gender inequality

Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER) is gravely concerned with the quality of the debate going on regarding a woman candidate for the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) post.

Impossibly high moral standards are placed on Wan Azizah. We have heard from many quarters criticisms such as: she is Anwar Ibrahim’s wife and thus his puppet; that she purportedly has no clout; she is not competent enough; and that she does not have the “wow” factor. On this basis, critics have shunned her as a potential candidate for the MB’s post.

Photo illustration by Jeff Boyer / Times Union

While I was in high school, Ms. Magazine appeared on newsstands, and before long my best friend's girlfriend announced that she was a feminist.

Women in politics are just as big of a target as Hollywood celebrities. They find themselves perpetually plagued by their looks, be it because they are beautiful or because they are not. Either way, a single comment about a female politician's looks can be extremely harmful for their careers, according to new research conducted by the Women's Media Center.

In a country where traditional roles of womanhood are persistent and widespread, women are often discouraged from seeking employment, either as a result of internalized patriarchal notions or more often, due to constraints from their domestic obligations.

Though data on these issues is largely sporadic, the World Bank database presents an interesting opportunity for analyzing the female labour force of a country that aims to adopt European values.

Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

A national meeting of Labor women has been told the government is making gender equality a tougher battle in Australia.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek told the convention on Saturday that a range of budget measures announced in May will work against women and used as an example the story of a single mum living in her Sydney electorate.

President Barack Obama criticized gender oppression in Africa that he said is "crippling" development in some countries, speaking out publicly Monday for the first time against female genital mutilation while encouraging young leaders from the continent to empower women.

Women make up just one third of members of State boards and have been "consistently under-represented in economic portfolios," according to a report submitted to Cabinet on gender equality in decision-making roles.

It says that the figures have remained “fairly static” for some time, despite a 40% target set by consecutive administrations.

The Country Director of the United Nations Women, Dr Grace Ongile has challenged the Nigerian government to ensure gender mainstreaming at all levels.

Doctor Ongile at a meeting in Abuja pointed out that Nigeria has one of the worst cases of gender inequality, violence against women and illiteracy.

To reduce this trend, the United Nations representative called for more synergy between international organisations, government at all levels and members of civil society organisations.

Iran's new president, Hassan Rouhani, may have pledged to promote women's rights and recently nominated a female vice president. But, if a striking image captured during Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's introduction is any indication, Iran still has a long way to go when it comes to gender equality.

In the photo taken earlier this month, female journalists sit on the floor and take notes during the inauguration. They are surrounded by men, many of whom are seated in chairs.