A discussion with our Chapter — Women’s March Frankfurt

A discussion with our partner — Equality Now.

Harassment while in public is a problem for women throughout the world. In response, there have been many initiatives by women in order to promote safety in public spaces, which includes public transportation. Women in Sri Lanka are no different. Three million people use public transportation every day, and an alarming 90% of women have been subjected to sexual harassment in buses and trains. Yet, only 4% of these have sought help from the authorities.

Equality Now, Musawah, Global Women’s March and the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders for the Middle East and North Africa region (WHRD MENA) wrote a letter to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) about the treatment of women
human rights activists in Saudi Arabia. Read the full letter below.

Women’s Rights Activists and Human Rights Defenders have spent over 100 days in detention for speaking out against Male Guardianship and the oppression that Saudi women face.

This week marks the start of the Climate Talks in Bangkok for governments to convene and prepare the implementation guidelines of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

In June, Saudi Arabia gave women the right to drive, however, they must still work or travel under male guardianship, and they do not have the right to marry freely. These are the issues that Nsawya FM (@nsawya), or Feminist FM, aims tackle. The programming ranges from issues of harassment, to domestic violence. The show describes the tragic lives and deaths of Saudi women, who are controlled and often murdered by male family members.

On this day, one year ago, through violent attacks on civilians, the Myanmar army forced 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Today, these people are still living in refugee camps, most of them are women and children.

It has been 100 days since women’s rights and human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia were arrested. These are the same activists that worked in Saudi Arabia to lift the driving ban and were key defenders of human rights and women’s rights.

The content in this article might be triggering for people who have survived sexual abuse.