikely that she will get the same salary and reach the decision-making level as her husband. Although she has advanced her education and received a master's and doctoral degree, she ECHO Âˇ â&#x201E;&#x2013; 72

cannot be equated with men who have the same level of education and experience. According to a study by the National Statistics Committee, the maximum salary for men is $ 6.1 per hour, while for women it is $ 5.4. Middle-income men earn 6.4 percent and high-income men earn 10.3 percent more than women. 65 percent of undergraduates are women but their pay is 22 percent lower than that of men with same education level.

65 percent of undergraduates are women but their pay is 22% lower than that of men with same education level.

A woman returning home at night, Credit: D. Davaanyam

Since 1990, Mongolia's presidential election has been conducted seven times, with a total of 16 nominees, including just one woman (2013 election). The involvement of women in politics is 12.5 percent at the ministerial level, 38 percent at the deputy minister level and none at the provincial and city levels. The first parliamentary elections in Mongolia were held in 1992. During that election, 293 candidates were nominated and 76 members elected. Only four (5.3%) of them were female. From 1996 to 2000, 1.5-2.6 percent of the candidates were women. Since the 2004 election, the percentage of women has increased reaching a high of 32 percent in 2012. In other words, before 2004 election, 2-3 out of every 100 candidates were women, and since then they have increased to 14-32. For example, in 1992, the number of women in Parliament was 5.3 percent (4 women) but it increased to 17.1 percent in 2016 (13 women). Despite the increasing number of women at the decision-making level, the quotas set by Gender Equality Law (2011) have not been met. Gender equality is defined as a development strategy. Ensuring equal participation of men and women in the process of development is gender equality. Mongolian policy-makers should strive to formulate gender equality policies. Sensitization campaigns should also be conducted to create awareness among the masses.

Asia

Women make a mark in Vietnamese industrial landscape T

Do Hong Diep

Editor of Vietnam Journey TV Channel, Voice of Vietnam (VOV), Vietnam dhdvov@gmail.com

he Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) is dramatically changing the way we live. It brings not only challenges but also opportunities. According to Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), about 80% of female labourers in key export sectors may lose their jobs in IR 4.0. This is one of the difficulties and also an opportunity for Vietnamese women in the new age. So, what do Vietnamese women do to forge ahead in the age of digital revolution?

A survey conducted by World Bank in 2019 shows that Vietnam is among countries with the highest rate of female in the labour force. Over 79% of women between the ages 15 and 64 are employed. This number is higher than in many member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), such as Italy and Greece. According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the number of female workers in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce has reached 22.3

Indian Institute of Mass Communication IR 4.0 for illustration. Credit: pixabay

Asia

million, accounting for 45.6% of total workforce. However, Vietnamese women are among the most vulnerable groups in IR 4.0. They have limitations in highly skilled jobs, they are at risk of losing their jobs due to automation and growing pressure in balancing the work responsibilities and family life. IR 4.0 brings new digital technology such as big data, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, automation and nano technology, to name a few. Therefore, there is a huge demand

for technical and highly-skilled workers. This is an obstacle to most of Vietnamese female workers who are mainly hired to do simple work in factories and in offices as clerks, accountants, and administrators. A study conducted by International Labor Organization (ILO) on highlevel professional or technical jobs showed that men are often preferred. It is easy to find on employment websites that most of companies related to technology or digital often give priority to male candidates. Opportunities for women are limited.

According to McKinsey Global Institute, between 400 and 800 million individuals could be displaced by automation by 2030 around the world. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) says that 80% of female workers in the textile and footwear industries could be directly impacted. If women don’t update and equip themselves with new knowledge and technologies, it would be very difficult for them to find good jobs. Furthermore, Vietnamese women are more of family caretakers as wives and mothers. They do not only take care of their children but also look after their housework. It is said that Vietnamese women work as twice harder than their husbands. Balancing between work and family life is a must. Nevertheless, the challenges are also the opportunities for women to improve their competence. Besides the professional skills, they have no choice but to change their mindset to the IR 4.0 and improve their soft skills. Because knowledge is new and changes every time, they should update every time. Mr. Nguyen The Hung, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (VCCI) HCM City chapter said that Vietnam has about 200,000 women-owned enterprises. They are considered the pioneers in IR 4.0 thanks to the benefits of digital technology. Many Vietnamese women can run their businesses in the comfort of their homes, while caring for their families. The important part is that they have to study and take advantage of the benefits from new technologies. Mrs. Mai Anh Nguyet, the Marketing Manager of a fitness company, started her business 8 to 9 years ago. She based her business approach on the famous saying by Bill Gates: "If your business is not

ECHO · № 72 Vietnamese woman in traditional costume, Ao Dai. Credit: Ha Manh Thang

Between 400 to 800 million individuals could be displaced by automation by 2030 around the world. 80% of female workers in the textile and footwear industries could be directly impacted.

Asia

Women in IR 4.0. Credit: pixabay

She realized the advantages of doing business online when very few people were doing that. She decided to learn about this kind of business and began selling sports shoes online. Having a good command of the English language and computer skills opened her mind. Nguyet’s online page is one of the top 3 according to google search. After 4 years, she has not only been successful in selling sporting goods online but also opened 3 centers of fitness and gym, with thousands of loyal customers.

some projects for women under IR 4.0 to minimize poverty and job losses. In 2019, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided technical assistance in implementing the project 'Support for ethnic minority women in poverty reduction and economic empowerment via application of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 technology' in Bac Kan in the North and Dak Nong in Central Highlands provinces on a trial basis. The project helps to connect ethnic minority women and their business partners to promote markets and sell their products using new technologies.

programme, in order to achieve the goal of creating opportunities for poor people and ethnic minorities to participate in production, improve the value of products and businesses, increase income, and sustainably accelerate poverty reduction.”

Clearly, IR 4.0 is not a challenge for women like her. In fact, it brings abundance of opportunities. The government and other organizations have implemented

Mr. Lê Văn Thanh, the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, said: “This approach is new, in line with the Government's Industrial Revolution 4.0

Vietnam has been one of the countries in Asia-Pacific region making progresses in gender equality in terms of society and economy in the last decade.

on the internet, then your business will be out of business."

“The bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity for growth.” That is also what the IR 4.0 brings to women not only in Vietnam but also in the world. Vietnamese women have good condition to forge ahead with the IR 4.0 thanks to the significant progress in gender equality and women empowerment.

The government and other organizations have implemented some projects for women under IR 4.0 to minimize poverty and job losses.

Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Asia

Sri Lankan women on a new track Bagawathssing Nithiyanandan

Programme Producer, Srilanka Rupavahini (TV)Corporation The National Television, Sri Lanka parvaden@gmail.com

n Sri Lanka, patriarchy is the norm in marital institutions and it decides gender roles. Believing that boys take better care of parents, families prefer boys to girls. This has its impact on girls’ life within a family. Sri Lankan laws and norms have their impact on women. For example, the dowry system makes it imperative that the bride’s family must give money to the groom’s family at the time of marriage, especially in Tamil culture. It results in dowry-related violence against women by their husbands and in-laws. Men have the power of decision-making in the family. However, with the socio- economic changes in the society and culture, ECHO · № 72 Sinhaleesge marriage. Credit: emaz.com

Asia these patriarchal norms and rituals are also slowly changing. Traditional practices vary across ethnic and religious groups. Immigration, colonization and different factors led to emergence of various ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, each with its own cultural traditions and customs. There are Sinhala Buddhists, Sri Lankan Tamils with Indian origin, Jaffna

Tamils, Muslims, and Burghers. Regardless of ethnicity or religion, gender division of household labor is deeply ingrained in patriarchy, and a traditional role of women in family is central to all these cultures.

Sri Lankan women were considered the ‘hub’ that kept Women generally make decisions the family on household matters, children’s together. education and health, as well as, women help in the agricultural

sector working in family farms. A man's role is to protect women and children and provide them with material support, and in this role, men dominate all aspects of business and public life. Sri Lankan women enjoyed a certain amount of freedom and economic independence in the traditional society, and they were considered the ‘hub’ that kept the family together. The idea of the nuclear family is highly in fashion even though it has become a custom that parents of either spouse or inlaws of either spouse would live with the family (extended family). Almost every marriage in Sri Lanka is monogamous. Unions between one man and many women are not illegal or unknown, but monogamous marriages are encouraged. A couple who is legally married cannot be parted on an agreement unless a woman demands a divorce from her husband on his ill treatment of her or his financial inability to look after her. Among the Sinhalese there are two types of marriages (Diga and Binna). In a Diga marriage, a woman moves to live with her husband and children take the father’s name. In a Bina marriage, the husband moves to the wife’s house and jointly manages the land she inherits. A Diga-married daughter, who forfeits her share of inheritance upon marriage, can reestablish her rights, if she returns to her parents’ home while the father is still alive. If she returns after the death of the father, the heirs must acknowledge her marriage as Binna. The customary law Tesawalami governs inheritance of property and matrimonial rights of Tamil women in Jaffna. Under Tesawalami, a woman can own property individually, can acquire property during marriage and can

Indian Institute of Mass Communication Muslim marriage. Credit :ambon.gi.id

Asia keep the dowry she received and control her property. However, the guardianship of a woman passes from the father to the husband. A wife cannot invest in the property, mortgage, lease, sell or make contracts without permission or consent of her husband.

There has been significant progress in women's rights, specifically following the International Women's Year in 1975 and the United Nations Decade for Women from 1976 to 1985.

Muslims follow Kaikuli system, where money and gifts given by the parents of the bride to the bridegroom to be kept in trust for the bride. Kaikuli is a financial burden on the brideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family and it is also difficult to retrieve it on divorce or separation because most men do not know that Kaikuli should be kept in trust for the bride. Furthermore, Quazi courts have no jurisdiction in respect of Kaikuli, which must be recovered from the District Courts. The practice of child marriage, although not common, is being revived within displaced Muslim communities in the North Western Province. After suffering through the 30-year civil war that ended in 2009, women remain severely impoverished in the country's North. Women who are heads of households, displaced, disabled, or ex-combatants face hardships and significant challenges learning to reintegrate into society. War resulted in losses of family members, economic assets, and livelihood opportunities for women. After the war, the Sri Lankan government focused on developing the economy and infrastructure. In 1960, Sri Lanka elected Sirimavo Bandaranayake as first female Prime Minister of the country and who was also the world's first female head of the State. In 1994 Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was elected as Prime Minister and later became the President. There has been significant progress in women's rights, specifically following the International Women's Year in 1975 and the United Nations Decade

ECHO Âˇ â&#x201E;&#x2013; 72

Sri Lankan Tamil women. Credit: brightbrides.net

for Women from 1976 to 1985. A number of policies and laws were enacted to enhance the rights of women in Sri Lanka.

independently deserve additional rights. Instead, they are included in a list of other disadvantaged groups.

In 1981, Sri Lanka was part of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The third chapter of the Constitution on Fundamental Rights was adopted into the Constitution in the same year. Article 12 of the chapter says: "No citizen shall be discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion, language, caste, sex, political opinion, place of birth or any such grounds". There is some criticism of the clause as it does not specifically state that women

Although women in Sri Lanka have traditionally enjoyed the right to their own financial gains, to conserve their birth name, and to stand for themselves in a court of law without any support or consent of man, men still have the power of decision-making in a family. However, with the changing socio-economic condition, these patriarchal norms, customs and other discriminatory elements are also changing.

Asia

Combating domestic violence via social media in Russia “I didn’t want to die.” These would probably be a few of the first few words that victims of gender-based violence would utter if they were still alive. It is also the name of a famous Russian social campaign. The objective of the campaign is to draw public attention to the domestic violence problem.

Marina Rumyantseva

Photographer, Makeup Artist, Imagemaker & Traveler, Russia marinashak@gmail.com

Blogger Alexandra Mitroshina and human rights activist Alena Popova started this campaign by posting their own shocking portraits on Instagram on July 19, 2019. They had makeup with bruisers and

black letters saying “I didn’t want to die”. The activists devoted the campaign to the victims who didn’t survive the domestic violence and those who were sent to jail protecting themselves. In her appeal to the audience, Alexandra mentioned one of the famous cases when Oksana Sadikova was killed by her husband in front of their eight-year-old child after filing for the divorce. Alena tried to show another side of the campaign sharing the case of Khachaturian sisters who were accused of murdering their father

Indian Institute of Mass Communication Alexandra Mitroshina and Alena Popova for their campaign against of domestic violence. Credit: The First Newspaper

Asia for defending themselves. According to the independent Internet newspaper Medusa, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia registered 21,390 cases of violence against women, from January to September 2019. The statistics show that 75% of people who suffer from domestic violence in Russia are women and 79% of women in jail are convicted of murdering their aggressors.

A part of Russian society is against adopting a new antidomestic violence law. They believe in the saying “Wash your dirty linen at home".

Alexandra and Alena tried to create awareness through these staggering numbers about domestic violence many people never knew or thought about. The activists asked their followers to share the same and support the petition for adopting a new anti domestic violence law. More than 12000 people participated in the move; many of them shared their private stories. Till this day 904,260 people signed the petition.

husband chopped her hands with an axe. The case received wide publicity and Margarita became a symbol of the fight against domestic violence. Her husband was sentenced to jail for 14 years. Unlike Margarita many women do not report to the police, fearing of raising their aggressor ’s anger. On the other hand, in the US, police come within few minutes after a call of domestic violence. They examine the place for damage and the victim for signs of physical abuse. Then the abuser is placed in jail for 24 hours while a court listens to the case. The first time a defendant receives a warning and must undergo therapy sessions. His future depends on the therapist’s report: he might be set free or send to jail. In Russia,

mostly it is the victim who goes through a therapeutic course, mostly incognito for the fear of persecution. A part of Russian society is against adopting a new anti-domestic violence law. They believe in the saying “Wash your dirty linen at home" which means what happens between four walls should stay there. Men in Russia follow old patriarchal values and think that they are the decision-makers. They believe that new movements in the society related to F-word (or feminism) will ruin a family. As grown in the same society some women support this philosophy and think if a woman got punished there was reason for it. The opponents fear that in case

The domestic violence law was decriminalized in Russia in 2017. If an abuser harms a family member or cohabitant for the first time, he gets only administrative punishment. The liability in this case is a fine of up to $ 465 (30,000 rubles) or to be arrested and put in jail for 15 days. Human Rights Watch believes that this law allows the aggressor to feel impunity. In case of prosecution, the aggressor pays a fine from the family budget. While the victim must prove the fact of harm to a court, collect the necessary documents or hire an expensive lawyer. At the same time the defendant is provided with a government lawyer free of charge. The police do nothing until it’s a murder. Margarita Gratcheva filed a complaint to the police when her husband attacked her with a knife. She got a call back from a police officer after 20 days. Later, her

ECHO · № 72 Margarita Gratcheva, the victim of her husband violence. Credit: instagram / margoritka1211

Asia

The protest against domestic violence in Russia. On the poster: “She will be prisoned for self-defense. He will not be prisoned for violence”. Credit: Sergei Konkov (TASS)

of adopting the law the aggressor can be easily kicked out of his home, even if it’s his own property which will lead to fraud with real estate. Men of different social levels expressed concern that they might be accused of “psychological violence” if they forbid their children from using the internet after bedtime. The Russian Orthodox Church thinks that the law will raise the family conflicts and provoke divorce wars. They even staged prayer meetings called "For the Family" against the law adoption in different Russian cities at the end of December 2019.

Law to protect women As a result of Social media movements, the Federation Council published its version of the bill on the prevention of domestic violence at the end of November 2019. During two weeks, the Bill got 11000 comments and active participator deputy Oksana Pushkina and other initiators disagreed with it. A lawyer Marie

Davtyan together with other coauthors said that social activists will seek the adoption of an “effective law” based on an experience of 150 countries successfully using the non-violence methods. The bill is being edited now accordingly to the demands of the activists and the citizens’ feedback sent to Russian State Duma. According to VCIOM (AllRussian Center for the Study of Public Opinion), 70% of Russians voted for the adoption of domestic violence law. Margarita Gracheva, a victim of domestic violence, wrote a book “Happy without hands” and traveled to various regions to spread the information about the importance of getting away from the aggressor at early stage and fighting the violence. On the other hand, Psychologists began to say: Let's work with aggressors, let's reduce the level of aggression in the society. Projects such as Nasiliu.net provided rescue plans and crisis centers on their website to help victims of domestic violence. The victims themselves

started to speak up and create supporting groups on social media to help each other. Many group creators try to not only support a victim in sharing a story but provide a plan to get out of it. They provide free psychological help. It went beyond the boundaries. Many of the Ukrainians follow such Russian groups and bloggers as they have no analogs in their country.

According to VCIOM 70% of Russians voted for the adoption of domestic violence law.

Even with all the obstacles and negative comments on the movements, it is clear that social media made huge step forward. There were just few laws which were discussed as widely as the anti-domestic violence law. In many countries where the law is in force the path for its adoption was as difficult as in Russia. The activists are patient and they deliver the message to the masses: Violence is not normal. “I want to live”-- these would probably be a few of the words that victims of gender-based violence would utter when they know they have a voice and support. Indian Institute of Mass Communication