An investigating committee of the Pittsburgh Presbytery has found Reverend Janet Edwards in violation of the Church’s constitution for performing marriage rites for a same-sex couple. Rev. Edwards now faces a rebuke or loss of her ministry. According to the constitution of the Presbyterian Church, a minister may bless “holy unions,” but marriage should be […]
As the United Nations general session opens today, presided over for the first time by a woman, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, women’s groups such as the National Organization for Women and Equality Now are arguing that the UN must select a woman as its next Secretary-General. Current Secretary-General Kofi Annan finishes his second term […]
The US Senate Armed Services Committee may vote as early as tomorrow on two pieces of legislation that could greatly reduce the rights of victims of sexual assault and rape. The Military Commissions Act of 2006, sponsored by Senator Warner (R-VA), and The Bringing Terrorists to Justice Act of 2006, sponsored by Senator Frist (R-TN), […]
During the month of September, Camp Democracy will be set up on the National Mall in Washington, DC in an effort to bring attention to the situation in Iraq and restore peace and democracy. Those attending the non-partisan Camp Democracy will have the opportunity to participate in activist workshops which will focus on a variety […]
There has been a significant increase in so-called honor killings of women in Afghanistan from last year, announced the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) on Friday. The AIHRC believes that the increase is due to discrimination against women, the lack of enforcement of laws protecting women, and a weak judiciary, according to IRIN News, […]
The Internal Revenue Service has revoked Operation Rescue West’s tax-exempt status after Catholics for a Free Choice submitted a complaint to the IRS, accusing the anti-abortion group of violating electoral regulations for nonprofits. While the IRS has not yet released any information regarding the reasons for which it revoked Operation Rescue West’s (ORW) status, the […]
A Santiago, Chile Court of Appeals has placed a provisional suspension on Chile’s progressive decision to distribute free contraception to women 14 and older without parental consent. The government’s program had included free distribution of emergency contraception (EC). The injunction was issued Wednesday after a group of parents and two mayors claimed that “the EC-for-everyone […]
In a global “Day for Darfur” on Sunday, September 17, activists in thirty-seven countries will speak out to demand intervention in the escalating humanitarian crisis in western Sudan. Protesters will be calling for introduction of UN peacekeeping forces in Darfur by the end of the month, when the current African Union security forces are scheduled […]
A man drove his car into the lobby of a women’s health center in Davenport, Iowa on Monday, attempting to destroy what he thought was an abortion clinic. David McMenemy, a Detroit native, crashed his car into the Edgerton Women’s Health Center, driving into the building’s interior. He poured gasoline inside the car, hoping to […]
In a conference held yesterday in Washington, DC, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law released its predictions for new voter suppression strategies that may be used by government officials for the 2006 elections. The conference highlighted five ways in which the disenfranchisement of eligible voters may occur in the […]
Former Texas Governor and feminist leader Ann Richards died Wednesday after a six-month long struggle with esophageal cancer. Richards was the first female governor of Texas to win in her own right, beating out Republican millionaire Clayton Williams in 1990. Prior to becoming governor, Richards was county commissioner and state treasurer. Helping others usually ignored […]
On Monday, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley vetoed legislation that would have required “big-box” retailers like Wal-Mart to pay at least $10 an hour, a contentious action that forced him to defend his veto in a news conference on Tuesday while angry protestors gathered outside. Meanwhile, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a raise in […]
A federal district court judge yesterday declined to block an Arizona state law requiring voters to present an Arizona driver’s license or state-issued photo ID card, or two forms of approved non-photo forms of identification, such as a birth certificate and utility bill dated within the past 90 days. The new law also requires proof […]
More than 100 members of Congress asked the US Department of Labor to continue its support of the Women’s Bureau, the only bureau dedicated exclusively to women’s issues in employment. The Department of Labor has plans to outsource half of the career positions within the Women’s Bureau, according to a press release from Congresswomen Hilda […]
In a blow for women’s rights in Pakistan, the government’s proposals for reforming the country’s cruel rape laws were dropped today. Under the Hudood Ordinances, which are based on sharia law, a woman must produce four male witnesses in order to convict her rapist, a requirement that often cannot be fulfilled simply because rapes are […]
The New York Court of Appeals heard a challenge to the Women’s Health and Wellness Act of 2003 (WHWA), New York’s law requiring prescription equity for women, on Wednesday. WHWA only provides exception to prescription coverage equity for religious organizations that serve their religious communities; charities run by religious organizations that serve the secular community […]
Afghan women’s rights are slipping away. With increased violence, “[t]he Taliban are showing that they can operate anywhere at will, even in very high security areas” said Joanna Nathan with the International Crisis Group in Kabul, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Taliban attacks on girls’ schools are increasing. Experts estimate that a girls’ schools […]
Women Muslims across the world have spoken out against recent proposals in Saudi Arabia to ban women from praying at the most sacred shrine for Muslims, the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The Grand Mosque, which Muslims across the world face during daily prayers, is the annual destination for many Muslim pilgrimages each year. The proposed […]
Kathy Castor, a county commissioner and daughter of noted politician Betty Castor, won the Democratic nomination in Florida for the open 11th Congressional District seat. The Tuesday election pitted Castor against four male opponents; Castor won by a margin of 20 percentage points, garnering more votes than all of the other candidates combined. “I am […]
Over 100 Indian women police officers will soon join United Nations peacekeepers in Liberia to respond to riots and train local police in the volatile West African country. The all-woman unit is comprised of volunteers who have served in Kashmir and north-east India countering insurgencies. According to BBC, this is only the second time that […]
