International Women's Day 2007

International Women's Day (IWD) will be marked today by thousands of events 'to inspire women and celebrate their achievements', but also to address remaining challenges to gender equality, particularly in the developing world. 

Ingrained social and economic patriarchy in many less developed countries means that relations between men and women are conducted on an unequal footing with women generally disadvantaged. One of the gravest manifestations of gender inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa is the prevalance and treatment of HIV/AIDS where, according to the British Medical Journal, nearly 60 per cent of individuals living with HIV/AIDS are women. 

A report entitled 'Gendering AIDS' that deals with gender disadvantage found the following:

  • Gender violence is linked to HIV transmission through rape, and reduces the ability of women and vulnerable men to discuss sex with their partners.
  • Unequal rights to property mean that women may be forced out of their homes when widowed or diagnosed with HIV. This increases their vulnerability to illness and the need to undertake sex work.
  • The burden of caring for the sick falls predominantly on women, compounding their domestic responsibilities and reinforcing stereotypes about gender roles.
  • Unequal access to treatment means that fewer women than men are treated for HIV and AIDS-related illnesses, directly increasing the impact of the epidemic on women.
  • Unequal access to appropriate prevention information for women, and for men who have sex with men, increases both groups' vulnerability to HIV. Groups targeted by specific prevention interventions risk becoming stigmatised in the larger population.

The report says that the unequal division of labour, assets, property and other resources are at the core of relations between women and men, thus efforts to reduce gender inequalities in social, economic, and political opportunities is critical.

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is an organisation that runs programmes to empower women economically, such as offering micro credit. According to Rachel Flynn of VSO, once women become the main breadwinner in the household, they are seen to have rights and are less vulnerable to gender inequality. Part of the solution is also the education of men and the concept of personal responsibility towards others and themselves.    

Trocaire campaign for gender equality 

Trocaire is running a Lenten campaign to champion equal rights for women and men around the world. A petition on Trocaire's website will be used to lobby the Irish and British governments "to draw up viable national action plans that will prevent violence against women and protect them in conflict" and to honour their commitment to UN Resolution 1325 relating to the human rights of women and children in conflict situations and which has yet to be enforced.  

 

Related Article: Read Anup Shah on worldwide gender inequality .

 

More: Trocaire - http://apps.trocaire.org/justworld/mod/trocaire/index.php

 

International Women's Day events in Ireland

 

Date:08 March 2007Time:18:30pm - 22:00pm Event:Achieving Your PotentialAbout:Celebrating International Women's Day with a business presentation and networking evening for women. Presentations on issues involved in achieving potential, working from home and the working woman. Speakers are Annette Clancy, Darina Loakman, Aideen Kane.Networking opportunity afterwards. €20, pre-booking essential. Contact Nicola Fitzpatrick.Venue:Pontoon Bridge Hotel, Pontoon, Co. MayoOrg'n:Mayo County Enterprise Board: Mayo CEB assists small and micro businesses within County Mayo through financial supports business advice and counselling and Management Development Training. Info:Click hereDate:08 March 2007Time:16:00pm -20:00pm. Speakers will speak every twenty minutes for five or ten minutes on their chosen "wealth" topic.Event:Women Defining Wealth: A ConversationAbout:We need to talk! As the consumer society spreads it global tentacles, we need to define (true) wealth and ask ourselves: what share of it belongs to women? How do the gender imbalances around money affect the true wealth of women, men and children? You are warmly invited to join members and friends of WoW (wealthofwomen.com) for conversation and connection over a glass of wine Venue:The Warehouse, 35 Barrow St, Dublin, Dublin 2Org'n:WoW: Wealth of Women: Helping Women to lead Wealthier LivesInfo:Click hereDate:08 March 2007Time:20:00pmEvent:Women in the front line of the struggle for justice and progressAbout:Public meeting with guest speaker Nadia Harb (Palestinian People's Party)Venue:Liberty Hall, Eden Quay, DublinOrg'n:Communist Party of Ireland: The CPI reaffirms its comprehensive policies with respect to women. The issues of affordable child care, low pay and poverty remain major social problems affecting women in Ireland. Women continue to be under-represented in political life. The CPI recognises the crucial role the Women's Coalition has played in the peace negotiations in the North. We also recognise the positive contribution that the women's movement has played in politics.Info:Click hereDate:08 March 2007Time:07:30pm - 09:00pmEvent:Women in War: Public SeminarAbout:The seminar will focus on women and armed conflict. Two papers will be given on women in Burma and Afghanistan with the final paper in the seminar focusing on a global perspective of women and armed conflict. The papers will be delivered by Dr Mary Montaut (UCD WERRC), Comdt Mary Carroll (Irish Defense Forces) and Dr Theresa O'Keefe (UCD Equality Studies Centre)Venue:Humanities Institute of Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4Org'n:UCD Women's Education Research and Resource Centre (WERRC): One of Europe's leading Women's Studies centres in Europe, dedicated to challenging inequalities through rigorous scholarship and analysisInfo:Click hereDate:08 March 2007Time:13.00 - 14.00pmEvent:International Women's Day CelebrationsAbout:Celebration of women's work from the arts, humanities and sciences followed by a drama performance of statistics on gender equality issues in IrelandVenue:Printing House and Front Square, Trinity College, Dublin 2, DublinOrg'n:Collaboration of Centres in Trinity College Dublin: Centre for Women in Science & Engineering Research; Centre for Gender & Women's Studies; DUGES; School of Drama, Film & Music; Music & Media TechnologiesInfo:Click here

 

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