Marya
Women are constantly proving themselves in many sectors, and this week’s news is another example of their tenacity, battling spirit, and never-give-up attitude. Women have always been a source of pride for their country and have thrived in every profession they have pursued. Women’s empowerment is a strong and life-changing feeling.
This week’s top stories is constituted with prospects of more representation in jobs, historic feats of first in different fields, and new developments for the safety of women and others. Let’s catch up with this week’s top stories concerning women and enlighten ourselves.
1. Priyanka promises a 30 per cent quota in jobs for women if Congress is voted to power in Goa
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress General Secretary, pledged 30 per cent job reservation for women if her party wins the forthcoming Goa assembly elections. Priyanka Gandhi visited Morpirla village in the Quepem assembly segment during her day-long visit to the coastal state, where she talked with tribal women. The Congresswoman also performed a traditional dance with the indigenous ladies.
2. Congress UP poll manifesto for women states 40% of 20 lakh new jobs to be allotted to women
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a Congress politician, issued a women’s manifesto on Wednesday ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, vowing that women will receive 40% of the 20 lakh new jobs her party plans to generate in the state. In her six-point manifesto, titled ‘Shakti Vidhan,’ she also stated that if the Congress wins power, she will ensure that 50% of all ration shops in the state are managed and run by women, that 25% of all police jobs are reserved for women, and that women will receive free medical treatment for any illness.
3. In Gujarat’s Bavla, two widows take on patriarchy by fighting against archaic rules on land ownership
Two women, albeit uneducated in traditional terms, are fighting a struggle in a little village 52 kilometres from Ahmedabad that has the potential to flip some of the most antiquated and patriarchal property ownership norms on their heads. Geetaben Rathore (43), a widow from Bavla district’s Sankod hamlet, has been fighting for a four-acre property left to her when her husband died in the early 2000s. Meena Patel (35), a mother of three, is a widow. She has a four-acre agricultural property, half of which she has mortgaged and the rest of which she tills herself. She also works as a daily wager, for which she is paid Rs 250 each day. She battled for her land and stayed firm against her inlaws.
4. Spain’s Prime Minister vows to abolish Prostitution
“Prostitution is a practice that enslaves women,” stated Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, in his closing statement at the Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) conference in October. “The crowd cheered Mr. Sanchez’s demand for the eradication of one of the world’s oldest forms of systematic oppression.” PSOE women’s leaders are pushing for a law called the Abolitionist, Nordic, or Equality Model, which only decriminalizes those who are bought and sold in prostitution and offers them services, while sex purchasers are targeted as culprits. A weapon to fight sex trafficking is the law, which is based on human rights, international law, and feminist ideas. Prostitution is “one of the cruellest manifestations of the feminization of poverty and one of the harshest kinds of abuse against women,” according to a feminist manifesto produced by the PSOE.
5. Makari is Marvel’s first black deaf woman superhero
Proud of the husband @douglasridloff for the work he’s doing! Read on:
More deaf creators are getting behind the camera and changing the industry – CNN https://t.co/0ihp8ucHGT— Lauren Ridloff (@LaurenRidloff) December 6, 2021
The next instalment of the Marvel film franchise, Marvel’s Eternals, was released in theatres on November 5th, with actress Lauren Ridloff playing Marvel’s first Deaf onscreen superhero. Makarifor, played by Ridloff, is the first Black Deaf woman superhero to be shown in a major motion picture series. Throughout her professional career, Jade Bryan, a filmmaker, writer, and founder of the #DeafTalent campaign has pushed for Deaf cinema creatives. Further systemic change for Deaf inclusion in film and television is sought by Deaf film industry workers and consumers. Fortunately, moviegoers are demanding more diversity for their money these days.
6. Dr Neeli Bengapuli set to bet first woman President of Penn State University
The announcement of the first female and person of colour president at the Pennsylvania State University in the United States made history. Indian-origin The Penn State Board of Trustees overwhelmingly chose Dr Neeli Bendapudi for the position. Dr Bendapudi was born in the Indian city of Visakhapatnam and immigrated to the United States in 1986. In the spring of 2022, Dr Neeli Bendapudi will take over as the 19th president of Penn State University.
7. Tenure of women’s reservation in local bodies is extended by 10 years in Assam
By amending the legislation, seats designated for women in local authorities in Assam would be extended for ten years. On December 10, the Assam state government made this decision. The decision was taken to expand women’s representation in municipal government. The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, presided over the cabinet meeting, which voted to revise the Assam Municipal Act of 1956 and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation Act of 1969.
8. Facebook, Instagram get new features for the online safety of women
Meta, the parent company of social networking sites including Facebook and Instagram, has developed a Women’s Safety Hub to help women stay secure online. The hub will make it simple for women to get information and resources that will assist them in creating a secure online environment for themselves. Meta’s most recent activities include StopNCII.org, which tries to stop the distribution of non-consensual intimate photographs (NCII). This was created to safeguard the users’ safety, privacy, and security. It’s available in Hindi and 11 other Indian languages, ensuring that women don’t have any linguistic obstacles when it comes to digital safety.
9. Kolkata traffic police to sensitize cab drivers on the safety of women passengers
The Kolkata Police Department will launch a three-month gender sensitization campaign called ‘This Car Respects Women,’ with the goal of training 12,500 app-based cab, taxi, autorickshaw, and bus drivers. Sexual harassment and violence against women will be addressed in the training curriculum. Psychiatrists, college professors, and gender specialists have been enlisted to deliver 250 such training sessions by mid-March.
