Legislative victories are important in changing society to eradicate injustices like forced child marriage, but such change is delivered because of and not without daring, challenging, transformative processes of education and action whether led by state, religious, familiar or civic actors. Trust
When culture trumps law to undermine women's rights, new forms of culture can help women in the struggle for equality. Marion Bowman reports from the first day of the Trust Women conference in London
For too long the absence of men and boys, as well as the missing component of youth ingenuity and passion, has been an impediment to lasting progress in achieving gender equality and the prevention of violence against women and girls, says Jimmie Briggs.
We need an unambiguous law which punish harassers and not the victims, says Ghaidaa Al-Absi.
نحن بحاجة إلى قانون غير مبهم وواضح لمعاقبة المتحرشين لا لمعاقبة الضحايا" غيداء العبسي"
In the first case of its kind in Africa, a suit has been filed against Kenyan police for systemic discrimination in permitting the rape of young girls and in failing to enforce existing laws. If successful the case could establish legal protection from rape for all girls in Kenya
“Sometimes we need to name the abnormal as abnormal, and take action to defend what is normal!” - Shereen Essof. Jessica Horn reports at the close of the Nobel Women's Initiative conference, 'Women Forging a New Security: ending sexual violence in conflict'
The to-ing and fro-ing about ‘women’s peaceful natures’ is no more than an excitable bubble of argument out of touch with facts on the ground. Antiwar feminism is a pretty holistic feminism that is forged in the crucible of war.
Violence against women is a public plague no one can live with and early and forced marriage remains the main challenge in Cameroon. The road ahead is a long one but with the force of women’s activism we can get there, says Aîssa Ngatansou Doumara.
We need to remind people that the sex industry has created a structured system of merchandising humans. We should not horrify people, but teach them ways to understand the problem and inspire them to be part of the solution, says Lydia Cacho
Whether they work in an office in Luxembourg or a field in Malawi, abused women cannot play their full part in building a better world. Monique Villa, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, explains the purpose of the forthcoming Trust Women conference for action
"As an 18 year old woman I wanted to join what I saw as the coolest and toughest force - not the Air Force, not the Navy, but the Army. I was the first woman to join, and arrived full of ideas of what life would be like as a woman in the army. Things were not as I had imagined at all...."
