The Pixel Project’s Violence Against Women e-News Digest Edition Eight

Hi and welcome to The Pixel Project’s Violence Against Women e-News Digest – edition eight! As usual, we compile the latest and most relevant news from around the world concerning violence against women and efforts to combat it.

This time, the spotlight falls on Haiti again. Remember the United Nations’ assurance that gender-based violence would not be prevalent in the Haitian earthquake survivors’ camps? No assurance could be more false. The Daily Beast reports that the sense of violence and danger in those camps is so strong that you can even ‘feel it’ as you walk through the camps.

We do have some good news, though. On the 2^nd of March an International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma was jointly organized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative and the Women’s League of Burma. Check out our links to articles covering the event.

There are also several bills and amendments to existing laws being debated in the United States as governments and the public recognize the need to strengthen laws in order to protect women from violence, especially domestic violence. This includes the utilization of GPS devices in Kentucky, considering the factor of pets in Minnesota, and removing gun rights from domestic abusers in Iowa.

Think about the ways you can help to reduce and put an end to violence against women. Small gestures can mean a great deal. You can send any news concerning violence against women that you wish to see in forthcoming editions of The Pixel Project VAW e-Newsletter to our archivist, Catalina Rembuyan, at catalina@thepixelproject.net.

In the meantime, do enjoy our fourth e-Newsletter and do feel free to share it! If you prefer to get breaking VAW news from us in real time, please follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/PixelProject).

With best regards,

The Pixel Project team

General Violence against Women news

Cassandra Balchin looks at how Muslim feminists around the world are renegotiating the Islamic marriage contract that has traditionally permitted spousal abuse such as marital rape

Mental Health Europe has published a report addressing violence against women in the workplace.

Afghanistan: Women fear that a ‘peace deal’ with the Taliban may lead to more violence in their lives

Burma: The Nobel Women’s Initiative and the Women’s League of Burma organized an International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma on the 2^nd of March, 2010.

Burma: Coverage of the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma – The Myanmarese government may save Burmese tigers, but not Burmese women

Burma: Report from the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma – torture and gender-based violence against women in the opposition

Burma: Walking Against Sharp Knives – a report on the violence faced by the ethnic Karen women under the Myanmarese military junta. Torture includes crucifixion, water torture, and gang rape.

Ghana: Africa Legal Aid to set up a Gender Network Forum to provide legal assistance for women suffering from gender-based violence

Haiti: An introduction to the Haiti restaveks – female domestic servants who were given away by their parents who cannot afford to raise them