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POPSGlobal Database of Quotas for Women
Obstacles to women's political participation exist throughout the world in prevailing social and economic regimes, as well as in existing political structures. In 2005, the representation of women reached nearly 16 percent globally. Although this total has increased in recent years, the minimal progress globally means that the ideal of parity remains a long way off. Given the slow rate at which the representation of women is increasing, various methods -- such as electoral quotas -- have been proposed or implemented to address the present gender imbalance in decision-making. Consequently, governments and political parties have experimented with different types of quotas. As the debate about the use of quotas as a tool to increase the political participation of women gains momentum, International IDEA and Stockholm University are collaborating on a research project leading to the production of a comparative knowledge and resources on their implementation and impact.
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POPSVikings acquitted in 100-year-old murder mystery The discovery of the ornate Oseberg oak longboat in south Norway, with a curling prow and the bodies of two women, was one of the archaeological sensations of the early 20th century The old woman suffered from Morgagni's syndrome, a hormonal disturbance that gave her a man-like appearance with a beard and a thick-set body
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POPS New marriage law proposed for Muslim women in India Controversial points of new nikahnama --Triple talaq said in one go will not be acceptable --Talaq to be spaced out over a period of 3 months --Talaq not be allowed via phone or SMS --New Nikahnama insists on free will for the girl in case of nikah --Talaq cannot be given under the influence of alcohol --Talaq given to pregnant woman should be considered illegal
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POPS'Tragic protest' of Iraqi Kurdish women "When Saddam's regime was in power he did everything to subordinate women" "The Anfal Campaign against the Kurds was exactly like that. He actually killed all the men but let the women stay and live that sort of misery with their children. There was 30 years of that kind of rule. It will take a long, long time for that to change. It is a very slow and painful process." The human rights minister in the Kurdistan region admits that immolation is a problem that his government is struggling to deal with There have been attempts to improve education and women's shelters have been built, but it will take years to change long-held customs.
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POPSCelebrity tryst may change Korean adultery law "The adultery law ... has degenerated into a means of revenge by the spouse, rather than a means of saving a marriage," the petition said South Korea passed the adultery law in 1953 to protect women. In its male-dominated society, women had little recourse against a husband who had an affair. Back then if a wife walked out of a marriage, she would often end up alone and penniless Today, it is rare for people to be jailed but that has not stopped several thousand angry spouses from filing criminal complaints each year Referring to the current divorce law, the petition said: "There has been no evidence of its contribution to protecting women, and its validity is questionable with the elevation of women's social and economic status."
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POPSSaudis lift ban on women drivers Mohammad al-Zulfa, a reformist member of the Saudi consultative Shura Council, which scrutinises official policies in the oil-rich state, said reversing the ban was part of King Abdullah's "clever" strategy of incremental reform. "When it was first raised, the extremists were really mad," he said. "Now they just complain. It is diminishing into a form of consent." (DT)
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POPSTwo slightly related news reports Girl Power! The amendment to the judiciary law will make the UAE the second Gulf Arab country to allow women to become judges, ending a male domination of the vocation, according to the Middle East Times
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POPSOffended Muslim Syndrome In order to guard against OMS, health officials warn individuals who are at risk to make sure that the objective reality they are exposed to does not: * Make them aware of the outside world * Trigger curiosity about the Western notions of "logic" or "rationality" * Make life more enjoyable * Cause them to question the need for martyrdom * Have side effects such as independent thinking and longing to live as a productive individual * Create an illusion that communication with infidels is possible without hostage-taking
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POPSCable TV May Improve Gender Relations in India The authors point out that changes in reported attitudes may not directly translate to changes in behavior, however, saying, "We may be concerned that exposure to television only changes what the respondent thinks the interviewer wants to hear.”
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POPS'Baby hatch' highlights Japan fears over adoption Confucianism, which spread to Japan from China and Korea more than a thousand years ago, emphasises the importance of a child's relationship with its birth parents and reverence for ancestry When women give birth they must enter the child's name on their family register, a powerful incentive for single women to end a pregnancy or even abandon a newborn rather than risk its being discovered by a potential employer or future husband For much of Japan's history, adoption has therefore remained within the extended family, with childless couples often taking in a nephew or other relative to carry on their family name or business, rather than because the child was in need of care. "Special adoption," of needy non-relatives was not introduced until 1989 and only a few hundred cases are approved each year, compared with three to four thousand in the United Kingdom, which has around half Japan's population.
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POPS Families 'will refuse to hire a Saudi housekeeper' "Not a long time ago, Al-Riyadh, the Arabic newspaper published an advertisement stating, 'Saudi female house manager ...wanted,' at that time many people expressed their anger about it and asked: Have Saudi women reached the point where they have to work as housemaids?" whats so special about Saudi women? what do they have that women from other Asian countries dont have?
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