FIRE broadcast on Middle East conflict - Friday 4th August 06

Women's voices and perspectives in reaction to the military aggression in Lebanon, Palestine and Israel will be the focus of a marathon live broadcast via Internet. (FIRE/RIF)

Entitled, 'Voices of Resistance' on Friday, August 4, 2006 produced in Spanish and English by FIRE - Feminist International Radio Endeavour/Radio Internacional Feminista in Costa Rica.

The 8-hour live broadcast, which begins at 10 am (Costa Rica/RMT) will be repeated three times during a 24-hour streaming schedule. Listeners may tune in by going to the FIRE website at: http://www.radiofeminista.net

FIRE is also inviting audience members to write or call during the program to express solidarity with women in the Middle East conflicts.

For each email, FIRE will send $5 to women's organizations that work in those conflict zones; and $10 for each phone call. In collaboration with MADRE (http://www.madre.org), the contributions will be sent women-to-women in organizations that work for peace and justice.

Additional donations may also be made by audience members to be sent to these same organizations.

The 'Voices of Resistance' marathon broadcast is designed:

* To amplify and multiply the voices and perspectives of women who are faced with armed conflict using radio and the internet;

* To express mourning for the hundreds of victims of the armed conflicts including many women and children;

* To call for a ceasefire and initiation of peace negotiations;· To support women's resistance to the armed aggression in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon;

* To support actions for peace taken by women in the middle of the armed conflicts;

* To expose and denounce patriarchal militarism;· To strengthen solidarity among women and give visible, vocal and economic support;

* for women's peace movements, and other political and social movements that struggle for peace, human rights and a just solution to the conflicts.

The schedule of the FIRE marathon broadcast (Costa Rica/RMT) on Friday, August 4 includes:
10am-12pm: Spanish
12pm-2 pm: English
2-4 pm: Spanish
4-6 pm: English

These eight hours will be repeated twice in the following hours, for a total of a 24-hour broadcast.

Listeners may write or call anytime during this 24-hour cycle. To call FIRE during the broadcast, dial: 506-249-3084 (in Costa Rica) and at: 506-249-1319 to leave messages on voicemail.

To send email messages write to: kata@radiofeminista.net and oficina@radiofeminista.net

For more information about 'Voices of Resistance' go to www.radiofeminista.net

FIRE/RIF is an international women's Internet radio produced by women in Costa Rica that offers the voices and perspectives of women on all issues through a combination of voices, technologies and actions.


[Note - not sure about time zones, but Costa Rica is GMT -6, so with BST that should be -7(?) ie
10am-12pm: Spanish = 5pm-7pm
12pm-2 pm: English = 7pm-9pm
2-4 pm: Spanish = 9pm-11pm
4-6 pm: English = 11pm-1am]

[It looks like you need RealPlayer or MP3 installed on your computer to listen]
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Unconditional Ceasefire Now
Emergency National Demonstration

Saturday 5 August: Assemble 12 Noon
Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, London
March to Parliament Square for rally

ROUTE: Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, Grosvenor Square (US Embassy), Piccadilly, Lower Regent Street, Whitehall (Downing Street), Parliament Square (Rally).

TUBE: Marble Arch (Note there arrestrictions on some lines).

* Unconditional ceasefire now
* Stop Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Gaza
* End Tony Blair's support for Bush's wars
 

Leave children's shoes on Tony Blair's doorstep

Almost half of those killed so far in Lebanon are children.
Bring children's shoes to the national demonstration on Saturday 5 August. We will leave them at The Cenotaph, on Tony Blair's doorstep, to express our horror at his complicity in war crimes which have lead to the slaughter of so many children in Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq and Afghanistan. (See article from the Independent and joint appeal with Save the Children next posting)

http://www.stopthewar.co.uk/


The letter below will be handed in to Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street on the emergency national demonstration on 5 August.


Dear Prime Minister,

Most people in this country are, we believe, horrified at the bloodshed and destruction unfolding daily in Lebanon. There can be no justification for the conduct of the Israeli government and armed forces, which are laying waste to a country in an operation which will hugely damage the prospects for peace in the Middle East.

We are dismayed that the British government, almost alone in the world, is not calling for a ceasefire to enable the suffering to stop. This either shows a deplorable indifference to the plight of the Lebanese people or an attitude of total subservience to the foreign policy of the US administration. Either way, our country is being humiliated and our isolation from world opinion underlined once more.

We therefore call on the government to change its position and join the vast majority of the world's states, the UN secretary-general and the Archbishop of Canterbury in calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Lebanon to save lives and prevent the destruction of that country.

sign the letter online at http://stopwar.org.uk/lebanon/sign.php

Coaches coming from around the country. http://stopwar.org.uk/new/events/Coaches5August.htm

Help save the children, victims of war
By Kim Sengupta
Published: 03 August 2006

A huge number of the victims of this war - the dead, the maimed and the dispossessed - are children. The figures are stark.

Of the 615 people so far confirmed dead, Save The Children says that almost half are children. They make up one third of the 3,225 injured, and about 45 per cent of the nearly one million Lebanese refugees are under the age of 18, according to Unicef.

But despite the shocking images and the harrowing accounts of suffering, there is an acute shortfall of money raised for the children caught up in the conflict. They need help now.

The Independent and Save the Children are launching an appeal for the children of Lebanon (see link below), for urgent food, medicine and clothing desperately needed as the violence continues to escalate.

The UN and aid agencies say it is unclear why so many casualties in this particular war are children. Some have been victims of mass killings, such as the 37 who died in the Israeli bombing raid in Qana at the weekend that claimed 60 lives.

The disproportionately high death toll among children may be due to the fact that Lebanese families in the south of the country, the scene of the fiercest fighting, are traditionally large. It is also perhaps because of demographics - 30 per cent of the population of Lebanon are under 18.

The high rate of killings and injuries among the young are also said to be due to the fact that they tend to huddle together during the bombing and shelling.

Like the old, the children are the hardest hit by the lack of basic sustenance. They are also simply too young to make the long journey on foot to escape the combat zone. Children have been discovered left to look after younger brothers and sisters in place of dead or wounded parents.

Amelia Bookstein, the head of humanitarian policy at Save the Children, said: "Children who are wounded, separated from their families, or traumatised, may be too frightened or unable to leave their homes."

Anis Salem, a Unicef official, said: "Families with four, five and six children are seeking shelter together. Inevitably, a high proportion of children are killed. We estimated even before Qana that 30 per cent of the deaths were children. But it is a very fluid situation and that figure can quickly become redundant."

Save the Children stresses that just £1 will buy candles and matches for a family; £10 will help provide adequate hygiene for a child and £50 will pay for food for a family in the short term. But international agencies say the public response has been surprisingly slow to appeals for funds.

Toby Porter, the emergencies director for Save the Children, said: "We have raised, for example, one eighth of the money raised for the second Java earthquake. One reason for this may be that the political anger over what is happening in Lebanon has overshadowed humanitarian concerns. The controversy over what has happened is hiding the human problems.

"Or it could be that people are rather weary of the Middle East problem because it seems so insurmountable. The fact remains, however, that we have a major crisis with children there at the moment."

Exposure to daily turbulence - the sight and sound of explosions, watching the deaths of people they know - has inevitably left scars on young minds. Parents talk of little girls and boys having nightmares, clinging to them out of fright.

Rania al-Ameri, a child psychologist, pointed out: "It is hardly a surprise that these children are being traumatised. They are seeing things people of their age simply will not see in Europe and America. And this is not something that is short term. These effects will last a long time."

There are other long-term problems.

Even after hostilities cease, many families will have nowhere to go back to with their homes shattered. Schools have been destroyedor are being used to house the displaced. Thousands face the prospect of spending months - perhaps years - in refugee camps. Despite Israeli assurances of a safe passage, the UN and charities are finding it extremely difficult to deliver aid to the south, past Tyre.

Donate by visiting http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/independent or call our free emergency donation line 0800 8148 148

continues at http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle.../article1211289.ece

Family Links Middle East 2006

For persons affected by the hostilities in Lebanon and in Northern Israel.

Since hostilities began on 12 July, the conflict in Lebanon and Northern Israel has resulted in huge displacements of persons in Lebanon. Thousand of families all over the world, very worried about the whereabouts of their loved ones in Lebanon, are trying to get news of them.

The aim of the FamilyLinks website is to accelerate the process of restoring contact between separated family members and to facilitate the exchange of family news.

It is managed by the ICRC, in cooperation with the tracing services of the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies throughout the world and with the support of the Lebanon Red Cross Society in Lebanon.

IMPORTANT
The ICRC has no means of verifying the information sent through the network. It cannot accept responsibility for any inaccurate information given through the services made available on this site.

The information given on this website is not confidential and can be consulted by everyone. It is the responsibility of those registering to ensure that no harm is caused by registration. The ICRC cannot accept any responsibility for any consequences for an individual arising from registration.

http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/Web/doc/si...iddle-east-2006-eng

The FamilyLinks website offers the following services to victims of this conflict:

* Locate your relatives http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/middle-east-2006/locate

This page in other languages: http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/Web/doc/si...iddle-east-2006-ara

ICRC delegations: http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/i...t_the_ICRC:Contacts

National Red Cross or Red Crescent offices: http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/tracing_offices

This is a reminder that there will be a women's contingent AGAINST ALL WAR in Saturday's Demo demanding an immediate ceasefir in the Lebanon. Meet on the Marble Arch island at 12 noon. Look for banners for the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and Women in Black.

The previous notice has been deleted for the reasons stated on previous occassions. (ie annonymous posting, etc., etc..)

But in addition by directing it as a response to the launch of an appeal by Save the Children it inferred that somehow these funds or Save the Children would not be equally concern with the needs of children from whatever heritage caught up in the current conflict.

And whilst we don't normally 'editorialise' for 'TrueLiberal' and anyone else who is not aware " ... There is a strong tradition within the women's movement which argues the correlation between feminism and pacifism. It is indeed that tradition which, so far from being anti-male, rightly points out that the qualities of caring and gentleness ordinarily associated with womanhood are the natural inheritance of the whole of humanity, and it is an aberration that men have been taught to be dominant and aggressive. ... " http://www.ppu.org.uk/e_publications/vera_women_index.html

Comrades & Sisters: Feminism, Socialism & Pacifism in 1st Wave Feminism http://pers-www.wlv.ac.uk/~le1810/1stwave.htm

'The truest form of patriotism' Pacifist feminism in Britain, 1870-1902 http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk...cts/history/gih.htm

This link between pacifism and feminism stretches back from some of the 'First Wave' feminists actions listed above to the current feminism:

" ... Idan Halili, just 19 years old, has written a feminist critique that has astounded established feminist voices around the world. Her analysis takes the form of a letter sent to the Israeli army asking for exemption from compulsory service, based on a feminist rejection of militarism. ... " http://www.guardian.co.uk/women/story/0,,1755293,00.html

as well as the ongoing work of groups like Women in Black and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

Deborah at Women in London

Greenham Women Everywhere - past and future -
Join us at Faslane on October 1st to Make Nuclear Weapons History

On October 1st 2006, women will gather for two days at the UK nuclear submarine base at Faslane in Scotland (30 miles from Glasgow). Our women's blockade from October 1-2 will connect with international Women in Black (October 2-3), and then be followed by mixed groups from all over Scotland, the rest of Britain and abroad. This women's action is the start of Faslane 365, a nonviolent campaign to prevent the unlawful operation of the nuclear base, using creative actions and interactions to oppose the madness and waste of Trident and all nuclear weapons. Already many mixed peace and justice groups have committed to this action, with each taking responsibility for peacefully blockading the Trident base over a two-day period.

In celebration of Greenham's 25th anniversary, Faslane 365 will bring together women who came to Greenham and all women who wished they'd been at Greenham (and, of course, our mothers, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters). This isn't about nostalgia, but about reclaiming our power and finishing the job we started in 1981! One big push and we can get rid of British nuclear weapons forever.

Why?
Nuclear weapons are irrelevant for defence, but could still destroy the world. They epitomise the ultimate in violence and threat, and women have been at the forefront of making these connections. Now the British government is planning to spend over £25 billion on a successor to Trident and we need your help to stop this madness and waste. We have to consign them to the dustbin of history and focus resources on dealing with the daunting security challenges we face today, such as climate change, violence against women, poverty, wars for oil, greed or power, and erosion of human rights. As with our success against cruise missiles in the 1980s, we can make Trident undeployable by combining persistent, nonviolent opposition at the site of deployment with creative actions, political pressure and wide networking.

How?
Running from October 1st 2006 for a year, Faslane 365 will bring diverse groups to witness and impede the Faslane nuclear base and demand an end to this nuclear madness. The Faslane 365 blockades will draw attention to the illegality, insecurity and dangerous waste of resources inherent in the Trident nuclear system. We will mobilise opposition and highlight our real, human security needs, which will require a very different allocation of resources and action.

All groups that participate in this continuous blockade will agree to a set of fundamental principles and guidelines that stress nonviolence and respect for all. All will commit to the core demand that Trident be disarmed and taken out of deployment; and that the government rule out developing any new nuclear weapons and make a timetable for dismantling the existing weapons and facilities. Beyond these basic commitments, it is up to individual groups to conduct their blockade as they see fit. We plan to have workshops, music, redecoration of the base and so on.

Where?
Faslane is about 30 miles from Glasgow, along the north shore of beautiful Gare Loch, Firth of Clyde. It is just past Helensburgh, which can be reached by rail and road. Faslane has two main gates and a couple of smaller ones on land and a long fence. We need thousands of women to join us, singly or in groups - this is a chance to reconnect with old friends and rebuild networks and groups in your town. You will need to be as self sufficient as possible for travel, food and accommodation, including for children. Those not wanting to blockade directly or risk arrest can participate in other important ways. See the website for ideas, information and advice on practicalities. There is a place for all of us, and all of us are needed!

To help prepare, the Aldermaston Women's Camp(aign) will be holding women-only training workshops on nonviolence and blockading on July 8-9 at AWE Aldermaston (50 miles west of London) where the government is adding to its facilities to design, test and develop the next generation of nuclear weapons.

Put the dates October 1-3 in your diary and join us. For something this special, important and fun, we want as many women as possible to participate. Help us circulate this call as widely as possible. Send this message to every woman you know and care about!

International and women's groups should contact Rebecca at greenhamwomen@faslane365.org

http://www.faslane365.org / info@faslane365.org
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Iran: Urgently appeal against the execution, by stoning, of Ashraf Kolhari

Dear friends,

WLUML has received the following request for solidarity from an Iranian networker who is voluntarily representing Ashraf Kalhori, currently in Evin prison in Tehran and scheduled to be stoned to death as a result of having an extramarital affair, despite her earlier request for a divorce being denied. Please immediately send letters to the Iranian authorities, a sample letter and addresses of officials to be contacted, follow below.

In solidarity, Women Living Under Muslim Laws

* WHAT YOU CAN DO * Sample letter 8


Your Excellency,

I/we urge you to immediately cancel the execution of Ashraf Kalhori, a woman imminently sentenced to be stoned to death for adultery in the name of Islam. We are concerned that such an unacceptable and inhumane punishment is being applied to a women who herself is a victim of the justice system, as such a precedent would only confirm misunderstandings about Islam.

We know that women have the right to divorce under Islam if they are no longer happy within a marriage. The court did not approve Ashraf Kalhori's plea for divorce which is her Islamic right, in spite of the fact that routinely women have little say in choosing their marriage partners. We find it ironic that Islam is now unjustly being used to justify her execution by stoning.

WLUML is gravely concerned that Ashraf Kalhori has been sentenced to death for adultery. In Iran, women are punished more harshly than men for having committed adultery; this however directly contravenes article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which provides that "[a]ll persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law." In a speech delivered on 21 June, 2006 President Ahmadinejad stated that "the country should be built upon the basis of justice, kindness, serving the people, progress and lofty goals." If Ashraf Kalhori is executed then justice will not have been served.

Furthermore, as a state party to the ICCPR, Iran has made an explicit and unreserved commitment under article 6(2) that if the death sentence is imposed it is to be "only for the most serious crimes." The UN Human Rights Committee (in the case of Toonen v Australia) has made it clear that treating adultery and fornication as criminal offences does not comply with international human rights standards. Therefore the sentence of execution by stoning imposed on Ashraf Kolhari breaches Iran's commitments under the ICCPR.

We request that you stop her planned execution and take immediate action to remove death by stoning from the legal system.

Yours respectfully,

*Please send your letters to: *

*Leader of the Islamic Republic: His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei,*
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 251 7 774 2228 (mark "FAO the Office of His Excellency,
Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei")
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency

*Head of the Judiciary: His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi*
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: (mark "Please forward to His Excellency Ayatollah Shahroudi") via the judiciary website: www.iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html
Salutation: Your Excellency

*President: His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad*
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 6 649 5880
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir / via website: www.president.ir/email

*Minister of the Interior: Hojjatoleslam Mustafa Purmohammadi*
Ministry of the Interior, Dr Fatemi Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: ravabetomomi@moi.gov.ir (Email often problematic)
Fax: +98 21 8 896 203
+98 21 8 899 547
+98 21 6 650 203

BACKGROUND:
http://www.wluml.org/english/actionsfulltx...d[156]=i-156-541421
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Mumsnet and Gina Ford

It is with great regret that we have to ask members to refrain from any further discussion of Gina Ford, her methods or her books on the site. To find out why click here http://www.mumsnet.com/lw/state.html.
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DASH Report
Domestic Abuse: Women Seeking Help

An investigation into women's help-seeking on behalf of their children and themselves; and the perceptions of health and social care professionals of the impact of domestic abuse on women and children's mental and physical health and behaviours.

A joint report from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Domestic Violence Forum - download from http://www.shef.ac.uk/content/1/c6/02/77/21/Domestic%20Abuse.pdf

Its Recommendations are:
* Confidentiality and safety need to be agreed by all agencies and professionals working with abused women and children.
* This should be clearly communicated to all women and children who have been or are being abused or are at risk.
* There is a need for long-term psychological, social and financial support for women and children in order to ensure safety and well-being.
* Health and social care professionals need suitable and effective training in screening, diagnosis, decision-making and information-giving related to the processes and resources available to arrange immediate safety, temporary shelter and medium to long term refuge.
* Women need assurance that all relevant agencies are there to enable them to break away from the abusive situation, and not judge the woman's behaviour in any way even if she is apparently transgressing other rules, such as alcohol or drug abuse, at the time.
* All relevant agencies need to recognise the problems women have in seeking help and thus focus on facilitation and recognition that they may return to the situation more than once before they are fully able to leave for good.
* If there are other social or health problems, particularly those that impede child care these have to be assessed once the family are in a place of safety and have had the opportunity to recover and receive support.
* There should be an increase in the "lay" support that is available to women who wish to leave abusive partners. This may include women survivors or other women who have a clear understanding of the abusive situation.

(It makes no claim that "Violent relationships can be like an addiction" a remark attributed to Erin Pizzy in the Times - see "1 in 4 abused women may be locked in a cycle of violence" at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,29389-2217599,00.html)

An article by one of the authors of the report published in the Guardian discusses whether " ... campaigns to highlight domestic violence have failed - and public services have their own anxieties about tackling the problem ... (and that) ... there are still many barriers to women seeking help for themselves and their children. It is not simply a case, as some would argue, of 'she just won't leave him' " It can be read online at http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguard.../0,,1839677,00.html
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Free Lunch For Volunteers - DWP Press Release
(See http://www.quicktopic.com/19/H/nV4WDtdd6iMqf/m1498)

New rules will mean people on benefits who volunteer will no longer have to bear the cost of their lunch time meals announced Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, John Hutton today.

The change will mean that in future lunchtime meals will be treated as an expense that volunteers can claim back. Previously they were expected to meet the cost of meals out of their own benefits.

John Hutton said:

"This simplification of the rules is to ensure that volunteers are not penalised for doing the right thing. We do not want a situation where individuals are put off from volunteering because they can not afford to buy something to eat.

"Volunteering plays an important role in helping people off benefits and back into work. It gives them confidence and the chance to develop skills that are invaluable after a period out of work.

"We will be working closely with charities and volunteering organisations over the coming weeks and months to implement the changes quickly and smoothly as possible.

I am convinced this will help reassure and encourage more people to get involved with the voluntary sector."

Presently the cost of a meal is not amongst the expenses that are disregarded for benefits purposes when an individual is volunteering unlike childcare costs and special clothing for example.

Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Website: http://www.dwp.gov.uk

SA Women's March - 9th August 2006

Thousands of women marked the 50th anniversary of a famed anti-apartheid demonstration when 20,000 women marched on the headquarters of the white-minority government in 1956 to protest the hated pass laws that restricted the movement of nonwhites under apartheid's racial separation system.

Their song -
Now you have touched the women, Strijdom!
You have struck a rock.
You have dislodged a boulder!
You will be crushed
 - became an anthem for women's movements across South Africa and the anniversary of their march is celebrated as Women's Day.

But today, women still struggle.

An estimated 75 percent of black women under 30 are jobless, says the Congress of South African Trade Unions. It says that in 2002, women held only 14 percent of top management positions in businesses _ and the proportion for black women was just 2 percent.

In 2004, there were 114 reported rapes per 100,000 people, compared to a rate of 32 rapes per 100,000 in the United States. A study last year by the Medical Research Council found a South African woman was killed every six hours by an intimate partner, the highest reported in the world.

South African women also have been hit hardest by the AIDS virus that is ravaging the country. More than 30 percent of pregnant women are infected with HIV, according to official figures. This compares with a rate of 19 percent for all adults.

Adelaide Tambo, the 77-year-old widow of anti-apartheid hero Oliver Tambo, made an impassioned speech on behalf of all women of her generation, saying many are caring for their grandchildren because their children have died from AIDS.

* http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...R2006080900758.html


The march drew attention to violence against women

Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were among several women cabinet members who headed Wednesday's re-enactment of the march.

Nelson Mandela's former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and his current wife, Graca Machel, were also present.

"Appropriately to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Women's March, we have to address the scourge of women and child abuse," President Mbeki said.

"We have to defend the view that women's rights are human rights."

According to one study, a South African woman dies at the hands of her partner every six hours, while rape and physical and mental abuse are said to be rampant.

The One in Nine campaign - which campaigns against gender violence - used the occasion to argue that the justice system has failed rape victims, including a woman known as Buysizwe who was gang-raped last year.

"For Buyisiwe and countless other women whose rape cases are struck from court rolls due to 'missing or lost' evidence, National Women's Day is no cause for celebration," the campaign said in a statement.

The original march was one of the most influential demonstrations against the apartheid regime.

On 9 August 1956 thousands of women assembled in Pretoria despite a ban on unauthorised gatherings, eventually coalescing in a 20,000-strong protest outside the Union Buildings.

Many were arrested and prosecuted, but activists say it was the moment which brought women into the anti-apartheid struggle.

"I saw an enormous group of women filing behind the four leaders," Amina Cachalia, a veteran of the 1956 march, recalled on Wednesday.

"As I looked at them, and looked behind them, there was just women that I could see. And we only read in the papers the next day that there were 20,000 women.

* http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/5258810.stm?ls

In pictures: S Africa women march
* http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4776763.stm


South Africa will introduce a new law to broaden the legal definition of rape in a bid to clamp down on widespread sexual offences President Thabo Mbeki said on Wednesday were a blight on 12 years of democratic gains.
* The latest draft of the law comes as South Africa marked the 50th anniversary of a historic anti-apartheid protest by thousands of women, held up as a pivotal moment in the democracy and women's liberation movements.
* http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0923275.htm


* Hundreds of women gathered in Bloemfontein on Sunday for a conference to launch the Progressive Women's Movement of South Africa (PWMSA).
* Convener Mavivi Myakayaka Manzini said: "The PWMSA is the result of deliberation among the country's women that, without a women's movement, the gains made so far for women's rights could not be guaranteed.
* http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/...-12_1978889,00.html


* Women's Month August 2006 (SA)
* http://www.womensnet.org.za/womensmonth.shtml


* South Africa has issued a new stamp sheet to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Women's March to the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
* http://www.gibbonsstampmonthly.com/story.a...code=2696&preview=1


* WOMEN living in this country are worse off than they would be if they lived in a war zone, according to Dr Sindiwe Magona, author of the novel Mother to Mother. Magona was referring to the fact that some people call South Africa the rape capital of the world.
* She was speaking at the launch of Buttons and Breakfasts, a book containing the stories of several women Wits academics. Not academic papers, though, but pieces ranging from funny anecdotes to highly personal stories about surviving among others cancer, sexual harassment and marital problems.
* The launch, which was held at the Origins Centre, was specifically planned to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Women's March of 1956.
* Magona said women in 1956 were threatened by politics, but that the women of modern-day South Africa were threatened by crime. She added that women today could take a leaf from the book of their predecessors.

"We are not yet free as women. We have to learn from our sisters of yesterday who, whenever strife hit, always found a way to get around it and move on. Women don't admit to each other that they struggle with depression, their workload and sleepless nights. It is important for young women to hear that this is happening to all women and that it is normal."

* http://www.vuvuzelaonline.com/index.php?op...ew&id=504&Itemid=51


* South African woman journalists are still facing racism, sexism and inequalities in newsrooms across the country.
* http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&cl...809002127291C351026

Menarche to Menopause
The Women's Health Conference

Darwin College Conference Centre - Canterbury
Friday 29 September 2006

Following the successful conference held in Derby last February, the next National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome conference will take place in Canterbury on Friday September 29 at the Darwin Conference Suite, University of Kent. It promises lively and informative discussion from a strong line-up of eminent experts in the field.

Topics for discussion at Canterbury will include an up-to-the-minute overview of current clinical developments in PMS and menopause from NAPS Chairman Mr Nicholas Panay, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London. Susan Quilliam, relationship psychologist, will look at the impact of PMS on relationships. Professor John Studd will discuss the menopause and Dr Carrie Sadler, a specialist research GP, will speak on cervical cytology. Dr Claudine Domoney considers the latest information on complementary treatments and therapies. NAPS Dietary Advisor, Gaynor Bussell will look at the importance of diet and nutrition for women during their reproductive years. Gilly Andrews, menopause/ PMS specialist nurse will be discussing contraception issues and there will be a personal story from a local NAPS member and PMS sufferer. And finally breast care specialist Dr Ruth Wilson will look at good practice in breast care.

For further information, click here http://www.pms.org.uk/archive/menarchetomenopause20060929.htm

To book your place for this important conference, click here - http://www.pms.org.uk/archive/womenshealth...applicationform.doc
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In the name of 'honour' - Tackling 'honour' violence and murder

Thursday 21st September 2006
Bonnington Hotel, 92 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4BH

Honour killings and violence have been on the radar of criminal justice agencies for a number of years now. Yet unsurprisingly, given the complex issues at stake, it remains a problem that has yet to be fully understood or even, in some quarters, accepted as a signifi cant challenge. Fears of how the perception of police and other agencies amongst minority communities will be effected make many policy makers and frontline workers nervous of how best to deal with the issue.

Over the last few years there have been a number of national and international conferences to address the issue but few have attempted to pull together the range of experiences represented in this conference.

Key to this conference are the survivors of honour violence who, more than any one else, can fully articulate the needs of victims, the cultural aspects at play and the life experiences of those who must survive the ordeal of violence. For those who haven't survived and who have suffered brutal murders in the name of 'honour', one of their enduring legacies must ultimately be a criminal justice system that recognises and can respond to honour violence and killings for the future safety of women.

This conference brings together key professionals and survivors to examine how agencies such as the police, CPS and social services should operate to improve the safety of women at risk of violence in minority communities. In so doing, it will outline clearly the issues, the motives of the perpetrators, the needs of the victims and the way forward to effective criminal justice, support and prevention. This is a vitally important conference for anyone working in this fi eld and will lay foundations for action that could help to save lives.

Conference Objectives
• To increase understanding of honour based violence
• To explore the extent of honour violence the UK
• To look at preventative action to potentially stop these crimes
• To raise awareness amongst the CJS of the different agencies' concerns and challenges
• To explore how the police and crown prosecution service are developing their responses
• To examine the issue forced marriage, its relation to honour violence and what is being done to prevent it
• To hear from survivors of honour violence in order to better understand the experiences and needs of survivors
• To examine investigative and preventative methods

Speakers
• Andy Baker - Deputy Director Serious & Organised Crime Agency
• Jasvinder Sanghera - Survivor Of Honour Based Violence, Director Of Karma Nirvana
• Nazir Afzal - Area Director - North London Crown Prosecution Service
• Fauzia Khan - Forced Marriage Unit - Foreign & Commonwealth OffiCe
• Dianna Nammi - Iranian & Kurdish Women's Rights Activist
• Jack Briggs (Not Real Name) - Victim Of Honour Violence And In Hiding For 13 Years
• Laura Richards - Head Of Homicide Prevention Metropolitan Police
• Brent Hyatt - Detective Inspector Metropolitan Police

Who Should Attend
• Police
• Crown Prosecution Service
• Local Authority Equality Units
• Domestic Violence Officers (Police And Local Authority)
• Health Visitors, Midwives And Other Health Workers
• Magistrates And Court Workers
• Victim Support, Women's Aid And Race Equality Councils Voluntary Organisations

Policy Spotlight Ltd is a conference organisation dedicated to exploring social policy issues in a practical in-depth and constructive manner In a time when the public sector is undergoing radical change across the board, Policy Spotlight Ltd sets out to make sense of the developments and help agencies consider, plan and implement effective policy through interaction with decision makers at all levels and colleagues facing the same challenges. Conferences focus on criminal justice, health, education and housing policy and are underpinned by a commitment to examining the issues of implementation and clear ways forward.

Fees include admission, conference papers, lunch and refreshments
• Statutory Sector ( local authorities, police, health etc)
 - First/second delegate: £250.00 + VAT (£293.50) each
 - Additional delegates: £150.00 + VAT (£176.25) each
• Voluntary Sector £170.00 + VAT (£199.75) each

E: bookings@policyspotlight.co.uk
T: 0870 351 8720
Brochure http://www.policyspotlight.co.uk/conferenc...-honourkillings.pdf
Book online http://www.policyspotlight.co.uk/booking/?id=31
http://www.policyspotlight.co.uk/conferences/?id=1
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Update on Stoning Sentence of Ashraf Kalhori
(see http://www.quicktopic.com/19/H/nV4WDtdd6iMqf/m1542)

Dear friends,

Many thanks to all of you who acted to save Ashraf Kalhori from execution by stoning.
 
We are glad to inform you that we have heard that Ayatollah Shahroudi has acted to stop the execution of Ashraf, the 37 year old mother of four, who was sentenced to stoning for having had extramarital sex. The lawyer representing Ashraf, Shadi Sadr, writes:

"On her behalf, I sincerely thank every one of you for signing the petition and helping to save her life.

Earlier this week, I submitted the petition to the office of the Judiciary Chief, Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi requesting remittal of her sentence. The petition included the signatures of more than a hundred Iranian women rights activists and over four thousand signatures collected online.

It is a wonderful feeling to see people coming together to save the life of another human being. I should also say that it is a great pleasure for me, as her lawyer, to share my happiness with all of you who were with us and supported the effort to save her.

However, the fate of Ashraf is not clear yet, and I am asking you to please continue your efforts and keep your voices loud until we make sure that she is safe. Furthermore, we must demand a change in the law that makes stoning illegal as a "sentence" for any crime.

I would like to thank you again for acting on time. I will continue to keep you updated on issues of stoning."

Therefore, we urge you to continue in your efforts and write to the Iranian authorities. The original call for action, with sample letter, can be found at:
http://www.wluml.org/english/actionsfulltx...d[156]=i-156-541421

In solidarity,

Women Living Under Muslim Laws
http://www.wluml.org
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