Denying same sex couples the right to marry deprives gays and lesbians of a fundamental human right. That is unfair and unjust, writes 19-year-old Sharlene Sturk from Australia. One of the most controversial problems currently facing our society and government is the question of same sex marriage. In Australia, marriage is defined as a union …
Domestic violence is no trivial matter to be swept under the carpet, writes Jo-Annah Richards, 26, a law graduate and Commonwealth Correspondent from the Caribbean island of Montserrat now living in Britain. As she lay bloodied and lifeless everyone stared frozen in shock. How could this have happened? Not on this island! Why the shock when …
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In response to a series of high-profile cases, Pakistan passed legislation last year to punish and deter acid attacks on women. But the violence has not ended. More needs to be done to end this horrific practice and safeguard female rights, writes Faisal Saleh Yaqub, 19, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lahore. Reports of acid attacks on women have …
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In Nigeria, 38 percent of women lack formal education, reports Tayo Elegbede, 22, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Lagos in Nigeria. Yet the failure to fully tap the potential of women undermines the quality of democracy and threatens economic and social strength. It is apparent that no appreciable development can be made on the local, national …
Human trafficking is a multimillion dollar transnational business, but the crime seems to be shrouded in secrecy. Tamica Parchment, 25, a Commonwealth Correspondent living in Kingston, Jamaica, investigates the reasons behind human trafficking’s lack of exposure in the public and political eye. After the dramatic rescue of three young women in Cleveland, there was a …
International Women’s Day is celebrated to uphold the rights of women in society, writes Madusha Erandi, 21, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Colombo in Sri Lanka, who argues that advancing equality for women will benefit society as a whole. Some time back in the late 1890’s there was a garment workers’ strike in New York, where …
Progress on the goal of equal rights for women in Kenya has been uneven according to speakers at a UN conference, writes Amina Adhan, 22, a Correspondent from Nairobi, Kenya. But at the same time, young people have an opportunity to participate and advance the cause. The United Nations Women Nairobi office held a multi-generational …
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Violence against women has not lessened in spite of laws and campaigns, writes Leigh-Ann Worrell, 25, a Commonwealth Correspondent from St. Thomas. She argues the violence won’t end without a change in society’s idea of what it means to be masculine and feminine. The tears of shock and anger ran deeper than the secluded area …
Affirmative action has come under fire from those who think women have achieved equal opportunity with men, but Amina Adhan, 22, a Correspondent from Nairobi, Kenya, argues it is needed when patriarchal culture is a hindrance to the goal of gender equality. While women’s rights have been sluggishly progressive in most parts of the world, …
Men have long been blamed for messages that portray women as sex objects, but Denise Juvane, 21, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Mozambique now living in England, argues that in a twist, women are now the drivers of that message. Until a couple of years ago, it could have been argued that the sexualisation of women definitely came …
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