Solidaritas #57
Chinese social media cracks down on feminists while Indian police adopt WhatsApp to combat harassment
Good morning!
It’s a wet and chilly week here in Canberra; many jumpers and scarves required. Good thing I’m currently learning to knit.
A quick note: I’ve changed nomenclature for Burma/Myanmar. I’ve historically used ‘Burma’ but will now use ‘Myanmar’ in line with community usage.
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- Kate
Afghanistan
A newly declassified U.S. intelligence assessment paints a grim picture for the future of women’s rights in Afghanistan after international troops withdraw later this year, warning of a deterioration even if the Taliban fail to take power.
Australia
Why aren’t more Australians angry about violence against Indigenous women and girls?
The Australian government paid AU$3.8 million for a sexual consent campaign that included a video of a woman smearing a milkshake on a man’s face. Needless to say, we’re baffled.
Queensland receives over 107,000 domestic violence reports a year, yet there are only 90 DV specialist police. Perhaps it is thus not surprising that many victims are incorrectly identified as perpetrators.
After a series of suicides, this Indian community in Melbourne began helping women experiencing family violence.
Five ways this year’s budget can be made more women-friendly.
Bangladesh
More work needs to be done to ensure Bangladeshi women can safely migrate.
Achievement of the SDGs look to be in doubt unless GBV is properly handled.
Brunei
A man has been jailed for 24 months after being found guilty of eight counts of voyeurism against five women.
Cambodia
How women living in Cambodia’s floating villages are adapting to climate change.
China
Surviving the crackdown in Xinjiang.
Rural young women are saying they have less interest in marriage than ever before. Men, on the other hand, are (predictably!) still keen.
On social media, a few major concerns: Several prominent Chinese feminists have had their Weibo accounts closed after reporting trolls. Meanwhile, Douban has been shutting down high profile feminist groups.
China’s women’s sports teams are regularly performing better than the men’s teams. Netizens are asking, what’s going on?
Hong Kong
How already-unfair treatment of Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers in HK has worsened during the pandemic.
A construction worker has been jailed for 32 months for molesting seven women under the pretext of helping them brush insects off their clothes. He admitted he had used this tactic to assault more than 70 victims.
India
How WhatsApp became India’s most effective tool in fighting sexual harassment.
Why are women more vulnerable to flooding in India?
Women make up 80% of India’s internal migrants. So why is so little done to assist them and improve their safety?
Women still only make up around 10% of elected politicians in India.
Could the pandemic actually help India become more friendly to women?
Several politicians have promised to pay women for domestic work if they’re elected.
Indonesia
How the administrative battles facing transgender women lead to illness and even death.
Indonesia’s schools have a problem with child sexual assault.
Why are more and more Indonesian women being recruited to join ISIS?
On the complex history between skin colour and cosmopolitanism.
Japan
Currently, women in Japan only have access to surgical abortions if they wish to safely terminate a pregnancy. One company is now trying to get the abortion pill legalised; will be really interesting to see what happens.
Malaysia
A Twitter campaign has begun to #MakeSchoolASaferPlace after women revealed they experienced period spot checks as students.
Maldives
Hundreds of young people are protesting against GBV in the Maldives, where a gang rape at the end of March has sparked widespread outrage.
Myanmar
As many as 60% of Myanmar’s anti-coup protesters are women. They say they are particularly concerned about the potential regression of women’s rights.
These Rohingya women thought they were fleeing violence in Rakhine State; it turned out they were being sold as brides to men in Kashmir.
Nepal
48% of Nepali women say they have experienced GBV at some point in their lives; what does the road to healing look like for them?
New Zealand
Pasifika women in NZ have the country’s highest rates of antenatal and postnatal depression, yet only some seek help.
Women serving in the NZ Defence Force were surveyed about sexual violence. Concerningly, over half said they’d been assaulted.
Pakistan
Pakistan has a tough law against revenge porn, but does it actually work? One woman found that reporting her experience actually made the situation worse.
On Imran Khan’s sexist attitude and the women fighting back.
Women cricketers are now eligible for 12 months paid maternity leave.
Papua New Guinea
Sorcery-related attacks are continuing. Two women in Port Moresby were tortured last week after men accused them of witchcraft.
Do bank accounts help women in PNG?
The Philippines
What happens to the children of pregnant women jailed in Duterte’s war on drugs?
This is awesome: A number of Philippines musicians have joined forces on ‘Pasya’, an album advocating for the destigmatisation and decriminalisation of abortion.
Three young Filipino women have spoken out about how they were trafficked to Syria in 2018.
Regional
A more localised, culturally sensitive approach is required when supporting women’s electoral programs in the Pacific, research shows.
Three women-led projects successfully combating climate change.
Migrant workers from Southeast Asia often leave their children behind to be cared for by relations while they work overseas. SCMP looks at the impact this has on both the workers and their children.
Gina Chua has been appointed as Reuters’ new executive editor. This makes her one of the world’s most senior transgender journalists.
Samoa
Samoa still has a chance to get its first female PM. The election has resulted in a tie, with two parties each winning 26 seats. A challenge is underway.
South Korea
A South Korean court has upheld Japan's state immunity to dismiss a lawsuit raised by a group of women who were forced to work in Japanese wartime brothels, contradicting a previous ruling that ordered Japan to compensate victims.
The former CEO of Asiana Airlines reportedly refused 138 requests from female staff to take menstrual leave over two years. This right is protected by employment law, and the man has now been fined almost US$1,800 (2m won) by the court.
Taiwan
At just 29 years old, Lai Pin-yu is Taiwan’s youngest legislator. She’s also a massive anime fan and used her hobby as a way of getting young people to identify with her.
Vietnam
More and more Vietnamese women are playing football, including this team of rice farmers.