By Giulia Prior
January 13th, 2020
Sexual violence perpetuated as a weapon of war is an unfortunately common phenomenon for Latin America and the Caribbean regions, especially during conflicts and civil wars. This article will trace back such practices to their origins in colonialism and the culture of machismo that permeates the region. It will do so by focusing on the exemplary case of Guatemala as the first case of a national court holding a hearing for sexual slavery perpetrated by military officials during armed conflicts as a war crime, and the success story of the indigenous women of Sepur Zarco in receiving justice for the crimes they were victims of during the 1960-1996 Guatemalan civil war.
By Camilla Carlesi
December 31st, 2020
Comfort women were girls and young women working as sexual slaves for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The term is a translation of the Japanese word ianfu, which means “prostitute(s).” Usually the women employed were poor and non-Japanese, as the country wanted to preserve the purity of its own women. Hence, the majority of comfort women were found in Japanese occupied countries — primarily, Korea, China, and the Philippines.
The existence of atrocious systems such as comfort stations, exemplifies the weaponisation of female bodies in Japan. Even though this episode of forced prostitution ended, the idea behind it remains rooted in Japanese society as the country today continues to refuse to acknowledge their crimes. The topic of weaponisation of female bodies will be discussed deeply this month, as a series of articles will be published on the matter. This article will explore the topic of comfort women — particularly, the reasons behind its existence and the consequences of this phenomenon.
The current pandemic and overcrowded jails form a dangerous cocktail. In addition to insalubrious detention conditions, they present a real challenge in terms of sanitary risks. The first responses aimed to ensure better social distancing to limit the spread of the disease. However, they posed certain issues in regards to human rights protection. Therefore, several countries opted for a drastic reduction of the number of inmates, which could not have occurred without loud reactions from civil society, shouting claims of justice and safety. In France and Italy, the prospect of releasing defendants who were awaiting trial or criminals convicted for mafia-like activities, launched a heated nation-wide discussion on who deserves liberty. These dilemmas raise a fundamental question: why do we feel the need to lock up criminals in detention facilities in the first place?
November 11th, 2020
By Nishant Joshi
October 27th, 2020
Caste oppression in India affects more than 16% of the population who are considered ‘subhuman’ according to the traditional Hindu Varna system. Many gruesome acts of sexual violence against women of this community have been recorded in the 21st century owing to their vulnerability and limited access to civil rights protection. This article explores the dynamics which perpetuate such crimes and the ideologies which pose massive barriers to the security of scheduled caste women.
Many women from southern African countries migrate without legal documentation to South Africa to seek better economic prospects. However, they often face marginalisation and discrimination in transit and upon arrival. Once they reach their destination there are barriers to their security and stability; namely, the legal code in South Africa hosts a policy gap that exacerbates exploitation by employers. This article centres these women’s experiences as important and deserving of study and protection.
August 28th, 2020
By Arthur Nobili
July 22nd, 2020
An inclusive society is crucial for enabling communities with different cultures, faiths and languages to cohabit peacefully. Difference is a blessing. However, many see difference as a threat. With a number of immigrants coming from Africa every year, France is facing challenges to upholding a healthy intercultural and interfaith society.
July 8th, 2020
In this study I investigate Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Tanzania, a security issue affecting about one third of women globally, but about 65% of women in Tanzania.
My findings indicate that institutionalised resources such as the police and health care workers are the weakest allies to women. On the other hand, neighbours are the strongest, indicated by high rates of reporting by women and even higher rates of offering help. This important information should prompt a reevaluation of which resources are valuable, and which should be supported by programming aimed at ending IPV.
By Emma Lin Hurlbert, Margaret Born, and Smera Jayadeva
June 3rd, 2020
Last week on May 25, 2020 George Floyd was murdered by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. After the handcuffed Floyd fell to the ground, a police officer named Derek Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Three other officers (Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao) watched as Floyd gasped for breath, eventually saying “I can’t breathe” and “They’re going to kill me”. In the video, witnesses can be heard crying and begging the policemen to stop, to do something. As the three policemen stood by, Floyd died under Chauvin’s knee. His murder has served as yet another reminder that the legacy of systemic and personal racism against Black Americans lives on, and that police brutality continues to be a particularly heinous expression of that legacy.
Rohingya refugees are among the most persecuted ethnic groups in the world. Over the last two decades, the Rohingya people have been systematically persecuted by Myanmar's military and the local Buddhist monks. Due to the influence of Russia and China, The UN Security Council has thus far failed to take decisive action against Myanmar’s consistent human rights violations in the Rakhine State against the Rohingya people. If the international community continues to ignore the Rohingya crisis on the basis of individual states’ internal affairs, then the situation risks devolving into a crisis on the scale of Rwanda.
January 9th, 2020
November 20th, 2019
VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN CANADA: DOES IT MATTER IF IT IS CALLED GENOCIDE?
Sexist and racist policies and practices in Canada have created an environment inimical to the health, safety, and wellbeing of Indigenous women and girls. In light of the finding of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and girls that the treatment of Indigenous women in Canada amounts to genocide, this piece examines the importance of labeling this issue ‘genocide’ and why this finding has garnered some resistance in Canada.
THE POLITICS OF FOOD IN VENEZUELA: MADURO, MILITARY, AND MALNUTRITION
“The build up of tensions in Venezuela has led the country to a breaking point: self-appointed interim president Guaidó has called for the military to defect and support him to topple the sitting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at the end of April. This decision is not free from risk, especially since Guaidó’s diplomatic immunity has been revoked by the Maduro regime. Though the decision and its stakes highlight the key player in Venezuelan society: the military.’’
By Marijn Pronk
May 16th, 2019
May 2nd, 2019
AN INTRODUCTION TO MEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS (MRAS)
The re-emergence of men’s rights activists (MRAs) in social and political contexts in recent years has posed new threats regarding national and international security. Through the utilisation of the internet to further their ideology, develop a community, and radicalise others these threats are increasing. Therefore, in order to understand the legitimacy of the threat posed by MRAs, it is essential to explore their origins.
ENVIRONMENTAL MIGRATION AND CONFLICT IN WEST AFRICA
In the coming decades, climate change will push an astounding number of people to flee their homes in West Africa to search for new places where food, health, and environmental security will be more accessible. Addressing this issue in the earliest phases will play a fundamental role in the coming decades’ policy outcome.
January 23rd, 2019
By Britta Moormann
September 13th, 2018
WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS AND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN VENEZUELA
Venezuela is stuck in a severe economic crisis. Inflation rates are reaching 1,000,000 per cent while GDP is falling by 18 per cent. But the crisis is not simply economic: it has also become a severe health crisis by which women are disproportionately affected. Their fundamental rights to sexual and reproductive health are infringed. As a result, Venezuelan women are forced to take extraordinary measures if they wish to exceed their right to sexual freedom.