Female Genital Mutilation Violates Fundamental Rights, Says Supreme Court
Hindustan Times - New Delhi, India, 7/31/2018
The Supreme Court on July 30, 2018, questioned the prevalent practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) of minor girls in the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, saying women cannot be ‘subjugated’ to the level where they have to only ‘please’ their husbands. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, while hearing a plea seeking a ban on the practice – filed by two Bohra women and an advocate – also referred to fundamental rights, including Article 15 (prohibition of discrimination on grounds like caste, creed and sex) under the Constitution, and said a person has the right to ‘have control over her body’. Attorney general K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, said the government supports the plea against the practice of FGM.
First-Of-Its-Kind in India: 17 Masters Students Move into New Gender-Neutral Hostel at TISS
Indian Express, India, 7/28/2018
Seventeen Masters students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) have moved into the new gender-neutral hostel on the campus. University officials say many students had sought residence in the hostel, but only 17 have been allotted spaces up till now. In a significant step towards a gender-inclusive campus, the institute introduced what could be India’s first gender-neutral hostel space in April 2018. As a result, the ground floor of an existing girls’ hostel has been marked as a gender-neutral space with the capacity to accommodate 20 MA students who identify as transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming. The institute also set up a committee recently to create guidelines and filter applications so as to ensure that a safe space is created.
Philippine Cities Pledge to Fast Track Response to Combat AIDS Epidemic
Xinhua - Manila, Phillipines, 7/27/2018
The League of Cities of the Philippines and UNAIDS signed a cooperation agreement on July 27, 2018, that commits the network of member cities to advocating and supporting local leaders to fast track the response to HIV to reverse the current trend of the epidemic in the country. Both sides vowed to strengthen the engagement of civil society, including people living with HIV and key populations, to scale up and expand local responses. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), in its newly released report found that the annual new infections have more than doubled in the Philippines in the past seven years, and cities and urban areas were the ones most affected. Hence, the need arose to begin preventive efforts.
Bihar Orders CBI Probe into Shelter Sex Scandal
Gulf News - Patna, India, 7/26/2018
Bihar's Chief Minister has ordered an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the reports of sexual misconduct against 29 out of 42 girls who lived in a shelter for young girls in the Muzaffarpur district. The incident, which was exposed after a team from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences conducted an audit of the shelter in February 2018, rocked both the Bihar State Assembly and the Parliament. ‘The State Government is committed to an impartial probe into the reprehensible incident at the shelter home for girls and hence, has ordered a CBI probe,’ a press statement issued by the State Information and Public Relations Department said on July 26, 2018.
Singapore: Gay Activist Barred from Giving TEDx Talk
New Indian Express, Singapore, 7/25/2018
A Singapore gay activist said on July 25, 2018, that she was barred from giving a TEDx talk at a prestigious school, sparking fresh criticism of conservative attitudes towards homosexuality in the city-state. Rachel Yeo, the research and advocacy director of the Inter-University LGBT Network, told a local news source that she had been invited to speak at an event organised by St Joseph's Institution, an independent Catholic school, but was contacted by organisers at the last minute, informing her she could no longer participate due to Education Ministry regulations. Though the ministry has denied its involvement in the decision, Singapore has a history of conservatism around LGBTQ issues; and Yeo herself has faced similar kind of discrimination in the past.
MTV Shuga to Showcase HIV Self-Tests, PrEP in Three New Seasons
The Star, Kenya, 7/25/2018
A popular MTV drama series that teaches young people about sexual health in Africa is expanding to showcase innovations in HIV prevention, the television network said on July 25, 2018. The series ‘MTV Shuga’ will show young people learning to test themselves for the HIV virus in the hope of persuading teens and young adults to learn their status and seek help. It will also create storylines that include information about HIV preventive drugs known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in its new seasons. ‘MTV Shuga’ has explored sexual health issues for years and has a strong audience in the continent, but it hopes to reach new viewers with its first expansion into Francophone West Africa and an emphasis on the latest technology.
Nasarawa Assembly Passes Reproductive Health, Safe Maternity Bill
PM News, Nigeria, 7/24/2018
The House of Assembly of the state Nasarawa in Nigera, passed the Reproductive Health and Safe Maternity Services Bill on July 24, 2018, at its plenary session. The bill seeks to enable women to access quality reproductive health and maternity service, and in ensuring the safe delivery and good health of their children. The Clerk of the House, while introducing the bill, said that the legislation has provided a framework for standards, regulation and advancement of these services in the state to achieve this goal of providing better reproductive health services. The bill also includes comprehensive provisions for ‘family planning services’ and also aims for a reduction of maternal mortality rates.
Transgender Community Contesting Elections for the First Time in Pakistan's History
The International News, Pakistan, 7/24/2018
Transgender people are for the first time stepping into the electoral race in Pakistan, aiming to score a seat in the national and provincial assemblies. The General Elections to be held on July 25th 2018 will, for the first time in history witness transgender people partake in the elections after the Election Commission of Pakistan assigned the task of ‘observers’ to them, which subsequently lead to a wave of elation in the community. The community has also had representation in the electoral race with 13 members contesting for both national and provincial assemblies, among which four transgender candidates were handed party tickets by Ayesha Gulalai for her party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Gulalai, while the remaining are contesting the polls as independent candidates.
Top Court To Hear Transgender's Plea Alleging Discrimination By Air India
NDTV India - New Delhi, India, 7/23/2018
The Supreme Court on July 22, 2018, agreed to hear a plea filed by a transgender woman who was refused a cabin crew position by national carrier Air India because of her gender identity. Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said they would hear Shanavi Ponnusamy’s petition after two weeks. Ponnusamy, who had undergone sex reassignment surgery in 2014, moved the top court to scrap the airline's hiring criteria, which only had vacancies earmarked for ‘men’ and ‘women’, and no provisions to include trans persons. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 prohibits discrimination against a transgender person in relation to employment or occupation, on which grounds Ponnusamy filed her petition.
Massive Protest in Tel Aviv Over Anti-LGBT Surrogacy Law
Daily News and Analysis - Tel Aviv, Iran, 7/23/2018
Thousands of people on the night of July 22, 2018, took to streets to protest against a law on surrogacy parenthood that excludes single men and homosexual couples. According to the Times of Israel, gay rights advocates and their supporters observed a one-day strike across major cities in Israel, where protestors were seen waving rainbow flags, blocking traffic, and shouting 'shame'. This comes after the Israeli parliament recently passed an amendment allowing single women the right to apply for surrogacy, which until now was only for married, heterosexual couples. The amendment, which was earlier supposed to include single men and homosexual couples, did not have the same after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted against the provision, enraging the Israeli LGBTQ community.
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