CASE SPOTLIGHT
Afghan Women Brave Death To Enter Politics, Afghanistan
Salima Sharifi was an 18-year-old student when she started campaigning for the provincial elections. Months later she won 2,114 votes and a place in history as Afghanistan's youngest female politician. Risks were very real in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, where clashes with the Taliban were an almost daily event. This is an explosive province where zealots torch schools and assassinate girls' teachers. Sharifi received several death threats which forced her family to move house. Yet she remained undeterred. "Of course, I am scared. But I am willing to make any sacrifice, even to die," she said. Like Sharifi, Raazia Baloch, 33, returned from exile in Iran after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. She was married at 12; her police officer husband died in a bombing. Her liberal notions are tempered by local culture and gritty necessities-she sought her four brothers' permission before standing for election, and her first daughter got married at 11. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle)
Women Commissioners in Bangladesh Fight to Cancel Controversial Bill, Bangladesh
In the famous case of the Khulna City Corporation where the ongoing exclusion of the women from important Council functions was further strengthened by a circular/ order issued from the Ministry (2001) stating that the important functions of the City Corporation can only be undertaken by general seat Commissioners who are mostly men. Another order of the Ministry sanctioned that the Commissioners elected from general seats could enjoy the facilities of a Ward Secretary, an MLSS and a guard which are not allowed to the Commissioners elected to the reserved seats. The underlying assumption was that the women members do not have their own or independent wards and the law does not specify that they have the same functions as the general members. In response to this arbitrariness and unconstitutional act on the part of the ministry officials the women Commissioners of the Khulna City Corporation filed Writ Petition against the discriminatory provisions of the circular dated 23.09.2002 seeking justice from the court. The verdict of the court favoring the women commissioners was based on the cognizance of the constitutional provision of equal rights of women and the Ordinance's implications of a superficial role of women. Following the verdict, the Ministry issued an Order dated 15.06.2005 canceling the disputed Circular. The implementation of the court verdict was delayed because of the lax attitude of the chairs and male members and the failure on the part of the government to implement the Order.
Family Members and Village Supports Women to Fight Elections, India
Madhuri Gupta is from Mukhia village of Manjharia Panchayat and Gounaha block in the West Chanparan District of Bihar. She wanted to contest the elections in Mukhia village as an independent candidate of Mukhia Panchayat. She dared to contest precisely because she was the only educated women (up to 10th class) in the area. Her determination to contribute something to society and to the alleviation of the poor and needy is worth mention. Looking at her grit and determination, the entire village stood by her and supported her to contest the elections. But the rich and powerful section had different plans, these people hired local goondas. They even persuaded her not to contest the elections. Finally, they threatened that she would have to face serious consequences. When she did not listen to these threats, the goondas murdered her son "Prince". Her family was in trouble: the community stood with her and provided all the support. Collectively, they lodged a complaint at the Police station in Shikarpur police station, West Champaran district. The people of the village and Madhuri's family were determined to help her contest elections despite the ineffectiveness of the local police.
Unfulfilled Wish to Become a Political Party Leader, Nepal
Gauri Devi Meheta (43), a district member of the Sadhbhawana Party had started her political career without prior approval of her husband. In addition to suffering from domestic and psychological violence, Gauri was also discriminated against by neighbors and relatives since they disliked her political affiliations. Her husband remarried, and she and her husband were separated after a few months. After their separation, her husband filed a case and claimed her property. She explains that as a Madhesi woman, it is very difficult to get involved in social and political activities. Due to the existence of discrimination and violence in politics, and a lack of support from close ones, her wish to become a political party leader has not been fulfilled. She agrees that women lack working capacity in politics and that women suffer from violence in politics. This is the reason that she demands for a separate court for women.
Character Assasination of Pakistan's Tourism Minister, Pakistan
Pakistan's minister of tourism, Nilofar Bakhtiar, was forced to resign after hardline Islamist clerics branded her "obscene" for hugging a man after a charity parachute jump. Islamist extremists railed against Bakhtiar after local papers published photos showing the minister embracing her parachute instructor in western France. Bakhtiar, one of just three women cabinet ministers in Pakistan, made the jump in March 2006 to raise funds for the victims of the 2005 earthquake that killed over 73,000 Pakistanis. Initially she tried to shrug off the critics saying that she had no regrets and that she would do it again happily if it would help the people of Pakistan. However, after continuing pressure she submitted an angry resignation letter speaking of "deep regret" and "exceptional circumstances". (Source: People's Daily Online)
