Indonesia’s religious affairs minister has called for the Miss World beauty pageant to be cancelled, as opposition in the Muslim-majority country mounts the week before the contest opens in Bali. Suryadharma Ali said that the organisers should follow the advice of the nation’s top Islamic clerical body, which last week called for the contest to Read more
Elizabeth Krishna, 52, of Fiji,who works through the Catholic Church to combat unemployment and crime and close the gap between rich and poor, was one of 16 women from five regions in the South Pacific who attended the 2013 Summer Peace building Institute (SPI) at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), May 6 -June 14. Krishna says, ” for me, it’s always Read more
The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre is engaging churches to help spread its message. Approximately 30 pastors, priests, pundits and Imams have been invited to attend a two-day awareness workshop in Nadi to help them better understand gender related violence. As a part of the workshop, the religious leaders will be expected to examine their own religious Read more
A recently published article argues that since abortion is largely accepted even for reasons that do not have anything to do with the fetus’ health, after-birth abortion’ (killing a newborn) should be permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled because: 1. Both fetuses and newborns do Read more
Pacific women are likely to start having fewer and fewer children in future and this could lead to population decline in some areas.
Read the article...10 new volunteers have been brought together in Suva, in conjunction with the Catholic Women’s League, to learn about community radio, UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (Women, Peace and Security) and other gender equality and women’s human rights commitments as they prepare to take to the airwaves alongside Generation Next members.
“As a young woman you can make a difference. My message for the 16 days of activism is for my community to be free from violence especially violence against women and girls,” says young mum Ana Rakacikaci. As a mother of 9 and 5 year olds, her priorities are food prices, preventing teenage pregnancies and drug and substance abuse.
“I know through this women’s mobile radio, awareness can be raised to help women, especially young women, to be informed. I am passionate about equality amongst women and girls. I would like them to be empowered through the medium where their voices can be heard.”
She is part of a group of ten young women claiming their role as Peacebuilders, communicators, radio producers and broadcasters as they undergo training at FemLINKPACIFIC’s community media centre in Suva in the lead up to the 16 days’ campaign to Eliminate Violence Against Women.
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A brazen topless protester from the Ukrainian women’s rights group Femen sneaked past security and partially stripped in front of St Peter’s Basilica just after the Pope’s Sunday Angelus message. Alexandra Shevchenko was arrested at the Vatican after dropping to her knees in St. Peter’s Square, holding up a sign reading “Freedom for Women” and removing Read more