Latest news with #genderequality
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Eni Aluko snubbed by ITV for first Lionesses match since Ian Wright scandal
Eni Aluko has been snubbed by ITV bosses for the Lionesses' first match since she accused Ian Wright of 'blocking' opportunities for female pundits in the women's game. Aluko appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour in April and was met with a torrent of criticism when she pointed the finger at fellow former footballer turned pundit Wright, claiming he 'should be aware' of the space he occupies in women's football coverage as a man. Many immediately leapt to the defence of Wright, with the former Arsenal striker recognised for his long-term staunch advocacy of the women's game. Aluko went on to apologise for her comments, which Wright said he 'couldn't accept'. She has since pulled out of a co-presenting role for the Women's Football Awards, which took place on May 1, and will now not be part of ITV's coverage for England's game with Portugal on Friday, with Anita Asanta and former Spain midfielder Vicky Losada opted as pundits by the broadcaster. Aluko is currently embroiled in a libel case against ex-Newcastle and Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton, but saw attention deflected away from that when she spoke misguidedly against her colleague. 'I've worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he's a brilliant broadcaster, but I think he's aware of just how much he's doing in the women's game. I think he should be aware of that,' Aluko said. 'The fact of the matter is, as I said, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men's game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women's game, it's a free for all.'But that's not the case. I can't dominate the men's game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example.' She later admitted her wrongdoing but did not receive the reaction she was hoping for from Wright, who said on Insatgram: 'I've got to say, I'm very disappointed about what Eni has said, she knows how I've helped her, supported her publicly, and I know the previous conversations she's had with me and my management. 'I've seen the apology on social media, but I can't accept it. But I also want to move on.' Wright is hailed in the women's football community, founding and donating to the Ian Wright Coaching Fund to increase the number of female coaches in grassroots football; paying for Stoke City player Kayleigh McDonald's rehab from an ACL injury, as revealed by The Telegraph; and advocating for girls to have equal opportunities with boys to play football in school. He has also only covered exactly one WSL game in the league's history, and 11 Lionesses games in the past two seasons.
NHK
5 days ago
- General
- NHK
Iceland President on the most gender-equal society
Interview with Iceland's President Halla Tomasdottir on the power of women and the value of advancing gender equality.
ABC News
6 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Senator Fatima Payman discloses 'inappropriate' behaviour by senior parliamentary colleague
Independent senator Fatima Payman has disclosed that she was subjected to sexually suggestive and racially insensitive comments by an older male parliamentary colleague, leading to a formal complaint through the Parliamentary Workplace Support System (PWSS). Senator Payman told triple j hack that the comments were made by a senior colleague who she alleges "had had too many drinks" at a social function she attended through the course of official parliamentary business. Comments included sentiments like "let's get some wine into you and see you dance on the table", Senator Payman said. The former Labor senator-turned independent said the comments were sexually suggestive and made her feel singled out as a Muslim woman who doesn't consume alcohol. "I don't drink and I don't need to be made… to feel left out because you do," she said, referencing her older colleague. "I told this colleague, 'Hey, I'm drawing a line, mate' and moved on to making a formal complaint," Senator Payman said. Senator Payman, who was the youngest member of the last parliamentary session, said Gen Z don't shy away from calling out poor behaviour. "Being clear is being kind. You actually are helping somebody understand what your boundaries are by speaking up," she said. The complaint was escalated to the PWSS, an independent body initially created in the wake of allegations made by staffer Brittany Higgins that she was raped in Parliament House by a colleague. Senator Payman said she was happy with the "swift" way the complaint was handled. "Being looked after and taken care of by the Parliamentary Workplace [Support] Service was really, really good." The agency received about 3,000 calls in 2024, with half of them relating to HR inquiries from both employers and employees, according to figures from PWSS. According to the first annual report released by the PWSS in October last year, the agency handled around 30 serious cases of wrongdoing, including sexual assault, harassment and stalking. Also in October last year, new laws came into effect establishing an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC), a new body with stronger powers to investigate and sanction politicians who misbehave. The formation of the IPSC was part of the recommendations of a review into parliamentary culture undertaken by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins. Not all politicians have been as positive about the PWSS complaints process as Senator Payman. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has two outstanding complaints with the agency: one relating to sexual harassment allegations against Senator David Van, and another relating to bullying by her former Greens colleagues. When asked about the status of these claims in an interview with triple j hack, Senator Thorpe replied "your guess is as good as mine". "I haven't had any updates in quite a long time, I would say over six months," Senator Thorpe said. Senator David Van resigned from the Liberal Party after multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour, and ran as an independent in May's election. His bid for re-election was unsuccessful. The PWSS has told triple j hack that a claim made by a parliamentarian is ongoing, even if the alleged perpetrator resigns or loses his or her seat. Senator Thorpe is sceptical of the IPSC, calling it a "protection racket where the two major parties look after each other". "It's a closed-door process where the two major parties — particularly a majority [who are] white people — decide on any ramifications that may come from anyone doing the wrong thing in the workplace," Senator Thorpe said. The Privileges Committee, which decides on the sanctions for serious misconduct under the IPSC, is made up mostly of members of the major parties. Former member of the committee, Labor MP Kate Thwaites, told ABC TV last year that the committee is non-partisan. "The members of that committee are not thinking about what is the political point I can score here? They are thinking about what is the obligation I have to the parliament." The incoming session of parliament is expected to be younger and more diverse than ever before and include the highest number of women. Senators Thorpe and Payman both hope that they can help improve the notoriously poor culture in Parliament House. Fatima Payman, who was elected at 28 and is the only parliamentarian to wear a hijab, said she hopes the new crop can "shift the dial" on the entrenched ways of the major parties. She said she has already seen an improvement in the culture of Parliament House due to "young people who aren't afraid of calling things out and who aren't afraid of being visible". Senator Thorpe, who has been in parliament since 2020, agreed that parliamentary culture has improved, especially around the excessive consumption of alcohol. "You're not seeing politicians walking in [to the chambers] blind drunk or paralytic drunk, which is what I've seen in my time. "Men are behaving themselves and know that other men have been put on notice many times before and they don't want to be another one to be called out," Senator Thorpe said. She also said working hours have become more family-friendly, which has helped diversify the type of people who are attracted to the job. But Senator Thorpe said culture has a long way to go in terms of being safe for culturally and linguistically diverse people and First Nations people like herself. "Racism is real," Senator Thorpe said, pointing out that parliamentarians can make racist comments in the chamber, but calling a fellow senator or MP "racist" is deemed unparliamentary and is often forced to be withdrawn. She's calling on the new government to use its huge majority in the House of Representatives to use its power to make lasting change. "Racism training needs to be mandatory and Labor have an opportunity to make these good changes so that everyone's safe," Senator Thorpe said.
Zawya
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Must Push for Reforms to Protect Women and Girls, urges Equality Now
Equality Now ( is urging the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to call upon African Union (AU) member states to urgently address rising sexual violence and exploitation of women and girls across the continent. In its statement to the 83rd Ordinary Session of the Commission this month, the human rights organisation called on the Commission to use its mandate to underscore the importance to governments about the need to provide reparations for survivors of sexual violence, criminalise femicide, boost efforts to end child marriage, and strengthen laws to stop digital violence. Equality Now wants the Commission to remind States of their obligations under the Maputo Protocol on Women's Rights ( Of the 55 member States, 45 have ratified or signed the protocol. Deborah Nyokabi, a legal equality and gender policy expert at Equality Now, explains, 'Women and girls across Africa are enduring violence in all its forms - including rape, child marriage, femicide, trafficking, and digital abuse - while legal systems too often fail to protect or deliver justice. These are not isolated issues but symptoms of a broader failure to uphold the rights enshrined in the Maputo Protocol.' 'African governments must prioritise legal reform, provide reparations to survivors, and close the protection gaps that leave so many women and girls vulnerable and without access to assistance when their rights have been violated, especially in conflict zones where the breakdown of services intensifies harm.' Sexual violence reparations According to figures ( released by UNICEF last year, more than 79 million girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa have been subjected to rape or sexual assault as children. The region has the highest number of child sexual violence victims in the world. Yet research by Equality Now found that survivors of sexual violence are being denied justice. In its report, 'Barriers to Justice: Rape in Africa, Law, Practice and Access to Justice' ( the NGO exposed key gaps in rape laws in 45 African countries, which included allowing rape in marriage, perpetrators to walk free from court if they agree to marry their victims, and judges to define evidence based on the complainant's behaviour. In its statement, Equality Now called on the Commission to urge member States to urgently integrate the Niamey Guidelines ( on combatting sexual violence, adopted by the Commission in 2017, emphasising governments' obligation to provide reparations to survivors. Criminalising femicide The NGO called on the Commission to implore governments to criminalise femicide - the most extreme and brutal manifestation of violence against women. Equality Now's report 'Gender Inequality in Family Laws in Africa: An Overview of Key Trends in Select Countries' ( revealed that the most devastating facet of inequality within the family is sexual and gender-based violence, including domestic violence, marital rape, economic violence and femicide, which is the intentional murder of a woman or girl because of their gender. In 2023, an average of 140 women and girls were killed ( by a partner or family member every day. Current and former intimate partners were the most likely perpetrators. Yet not enough is being done to end the crisis or hold offenders to account. In South Africa, a national femicide study ( found that three women a day were killed by an intimate partner in 2020/21, but in 44% of cases, police had failed to identify a perpetrator. In Kenya, 170 cases of femicide ( were reported in 2024. A petition ( calling on the government to make femicide a distinct crime has received more than 78,000 signatures. In Cameroon last month, Bekobe Eric, accused of murdering his wife Diane Yangwo, received ( a five-year suspended sentence and a fine of 52,000 CFA (approximately $90). The sentence was immediately denounced by women's rights advocates. Earlier this year, the African Union took a significant step to address the crisis by adopting the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls ( which included an explicit definition of femicide. Equality Now wants the Commission to seize the momentum to encourage governments to recognise and criminalise femicide as a distinct crime, and outlaw marital rape and domestic violence. Safeguarding rights in Sudan and the DRC Equality Now urges the Commission to encourage Sudan to ratify the Maputo Protocol to provide essential legal protections for women and girls. Sudan is now in its third year of conflict, facing widespread destruction, significant civilian casualties and an unparalleled humanitarian crisis. Women and girls are bearing the brunt of Sudan's war ( with sexual violence being weaponised by both sides. The destruction of healthcare infrastructure, however, means there are inadequate medical and reproductive health services to support survivors of violence, which has led to more unintended pregnancies, miscarriages and maternal deaths. Increasing rates of maternal mortality are also being recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where decades of conflict have severely damaged healthcare services. The Commission should encourage both countries to integrate sexual and reproductive health rights into their humanitarian response. End child marriage In its statement to the Commission, Equality Now expressed deep concern at the continued high rates of child marriage across the continent. Fourteen of the 20 countries with the highest prevalence rates are in Africa. Child marriage is a serious human rights violation ( Girls are often forced to drop out of school, restricting their life chances, and are likely to give birth at a young age, which poses severe health risks. One of the reasons child marriage is continuing unchecked is because of weak legal protections, which must be addressed, said Equality Now. All AU member States should raise the minimum age of marriage to 18, without exceptions, and implement measures and programmes to end child marriage in line with recommendations ( made in 2017 by the Commission and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. End sexual exploitation The Commission was also asked to encourage member States to address the surge in trafficking of women and girls across the continent. UNODC's 2024 global report on trafficking ( found that a third of all cross-border trafficking flows involved Africans. In sub-Saharan Africa, 98% of victims were trafficked within the region, 21% for sexual exploitation. About 42% of trafficked victims in sub-Saharan Africa were girls. Member States have enacted anti-trafficking laws and policies, but they are not being adequately enforced. Meanwhile, the systemic factors that make women and girls vulnerable to sexual exploitation have not been meaningfully addressed. Digital spaces are also becoming more dangerous for women and girls. Online abuse, including sexual harassment and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is rising in tandem with increased internet penetration. Technology is increasingly being weaponised to attack women and girls, including women politicians, journalists and human rights defenders. Digital violence is being exacerbated by weak legal protections, underreporting and the limited capacity for law enforcement to investigate tech-related crimes. Governments need to enforce and tighten existing laws on online sexual exploitation and invest in digital safety initiatives, in line with the recently adopted UN Global Digital Compact ( said Equality Now. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now. Notes to editors: For media enquiries, contact: Tara Carey Global Head of Media Equality Now Tcarey@ T. +44 (0)7971556340 (available on WhatsApp and Signal) About Equality Now: Equality Now ( is an international human rights organisation dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of all women and girls worldwide. Its work is organised around four main program areas: Achieving Legal Equality, Ending Sexual Violence, Ending Harmful Practices, and Ending Sexual Exploitation, with a cross-cutting focus on the unique challenges facing adolescent girls. Equality Now combines grassroots activism with legal advocacy at the international, regional, and national levels to achieve systemic change, and collaborates with local partners to ensure governments enact and enforce laws and policies that uphold women's and girls' rights. For more information about Equality Now, visit and find us on Bluesky @ ( on Instagram @ equalitynoworg ( Linkedin at Equality Now (
Mail & Guardian
18-05-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
A woman leading the African Development Bank would be a strategic investment
African Development Bank Group headquarters in Le Plateau, the business district of the Ivorian capital Abidjan. - (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images) As the African Development Bank (AfDB) prepares to elect its 10th president next month, its shareholders should seize the strategic opportunity of naming a woman to fill this critical post. All five candidates have impressive credentials, and they have each offered compelling visions for leading this vital institution at a critical time for Africa's nearly 1.5 billion people. It is reasonable to assume that any of them could perform the job competently. But only one of the candidates is a woman, so it is also worth asking what additional effect her election could have. Since its founding in 1964, the AfDB has been led exclusively by men. This pattern reflects the persistent underrepresentation of women in the top leadership roles of international institutions around the world. The This group has been steadily shrinking in recent years, because institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organisation, the European Investment Bank and the World Meteorological Organisation have elected women to the top job for the first time. These elections reflect a global consensus that the leadership of these institutions should mirror the gender composition of the societies that serve. Africa needs smart, determined and visionary leadership to tackle its pressing problems, from climate change and unemployment to infrastructure deficits. Fortunately, there is no shortage of African women who fit that bill. Across the continent, we have distinguished ourselves as ministers of finance, central bank governors, chief executives, economists, and development experts. Many of us have risen through the ranks in multilateral institutions, combining local knowledge with global experience. It is not a question of whether African women are qualified — it is a question of whether we will be given the platform to lead. Unfortunately, women across Africa continue to face systemic barriers to accessing power and influence. While progress has been made in some countries, gender inequality remains entrenched in many spheres of public and economic life. Women are often sidelined from the highest echelons of political and financial decision-making, even when they demonstrate exceptional competence and leadership. Given this context, electing a woman to lead the African Development Bank would send a powerful signal. The AfDB is a pillar of development on the continent, responsible for financing critical infrastructure, promoting economic integration, and shaping the future of Africa's economy. It is also at the forefront of efforts to combat the disproportionate effect of poverty on women, and to expand their access to education, jobs and digital connectivity. Were girls and young women to see someone who looks like them leading the AfDB, it would expand their vision of what is possible. It would shift mindsets — not just among women, but also among men — about who belongs in leadership positions. The symbolic power of a woman president at the AfDB would ripple far beyond the bank's headquarters in Abidjan. It would reach rural schools in Malawi, startup hubs in Nairobi and parliamentary chambers in Abuja. For the millions of African girls growing up in societies where their ambitions are often curtailed by social expectations, this could offer thrilling evidence that change is possible. Choosing a woman could also benefit the AfDB's performance, because research consistently shows that diverse leadership leads to better outcomes, greater innovation, and more inclusive decision-making. At a time when Africa's people need bold, inclusive and transformative leadership, the shareholding nations of the AfDB have an opportunity to answer that call with a historic election. is a GWL Voices' member and is its president and co-founder. This global organisation is made up of 76 women leaders who have held high-level positions in governments and international organisations. Its main mission is to promote gender equality and effective multilateralism.
