Women Day: 65 Palestinian women, including 12 minors, in Israel jail, rights group says

March 8, 2017 By administrator

The Israeli regime is holding 65 Palestinian women, including 12 minors, “under dire conditions” in its jails, a rights group says.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said in a statement on Tuesday, the eve of the International Women’s Day, that the female prisoners were being held in HaSharon and Damon jails, whose prison cells are unbearably cold in winter and hot in summer.

The rights group said the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) imposes restrictions on the provision of clothes, bed sheets and shoes.

Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said in a statement on Tuesday, “Palestinian women continue to suffer severe psychological, physical, and emotional abuse and endure grave acts of oppression, violence, and hardship at the hands of Israel and its unbridled violations.”

Ashrawi said some 15,000 Palestinian women and girls have been by Israel since 1967.

Amina al-Tawil, the spokeswoman of the Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies, said in a statement on March 4 that female Palestinian prisoners in HaSharon and Damon were facing harsh conditions and their living conditions “worsen day by day.”

She added that many of the female Palestinian prisoners lacked the “basics of human life,” while prison officials “ban them from even simple rights and from continuing their studies.”

source: http://presstv.com/Detail/2017/03/08/513528/Israel-female-Palestinian-prisoners

Armenian Women – Not just a pretty face “Scholarship”

February 7, 2017 By administrator

Scholarship Armenian Women – Not just a pretty face

To promote awareness of the achievements of Armenian Women, we are offering a scholarship of $500 to eligible students.
The topic is “Armenian Women – Not just a pretty face”
Eligibility: Undergraduate or post graduate student in an accredited educational institution
Check the bottom of this post for more details

Armenian Women have long been adored and respected for their beauty and with the 2015 poll of 44,000 Americans where we were voted the Most Beautiful Women of the World; an emphasis on Armenian women has increased.Though we are a race of beauty, Armenians have much more to offer to the world and Armenian women have contributed a lot to the world.

The common perception of Armenian women is that they have hair that is long and dark and that they have eyes which are brownish black. However, Armenian women have an amazing array of looks and more importantly, intelligence and wit to match.

Armenia as a country is a place which has a history and culture which is very rich. Along with having gorgeous women and hospitable people, it also has delicious food and very beautiful landscapes.

As one of the very first countries to officially accept Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D., Armenians have a very rich and varied culture.

At an average life expectancy of 77 years and an adult literacy rate of 99% (source), Armenian women are some of the most educated women in the world.

Would you like to know what an Armenian woman is really like?

Armenian women are some of the most devoted wives. They are hard-workers and intelligent. They are excellent mothers and great companions.

Another exceptional thing about Armenian Women is that they have a very feminine aspect and take pride in looking good.

Like many Americans, most young Armenian ladies especially in the cities take a lot of pride in their appearance and may even save up to a whole months earnings to buy a new dress.

Another great aspect of a modern day beautiful Armenian lady is that she has been raised to make sure that her husband and children are always cared for. They are very traditional and have strong family values. So if you are marrying one, you are not only marrying them but there whole family.

They make sure that their children are well cared for and are brought up with good values since over 90% of Armenians practice Christianity and are devout Christians.

In terms of marriage, most Armenian girls would be encouraged by their family to marry other Armenian Christians as religion is very important. But modern Armenians today are open to marriage out of religion as they want their daughter happiness before anything else

Life in the capital city is very different from most of the country and here you will find the women much more exposed to western concepts and outlook.

Armenian women, who live in Yerevan, have much more independence to express them and are much more approachable.

Armenian women across the world are proud of their rich and varied heritage. An Armenian lady may be born or live in any other part or the world but deep within, they still consider themselves Armenian.

Read More: http://www.armenianwomen.org/

Scholarship

To promote awareness of the achievements of Armenian Women, we are offering a scholarship of $500 to eligible students.

The topic is “Armenian Women – Not just a pretty face”

Eligibility: Undergraduate or post graduate student in an accredited educational institution

How to Submit your Application

Write a Thesis of 1,000+ words and submit to us via a word .doc file with the details listed below.

Personal Details (First & Last Name, Phone, and Address).
School Name.
Area of Study.
Any document which can proof that you are a Student.

By submitting your article, you give us the right over the content in the thesis.

All decisions of the assessors are final.

Deadline

The final date for submission is November 30th, 2017 and we will choose the winner by December 15th, 2017 and the check will be mailed by December 20th, 2017.

The $500 check will be drawn on your name but will sent directly to your college.

This is an annual scholarship program.

UN in Armenia condemns recent cases of violence against women in Yerevan

November 28, 2016 By administrator

YEREVAN. – The United Nations (UN) Office in Armenia on Monday issued a statement condemning the recent cases of violence against women in capital city Yerevan.

“The United Nations in Armenia strongly condemns the recent cases of violence against women in Yerevan and widely reported by media and social networks.

“In one instance, on 25 November 2016, a 37 year-old woman was fatally wounded by her partner in Shengavit administrative district, while in another case, on 26 November 2016, a woman was brutally beaten by her spouse during the day on Teryan Street in front of many passersby.

“It is a brutal and sad irony that this happened during the days when the United Nations, together with international partners, national authorities and civil society, is observing the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, a campaign that runs annually from 25 November to 10 December.

“Stopping domestic violence, which is a serious violation of human rights, and bringing perpetrators to justice must be a priority not only for law-enforcement bodies, but for each and every citizen in our society. Indifference is as unacceptable as the crime itself, and the United Nations is determined to play its own part by ensuring that such cases are not left unpunished.

“These cases once again prove the urgency of adopting the Law on Domestic Violence, and we urge our partners, the Government and the Parliament of Armenia, to bring this legal protection mechanism to life as soon as possible. Any further delays may cost more lives,” the UN in Armenia statement reads.

Armenian President: ‘A Successful Woman Alongside a Successful Man”

November 5, 2016 By administrator

armenian-women-and-man Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan today addressed a conference entitled “Armenia-25; The World and Women” organized by the Women’s Council of the Republican Party of Armenia.

Sargsyan, who also serves as president of the party, told conference participants that the ruling Republic Party was “a conservative party that wants to preserve and strengthen our traditional family that has always been the invincible guarantor of the Armenian people’s historic existence.”

Sargsyan continued that the woman in Armenian history has always occupied her firm and steadfast place.

“Motherhood, the place and role of the mother in the Armenian family, has always been regarded as a source of life and the holiest of holies,” Sargsyan said.

The Armenian president said that the role and contribution of women is equally important in society.

“We are proud of the achievements of Armenia’s women in all sectors of life, from culture to education and the army, from business to the health field,” Sargsyan said.

The Armenian president, summarizing his party’s firm principle regarding women in society, noted: “Our society is comprised of established women and men. A woman, a successful woman, must always be represented alongside a successful man. We encourage this. It’s our principled position.”

Yazidi women survivors of ‘Islamic State’ win EU’s Sakharov human rights prize

October 27, 2016 By administrator

yazidi-women A pair of Yazidi women’s advocates have been awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The 50,000-euro prize for human rights has been handed out since 1988.

Iraqis Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, who hail from a Yazidi village in Iraq that was overrun by the self-styled “Islamic State” in 2014, were named Thursday as recipients of the Sakharov Prize. They were nominated by European parliamentary deputies from multiple parties. The laureates’ names were announced at about midday by European Parliament President Martin Schulz, and an award ceremony is slated for December 14.

Thousands of Yazidi girls and women were forced into sex slavery by the extremist group in recent years. The two award winners managed to escape and raise global attention to rampant human rights abuses.

Murad, now aged 23, was held by IS militants in Mosul but escaped in November 2014, reached a refugee camp and eventually
made her way to Europe. She has since become an advocate for the Yazidis, and refugee and women’s rights in general.

Bashar, 18, was captured in the same raid as Murad and also kept as a sex slave by IS. She escaped in March but was badly
disfigured and blinded in one eye when a landmine went off as she fled. Two companions were killed. She has since undergone reconstructive surgery and works as an advocate for members of the Yazidi sect.

Both women reside in Germany.

The Yazidi are a religious sect whose beliefs combine elements of several ancient Middle Eastern religions. Hard-line Islamists consider them pagans or devil worshippers. The United Nations said in a report in June that IS had committed genocide against the Yazidis in Syria and Iraq to destroy the religious community of 400,000 people through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes.

Kurdish forces – with arms and air cover from the US-led military coalition – retook the moutnainous Sinjar region in the end of 2014.

Fallujah: Over 350 Yazidi Women Freed from IS

June 19, 2016 By administrator

yazidi free They have been taken into IS captivity after the jihadist group overran Sinjar

FALLUJAH — A Kurdish Yazidi official in Dohuk province revealed that over 350 Yazidi abductees have been freed from the Islamic State (IS) by the Iraqi forces in Fallujah.

Hadi Dubani, the director of Yazidi Affairs in Dohuk province, told BasNews that they were informed today, June 19, by the Iraqi forces that 354 Yazidi women and girls, previously abducted by the IS militants in Sinjar, have been freed in Fallujah by the Iraqi forces.

Dubani said “The freed Yazidi women are now in Amirya area in Fallujah under the protection of the Iraqi forces. they are expected to arrive in Kurdistan Region in the near future.

Earlier this month, 4 Yazidi girls were freed by the Iraqi forces soon after the Fallujah offensive was launched; they were later reunited with their families in Erbil.

The Directorate of Yazidi Abductees Affairs in Dohuk province, which works to locate and free Yazidi captives, previously told BasNews that hundreds of Yazidi girls, who were abducted by the IS militants during the Sinjar massacre, were held in Fallujah with an uncertain future.

IS militants enslaved over 5000 Yazidi girls, women and children after they attacked the Yazidi major town of Sinjar in August, 2014; near 2000 Yazidi abductees have so far been freed from the grip of the IS militants with thousands more still being held by the extremist group.

The rescue of the Yazidi women comes after the Iraqi government forces entered Fallujah last Friday and liberated most of the city from IS.

My time as a fake boyfriend to China’s ‘leftover women’

May 29, 2016 By administrator

Looks like the real thing: Celia and Sean [Image courtesy Sean Lee Baker]

By Sean Lee Baker

As Chinese women face stigma for remaining unmarried past their late 20s, the boyfriends for rent business is booming.

Beijing, China – Celia stood in the corner of the room, removing her shoes and putting on her slippers.

We were about to meet her parents. She was anxious. So was I.

I had been starting to regret coming to the city of Harbin, in northeastern China. Fooling Celia’s parents into thinking I was her boyfriend suddenly didn’t seem like such a good idea.

You see, for about a week in February, I was her fake boyfriend.

Celia is in her late 20s, has a career and is unmarried. That sounds completely normal, doesn’t it?

But many Chinese do not see it that way. In their eyes, women should be wed by their late 20s.

Those who aren’t, like Celia, are branded “sheng nu” or “leftover women”.

And it isn’t only the older generation that thinks that way.

But what does this have to do with me?

Well, let me start by explaining that being a fake boyfriend isn’t my day job. I’m actually an events producer.

I knew Celia through a mutual friend. It was the two of them who came up with the idea of her renting a boyfriend in order to alleviate some of the pressure her parents were placing on her to marry.

For many Chinese, the New Year is the only opportunity they get to see their families. Bringing home a boyfriend or girlfriend at this time is pretty much like announcing your engagement.

In recent years, I’ve heard more about people renting boyfriends or girlfriends to please their parents and ease the pressure on them to marry. There used to be a section on Taobao, China’s largest e-commerce site, dedicated to renting boyfriends and girlfriends for the day, but it has since been closed. These days, everything goes through QQ, China’s equivalent of MSN Messenger or AOL, where the going rate is about 1,000 RMB (roughly $150) per day.

It is still a rather niche market. I suspect most people think bringing home a fake partner to meet their parents sounds like the plot of a bad rom-com movie.

When Celia got cold feet about renting a stranger, I was asked to step in – she wanted someone she knew and who she felt could act the part.

I had nothing in particular planned for Chinese New Year, so I agreed. And before long, we were on a train, heading towards Harbin, which is famed for its Russian aesthetics and ice sculptures.

En route, Celia and I fleshed out the backstory of how we met, what her favourite colour is – black, I think – and my distaste for lobster – essential stuff. The plan was to deceive Celia’s parents into believing that she was doing well – in her career and her love life.

I was pretty calm until about 15 minutes before we were due to meet them. Celia, on the other hand, was anxious from the beginning. The initial excitement had worn off and she was starting to feel guilty about trying to deceive her family and her friends. Still, she was determined to go through with it.

We first met her friends, but they saw through our ruse within a minute or two.

Then there was her parents – lovely people who took less than five minutes to work out that something was amiss.

“He is too tall and too handsome for you,” her mother said. “You need a shorter and more plain man”. It seemed a bit harsh.

I think, perhaps, deep down, Celia wanted her parents to find out.

And even though our plan failed, nobody seemed very bothered by it.

So, why would somebody go through the trouble of finding a fake boyfriend to deceive their parents?

I think Celia wanted her parents to stop worrying about her; she wanted to make them happy and to give them some peace of mind.

The notion that women should marry young seems to be engrained in Chinese culture. I’m not sure how to tackle the stigma of “sheng nu”, but I think bringing attention to the issues these women face is a good start.

And it isn’t only women who are affected.

Chinese men also want to bring home a girlfriend. They might not face as much pressure to marry as women do, but every Chinese parent wants their child to settle down and have children.

A male friend in his mid-20s told me his mother insists that he begin saving to start a family, even though he has no interest in settling down now.

I jokingly called him a “leftover man”. He wasn’t too fond of the term, which is used almost exclusively for women.

The expectation is that marriage comes first for women and careers second, while for men, a successful career is a priority so that they can provide for their families.

But Celia just wants freedom: freedom from the expectations imposed on her by society, freedom from family pressure to marry and freedom to follow whichever path she chooses.

Source: aljazeera

Flowers, flowers … and gifts made with love – Female Armenian public figures share preferences as Women’s Day nears

March 7, 2016 By administrator

What are the March 8 presents preferred by women-members of Armenia’s Parliament, of the Council of Elders of Yerevan’s Municipality and other women known to Armenia’s public?

Women MPs love flowers best of all. But they are especially appreciative of presents they receive from their grandchildren, Naira Zohrayan, Head of the parliamentary faction of the Prosperous Armenia party, told Tert.am that she sees some “false notes” in the excitement over the March 8 and April 7 holidays.
In some cases, the present was “wrong.” Margarit Yesayan, an MP of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), once received a frying pan as a present from her husband on March 8. However, it never happened later.

“I love flowers. And Arman [husband] has always surprised me with original presents. I recall that on one occasion, after the first part of my concert, when I went out onto the stage, it was covered with field flowers,” said Shushan Petrosyan, an MP of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). “I love flowers best of all. But both my husband and my daughter have always pleasantly surprised me with presents The cost does not matter. I think a present is a special choice choosing it by yourself make you even happier. Women need more attention and warmth. And such women feel happy,” says Karine Achemyan. another female lawmaker of the governing politoal force.

“I may repeat myself, but for me, an original gift is a bunch of flowers, no matter the size. So I hope I will get my loved gift from my grandchildren tomorrow. And also, I think all presents which are made with love and warmth convey a positive energy.

“I like receiving those gifts which have been thought of, as you feel the one who made it has cared for it, thinking of something which you really like. It’s really pleasant to see that kind of attention no matter the gift, but I prefer flowers with flower pots, which grow in soil. They make me feel happier as you can care for those flowers long. ”

The Armenian-Russian Margarita Gasparyan in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Tournament Limoges

November 12, 2015 By administrator

The young Armenian-Russian Moscow Margarita Gasparyan (20 years) is in the quarterfinals of the women’s tennis Limoges Tournament (France), an international competition with 125 000. Margarita Gasparyan (Russia) has emerged in the second round facing Marina Zanevska (Ukraine) on the score of 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 22 minutes. In the quarterfinals, the opponent will be the Margarita Gasparyan gagnate confrontation between Francesca Schiavone (Italy) and Mandy Minella (Luxembourg).

Krikor Amirzayan

Turkey: If you think ISIS is bad think of Turkish husbands slain 154 women in first 7 months of 2015

August 19, 2015 By administrator

Violence from Turkish husbands continues to grow, with 154 women murdered by their spouses or romantic partners in the first 7 months of 2015. 43 percent of these women lost their lives over an argument that broke out at home. 31 percent were over demanding divorce.

‘The untold truth about murder’ project by the ‘We Will End the Murder of Women’ Platform has once again revealed the sheer scope of spousal murder in Turkey.

According to the latest statistics, 154 women were murdered by their husbands in the first 7 months of 2015, often times over arguments that broke out in the home. Of the murdered women, 43 percent were killed in fights at home, with 31 percent murdered over demanding a divorce.

These numbers were followed in order by economic troubles, disagreements with in-laws and child-rearing as reasons for murder. Report BGN

51 percent of the victims were murdered by blade, 26 percent shot by gun, 11 percent beaten to death, 2 percent strangled and 1 percent burned alive. The number where the cause of death was unknown is 8.9 percent.

41 percent of the murders were committed by a husband, 36 percent by a former husband or lover, 10 percent by an acquaintance, 7 percent by a romantic partner, 4 percent by their father and 1 percent by a son.

The number of murders by month is 20 in January, 16 in February, 33 in March, 22 in April, 22 in May, 26 in June and 15 in July.