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{{Short description|Time period in Women's right movement}} | |||
⚫ | ] shared the ] in December 2014. She was shot in October 2012 by the ] for her efforts to secure education for girls.<ref name=Alter23December2014/>]] | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} | |||
⚫ | ] shared the ] in December 2014. She was shot in October 2012 by the ] for her efforts to secure education for girls.<ref name=Alter23December2014/>]] | ||
2014 was described as a watershed year for ], |
2014 was described as a watershed year for ], by newspapers such as '']''. It was described as a year in which women's voices acquired greater legitimacy and authority.<ref name=Solnit30Dec2014>], , ''The Guardian'', 30 December 2014.</ref><ref name=Guardianeditorial/><ref name=Leung24December2014>Marlene Leung, , CTV News, 24 December 2014.</ref><ref>Margaret Shkimba, , ''The Hamilton Spectator'', 31 December 2014.</ref> '']'' magazine said 2014 "may have been the best year for women since the dawn of time".<ref name=Alter23December2014>Charlotte Alter, , ''Time'' magazine, 23 December 2014.</ref> However, '']'' called it "a bad year for women, but a good year for feminism".<ref>Emily Tess Katz, , ''The Huffington Post'', 24 December 2014.</ref> San Francisco writer ] argued that it was "a year of feminist insurrection against male violence" and a "lurch forward" in the ],<ref name=Solnit30Dec2014/><ref name=SolnitMotherJones>Rebecca Solnit, , ''Mother Jones'', 3 June 2014.</ref> and ''The Guardian'' said the "globalisation of protest" at violence against women was "groundbreaking", and that social media had enabled a "new version of feminist solidarity".<ref name=Guardianeditorial>, ''The Guardian'', 31 December 2014.</ref> | ||
Denise Balkissoon, writing in '']'', disagreed with and criticized the view that 2014 marked a "watershed" moment and that "some collective 'we' has finally had enough", citing her ongoing concerns regarding a "broken system" with respect to ].<ref>Balkissoon, Denise. , ''The Globe and Mail'', 5 November 2014.</ref> ]' ], ], said that violence against women "is acknowledged as a pervasive and widespread human rights violation" and that as of 2014, "no single country can claim that there is progressive elimination occurring".<ref>Rashida Manjoo, , Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 27 October 2014. Pages 3, 5, 9–10. Accessed: 11 January 2015.</ref> | |||
==Issues== | ==Issues== | ||
===Street harassment, assault=== | ===Street harassment, assault=== | ||
] supported protests against the ], which took place in ], Nigeria, April 2014.]] | ] supported protests against the ], which took place in ], Nigeria, April 2014.]] | ||
⚫ | Marlene Leung of CTV News described 2014 as "the year women joined forces online and the Internet listened".<ref name=Leung24December2014 /> The Twitter campaign ], offering examples of ] and harassment, attracted over one million tweets within four days in May. The ] was created after the ] in California, a killing spree in which the killer's ] was cited as a factor.<ref name=Leung24December2014/><ref name=SolnitMotherJones/><ref>Sasha Weiss, , ''The New Yorker'', 26 May 2014.</ref> | ||
Many women began speaking out in creative ways on social media about their experiences of violence and sexual abuse. | |||
⚫ | The Twitter campaign ], offering examples of ] and harassment, attracted over one million tweets within four days in May. The ] was created after the ] in California, a |
||
The ] of women was highlighted when actor Shoshana Roberts was hired by ] to walk through the streets of New York City. Their two-minute video in |
The ] of women was highlighted when actor Shoshana Roberts was hired by ] to walk through the streets of New York City. Their two-minute video, '']'', filmed over a period of ten hours, showed 108 instances described as harassment, including comments from men regarding Roberts' appearance. She received online threats after the video aired.<ref>Gail Sullivan, , ''The Washington Post'', 29 October 2014.</ref><ref>Bethonie Butler, , ''The Washington Post'', 29 October 2014.</ref><ref name=Mashable>{{cite web|last1=Buck|first1=Stephanie|title=What do men think of catcalling? A men's rights activist and a feminist debate|url=http://mashable.com/2014/11/15/catcalling-debate/|website=Mashable|date=15 November 2014|access-date=8 January 2015}}</ref> In June, the Egyptian government criminalized sexual harassment, though campaigners questioned whether the law would be enforced.<ref>Patrick Kingsley, , ''The Guardian'', 6 June 2014.</ref> | ||
], spoke about imposing "as many restrictions on the sons as have been imposed on our daughters |
], spoke about imposing "as many restrictions on the sons as have been imposed on our daughters".<ref>, ''Indian Express'', 15 August 2014.</ref>]] | ||
Responding to the heightened awareness of rape in India after the ] and the ], Prime Minister ] advised parents, during his ] speech in August, not only to ask where their daughters are going, but to check on their sons, because "a rapist is also somebody's son |
Responding to the heightened awareness of rape in India after the ] and the ], Prime Minister ] advised parents, during his ] speech in August, not only to ask where their daughters are going, but to check on their sons, because "a rapist is also somebody's son".<ref name=SolnitOutlook>Rebecca Solnit, , ''Outlook'', 19 November 2014.</ref><ref>Kaveree Bamzai, , ''India Today'', 15 August 2014.</ref> Another Indian politician, ], opposing the introduction of the death penalty for rape, said in April "boys will be boys ... they commit mistakes", gaining considerable notoriety,<ref>Mohd Faisal Fareed, , ''Indian Express'', 11 April 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Jason |last=Burke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/31/india-gang-rape-katra-sadatgunj-fathyer-speaks |title='Go to the mango trees,' the bereaved father was told. 'The body of your daughter is there' |work=The Observer |date=31 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|agency=Reuters |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/717810/ally-of-indias-modi-says-rape-sometimes-right-sometimes-wrong/ |title=Ally of India's Modi says rape 'sometimes right, sometimes wrong' |work=The Express Tribune |date=5 June 2014}}</ref> while in June politician and former actor ] said he would send his "boys" to rape women from an opposing party.<ref>, ''Times of India'', 30 June 2014.</ref> | ||
Krishna Majumdar of the ] wrote in July that the Delhi and Badaun attacks were "nothing less than landmarks for women in India – landmarks in their consciousness of what men do, and can do, to them |
Krishna Majumdar of the ] wrote in July that the Delhi and Badaun attacks were "nothing less than landmarks for women in India – landmarks in their consciousness of what men do, and can do, to them", and that "the machismo of the male, sexual assault or the fear of it, will not let women be truly free".<ref name="Mainstream Weekly">{{cite web | url=http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article5061.html | title=Rape and the Politics of Hate | publisher=Mainstream Weekly | date=14 July 2014 | author=Krishna Majumdar}}</ref> The comic book '']'' (December 2014) featured a female Indian rape survivor as its hero; Priya is banished when her family learns about the rape, but with the help of the Hindu goddess ], she rides back on a tiger and is victorious.<ref>Geeta Pandey, , BBC News, 7 December 2014.</ref> | ||
First Lady ] delivered the weekly presidential address in May to highlight the ] in Nigeria, in which around 270 schoolgirls were kidnapped by an Islamist group. She argued that it was not an isolated incident: "It's a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions."<ref>Tracy McVeigh, , ''The Guardian'', 11 May 2014.</ref> | First Lady ] delivered the weekly presidential address in May to highlight the ] in Nigeria, in which around 270 schoolgirls were kidnapped by an Islamist group. She argued that it was not an isolated incident: "It's a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions."<ref>Tracy McVeigh, , ''The Guardian'', 11 May 2014.</ref> | ||
Women's allegations of assault or harassment at the hands of prominent men – including ] in the United States and ] in Canada – |
Women's allegations of assault or harassment at the hands of prominent men – including ] in the United States and ] in Canada – added to the debate about the abuse of women by men in power, and the difficulty of reporting it and being believed.<ref name=Solnit30Dec2014/><ref name=Gillis13Nov2014>Charlie Gillis, , ''Maclean's'', 13 November 2014.</ref><ref>], , ], CBC Radio One, 6 November 2014, from 02:08 mins.</ref><ref>Aaron Wherry, , ''Maclean's'', 5 November 2014.</ref> ]'s ] in the UK, an investigation triggered by the ], led to convictions for the sexual assault of women or girls against ], ] and ], all well-known men in the media and entertainment industry.<ref>Anni Donaldson, , ''The Conversation'', 10 December 2014.<p> | ||
Josh Halliday, , ''The Guardian'', 2 May 2014.<p> | Josh Halliday, , ''The Guardian'', 2 May 2014.</p><p> | ||
Peter Walker, , ''The Guardian'', 4 July 2014.<p> | Peter Walker, , ''The Guardian'', 4 July 2014.</p><p> | ||
Paul Gallagher, Paul Peachey, , ''The Independent'', 23 September 2014.</ref> | Paul Gallagher, Paul Peachey, , ''The Independent'', 23 September 2014.</p></ref> | ||
American football player ] was suspended by the ] (later reversed) after video surfaced of him punching his female partner, and there were protests in the UK |
American football player ] was suspended by the ] (later reversed) after video surfaced of him punching his female partner, and there were protests in the UK against soccer player ] being hired by another club after serving a jail sentence for rape.<ref name=Guardianeditorial/> Australia, the UK and Singapore barred US-based dating coach ], after complaints that his aggressive techniques amounted to abuse of women.<ref>Gail Sullivan, , ''The Washington Post'', 10 November 2014.</ref><ref>, BBC News, 19 November 2014.</ref><ref>, Channel NewsAsia, 26 November 2014.</ref> | ||
===Campus rape=== | ===Campus rape=== | ||
In college campuses in the US, the idea of affirmative consent to sex was promoted, referred to as "yes means yes |
In college campuses in the US, the idea of affirmative consent to sex was promoted, referred to as "yes means yes". In January, President ] launched the ],<ref>, White House, 29 April 2014.</ref> and in September, ] Governor ] signed SB 967,<ref name="Young2014">{{cite magazine | url=https://time.com/3222176/campus-rape-the-problem-with-yes-means-yes/ | title=Campus Rape: The Problem With 'Yes Means Yes' | magazine=Time | date=29 August 2014 | access-date=28 January 2015 | author=Young, Cathy}}</ref> legislation requiring colleges to adopt affirmative-consent policies.<ref>Emanuella Grinberg, , CNN, 29 September 2014.</ref> The new law defined consent to sex as an "affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity"; lack of protest and silence would not constitute consent.<ref>, California Legislative Information.</ref> Affirmative consent was criticized by ] who said government involvement in sexual activity was a "terrible idea" and that she did not believe this would protect against sexual assault.<ref name="Young2014" /> | ||
In September at ] in New York, art student ] began carrying a mattress with her on campus, in what she called ''Mattress Performance: Carry That Weight'', in protest to the university's alleged mishandling of a rape complaint she had filed, where the |
In September at ] in New York, art student ] began carrying a mattress with her on campus, in what she called '']'', in protest to the university's alleged mishandling of a rape complaint she had filed, where the student she accused was found "not responsible".<ref name=ValentiNoMeansNo>{{cite web|last1=Valenti|first1=Jessica|title=Beyond 'no means no': the future of campus rape prevention is 'yes means yes'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/02/-sp-campus-rape-prevention-yes-means-yes|website=The Guardian|date=2 September 2014|access-date=8 January 2015}}</ref><ref>Vanessa Grigoriadis, , ''New York Magazine'', 21 September 2014.</ref> The following month students at several universities in the US and Europe joined her protest against campus sexual assault, carrying mattresses on their campuses.<ref>Alexandra Svokos, , ''The Huffington Post'', 29 October 2014.</ref><ref>Amanda Hess, , ''Slate'', 30 October 2014.</ref><ref>, carryingtheweighttogether.com.</ref> | ||
===Online threats=== | ===Online threats=== | ||
] received threats during the ].]] | |||
]]] | |||
Online threats of violence against women were highlighted during ], a controversy about the treatment of women in video gaming.<ref name=SolnitOutlook/> American video-game developers ] and ] were forced to leave their homes after threats, as was media critic ], who researches ]; Sarkeesian cancelled a lecture at ] |
Online threats of violence against women were highlighted during ], a controversy about the treatment of women in video gaming.<ref name=SolnitOutlook/> American video-game developers ] and ] were forced to leave their homes after threats, as was media critic ], who researches ]; Sarkeesian cancelled a lecture at ] because, for legal reasons, it could not screen attendees for concealed weapons despite the threat of a school shooting if she spoke there.<ref>Soraya Nadia McDonald, , ''The Washington Post'', 15 October 2014.</ref> | ||
===Iran and Saudi Arabia=== | ===Iran and Saudi Arabia=== | ||
On Facebook, women in Iran posted images of themselves without veils in a movement known as ].<ref>Julia Carpenter, , ''The Washington Post'', 16 May 2014.</ref> In Saudi Arabia in December, two women involved in the ] movement were arrested.<ref>, BBC News, 25 December 2014.</ref> | On Facebook, women in Iran posted images of themselves without veils in a movement known as ].<ref>Julia Carpenter, , ''The Washington Post'', 16 May 2014.</ref> In Saudi Arabia in December, two women involved in the ] movement were arrested.<ref>, BBC News, 25 December 2014.</ref> | ||
==Laws== | ==Laws== | ||
The ] which was adopted in January 2014 was seen as minor progress for women's rights in the country.<ref name=tajine>Synda Tajine (19 January 2014) Al-Monitor.</ref> The first part of Article 20 reads "All citizens, male and female alike, have equal rights and duties, and are equal before the law without discrimination" while part of the Article 46 reads "The state shall ensure equal opportunities for men and women in carrying different responsibilities. The state shall ensure the elimination of all forms of violence against women." Human rights commentators saw the law as vague and underlined that the effect would depend heavily on interpretation of it.<ref name=tajine/> In April Tunisia officially lifted reservations it had taken to the ] regarding family law, becoming the first country in North Africa to not have any specific reservations. It did however maintain a general reservation that no laws should go against the first article of the Constitution which says the religion of Tunisia is Islam. Tunisians family law treats men and women differently regarding inheritance and divorces.<ref> Human Rights Watch. 1 mai 2014</ref><ref name=tajine/> | |||
] proposed the French gender equality law|thumb]] | ] proposed the French gender equality law|thumb]] | ||
In August France passed the most comprehensive law on gender equality to date, ''Loi pour l'égalité réelle entre les femmes et les hommes''.<ref name=editorial/> The law |
In August, France passed what a ''New York Times'' editorial described as the most comprehensive law on gender equality in that country to date, ''Loi pour l'égalité réelle entre les femmes et les hommes''.<ref name=editorial/> The law allows for ] on demand in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women previously had to be "in distress" to obtain an abortion.<ref>Lisa Anderson (6 August 2014) Reuters.</ref> Provisions were changed to encourage more men to take paternal leave and requiring workplaces to improve gender equality or face fines.<ref name=editorial/> There are also several provisions to strengthen the fight against ]. ] were forbidden for girls under 13 years of age,<ref>Ben McPartland (27 January 2014) The Local</ref> and the media was forbidden from portraying women in a sexist or demeaning way.<ref name=editorial>Editorial (24 January 2014) ''New York Times''</ref> The law also mandated gender quotas for the boards of sports organizations and public companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thelocal.fr/20140121/france-plans-to-legislate-equality|title=Ten things to know about France's new equality law|publisher=The Local|date=21 January 2014|access-date=9 April 2015}}</ref> | ||
In September, Spain's Prime Minister ] announced that the government would abandon a law |
In September, Spain's Prime Minister, ], announced that the government would abandon a proposed law to strengthen the ] which would have banned abortions except in cases of rape or to protect the health of the mother. The proposal, which was introduced by the ]'s cabinet in December 2013, had been met with large protests through 2014.<ref>Ashifa Kassam (23 September 2014) , ''The Guardian''.</ref><ref>, Amnesty International, 23 September 2014.</ref> | ||
In December 2014, |
In December 2014, Canada changed their prostitution laws to follow the ], which focuses prosecution on those who purchase sexual services. The purchasing and advertisement of sexual services became illegal (except for the advertisement by individual sex workers), while selling sex remained legal.<ref>Emma Batha, , Reuters, 5 December 2014.</ref><ref>Daniel Schwartz, , CBC News, 12 December 2014.</ref> The move was supported by a coalition of women's rights groups, the Women's Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution, but was criticized by ] and the Feminist Coalition, who argued that it would force sex workers into isolated environments.<ref>James Keller, , The Canadian Press, 29 May 2013.</ref><ref>Joseph Amon, , ''Ottawa Citizen'', 18 June 2014.</ref><ref>Jane Doe, , ''The Globe and Mail'', 22 July 2014.</ref> A similar proposal was approved by the French ] in 2013, but the ] in 2014 did not pass the bill. Rosen Hitcher, a former prostitute and abolition advocate, walked 800 km (500 m) from Saintes, in southwestern France, to Paris to protest the Senate's decision. She was supported by ], minister for women's rights, and the mayors of several cities, including ], the mayor of Paris.<ref>Francois Becker, , ], 12 October 2014.</ref><ref>, RFI, 13 October 2014.</ref> | ||
==World Economic Forum, United Nations== | ==World Economic Forum, United Nations== | ||
] launched the UN's ] campaign.]] | ] launched the UN's ] campaign.]] | ||
The ]'s 2014 ], measuring the allocation of resources between women and men in health, education, economy and politics, ranked ], ], ], Sweden and ] highest on their Global Gender Gap Index, while ], ], ], ] and ] were among the |
The ]'s 2014 ], measuring the allocation of resources between women and men in health, education, economy and politics, ranked ], ], ], Sweden and ] highest on their Global Gender Gap Index, while ], ], ], ] and ] were among those ranked the lowest. Globally, the health and survival gap was 96% and the educational attainment gap was 94%, with some countries closing the gap entirely. However, the gap related to improvement for women in the workplace was found to be 60%, having closed by only 4% since 2006. Although it showed the most improvement, the political empowerment gap remained at just 21%.<ref>], , ''Global Gender Gap Report 2014'', World Economic Forum.</ref><ref>, ''Global Gender Gap Report 2014'', World Economic Forum.</ref><ref name="World Economic Forum">{{cite web | url=http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2014 | title=The Global Gender Gap Report 2014 | publisher=World Economic Forum | date=2014 | access-date=10 January 2015 |author1=Bekhouche Yasmina |author2=Hausmann, Ricardo |author3=D’Andrea Tyson, Laura }}</ref> | ||
During a visit to the UK in April, the ]' ], ], criticized the country's "boys' club sexist culture |
During a visit to the UK in April, the ]' ], ], criticized the country's "boys' club sexist culture". She argued that sexism in the UK was more "pervasive" and "in your face" than other countries she had visited, which included Algeria, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, India and Croatia. She cited issues such the sexist portrayal of women in public, including the female nudity on ] of the ''Sun'' newspaper, bullying of girls in schools, and harassment in public spaces. ], the founder of the ], commented on Manjoo's criticisms calling them "a wake-up call to recognise the depth and severity of the problem. We still have gender inequality in the UK we are so quick to point the finger at other countries and suggest women are equal."<ref>Harriet Sherwood, , ''The Guardian'', 15 April 2014.</ref><ref>Sarah Morrison, , ''The Independent'', 15 April 2014.</ref><ref>Rashdia Manjoo, , Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, 15 April 2014.</ref> | ||
In a July meeting with activists and journalists at the end of an investigatory visit, Manjoo heard complaints and criticized the Mexican government's record on gender inequality in public agencies, describing verbal harassment and sexual harassment as forms of violence against women.<ref>Oscar Lopez, , ''Latin Times'', 13 July 2014. Accessed 11 January 2015.</ref> She said that violence against women "is acknowledged as a pervasive and widespread human rights violation" and that "no single country can claim that there is progressive elimination occurring". She said that two UN reports on the US in 2014 highlighted a disproportionate level of violence experienced by women from ethnic and racial minorities, mirroring findings in her own report of 2011 and similarly urging that the government do more to address the issue.<ref>Rashida Manjoo, , Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 27 October 2014. Pages 3, 5, 9-10. Accessed: 11 January 2015.</ref> | |||
⚫ | The BBC reported that the role of women within the UN was increasing. As of November 2014, there were 31 female ], and six seats (Argentina, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nigeria and the United States) out of fifteen on the ] were held by women. Most of the senior positions remained with men, including the current and all previous ].<ref>Nick Bryant, , BBC News, 16 November 2014.</ref> | ||
In June, UN special envoy ] and ] chaired the ''Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict'' in London,<ref>, BBC News, 12 June 2014.</ref> and the following month UNICEF and the UK government hosted the first ''Girl Summit'', aimed at ending ] and ].<ref>, ''The Guardian'', August 2014.</ref> UN Women Goodwill Ambassador ] launched the ] campaign in September at the United Nations in New York, inviting men to sign up as advocates for women's rights.<ref>, UN Women, 20 September 2014.</ref> | |||
⚫ | The BBC reported that the role of women within the UN was increasing. As of November 2014, there were 31 female ], and six seats (Argentina, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nigeria and the United States) out of fifteen on the ] were held by women. Most of the senior positions remained with men, including the current and all previous ].<ref>Nick Bryant, , BBC News, 16 November 2014.</ref> | ||
==Promotions and awards== | ==Promotions and awards== | ||
Several women moved into prominent positions traditionally held by men. In January ] became the first female CEO of ],<ref>Jaclyn Tropp, , ''The New Yorker'', 29 April 2014.</ref> in February ] the first woman to chair the US ],<ref name=Guardianeditorial/> in July Adm. ] of the ] the first female four-star admiral,<ref>Dan Lamothe, , ''The Washington Post'', 1 July 2014.</ref> and in December |
Several women moved into prominent positions traditionally held by men. In January ] became the first female CEO of ],<ref>Jaclyn Tropp, , ''The New Yorker'', 29 April 2014.</ref> in February ] the first woman to chair the US ],<ref name=Guardianeditorial/> in July Adm. ] of the ] the first female four-star admiral,<ref>Dan Lamothe, , ''The Washington Post'', 1 July 2014.</ref> and in December ] was the first woman chosen as a ] bishop.<ref>, BBC News, 17 December 2014.</ref> | ||
In August Iranian mathematician ] won the ] for mathematics, the first woman to do so.<ref name=Alter23December2014/> Maj. ], the first female fighter pilot in the United Arab Emirates, led a mission in October against ] targets in Syria, though she became the target of sexist remarks in some American media.<ref>Dana Ford, , CNN, 9 October 2014.</ref><ref>Martin Williams, , ''The Guardian'', 25 September 2014.</ref> ], a 17-year-old Pakistani woman who was shot by the ] for her efforts to secure education for girls, shared the ] in December |
In August, Iranian mathematician ] won the ] for mathematics, the first woman to do so.<ref name=Alter23December2014/> Maj. ], the first female fighter pilot in the United Arab Emirates, led a mission in October against ] targets in Syria, though she became the target of sexist remarks in some American media.<ref>Dana Ford, , CNN, 9 October 2014.</ref><ref>Martin Williams, , ''The Guardian'', 25 September 2014.</ref> ], a 17-year-old Pakistani woman who was shot by the ] for her efforts to secure education for girls, shared the ] in December. Yousafzai is the youngest person ever to receive the award.<ref name=Alter23December2014/> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
⚫ | {{Portal|Feminism}} | ||
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*] | *] | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
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==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
{{Commons|Feminism}} | {{Commons|Feminism}} | ||
⚫ | {{Portal|Feminism}} | ||
*, ''Cosmopolitan'', 3 December 2014. | |||
*, ''The Guardian''. | |||
*, ''The Hindu'', 31 December 2014. | |||
*, United Nations. | *, United Nations. | ||
*Al-Shibeeb, Dina. , ''Al Arabiya News'', 17 December 2014. | *Al-Shibeeb, Dina. , ''Al Arabiya News'', 17 December 2014. | ||
*Alter, Charlotte. , ''Time'' magazine, 2 December 2014. | *Alter, Charlotte. , ''Time'' magazine, 2 December 2014. | ||
*Carillo, Karol Alejandra Arámbula. , ''Transconflict'', 19 August 2014. | *Carillo, Karol Alejandra Arámbula. , ''Transconflict'', 19 August 2014. | ||
*{{cite journal |last=Filipovic |first=Jill |author-link=Jill Filipovic|date=3 December 2014 |title=The 20 Best Moments for Women in 2014 |url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a33754/best-moments-for-women-in-2014/ |journal=Cosmopolitan }} | |||
*Gay, Roxanne. , ''The Guardian'', 15 December 2014. | |||
* |
*Gay, Roxanne. , ''The Guardian'', 15 December 2014. | ||
*{{cite news |last=Greenwood |first=Phoebe |date=17 December 2014 |title=2014: the year women won? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2014/dec/17/2014-the-year-women-won-video |type=Video|publisher=Guardian News and media }} | |||
*{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=31 December 2014 |title=When women defined 2014 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/when-women-defined-2014/article6741924.ece |newspaper=The Hindu }} | |||
*Kitroeff, Natalie. , ''Business Week'', 30 December 2014. | |||
*Marcotte, Amanda. , ''Slate'', 30 December 2014. | *Marcotte, Amanda. , ''Slate'', 30 December 2014. | ||
*Zimmerman, Jess. , ''The Guardian'', 16 December 2014. | *Zimmerman, Jess. , ''The Guardian'', 16 December 2014. | ||
{{feminism}} | {{feminism}} | ||
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Latest revision as of 12:23, 17 November 2024
Time period in Women's right movement
2014 was described as a watershed year for women's rights, by newspapers such as The Guardian. It was described as a year in which women's voices acquired greater legitimacy and authority. Time magazine said 2014 "may have been the best year for women since the dawn of time". However, The Huffington Post called it "a bad year for women, but a good year for feminism". San Francisco writer Rebecca Solnit argued that it was "a year of feminist insurrection against male violence" and a "lurch forward" in the history of feminism, and The Guardian said the "globalisation of protest" at violence against women was "groundbreaking", and that social media had enabled a "new version of feminist solidarity".
Denise Balkissoon, writing in The Globe and Mail, disagreed with and criticized the view that 2014 marked a "watershed" moment and that "some collective 'we' has finally had enough", citing her ongoing concerns regarding a "broken system" with respect to violence against women. United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo, said that violence against women "is acknowledged as a pervasive and widespread human rights violation" and that as of 2014, "no single country can claim that there is progressive elimination occurring".
Issues
Street harassment, assault
Marlene Leung of CTV News described 2014 as "the year women joined forces online and the Internet listened". The Twitter campaign #YesAllWomen, offering examples of sexism and harassment, attracted over one million tweets within four days in May. The hashtag was created after the Isla Vista killings in California, a killing spree in which the killer's misogyny was cited as a factor.
The street harassment of women was highlighted when actor Shoshana Roberts was hired by Hollaback! to walk through the streets of New York City. Their two-minute video, 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman, filmed over a period of ten hours, showed 108 instances described as harassment, including comments from men regarding Roberts' appearance. She received online threats after the video aired. In June, the Egyptian government criminalized sexual harassment, though campaigners questioned whether the law would be enforced.
Responding to the heightened awareness of rape in India after the 2012 Delhi gang rape and the 2014 Badaun gang rape allegations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised parents, during his Independence Day speech in August, not only to ask where their daughters are going, but to check on their sons, because "a rapist is also somebody's son". Another Indian politician, Mulayam Singh Yadav, opposing the introduction of the death penalty for rape, said in April "boys will be boys ... they commit mistakes", gaining considerable notoriety, while in June politician and former actor Tapas Paul said he would send his "boys" to rape women from an opposing party.
Krishna Majumdar of the National Federation of Indian Women wrote in July that the Delhi and Badaun attacks were "nothing less than landmarks for women in India – landmarks in their consciousness of what men do, and can do, to them", and that "the machismo of the male, sexual assault or the fear of it, will not let women be truly free". The comic book Priya's Shakti (December 2014) featured a female Indian rape survivor as its hero; Priya is banished when her family learns about the rape, but with the help of the Hindu goddess Parvati, she rides back on a tiger and is victorious.
First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the weekly presidential address in May to highlight the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping in Nigeria, in which around 270 schoolgirls were kidnapped by an Islamist group. She argued that it was not an isolated incident: "It's a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions."
Women's allegations of assault or harassment at the hands of prominent men – including Bill Cosby in the United States and Jian Ghomeshi in Canada – added to the debate about the abuse of women by men in power, and the difficulty of reporting it and being believed. Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree in the UK, an investigation triggered by the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal, led to convictions for the sexual assault of women or girls against Max Clifford, Rolf Harris and Dave Lee Travis, all well-known men in the media and entertainment industry.
American football player Ray Rice was suspended by the NFL (later reversed) after video surfaced of him punching his female partner, and there were protests in the UK against soccer player Ched Evans being hired by another club after serving a jail sentence for rape. Australia, the UK and Singapore barred US-based dating coach Julien Blanc, after complaints that his aggressive techniques amounted to abuse of women.
Campus rape
In college campuses in the US, the idea of affirmative consent to sex was promoted, referred to as "yes means yes". In January, President Barack Obama launched the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, and in September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 967, legislation requiring colleges to adopt affirmative-consent policies. The new law defined consent to sex as an "affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity"; lack of protest and silence would not constitute consent. Affirmative consent was criticized by Cathy Young who said government involvement in sexual activity was a "terrible idea" and that she did not believe this would protect against sexual assault.
In September at Columbia University in New York, art student Emma Sulkowicz began carrying a mattress with her on campus, in what she called Mattress Performance: Carry That Weight, in protest to the university's alleged mishandling of a rape complaint she had filed, where the student she accused was found "not responsible". The following month students at several universities in the US and Europe joined her protest against campus sexual assault, carrying mattresses on their campuses.
Online threats
Online threats of violence against women were highlighted during Gamergate, a controversy about the treatment of women in video gaming. American video-game developers Zoë Quinn and Brianna Wu were forced to leave their homes after threats, as was media critic Anita Sarkeesian, who researches sexism in video games; Sarkeesian cancelled a lecture at Utah State University because, for legal reasons, it could not screen attendees for concealed weapons despite the threat of a school shooting if she spoke there.
Iran and Saudi Arabia
On Facebook, women in Iran posted images of themselves without veils in a movement known as My Stealthy Freedom. In Saudi Arabia in December, two women involved in the #womentodrive movement were arrested.
Laws
In August, France passed what a New York Times editorial described as the most comprehensive law on gender equality in that country to date, Loi pour l'égalité réelle entre les femmes et les hommes. The law allows for abortion on demand in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women previously had to be "in distress" to obtain an abortion. Provisions were changed to encourage more men to take paternal leave and requiring workplaces to improve gender equality or face fines. There are also several provisions to strengthen the fight against domestic abuse. Beauty pageants were forbidden for girls under 13 years of age, and the media was forbidden from portraying women in a sexist or demeaning way. The law also mandated gender quotas for the boards of sports organizations and public companies.
In September, Spain's Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, announced that the government would abandon a proposed law to strengthen the abortion law in Spain which would have banned abortions except in cases of rape or to protect the health of the mother. The proposal, which was introduced by the People Party's cabinet in December 2013, had been met with large protests through 2014.
In December 2014, Canada changed their prostitution laws to follow the Swedish model, which focuses prosecution on those who purchase sexual services. The purchasing and advertisement of sexual services became illegal (except for the advertisement by individual sex workers), while selling sex remained legal. The move was supported by a coalition of women's rights groups, the Women's Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution, but was criticized by Human Rights Watch and the Feminist Coalition, who argued that it would force sex workers into isolated environments. A similar proposal was approved by the French National Assembly in 2013, but the Senate in 2014 did not pass the bill. Rosen Hitcher, a former prostitute and abolition advocate, walked 800 km (500 m) from Saintes, in southwestern France, to Paris to protest the Senate's decision. She was supported by Pascale Boistard, minister for women's rights, and the mayors of several cities, including Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris.
World Economic Forum, United Nations
The World Economic Forum's 2014 Global Gender Gap Report, measuring the allocation of resources between women and men in health, education, economy and politics, ranked Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark highest on their Global Gender Gap Index, while Yemen, Pakistan, Chad, Syria and Mali were among those ranked the lowest. Globally, the health and survival gap was 96% and the educational attainment gap was 94%, with some countries closing the gap entirely. However, the gap related to improvement for women in the workplace was found to be 60%, having closed by only 4% since 2006. Although it showed the most improvement, the political empowerment gap remained at just 21%.
During a visit to the UK in April, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo, criticized the country's "boys' club sexist culture". She argued that sexism in the UK was more "pervasive" and "in your face" than other countries she had visited, which included Algeria, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, India and Croatia. She cited issues such the sexist portrayal of women in public, including the female nudity on Page Three of the Sun newspaper, bullying of girls in schools, and harassment in public spaces. Laura Bates, the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, commented on Manjoo's criticisms calling them "a wake-up call to recognise the depth and severity of the problem. We still have gender inequality in the UK we are so quick to point the finger at other countries and suggest women are equal."
In a July meeting with activists and journalists at the end of an investigatory visit, Manjoo heard complaints and criticized the Mexican government's record on gender inequality in public agencies, describing verbal harassment and sexual harassment as forms of violence against women. She said that violence against women "is acknowledged as a pervasive and widespread human rights violation" and that "no single country can claim that there is progressive elimination occurring". She said that two UN reports on the US in 2014 highlighted a disproportionate level of violence experienced by women from ethnic and racial minorities, mirroring findings in her own report of 2011 and similarly urging that the government do more to address the issue.
In June, UN special envoy Angelina Jolie and William Hague chaired the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London, and the following month UNICEF and the UK government hosted the first Girl Summit, aimed at ending female genital mutilation and child marriage. UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson launched the HeForShe campaign in September at the United Nations in New York, inviting men to sign up as advocates for women's rights.
The BBC reported that the role of women within the UN was increasing. As of November 2014, there were 31 female permanent representatives, and six seats (Argentina, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nigeria and the United States) out of fifteen on the Security Council were held by women. Most of the senior positions remained with men, including the current and all previous secretaries-general.
Promotions and awards
Several women moved into prominent positions traditionally held by men. In January Mary Barra became the first female CEO of General Motors, in February Janet Yellen the first woman to chair the US Federal Reserve Board of Governors, in July Adm. Michelle J. Howard of the United States Navy the first female four-star admiral, and in December Libby Lane was the first woman chosen as a Church of England bishop.
In August, Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani won the Fields Medal for mathematics, the first woman to do so. Maj. Mariam al-Mansouri, the first female fighter pilot in the United Arab Emirates, led a mission in October against ISIS targets in Syria, though she became the target of sexist remarks in some American media. Malala Yousafzai, a 17-year-old Pakistani woman who was shot by the Taliban for her efforts to secure education for girls, shared the Nobel Peace Prize in December. Yousafzai is the youngest person ever to receive the award.
See also
References
- ^ Charlotte Alter, "This May Have Been the Best Year for Women Since the Dawn of Time", Time magazine, 23 December 2014.
- ^ Rebecca Solnit, "Listen up, women are telling their story now", The Guardian, 30 December 2014.
- ^ "The Guardian view on a year in feminism: 2014 was a watershed", The Guardian, 31 December 2014.
- ^ Marlene Leung, "2014: The year women joined forces online and the Internet listened", CTV News, 24 December 2014.
- Margaret Shkimba, "Outrage prompts new era for women", The Hamilton Spectator, 31 December 2014.
- Emily Tess Katz, "2014 Was A Bad Year For Women, But A Good Year For Feminism", The Huffington Post, 24 December 2014.
- ^ Rebecca Solnit, "Why #Yesallwomen Matters", Mother Jones, 3 June 2014.
- Balkissoon, Denise. "Sorry, we haven’t reached a 'watershed' on violence against women", The Globe and Mail, 5 November 2014.
- Rashida Manjoo, Hearing Submission: Jessica Lenahan (Gonzales) v. United States, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 27 October 2014. Pages 3, 5, 9–10. Accessed: 11 January 2015.
- Sasha Weiss, "The Power Of #YesAllWomen", The New Yorker, 26 May 2014.
- Gail Sullivan, "Video: Woman harassed 108 times as she walks around New York", The Washington Post, 29 October 2014.
- Bethonie Butler, "The story behind that '10 hours of walking in NYC' viral street harassment video", The Washington Post, 29 October 2014.
- Buck, Stephanie (15 November 2014). "What do men think of catcalling? A men's rights activist and a feminist debate". Mashable. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- Patrick Kingsley, "Egypt criminalises sexual harassment for first time", The Guardian, 6 June 2014.
- "Full Text: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on 68th Independence Day", Indian Express, 15 August 2014.
- ^ Rebecca Solnit, "A Watershed Year For Feminism", Outlook, 19 November 2014.
- Kaveree Bamzai, "Narendra Modi, the first feminist", India Today, 15 August 2014.
- Mohd Faisal Fareed, "Mulayam’s shocker: Boys will be boys, they make mistakes ... Will you hang them for rape?", Indian Express, 11 April 2014.
- Burke, Jason (31 May 2014). "'Go to the mango trees,' the bereaved father was told. 'The body of your daughter is there'". The Observer.
- "Ally of India's Modi says rape 'sometimes right, sometimes wrong'". The Express Tribune. Reuters. 5 June 2014.
- "Will ask my boys to go and rape CPM women: TMC MP Tapas Pal openly threatens opponents", Times of India, 30 June 2014.
- Krishna Majumdar (14 July 2014). "Rape and the Politics of Hate". Mainstream Weekly.
- Geeta Pandey, "India's new comic 'super hero': Priya, the rape survivor", BBC News, 7 December 2014.
- Tracy McVeigh, "Michelle Obama raises pressure over kidnapped schoolgirls", The Guardian, 11 May 2014.
- Charlie Gillis, "Is this a watershed in battle against sexual harassment?", Maclean's, 13 November 2014.
- Anna Maria Tremonti, "Sexism and violence against women may be getting attention, but some say the watershed moment is still to come", The Current, CBC Radio One, 6 November 2014, from 02:08 mins.
- Aaron Wherry, "Two Liberal MPs suspended over allegations of personal misconduct", Maclean's, 5 November 2014.
- Anni Donaldson, "Time to finish off Page 3 – and tackle #everydaysexism – by handing out a few 'prizes'", The Conversation, 10 December 2014.
Josh Halliday, "Max Clifford sentenced to eight years for his crimes and contempt of women", The Guardian, 2 May 2014.
Peter Walker, "Rolf Harris jailed for five years nine months for indecently assaulting girls", The Guardian, 4 July 2014.
Paul Gallagher, Paul Peachey, "Dave Lee Travis is found guilty of indecent assault", The Independent, 23 September 2014.
- Gail Sullivan, "‘Dating coach’ Julien Blanc kicked out of Australia for crude ‘pick-up’ schtick", The Washington Post, 10 November 2014.
- "Julien Blanc: UK denies visa to 'pick-up artist'", BBC News, 19 November 2014.
- "Pick-up artist Julien Blanc blocked from entering Singapore", Channel NewsAsia, 26 November 2014.
- "Fact Sheet: Not Alone – Protecting Students from Sexual Assault", White House, 29 April 2014.
- ^ Young, Cathy (29 August 2014). "Campus Rape: The Problem With 'Yes Means Yes'". Time. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- Emanuella Grinberg, "Schools preach 'enthusiastic' yes in sex consent education", CNN, 29 September 2014.
- "Senate Bill No. 967", California Legislative Information.
- Valenti, Jessica (2 September 2014). "Beyond 'no means no': the future of campus rape prevention is 'yes means yes'". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- Vanessa Grigoriadis, "Meet the College Women Who Are Starting a Revolution Against Campus Sexual Assault", New York Magazine, 21 September 2014.
- Alexandra Svokos, "Students Bring Out Mattresses In Huge 'Carry That Weight' Protest Against Sexual Assault", The Huffington Post, 29 October 2014.
- Amanda Hess, "Emma Sulkowicz Inspired Students Across the Country to Carry Their Mattresses. Now What?", Slate, 30 October 2014.
- "Carry that Weight", carryingtheweighttogether.com.
- Soraya Nadia McDonald, "Anita Sarkeesian cancels Utah lecture after threat", The Washington Post, 15 October 2014.
- Julia Carpenter, "Iranian women shed hijabs for 'Stealthy Freedoms' Facebook page", The Washington Post, 16 May 2014.
- "Saudi terrorism court 'to try women drivers'", BBC News, 25 December 2014.
- ^ Editorial (24 January 2014) The Rights of French Women New York Times
- Lisa Anderson (6 August 2014) France passes sweeping gender equality law Reuters.
- Ben McPartland (27 January 2014) French MPs ban beauty contests for under-13s The Local
- "Ten things to know about France's new equality law". The Local. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- Ashifa Kassam (23 September 2014) 'Spain abandons plan to introduce tough new abortion laws', The Guardian.
- "Dropped anti-abortion bill must usher in better protection of women's rights in Spain", Amnesty International, 23 September 2014.
- Emma Batha, "Controversial Canadian law criminalizes men who buy sex", Reuters, 5 December 2014.
- Daniel Schwartz, "New prostitution laws unlikely to be challenged soon, legal experts say", CBC News, 12 December 2014.
- James Keller, "Legalizing Prostitution Challenge By Women's Coalition", The Canadian Press, 29 May 2013.
- Joseph Amon, "Canada's prostitution bill a step in the wrong direction", Ottawa Citizen, 18 June 2014.
- Jane Doe, "Why the prostitution bill will increase violence against sex workers", The Globe and Mail, 22 July 2014.
- Francois Becker, "Ex-prostitute ends long march for French bill to penalise clients", AFP, 12 October 2014.
- "French ex-prostitute ends long march to support fines for clients", RFI, 13 October 2014.
- Klaus Schwab, "Preface", Global Gender Gap Report 2014, World Economic Forum.
- "Rankings", Global Gender Gap Report 2014, World Economic Forum.
- Bekhouche Yasmina; Hausmann, Ricardo; D’Andrea Tyson, Laura (2014). "The Global Gender Gap Report 2014". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- Harriet Sherwood, "UN special rapporteur criticises Britain's 'in-your-face' sexist culture", The Guardian, 15 April 2014.
- Sarah Morrison, "Boys' club Britain is more sexist than Italy, Azerbaijan and India, says UN human rights expert", The Independent, 15 April 2014.
- Rashdia Manjoo, "Special Rapporteur on violence against women finalizes country mission to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland ...", Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations, 15 April 2014.
- Oscar Lopez, Rashida Manjoo, UN Special Rapporteur On Violence Against Women, To Enrique Peña Nieto: Not Good Enough!, Latin Times, 13 July 2014. Accessed 11 January 2015.
- Rashida Manjoo, Hearing Submission: Jessica Lenahan (Gonzales) v. United States, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 27 October 2014. Pages 3, 5, 9-10. Accessed: 11 January 2015.
- "Angelina Jolie and William Hague urge action on sexual violence in war zones", BBC News, 12 June 2014.
- "Girl Summit", The Guardian, August 2014.
- "Emma Watson: Gender equality is your issue too", UN Women, 20 September 2014.
- Nick Bryant, "At the UN, women play increasingly powerful roles", BBC News, 16 November 2014.
- Jaclyn Tropp, "Is Mary Barra Standing on a 'Glass Cliff'?", The New Yorker, 29 April 2014.
- Dan Lamothe, "Adm. Michelle Howard becomes first four-star woman in Navy history", The Washington Post, 1 July 2014.
- "Reverend Libby Lane named as CofE's first female bishop", BBC News, 17 December 2014.
- Dana Ford, "UAE's first female fighter pilot led airstrike against ISIS", CNN, 9 October 2014.
- Martin Williams, "Fox News presenters mock female pilot who took part in campaign against Isis", The Guardian, 25 September 2014.
Further reading
- "2014 Commission on the Status of Women: Agreed Conclusions", United Nations.
- Al-Shibeeb, Dina. "Remembering 2014's captives still held by extremists", Al Arabiya News, 17 December 2014.
- Alter, Charlotte. "Top Ten Moments for Women", Time magazine, 2 December 2014.
- Carillo, Karol Alejandra Arámbula. "From Nigeria to Iraq – the on-going failure to protect women and girls in armed conflict", Transconflict, 19 August 2014.
- Filipovic, Jill (3 December 2014). "The 20 Best Moments for Women in 2014". Cosmopolitan.
- Gay, Roxanne. "Beyond Bill Cosby: 2014 was the year we stopped worshipping at the altar of monsters", The Guardian, 15 December 2014.
- Greenwood, Phoebe (17 December 2014). "2014: the year women won?" (Video). Guardian News and media.
- "When women defined 2014". The Hindu. 31 December 2014.
- Kitroeff, Natalie. "2014 Was the Year Colleges Finally Had to Answer for Rape on Campus", Business Week, 30 December 2014.
- Marcotte, Amanda. "2014 Was a Great Year for Feminism. Is a Backlash Coming?", Slate, 30 December 2014.
- Zimmerman, Jess. "No, we don't literally want to ban men. But 2014 was the year women got even", The Guardian, 16 December 2014.