Solidaritas #118

Divorce bill approved by Philippines House of Representatives: onto the Senate! 👀👀

Good afternoon!

Solidaritas is a fortnightly newsletter about women’s rights, feminism, and gender in Asia and the Pacific, covering the entirety of this huge region: from Afghanistan and Pakistan in the west to Kiribati and Cook Islands in the east.

This issue’s header image was taken at the National Arboretum, Canberra, on a very foggy morning two weekends ago.

If you like Solidaritas, I’d be thrilled if you chose to support the newsletter by becoming a paid subscriber for just US$5 a month:

In solidarity,
- Kate

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Afghanistan
Women in flood-affected regions of Afghanistan are facing an urgent crisis due to lack of private toilets and cultural taboos over menstruation, ABC Australia reports. In some cases, women are not drinking water during the day in order not to have to find private toilet facilities.

Australia
Only 8% of contemporary child sexual assault incidents reported to NSW police end in a conviction, according to a new Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report. The number is lower for reported historic sexual assault incidents (7%) and lower again for reported adult sexual assault incidents (6%).

Migration and trafficking experts say there is a hidden crisis where women, typically those already subject to domestic violence, are tricked, threatened or forced into leaving Australia. Technically called exit trafficking, the practice is illegal and is treated as a form of people trafficking under commonwealth law.

The national Women in STEM Ambassador position was quietly shelved recently. Is this a setback, or a sign that things have improved?

Photo by Daniel Bernard on Unsplash

Cambodia
Getting divorced is one thing, but the struggles faced after divorce is another for many Cambodia women. Beyond enduring significant social shame and judgment, divorced women are more likely to face financial and mental issues compared to their former husbands.

China
In a first-ever lawsuit of its kind, the children of 18 deceased Chinese former World War II sex slaves have filed a lawsuit against Japan in the high court of Shanxi province. The plaintiffs seek financial compensation each of up to two million yuan (approximately A$416,000) and a formal public apology for the grave abuses the women endured.

India
Long harmed by patriarchal, casteist norms within the legal system, some women are now implementing women-centered forms of grassroots justice.

Socially, LGBTQ+ Indians are more accepted than ever. Politics hasn't caught up yet.

Shreeja Rao writes about being born into the Dalit community and embracing her identity.

Indonesia
How important is the role of a first lady in Indonesia and what will it mean for the country not to have one when President Elect Prabowo Subianto takes up office?

Unlike other regions of Indonesia which use a one person, one vote system, parts of West Papua use the traditional noken system, in which village chiefs cast votes on behalf of the entire village population using traditional noken woven bags. DevPolicy explores how the system disadvantages both women candidates and women voters.

Japan
The glass ceiling remains rock solid in Japanese politics. What can be done, asks the Mainichi?

But things are getting interesting in Tokyo: two women look likely to stand for the position of governor, with incumbent Yuriko Koike is widely expected to contest the election against Renho Saito.

Photo by Meriç Dağlı on Unsplash

Malaysia
A continued lack of a legal framework for refugees in Malaysia leaves women vulnerable to arrest when they seek medical help, including when pregnant and in childbirth.

Myanmar
The Myanmar military has reportedly started drafting women in some parts of the country during the junta’s third round of forced conscription.

Nepal
Miss Universe Nepal is using her platform to raise awareness on PCOS, which she herself experiences.

The Philippines
The Philippine House of Representatives has approved a bill that legalizes divorce in a limited range of circumstances, six years after a similar law stalled in the Senate. The Philippines is the only place outside the Vatican where divorce is outlawed, largely due to the influence of the Catholic Church. Next up is the Senate: Rappler takes a look at senators’ positions on the bill.

Solomon Islands
57-year-old Cathy Nori is one of just three women elected to Solomon Islands’ 50-seat parliament in last month’s election. Related: heated debate around women in politics continues.

The climate crisis is not gender-neutral: the impact of climate change on women in the Solomons.

Thailand
Thailand is set to become Southeast Asia’s first country to legalise same-sex marriage. AP News takes a look at why its Pride Parade has become so successful.

New research suggest that living with daughters can help lower gender wellbeing inequality in old age. But they also hint at the enduring influence of culture.

Timor-Leste
Timorese women want Indonesian President Elect Prabowo Subianto to face justice for his role in past atrocities, including those in then-occupied Timor-Leste.

Maria Madeira, the first artist to represent Timor-Leste at the Venice Biennale, draws on a heritage of abundance to investigate the darkest histories.

Photo by Trevar Skillicorn-Chilver on Unsplash