women's rights

To keep the men away, just cover up

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:03:00 +0200

"You can't stop them. But you can protect yourself. Your creator has your best interests at heart."

One of our Observers in Egypt received this image in a forwarded email. The message to women: Cover up to protect yourself. We ask our Observers if whether covering up really deters unwanted attention.

According to observers in Egypt, the hijab has crept up in popularity in recent years. It's not obligatory to cover up in the Arab republic and the government does little to promote the concept, but many Muslim women choose to cover their hair and bodies. This viral campaign, spread via forwarded email, suggests that women go one step further to "protect themselves". One of our Observers for Egypt told us that the person behind it is promoting the adoption of the niqab — a garment which covers everything but the eyes. Where the email originated, however, nobody seems to know. Despite efforts by some to track it through various sources, its origins remain unknown.

The cultural domain is just as sexist as the others

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:00:40 +0200

A mysterious group of "bearded women" hijacked a cultural event organised by left-wing French newspaper Libération last weekend. Their message: contrary to popular opinion, the cultural workplace is just as sexist as that of politics or finance.

While their predecessors burned bras in protest over gender inequality, these modern feminists - donned in fake facial-hair - march straight to the top of male-controlled territories; from committee meetings to shareholders' assemblies. They invited themselves to the Libération forum to remind participants that even in the cultural world, the key to success is... being male. Just an example: in 2006, 92% of theatre directors were men (source: French Ministry of Culture).

Flashing flashers

Julien — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:49:00 +0200

Tired of seeing people turn a blind eye on sexual assault and intimidation in India, one woman has decided to tackle the taboo subject head on. Her answer to a flasher is to snap a photo of him and post it online. And somebody has.

Jasmeen Patheja founded the website Blank Noise in 2003 to tackle sexual intimidation through active protest. She encourages women to post their accounts of assault online, no matter how "trivial" they may seem. She's also asking women to document men who "eve tease" them - an Indian phrase used to cover anything from unwanted glances to spitting. Her initiative has already attracted a collection of photos. One step further is to snap a man who indecently exposes himself. One woman was brave enough to take the step, and post the pic on Flickr.

The return of the chastity belt

Julien — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:55:34 +0200

Photo: AFP (we didn't manage to find an amateur image of the trouser padlock)

A belt with lock and key is the newest accessory in some Indonesian massage parlours. But it’s not out of choice that the masseuses don these chastity belts.

Drummed up by the local authorities of Batu, a tourist resort to the east of Java, this stern measure was hoped to prevent prostitution and keep up local appearances. Despite strong criticism from Meutia Fardia Hatta Swasono, minister for women’s rights, the new measure could even be on its way to the capital. Indeed, according to the Jakarta post, the city’s tourism agency is now thinking of following’s in Batu’s footsteps.

Let me drive by myself says Wajeha

Julien — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:57:00 +0100

Women are banned from driving on main roads in Saudi Arabia and face harsh penalties for getting behind the wheel. Activist Wajeha al-Huwaider is protesting against the prohibition by appealing to the authorities in a video clip - which she filmed from the driving seat of her car.