scholarly journals Surviving Genocide, Thriving in Politics: Rwandan Women’s Power

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerise Herndon ◽  
Shirley Randell
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
The Public ◽  
Women's Power ◽  
Women In Parliament ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
The Public Sphere

Rwandan women have given their nation new status as a world leader in gender equality, having achieved a 56 percent majority in Parliament. Women have reached this level of political power for many reasons, including the current government’s political will and women parliamentarians’ conscious decision to emphasize pre-colonial traditions of leadership as an alternative to prevailing patriarchal notions of women’s capacity. Highlighting women’s historical roles as behind-the-scenes advisors effectively promoted gender equality in the public sphere. Not only have women in Parliament taken leadership in promoting laws that protect women against gender-based violence, but also civil society organizations have participated in rebuilding and unifying the country following the trauma of horrific sexual violence and killing during the 1994 genocide. Interviews conducted in Kigali and Butare in 2009 and 2010 inform this study of perceptions of women’s power at the parliamentary and the grassroots levels. Women’s visibility in national government has not immediately translated into empowerment in the home, in agriculture, in the office or in social life. Formal education is key to providing girls and women the tools to analyze and dismantle remaining obstacles to gender equality in the professional, social and private spheres, building on their political achievement.

Attitudes and the Stalled Gender Revolution: Egalitarianism, Traditionalism, and Ambivalence from 1977 through 2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Scarborough ◽  
Ray Sin ◽  
Barbara Risman
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Gender Attitudes ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere

Empirical studies show that though there is more room for improvement, much progress has been made toward gender equality since the second wave of feminism. Evidence also suggests that women’s advancements have been more dramatic in the public sphere of work and politics than in the private sphere of family life. We argue that this lopsided gender progress may be traced to uneven changes in gender attitudes. Using data from more than 27,000 respondents who participated in the General Social Survey from 1977 through 2016, we show that gender attitudes have more than one underlying dimension and that these dimensions have changed at different rates over time. Using latent class analysis, we find that the distribution of respondents’ attitudes toward gender equality has changed over the past 40 years. There has been an increase in the number of egalitarians who support equality in public and private spheres, while the traditionals who historically opposed equality in both domains have been replaced by ambivalents who feel differently about gender equality in the public and private spheres. Meanwhile, successive birth cohorts are becoming more egalitarian, with Generation-Xers and Millennials being the most likely to hold strong egalitarian views. The feminist revolution has succeeded in promoting egalitarian views and decreasing the influence of gender traditionalism, but has yet to convince a substantial minority that gender equality should extend to both public and private spheres of social life

scholarly journals Gender Inequalities and the Effects of Feminine Artworks on Public Spaces: A Dialogue

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 158-167
Author(s):  
Hooshmand Alizadeh ◽  
Josef Kohlbacher ◽  
Rozhen Kamal Mohammed-Amin ◽  
Tabin Latif Raouf
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Street Art ◽  
Gender Inequalities ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Social Barriers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Kurdish Women ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The City

Feminist street art aims to transform patriarchal spaces into places of gendered resistance by asserting a feminist presence in the city. Considering this, as well as women’s social life, their struggle against lingering forces of patriarchy, and relating features of inequality (domestic violence), there was a feminist installation artwork by the young Kurdish artist Tara Abdulla that shook the city of Sulaimani in Iraqi Kurdistan on 26 October 2020. She had prepared a 4,800‐meter‐long washing line covered with the clothes of 99,678 Kurdish women who were survivors of sexual and gender‐based violence. They installed it along the busiest street of the city (Salim Street). She used this piece of feminine to express her reaction to the Kurdish society regarding, the abuse that goes on silently, behind closed doors. She also aimed towards normalizing women’s bodies. After the installation, she received many controversial reactions. As her artwork was a pioneering project in line with feminist issues in Kurdistan which preoccupied the city for quite a while, the aim of this article is to investigate the diverse effects of her work on the current dialogue regarding gender inequality in the Kurdish society. To do this, we used the research method of content analysis on big data (Facebook comments) to investigate the public reactions of a larger number of locals. The Feminine effectively exposed some of the deep‐rooted cultural, religious, and social barriers in addressing gender inequalities and silent sexual violence issues in the modern Kurdish patriarchal society.

scholarly journals Attitudes of professionals in Serbia on gender equality and gender-based violence: The research results

Temida ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-201
Author(s):  
Sanja Copic ◽  
Bejan Saciri
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Independent State ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender

In 2019 the Victimology Society of Serbia conducted the survey aimed at assessing the attitudes of professionals who work in state institutions, independent state agencies and civil society organizations in Serbia about gender equality and genderbased violence, and collecting data on their experiences and challenges in dealing with gender-based violence victims, especially Roma women and women in rural areas. The survey was a part of the broader project aimed to contribute to policy and practice changes to ensure the recognition of harmful gender stereotypes and gender discrimination and to ensure suppression and timely response in cases of gender- based violence. It was a part of the program ?Ending Violence against Women in the Western Balkan countries and Turkey: Implementing Norms, Changing Minds?, implemented by the UN Women and funded by the European Commission. The survey was conducted on a sample of 199 respondents from the police, courts, prosecutors? offices, social welfare centres, independent institutions and civil society organizations, in 21 local communities in Serbia. The survey findings suggested that in general practitioners involved in the survey do not have negative attitudes towards gender equality and gender-based violence. However, when looking at some individual statements on the scales of attitudes on gender equality and gender-based violence, as well as answers to additional questions regarding the role of women and men at home, one can still conclude that traditional (gender) stereotypes are present in respondents of both sexes. The survey results also revealed a lack of knowledge about gender-based violence, which can result in the victim not being recognized, blaming the victim, failing to provide necessary assistance, support and protection, leading to re-victimization and secondary victimization. On average, male respondents have more conservative attitudes towards gender equality and gender-based violence than women. Older respondents, and consequently respondents with longer working experience, have more negative attitudes towards gender equality and gender-based violence than younger respondents. Respondents working in the judiciary, police and prosecution have more negative attitudes towards gender equality and gender-based violence than respondents from independent state bodies, centres for social work and civil society organizations. Attitudes on gender equality proved to be a strong predictor of attitudes about different forms of gender-based violence. Therefore, it is necessary to work further on raising awareness and strengthening capacities of practitioners in state institutions and civil society organizations on issues related to gender equality and gender-based violence, as well as on raising public awareness, including (potential) victims of gender inequality and gender-based violence, so that citizens can recognize their own or victimization of others and seek help and protect their rights.

scholarly journals Gender-Based Violence in Moroccan Folktales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Zahra Touzani
Keyword(s):  
Public Sphere ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Domestic Sphere ◽  
The Public ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Recurrent Theme

Men in Morocco have always employed many strategies whereby they have established their domination over women. Their patriarchal tendencies have proven incommensurable with the discourse of wisdom they purport to advocate. Accordingly, they have had to concoct elaborate stories and excuses to actualize their proclivities. Patriarchal hegemony has manifested itself in different ways and resulted in many phenomena, the most influential of which is undoubtedly violence against women that is predominant in the domestic sphere and the public sphere. This omnipresence accentuates through its portrayal in popular culture, including proverbs and folktales. Since folktales encapsulate a culture’s inherited customs, traditions, and values, this article’s primary concern is to investigate whether Moroccan folktales represent the logic dictated by Moroccan patriarchal institutions, aiming at reinforcing the oppression of women through violence. Specifically, the article seeks to address the representations of violence against women in folktales collected by Inea Bushnaq and Malika El Ouali Alami. The findings in this article prove that Moroccan folktales validate the Moroccan cultural norms that highlight the position of women as subordinate characters ready to follow the rules of patriarchal institutions. A recurrent theme throughout these tales is Gender-Based Violence. Thus, this article attempts to demonstrate the representations of GBV in Bushnaq’s and Alami’s tales.

The gender dimension of the 2020 Belarusian protest: Does female engagement contribute to the establishment of gender equality?

2021 ◽  
pp. 2336825X2110291
Author(s):  
Vasil Navumau ◽  
Olga Matveieva
Keyword(s):  
Public Sphere ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Depth Interviews

One of the distinctive traits of the Belarusian ‘revolution-in-the-making’, sparked by alleged falsifications during the presidential elections and brutal repressions of protest afterwards, has been a highly visible gender dimension. This article is devoted to the analysis of this gender-related consequences of protest activism in Belarus. Within this research, the authors analyse the role of the female movement in the Belarusian uprising and examine, and to which extent this involvement expands the public sphere and contributes to the changes in gender-related policies. To do this, the authors conducted seven semi-structured in-depth interviews with the gender experts and activists – four before and four after the protests.

Advancing the Agenda of the Confederation of Trade Unions on the Prevention of Sexual Violence in the World of Work in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Atnike Nova Sigiro
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
The World ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Set Up

<p>This article was formulated based on interviews with 5 (five) trade union confederations from a number of confederations in Indonesia, namely: Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Nasional (KSPN), Konfederasi Sarikat Buruh Muslimin Indonesia (KSarbumusi), Konfederasi Serikat Buruh Seluruh Indonesia (KSBSI), Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Indonesia (KSPI), and Konfederasi Kongres Aliansi Serikat Buruh Indonesia (KKASBI). This article seeks to explore the efforts made by the trade union confederation in promoting gender equality - specifically in advancing the agenda for the prevention and elimination of sexual violence in the world of work. This article was compiled based on research with a qualitative approach, with data collection methods through interviews and literature studies. The results of this study found that the confederations interviewed had already set up internal structures that have specific functions on issues related to gender equality, gender-based violence, and women’s empowerment; although still limited and on ad-hoc basis. This research also finds that the role of the trade union confederation is particularly prominent in advocating policies related to sexual violence and gender-based violence in the world of work, such as advocating the Bill on the Elimination of Sexual Violence, and the ratification of the ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment.</p>

scholarly journals The Sustainable Developments Goals and Buddha’s Teachings

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-79
Author(s):  
Sabita Dhakhwa
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Attitude Change ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Loving Kindness ◽  
Promote Gender Equality ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
The Buddha

 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The Buddha delivered several Dhamma discourses to diverse people in the various places for forty-five years; from the time he attained enlightenment until he entered into Mahaparinibbāna. These Dhamma discourses are related to non-violence, equality and peace. The elimination of all forms of gender based violence and promotion of equality are very much related with change of attitude and positive mind development. Moral conducts (Sila), Right speech, Right livelihood, Right understanding, practicing of loving kindness (Mettā, Saraniya Dhammas, etc are some of the Buddha’s teachings which can contribute to attitude change and positive mind development. The teachings of the Buddha are in harmony with the spirit of Gender equality goal of SDGs. Therefore, the article intends to throw light on the following aspects: What are the Buddha’s teaching for Gender equality? and how Buddha’s teachings can contribute to eliminate gender based violence and promote Gender equality which is one of the goal of SDGs.

scholarly journals Pandemic: Legal and Social Response

Law and World ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 14-39
Keyword(s):  
Student Mobility ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Social Response ◽  
Legal Regulations ◽  
Security Measures ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
The Public ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Legal Response ◽  
Gender Based

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the world and accelerated processes that could have taken decades without a pandemic. In this paper, the authors discuss the public and government responses to the new normal, nowadays reality, and most importantly, the legal regulations that have been enacted in different countries in response to the challenges. The paper discusses in detail issues related to security measures, social distance, gender issues, abortion, education and student mobility, employment, and entrepreneurship. A pandemic that has survived more than a year needs to be addressed. The decision-makers made efforts to create a provision for the influenza virus after it became prominent in society. The intention is not to be pessimistic but to be optimistic enough to create provisions for the future. Countries are aiming to achieve their commitments to recover from the pandemic. A pandemic demands a legal response as well as a social response. The research paper aimed to divert the attention of the readers to the untouched aspects of the law that are related to emergency situations, including pandemics. In the paper, we discuss the paradox of the pandemic, lockdown, and post-lock- down situations, as well as protests/riots, gender-based violence, healthcare, and education topics related to the changes that have taken place due to the pandemic.

scholarly journals NYC POPS: Exploring Human Agency of the Public Sphere

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anna Constable
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Privately Owned

<p>This thesis aims to investigate, through design, spatial agency within the realm of New York City’s Privately Owned Public Spaces. The notion of agency in architecture is directly linked to social and political power. Starting in 1961, New York’s city planners introduced an incentive zoning scheme (POPS) which encouraged private builders to include public spaces in their developments. Many are in active public use, but others are hard to find, under surveillance, or essentially inaccessible. Within the existing POPS sites, tension is current between the ideals of public space - completely open, accessible - and the limitations imposed by those who create and control it. Designed to be singular, contained, and mono-functional, POPS do not yet allow for newer ideas of public space as multi-functional, not contained/bounded but extending and overlapping outward.  As public-private partnerships become the model for catalyzing urban (re)development in the late 20th century, bonus space is an increasingly common land use type in major cities across the world. The quality and nature of bonus spaces created in exchange for floor area bonuses varies greatly. In many cases, tensions in privately owned space produce a severely constricted definition of the public and public life. Incentive zoning programmes continue to serve as a model for numerous urban zoning regulations, so changing ideas of public space and its design need to be tested in such spaces.  These urban plazas offer a test case through which to examine agency, exploring how social space is also political space, charged with the dynamics of power/ empowerment, interaction/ isolation, control/ freedom. This thesis looks at one such site, the connecting plaza sites along Sixth Avenue between West 47th St and West 51st St. This is an extreme example of concentrated POPS sites in New York City. Here one’s perception and occupation of space is profoundly affected by the underlying design of that space which reflects its private ownership. Privately Owned Public Space can be designed that is capable of/ challenging the notion of the public in public space, and modifying the structure of the city and its social life.</p>

Women’s participation and challenges to the liberal script: A global perspective

2021 ◽  
pp. 026858092110609
Author(s):  
Julia C Lerch ◽  
Evan Schofer ◽  
David John Frank ◽  
Wesley Longhofer ◽  
Francisco O Ramirez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
International Organizations ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
National Data ◽  
The Public ◽  
Education Politics ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Participation In Higher Education ◽  
Cross National

Existing scholarship documents large worldwide increases in women’s participation in the public sphere over recent decades, for example, in education, politics, and the labor force. Some scholars have argued that these changes follow broader trends in world society, especially its growing liberalism, which increasingly has reconfigured social life around the choices of empowered and rights-bearing individuals, regardless of gender. Very recently, however, a variety of populisms and nationalisms have emerged to present alternatives to liberalism, including in the international arena. We explore here their implications for women’s participation in public life. We use cross-national data to analyze changes in women’s participation in higher education, the polity, and the economy 1970–2017. We find that women’s participation on average continues to expand over this period, but there is evidence of a growing cross-national divergence. In most domains, women’s participation tends to be lower in countries linked to illiberal international organizations, especially in the recent-most period.

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