Akansha
This week’s top stories include the publication of a book about how women can solve the water shortage, worry over the status of women in Afghanistan, Women’s cycling gaining more attention, women’s safety and more.
1. As Erdogan fanning flames of ‘culture war,’ women’s group in Turkey is targeted
Turkish public prosecutors have outraged feminists by requesting the dissolution of the country’s largest women’s rights organization, accusing it of being “against morals.” We Will Stop Femicide (WWSF) has been served with a letter demanding that the organization be disbanded for public safety reasons, and the organizers now face a lengthy court battle to remain open. According to the prosecution, the group violated the law and acted immorally by “disintegrating the family structure by neglecting the notion of the family under the pretence of protecting women’s rights.”
“We don’t see this as just an attack on us,” WWSF general secretary Fidan Ataselim stated. For us, this is an attack on all Turkish women, all social movements, and all democratic public opinion.” It was horrible conduct, according to Emma Sinclair-Webb, Human Rights Watch’s Turkey director. “It’s very provocative,” she commented. “The authorities are well aware that this is a highly successful and widely publicized effort.”
2. Publication of a book about how women can solve the water shortage
THE CORO India on Monday published its book ‘Jalnayika,’ based on an out-of-the-box concept that highlights the tales of women from eight villages in Satara district who worked together to solve the region’s water shortage problem. The event at the Y B Chavan Centre also included a screening of a short film that provided an overview of this community-led water campaign.
The project, which began in 2018, began with two villages in the Satara District: Bhalwadi and Injabav. Suryakant Kamble, Process Coordinator, Quest Grassroots Leadership Development Programme, CORO India, discussed how the organization had visited the communities for leadership and training and discovered the water shortage issue.
3. UNHRC talks about Afghanistani girls not getting their right to education
Taking a pessimistic perspective on the prohibition on female pupils in grades 7-12 in Afghanistan, Samira Hamidi, a member of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHRC), stated that the ban on girls is contradictory to their responsibility to the international community. “We are witnessing a violation of all women’s and girls’ rights. The Taliban failed to keep their pledges on the reopening of girls’ schools. In meetings with the Taliban, the international community must make women’s and girls’ rights a red line. We demand that the international community hold the Taliban accountable “The Tolo News cited Hamidi as saying.
Shabia Mantoo, the UN Refugee Agency’s spokesperson, raised worry over the status of women in Afghanistan. As she put it, “we have a great deal of concern for the plight of girls and women. They face increased risk and challenges that limit their capacity to move freely and work.”
4. Women’s cycling has gained more attention since Longo Borghini won Paris-Roubaix
Elisa Longo Borghini regina del pavé 👑
La campionessa italiana scrive l'ennesimo capitolo della grande storia del ciclismo conquistando la Paris-Roubaix femminile 🪨#nazionaleciclismo🇮🇹 #fci #parigiroubaix #elisalongoborghini pic.twitter.com/uLi1VECls6— F.C.I. (@Federciclismo) April 16, 2022
The single winner in the Velodrome André Pétrieux was a Trek-Segafredo rider for the second year in a run at Paris-Roubaix Femmes, and for the second year in a row, the winner praised the event as another step forward for women’s cycling. Lizzie Deignan won last time, subsequently applauding her team for “breaking barriers” by matching prize money between their male and female squads. On Saturday, Elisa Longo Borghini highlighted that the increased press coverage for the race’s second edition was a positive step forward.
Longo Borghini informed the assembled press after her race-winning 32km solo effort that there has been an increase in interest in women’s cycling, which was reflected in the number of journalists present at the finish.
5. Various workshops on GeM Portal are addressed by Bajpai
Usha Bajpai, a GeM Portal National Executive Member on a three-day tour to Jammu, trained women activists during a series of Train the Trainer workshops on GeM Portal Registration in various regions of the Jammu division. A massive gathering of ladies was organized in the Kathua district’s Lakhanpur. The sessions were convened on the orders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national president of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Vanathi Srinivasan, and were arranged by Jammu Women’s Credited Cooperative Limited (JWCCL), which is chaired by Sanjita Dogra.
Kailash Verma, the chief advisor of Jammu Women Credit Co-Operative Ltd, was the main organizer of the Lakhanpur conference. Speaking on the occasion, Bajpai stated that the Central Government is assisting women in finding self-employment opportunities.
6. Saugata Roy argues for women’s safety on Nadia’s rape as ‘State With Woman CM…’
Saugata Roy, a Trinamool Congress MP, remarked on Thursday that even a single crime against women committed in Bengal while a woman was chief minister was terrible, providing fodder for the opposition, which asked him to remind his party of the humiliation. Roy stated at the inauguration of a police station in North 24 Pargana, “Everyone is concerned about women’s safety, and we must show zero tolerance.” Even if one occurrence occurs in the state with a female chief minister, it would be embarrassing for us. Strict action will be taken against the perpetrators.”
The words of the leader came during an investigation into the Hanskhali rape and murder event, in which a juvenile girl died after being gang-raped at a birthday celebration earlier this month. According to the girl’s relatives, the main accused is the son of a Trinamool Congress panchayat member, who has been arrested for further inquiry.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee drew criticism for a comment in which she appeared to cast doubt on rape charges. “Police are still investigating the cause of death.” I had inquired of them. Will you call it rape, or was she pregnant at the time? Was it the result of a love affair? Have you asked about them? “This is a tragic situation,” Banerjee remarked.
