Transgender Woman Wins GP Election at Karnataka's Saligrama
The Times of India - Mysuru, Karnataka, 12/31/2020
Devika, a transgender woman and candidate, has won the Karnataka Gram Panchayat elections, 2020 from a ward reserved for SC women in Mysuru’s Saligrama Panchayat by securing 110 votes. Residents of Saligrama said that they were proud of her victory. SJ Gunapal Jain, a former gram panchayat member from the village said, “Locals voted for her, especially her colony residents. It helped her achieve this feat. She didn't identify herself with any group, team or political party.” He added that Devika was the first transgender woman to be elected to the Saligrama Panchayat. Devika told the media that the “people have blessed her” and that her priority is to serve them.
Argentina's Senate Approves Historic Bill to Legalise Abortion
CNN - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12/30/2020
In a historic vote seen as a victory for abortion rights advocates, Argentina’s senate approved a bill on December 30, 2020 to legalise abortion upto 14 weeks of pregnancy. The Senate voted 38-29 to give millions of women access to legal terminations under a new law. Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina and an ambassador for the global women's rights movement She Decides said that Argentina made an emblematic step forward in defending the rights of women, girls and people with reproductive capacity. She also said that the move sends a strong message of hope around changing course against criminalisation of abortions and against cladestine abortions, which pose serious threats to the health and lives of millions of people.
Kerala Extends Education Scholarship, Wedding Grant for Transgender Persons
Hindustan Times, India, 12/29/2020
The state government in Kerala has announced a number of programmes, including extension of scholarship for transgender persons and financial aid for legally married couples. K K Shylaja, Minister for Social Justice, said that they have sanctioned rupees six lakhs scholarship for students who identify as transgender persons in the current financial year 2020-21. The scholarship scheme focuses on transgender students studying from seventh grade to colleges in government, aided and self-financing educational institutions. K K Shylaja shared the reasons that prompted the government to launch the scheme and said that as an educationally backward group, there was a need to give more care and consideration to the transgender community.
Telangana Gets a Fully Functional Women’s Commission after 2.5 Years
The Indian Express, India, 12/28/2020
Former minister Vakiti Sunitha Lakshma Reddy has been appointed as chairperson of the Telangana state women’s commission, nearly two years after the post fell vacant in 2018. A fully functioning women’s commission had been a long standing demand of several women’s rights groups. After Tripurana Venkataratnam, who headed the Commission resigned from the office in 2018, a PIL was filed in the Telangana High Court by R Ramya Rao, a social activist. The petition aimed at seeking directions to the government for the appointment of the Chairperson to the Commission. Activist Spurthi Kolipaka, who has been mobilising support for the cause, praised the government’s decision and congratulated all those who advocated for the appointment of a chairperson.
Saudi Arabia Curbs Under-18 Marriage
The Street Journal, Saudi Arabia, 12/27/2020
Saudi Arabia recently prohibited marriage of persons below 18 years of age and set 18 years as the minimum age for marriage. Sheikh Dr Walid Al-Samaani, minister of justice and chairman of supreme judicial council, issued directives based on paragraph (16/3) of the executive regulations of the child protection law which says that “before conducting marriage contracts one has to make sure that marrying a person under the age of 18 will not harm him or her and achieve their best interests.” Despite the decision by the government, the issue of child marriage is still being debated on, bringing the issue at the forefront in both religious and cultural spaces.
Bihar Mulls Over Raising Transgender Persons Battalion
The Times of India - Patna, India, 12/26/2020
The state government in Bihar is working on a plan to raise a police battalion for transgender people, the state’s additional chief secretary (Home) Amir Subhani has confirmed. The development comes following a petition filed by Veera Yadav, an activist who urged the high court to direct the authorities to allow transgender people to take part in the recruitment process against 8,000 vacancies of constables in the state police department. A senior home department officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said that several meetings had been organised to discuss various issues related to forming a policy on recruiting transgender people in the state police.
Domestic Violence Remained a Serious Concern for WCD Ministry in 2020
Deccan Herald, India, 12/25/2020
In 2020, domestic violence was a prime cause of concern for the Ministry of Women and Child Development as they received over 5,000 complaints. The ministry was flooded with complaints of violence in the month of March, 2020 when the coronavirus induced lockdown was imposed. The number of complaints increased through July, 2020 and reached its peak as the ministry received 660 complaints. Rekha Sharma, chairperson of the National Commission for Women said that the rise in the number of complaints was because of factors such as economic insecurity, financial instability and isolation among others. She added that the lockdown prevented women from moving to safer places in cases of violence and abuse, and reduced contact with the natal family which is usually their first point of contact.
Women Can Obtain Business Loans of Up to Rs 5 Million at 5% Interest: SBP Deputy Governor
The International News, Pakistan, 12/24/2020
Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Seema Kamil announced on December 24, 2020 that women can obtain business loans of up to Rs 5 million at 5% interest. Kamil said that women in Pakistan manage their households with limited resources. She further added, “Women can open an ‘easy account’ at any bank for INR 100. The easy account can be opened only with an Identity Card (ID) card.” Prime Minister’s Successful Youth Scheme will provide awareness to 1 million people stressing that women play a major role in the development of agriculture.
Cambodia Adds Human Trafficking Lessons to Schools
The Tribune - Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 12/24/2020
As per reports, school students in Cambodia will learn about the dangers and laws around human trafficking from an updated syllabus starting in 2021. The deputy head of the Cambodian government's counter-trafficking agency said that the new lessons will help students understand the different forms of human trafficking, the roles of schools and communities in prevention, and the relevant laws and rights. Chan Saron, a program manager at anti-trafficking charity Chab Dai suggested that particular attention should be paid to border provinces, where children are increasingly targeted by "brokers" for labour exploitation and forced marriage. Apparently, the pandemic has also given rise to a new wave of trafficking to Thailand including thousands trapped by debt bondage in the fishing, farming and manufacturing sectors.
Karima Baloch: Pakistani Rights Activist Found Dead in Toronto
BBC, Pakistan, 12/22/2020
The body of Karima Baloch, a Pakistani human rights activist, has been found in Toronto, Canada, where she had been living for five years in exile. Ms Baloch, 37, a campaigner from the restive region of Balochistan in western Pakistan, was a vocal critic of the Pakistani military and state. In 2016, Ms Baloch was named in the BBC's annual list of 100 inspirational and influential women for her work as a campaigner. She left Pakistan in 2015, after terrorism charges were levelled against her. She joined the Baloch Students' Organisation (BSO) in 2006, which was officially banned by the government in 2013, but its existence continued and Ms Baloch became chairperson in 2015. Balochistan National Movement (BNM) announced a 40-day mourning period.
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