Philippine President Duterte Under Fire for Saying He 'Touched' Maid
Straits Times - Manila, Phillipines, 12/30/2018
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte drew outrage after saying he ‘touched’ his maid when he was a teenager, with women's rights groups accusing him of attempted rape and encouraging sexual abuse. Duterte frequently sparks uproar with his comments on women, including rape jokes and boasting about adultery. In his latest remarks, Duterte recounted a confession he had with a priest in high school, detailing how he had touched his maid without her consent. Women's rights political party Gabriela denounced Duterte's ‘repulsive’ comments and called for him to resign, saying he had confessed to attempted rape. Responding to the criticism, Duterte's spokesman said on Sunday that the president had ‘made up’ and ‘added and spliced’ the story.
Shashi Tharoor's Private Member's Bill Seeks to Criminalise Marital Rape
Daily News and Analysis - New Delhi, India, 12/29/2018
Indian parliamentarian, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, has introduced a private member's Bill seeking to criminalise marital rape, to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, and to provide for free sanitary napkins to women across the country. The Women's Sexual, Reproductive and Menstrual Rights Bill 2018 aims to give more agency to women. "Marital rape must be criminalised to eliminate the loss of a woman's sexual independence post marriage. Further, unrelated facts about a woman's life such as caste, profession, clothing preference, personal opinion and past sexual conduct, among others should not be factors in presuming her sexual consent," the statement of the Bill states. “The Bill seeks to restore a woman's autonomy, married or otherwise, including her sexual, reproductive and menstrual rights," said Tharoor.
Malaysian Activists Condemn Assault of Two Men Accused of Homosexuality
Today Online - Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 12/28/2018
LGBTQ activists on December 27, 2018, condemned the violent assault of two young men after they were beaten up by several unknown assailants for allegedly having sex in a car. LGBTQ activist Numan Afifi Saadan, who shared the video, which has since gone viral, chastised the act of violence against the LGBT community and said it needed to stop. In the 96-second video, several individuals believed to be security guards can be heard in the background verbally abusing the duo while cursing them in Malay and calling them an ‘embarrassment’. The video has since been shared at least 1,200 times and viewed over 88,000 times. Local LGBT rights group, PELANGI Campaign, also condemned the violent assault on the two young men, and so did multiple human rights lawyers.
Thai Government Approves Draft to Legalise Same-Sex Civil Union
Business Standard - Bangkok, Thailand, 12/26/2018
The Thailand Government has approved a draft legislation to allow same-sex civil unions, a step which could make it the first Asian country to recognise such partnerships once the bill is passed, official sources said on December 26, 2018. The Government approved the Civil Partnership Bill on December 25, 2018, though officials said no date has been fixed yet for the legislation to be presented in the National legislative Assembly for a debate and approval, as the State Council was still reviewing its details. This bill has been in discussion for more than ten months now, and its approval from the legislative assembly would prove historic for LGBTQ rights both in the country and in the Global South region.
Trans Persons Can Now File Sexual Harassment Complaints under IPC, Delhi HC Rules
The News Minute, India, 12/26/2018
The Delhi High Court, in what seems to be an inclusive move, has ruled that section 354A of the Indian Penal Code can now be used by transgender persons to register complaints of sexual harassment. This came as the High Court heard a petition by a transgender student from Delhi University who wanted to lodge a sexual harassment complaint, but was not entertained by the police. The petitioner argued that interpretation of the section 354A in a way that it denies protection to someone who does not conform to the gender binary of ‘woman’ is a violation of the complainant’s fundamental rights. The Delhi police has now registered the petitioner’s FIR under section 354A of the IPC and proceeded to investigate the case.
China's Education Ministry Demands Intensified Protection of Children from Sexual Assault
Xinhua - Beijing, China, 12/23/2018
China's Ministry of Education has ordered intensified protection of kindergarteners and school students from sexual assault, stressing that education on sexual assault prevention should be a ‘top priority’. The ministry has issued a circular urging local education administrations and schools to promote sexuality education and teach children how to protect themselves from sexual assault. Schools should also do better background checks on candidates while recruiting teachers, the circular said, adding that a database on sexual-assault-related crimes should be set up with coordination by public security departments. Local education administrations and schools should make joint efforts with public security departments to step up patrols around schools to prevent children from being sexually assaulted by people from outside, the circular said.
New Report Shows 2,000 Inmates, 124 Prison Officers Live with HIV
The Citizen - Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, 12/22/2018
According to a report by Tanzania’s Ministry of Home Affairs (which is currently drafting a five-year plan for controlling HIV and AIDS in prisons), out of 38,000 inmates in 126 prisons, over 2,000 inmates and 124 prison officers live with HIV. HIV has been spreading at a rate of 7.5 per cent in prisons, a higher rate than in other communities. But under their five-year plan, which is supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Government plans to create more awareness around HIV and AIDS among prisoners, prison officers and their families so that further preventive measures can be taken . The plan would also involve provisions for affordable treatment of those living with HIV.
Lok Sabha Passes Bill Which Bans Commercial Surrogacy
Financial Express, India, 12/19/2018
A bill that bars commercial surrogacy and allows only close relatives to act as surrogates to infertile couples for ‘altruistic’ reasons was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2018, which is not at all progressive. The bill entitles only Indian citizens to avail surrogacy, banning foreign nationals, NRIs and PIOs from seeking surrogacy in the country. Under this bill, queer people, single parents, and live-in couples are also not entitled for surrogacy, neither are heterosexual couples who already have children (though they are free to adopt). Moreover, the bill allows surrogacy only for legally married heterosexual couples after five years of marriage and with a doctor’s certificate stating that they are medically unfit to reproduce.
Philippines Tops Gender Equality in Asia, Improves Global Ranking
Phillipine Star - Manila, Phillipines, 12/18/2018
The Philippines remains the country with the narrowest economic gender gap in Asia, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2018 of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Philippines also improved three notches in its world ranking from 10th place last year (0.790) to seventh place this year (0.799). The Global Gender Gap Report evaluates 149 countries on their progress in gender parity through economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. The Philippines scored the highest in educational attainment with a perfect score of 1 and ranking 1st, fully closing the gender gap in this key pillar. For political empowerment of women, the country ranked 13th globally, and for economic participation of women, it ranked 14th.
Lok Sabha passes Transgender Persons Bill with 27 changes
The Indian Express, India, 12/17/2018
The Lok Sabha passed the Trasngender Persons Bill supposedly meant to give equal rights and protection to trans people on December 17, 2018, with 27 amendments introduced by the Government. The amendments include a change in the previous definition of transgender persons as ‘neither wholly female or wholly male’, which was criticised as being insensitive. This, along with its lack of acknowledgement for the self-identification of trans people caused several civil society groups and individuals from the trans community to oppose the Bill, stating that it dehumanises trans people and disregards many of the suggestions made by the community in July 2017. The Bill will now be presented and argued with in the Rajya Sabha until it is accepted as law.
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