This spring, a small group of lawyers helped overturn laws that gave men more rights than women. In April, the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA-U) achieved its most significant legal success to date when the nation’s Constitutional Court overturned key parts of the adultery law – which allowed married men, but not women, to have an affair. It also scrapped parts of the Succession Act, which gave more rights to husbands than wives when a spouse dies. But more important for many of the lawyers here is the ability to improve the individual lives of the women they advise. Read more>
Archive for the 'Women' Category
Women lawyers force big rights gains in Uganda
June 14, 2007Jordan names first woman to head court
May 30, 2007A woman has been appointed as court chief for the first time in Jordan to lead a team of judges, in a move which she termed a step forward for Arab women. Read more>
Mexico City abortion law goes into effect
May 30, 2007Women’s groups have praised city officials for moving quickly to put the law into effect after its April 24 approval by the Mexico City legislature. Abortion remains illegal in the rest of Mexico. This capital city, along with Puerto Rico, Cuba and Guyana, are the only places in Latin America where abortion is legal. Read more>
Helpline delivers hope for India’s expectant mothers
May 23, 2007A new hotline is cutting maternal mortality rates in a corner of India where they had remained stubbornly high. “We can’t build clinics in all the villages, but the helpline ensures we get expectant mothers to the nearest one as quickly as possible,” says the charity’s Ashok Tiwari, adding government officials hope to extend it to other parts of the state. Read more>
Mom’s movement grows in U.S.
May 13, 2007A “motherhood” agenda is gaining strength around six main issues, including family leave, flex time, health insurance, child care, fair wages and children’s activities. Read more>
Women’s collectives gain ground in India
May 13, 2007A group of rural women’s collectives has developed “essentially an entire subeconomy run exclusively by women who take loans from banks or the government to fund increasingly ambitious projects.” Read more>
