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Algeria/Maghreb
- A report published by AsSafir newspaper (26 June) denounces
the cruelties perpetrated by the Islamist terrorists against
women and girls. The report draws from the testimony of women
survivors of abduction, gang rape, torture, forced marriages,
forced labour and other forms of abuse and violence. The report
indicates that the few women survivors from the Islamist terrorists
are often ostracized and r ejected by their communities with
some finding themselves arrested and serving jail sentences.
- In an interview with Al Mustakbal newspaper (20/6), Algerian
activist lawyer Badia Thadacht, member of the SOS Femme en Detresse
NGO, noted that she receives more than 60 calls for help from
distressed Algerian women victims of violence. The most common cases
followed are women victims of terrorism and/or domestic violence.
Kuwait/Gulf
- Islamists in Kuwait have scored a dual successin June. The courts
have declared the 7 Islamists students accused of 7 charges related
to attacking a woman colleague on campus as non guilty (cf. GLIP
Monthly Update April-May 2000). Simultaneously, the Kuwaiti
Parliament voted against a co-ed education policy at university
level following the official approval for setting up branches of
foreign universities as well as private universities in Kuwait. To
be reminded that a decree banning co-ed education within the
University of Kuwait has been issued back in 1996 but has not yet
been enforced yet.
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Kuwaiti lawyer Badryyah al Audi declared in a press conference held in
Kuwait city on 4 June that she is now more optimistic in relation to
the Kuwaiti women's struggle for their political rights. Al Audi's
statement follows the recent referral to the constitutional court of
several cases against the current electoral laws on the grounds of
violation of the Kuwaiti constitution. Despite the fact that women's
political rights have turned into a political maneuver between the
government and the parliament, Kuwaiti women activists are hopeful of
the ruling of the constitutional court. It is to be noted that Kuwait
is the only Gulf country enjoying an elected parliament. Yet, and
despite the relatively high educational level of women and their
string representation in senior positions in the private sectors, only
5% of senior positions in the government sector are occupied by women.
Bahrain/Gulf
- Latifa al Najjar the director of social research of the Ministry of
Housing and a founding member of a women in NGO in Bahrain stated that
Bahrain is in need of a personal status code which provides adequate
protection for women. "Awal", the women NGO of which Najjar
is member, is mostly committed to legal issues and legal protection
for women. As such, the association's hotline is one of the very few
immediate services available for women victims of violence and/or
discrimination. The association is member of a newly formed national
coalition (grouping the 5 existing women NGOs in Bahrain) which aims
at developing and lobbying for a new personal status code which the
members of the coalition believe, will provide the necessary legal
framework for ensuring women's rights in Bahrain.
Iran/Gulf
- Newspapers in Iran have reported that the women members of the
Iranian consultative council have joined together to form the first
women parliamentary committee, the first of its kind since the Islamic
revolution of 1979. The new parliamentary committee held its first
meeting in June 2000 to initiate discussions on the challenges facing
women in Iran. It is to be noted that the new Consultative council
includes 10 women in comparison with 14 women in its predecessor.
- Ayatollah Nasser Makarem al Chirazi, a senior clergy of the city of
Qum (Iran), has officially stated that he objects to the ratification
of the declarations and agreements emanating from the Beijing + 5
Conference (New Your, June 2000) by the government of Iran. Chirazi
maintains that such declarations and agreements are incompatible with
the principles and teaching of Islam.
Afghanistan
- The United Nations Coordinator in Afghanistan declared that all
negotiations aiming at easing up the newly Taliban imposed restriction
on women's work with international organizations have failed. The UN
coordinator indicated though that some of the slightly more moderate
Taliban negotiatiors were sympathetic to a "allowing" women
to work in certain restricted fields such as health and nutrition. To
be reminded that the newly imposed Taliban restriction which was
decreed in early July has immediately led to the halt of a nationwide
survey carried out by the World Food Programme aiming at identifying
the most vulnerable communities in the country in need of food aid.
Other implemented programmes relying on women staff are also in
jeopardy as a result of this restriction. The religious police in
Afghanistan operates regular street patrols to ensure that all laws,
particularly those restrictive to women, are being duly enforced.
These laws include an imposed dress code, restrictions on mobility and
denial of access to education and employment.
For any query, comment, feedback, contributions or for copies of the
Update in other languages (Arabic or French), please write to glipnews@cyberia.net.lb
MACMAG GLIP, POB 165302, Beirut/Lebanon
GLIP's monthly update will soon be available on the web:
www.women-machreq-maghreb.com
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