Migration Category: Global Old Site

Sixty-seven percent of Kenyan citizens voted to implement a new constitution late last week, which will decrease the powers of the presidency, expand the rights of citizens and advance the status of women. The referendum vote replaces colonial-era legislation and makes Kenya one of one of the most politically progressive nations in Africa.

The campaign for a new constitution began three years ago and was led by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, according to the Guardian. The new laws drastically altar the structure of modern Kenyan government, which has been in place since the nation gained independence in 1963. According to the Associated Press, a Supreme Court and Senate will be instituted and make it possible for a president to be impeached.

The new constitution has a focus on improving the status of women and includes affirmative action, guarantees women positions in government, and provides for improvements in healthcare, according to the Institute for Policy Studies.

Grace Maingi, the executive director of Kenya’s Federation of Women Lawyers said, “under the proposed Constitution, 47 special seats have been set aside for women in Parliament. When political parties are nominating 12 members to the August House, they will have to pay special attention to gender parity – an obvious departure from what has been the norm,” according to the Institute for Policy Studies.

Joachim Osur, a reproductive health expert said, “We expect better deployment of health workers in all parts of the country, better nutrition and provision of health services. We expect more women to deliver in hospitals and a sharp improvement of family planning services.”

Nijonjo Mue, head of the Kenya chapter of the International Centre for Transitional Justice said, “If accompanied by strong follow-up action, the new constitution will improve Kenya’s prospects for democracy, justice and respect for human rights. But this is just one step in the long journey towards Kenya’s rebirth. It will take vigilance and the participation of all the Kenyan people to help make these promised changes meaningful,” according to the Guardian.

Mexico’s Supreme Court upheld the law that permits gay-marriage in Mexico City yesterday, rejecting an appeal from the federal attorney general’s office, which argued that the law is destructive to families. In the 8 to 2 decision, the majority stressed that that while the Mexican constitution guarantees protections for families, it does not define what a “family” is, according to the Associated Press.

Justice Jose Gudino, a Mexico Supreme Court Justice said of the decision that, “It does not appear to me to be unconstitutional…the concept of the family established in the constitution…is an open concept,” according to the Associated Press.

The same-sex marriage bill was approved in December and explicitly granted married homosexual couples all the same rights as heterosexual married couples, including adoption rights. Since the law went into affect in March, over 300 same-sex couples have been married, according to Reuters. The country’s Supreme Court will decide next week whether the law should extend to states outside of the Mexico City and on the constitutionality of same-sex couples adopting children.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), a media regulator in the United Kingdom, announced yesterday that it has rejected 1,054 complaints about the UK’s first television commercial for family planning services including abortion. The advertisement, part of the ‘Are You Late’ campaign, was sponsored by Marie Stopes International (MSI), one of the world’s leading family planning organizations. The ad directed women with late periods to call the group’s 24-hour helpline. The commercial aired for four weeks in April and May and elicited the seventh highest number of complaints ever made to the ASA.

Complaints about the campaign, which asserted that the ad was misleading and offensive, were received from general practitioners, members of parliament, members of the general public, and mental health counselors, according to UK Wired. Additionally, some viewers complained that the ad promoted abortion and was sexist for implying that pregnancy was only a women’s responsibility, according to BBC News.

In response to the complaints, the ASA said that the advertisement did not mention or advocate for abortion. According to 24 Dash, the ASA said, “we understood that post-conception decisions could be very difficult, but considering the ad dealt with the issue of possible pregnancy in an understated way and was not sensationalist.” The ASA added, “we noted the ad did not refer to abortion and considered there was no evidence that Marie Stopes offered abortion on demand, in conflict with the law.”

Marie Stopes International maintains that the commercial did not encourage abortion and served to promote their advice line. A statement issued by the organization said, “we believe that our decision to advertise our services was justified and in the interest of women everywhere. Experiencing an unplanned pregnancy can be an isolating and frightening experience, especially if the woman concerned is uncertain about whether or not to continue it. Our unique 24/7 advice line helps hundreds of thousands of women every year,” reported 24 Dash.

This weekend, July 31st, was Africa Women’s Day, as mandated by the African Union 48 years ago. There were celebrations around the world, showcasing the triumphs and trials of African women today. From London to Cameroon, the event was used as an opportunity to highlight the African Union’s “Africa Women’s Decade”, entitled “Gender Equality and Empowerment of the Women: An Ascending Consultative Approach from the Bottom up to the Hierarchy”, to be launched in October 2010.

In London, women shared their stories about the importance of empowering African women to fight for themselves. Maire-Claire Faray-Kele, from the Women’s International League for Peace, said “there is high mortality for pregnant women and also for women giving birth…and also there are harmful tradition[s] and practices such as female genital mutilation. There are widows who are suffering sometimes because they treat them as witches,” reported Voice of America.

She also expressed the importance of African states “walk[ing] the walk” and adopting the “Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women”, also known as the Maputo Protocol. The Maputo Protocol of 2005 includes guarantees of a woman’s right to life, food security, bodily protection and reproduction. As of July 2010, 46 out of 53 member states signed the Protocol, but only a little more than half have formally ratified it, reports the African Union. According to AllAfrica, experts predict that the initiative’s impact will be lessened if the African Union’s member States do not get on board and implement the protocol. Much of the opposition to the protocol centers on issues of reproductive rights and abortion.

Modern-Orthodox Rabbis, educators, and mental-health professionals from the US and Israel issued a statement this week urging support and respect for gays and lesbians. The document, which has more than 100 signatures, was issued last week on the eve of the one-year anniversary of a deadly shooting at a gay club in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem’s annual gay pride parade. While the statement, called a “Statement of Principles,” condemns disrespectful behavior towards homosexuals, it does not accept homosexual acts or same-sex marriage.

The statement was initiated six months ago by a panel that included three homosexual Jewish leaders, according to the San Francisco Sentinel. While the statement is designed to be inclusive, it pushes the limits of traditional Orthodox Judaism, which continues to believe that homosexuality is an abomination, according to the Religious News Service. The statement attempts to distinguish between homosexual acts, which are forbidden by the Torah, and people with homosexual orientation, who deserve respect and kindness.

According to Haaretz, the statement says that, “Jews with homosexual orientations or same sex-attractions should be welcomed as full members of the synagogue and school community.” The statement also points out that while Orthodox Judaism does not condone homosexual acts, sexual orientation is unrelated “to our obligation to treat human beings with same-sex attractions and orientations with dignity and respect.”

The statement makes clear that Jewish Law does not condone same-sex marriage and pledges support for “heterosexual marriage as the ideal model and sole legitimate outlet for human sexual expression. The sensitivity and understanding we properly express for human beings with other sexual orientations does not diminish our commitment to that principle.”

Saudi cleric Sheikh Ayedh al-Garni declared last week that it is permissible for women to only wear a hair cover in places where the burqa is banned, namely France. According to the Washington Post, he said, “We should not confront people in their countries or else where. In case a ban is enforced against a Muslim woman there – and as a consequence there is a reaction or negative implications or harassment or harm – it is better for the Muslim woman to reveal her face.” The cleric’s advice is known as fatwa, or religious guidance, which is not obligatory. The proposed French ban on the burqa was approved by the country’s lower parliament two weeks ago in a 335 to one vote. The bill will go to the Senate for approval in September. If passed, the legislation calls for $185 fine or citizenship classes for those caught wearing face-covering veils in public. A year of prison and a $38,000 fine will be placed on anyone convicted of forcing others to wear a veil, states to the Associated Press. The cleric also said, “It is illogical and unreasonable that the French government undertakes such a thing, which is condemned by neutral people, not just Muslims, because the secular state assures freedom of religion,” according to USA Today. Mohammed al-Nujemi, a professor at the Institute of Judicial and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, said, “The Saudi woman should not go on tourism to non-Muslim countries. Going to a non-Muslim country without a necessity is not permissible according to the sharia (Islamic law).” He did, however, say that women who live in France already could show their face “when need and necessity demand it,” according to Reuters.

Jean Gregoire Sagbo, a 48-year-old from West Africa, became the first black to be elected to office in Russia last month. Sagbo, who moved to Russia 21 years ago to study economics, has been elected as one of Russia’s 10 municipal counselors for Novozavidovo, a town approximately 65 miles north of Moscow. In recent years, Novozavidovo has become an impoverished, garbage-strewn town that suffers from high crime rates and a culture of drug addiction. Sagbo has pledged to clean up pollution and help reduce poverty.

Although Russia is a society typically rife with racial conflict, Sagbo’s race has become a non-issue for the people of Novozavidovo, as people say they see Sagbo as simply an “honest politician,” according to the Associated Press. Vyacheslav Arakelov, the town’s mayor said of Sagbo that, “His skin is black but he is Russian inside. The way he cares about this place, only a Russian can care,” reported Headliner Watch.

Although Sagbo is not the first black person to be involved with Russian politics, he is the first to be elected. Joaquin Crima, who is also from West Africa, ran unsuccessfully to lead a southern district last year, according to the Associated Press.

Russian media has hailed Sagbo as “Russia’s Obama,” a title that once also belonged to Crima. However, Sagbo has rejected this title and said, “My name is not Obama. It’s sensationalism, He is black and I am black, but it’s a totally different situation,” reported the Associated Press.

Early this morning the Argentine Senate passed a law giving homosexual couples the right to legally wed and adopt children. The law passed by a vote of 33 to 27, making Argentina the first Latin American country to approve gay marriage, reports the New York Times. According to Reuters, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, an open supporter of gay rights, is expected to officially sign the law upon her return from a state visit to China.

According to Time, the Senate debated the measure for 15 hours, while hundreds of demonstrators passionately advocated their stance outside Congress. The Catholic Church, the major opponent of same sex marriage, organized tens of thousands of people for opposition demonstrations on Tuesday, reports the New York Times. The prevalence of Roman Catholicism in Argentina heated the gay marriage debate, pitting President Fernandez against the Church.

President Fernandez, however, stood firm in her support of the law, saying after the vote, “I am very satisfied; it has been a positive vote.” She continued, “This is a positive step that defends the right of a minority,” reports Time. A recent opinion poll indicates that 60 percent of Argentines join Fernandez in her support of gay marriage.

Argentina now joins Belgium, Canada, Holland, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Sweden as the tenth country to legalize gay marriage.

The Church of England’s ruling body has announced that women bishops should be allowed, despite protests from traditionalists within the Church. After a marathon 12-hour debate, the Church’s national assembly, the General Synod, has agreed to send draft legislation to dioceses for approval, according to Agence France-Presse. Assuming a majority of dioceses agree, women will begin to be ordained as bishops as early as 2014.

On Saturday, the Church of England rejected a bid from Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, to compromise over the ordination of women bishops. Williams put forward a compromise that would allow women to be appointed as bishops provided that a “complimentary” male bishop with independent powers was dually appointed, to appease traditionalists unwilling to see a woman as the head of a diocese. Reformers opposed this compromise because it would reduce women to the status of “second class” bishops, according to the New York Times. Women have been ordained as priests in the Church of England since 1994.

Some fear that the divide over women bishops will lead more Anglicans to defect to the Catholic Church. Last year, Pope Benedict XVI announced a special provision that would allow traditionalist Anglicans to convert to Catholicism, according to the New York Times.

The Church of England also faced threats of divide earlier this month when Dr. Jeffery John, an openly gay but celibate priest, received a nomination to become bishop of Southwark, according to the Guardian.