The latest weapon in Afghanistan’s uphill battle against the Taliban: 29 new female army recruits. The women, who will take non-combat roles in the Afghan military, are part of a government push to strengthen national forces. Banned from the military under Taliban rule, women are entering the army for the first time in over 20 years.
Pakistan: Flooding Continues to Put Women at Risk
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Paths to Power
© UN Photo | Evan Schneider
© AP Photo Gemunu Amarasinghe
Afghanistan: Women Join Army Ranks
The many ups and downs of women’s ascent to leadership May 2010
Twenty million people were affected by July’s massive flooding in Pakistan. That number is threatening to grow as pools of standing water breed waterborne diseases and pose a secondary health threat to the population. Most at risk: the 400,000 flood-affected pregnant women. The UN has called for increased international commitment to relief and recovery efforts in Pakistan, particularly those that prioritize the needs of women.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar becomes the first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago In the UK, women’s representation in Parliament drops to only 22%
June 2010 Julia Gillard is voted Australia’s first female Prime Minister Photo © MystifyMe Concert Photography
July 2010
© Davee Tan Kim Hock
Japan: Encouraging Fatherhood
Two female judges are appointed to Islamic Sharia courts in Malaysia
Japan took a big step toward gender equality when it revised its Child Care and Family Care Leave Law in June, making it easier for men to take paternity leave. In a country where only 1% of men take time off work for a new child, the new law indicates a challenge to traditional gender roles and a cultural shift toward men’s participation in family life.
Rosa Otunbayev is sworn in as first female president of Kyrgyzstan Photo © Iliasbeshimov
Cambodian rights leader Mu Sochua is charged with “defamation” of Prime Minister Hun Sen in a politically motivated case August 2010 Elena Kagan is sworn in to US Supreme Court, increasing female representation to 1/3 of the Court for the first time in history Photo © US Gov
New Zealand: The Most Peaceful Country in the World Peace on Earth has now been quantified through the Global Peace Index—a study by the Institute for Economics and Peace that ranks countries by their level of internal and external conflict. Peace loving New Zealand tops the list in 2010, trailed closely by Iceland, Japan, Austria, and Norway. Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan have the lowest scores, while the United States is in the middle of the pack, ranking 85th out of 149 countries.
New Girl Effect Video The makers of the acclaimed Girl Effect video are back, and this time they’re armed with new statistics and an urgent message about education and the 600 million girls who live in poverty. View it at girleffect.org.
September 2010 Only four decades after earning the right to vote, Switzerland’s women claim a majority of seats in the country’s Cabinet Michelle Bachelet signs on to head the new UN Women agency Photo © UN Photo | Marco Castro
UN Women This summer, the UN General Assembly voted to create a new entity to meet the needs of women and girls worldwide. Set to launch officially in January 2011, the initiative—and the proposed $500 million budget—is a huge leap forward for women and girls. worldpulse.com | 9