Women in Afghanistan: Securing their Future

 

In honor of International Women's Week 2012, the Center on Women and Public Policy teamed up with Women's Action for New Directions, Women Legislators Lobby to present David Cortright on the future of women in Afghanistan. He was joined by Congressman Keith Ellison and Advocates for Human Rights Executive Director Robin Phillips. Cortright directs Policy Studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and co-authored Afghan Women Speak:  Enhancing Security and Human Rights in Afghanistan "The prospect of a political solution to the Afghan war has generated much public debate about the fate of Afghan women. Since the overthrow of the Taliban by U.S.-led forces in 2001, the promotion of Afghan women’s rights has been a highly politicized appendage of the military intervention. International efforts to assist women have produced mixed results: while Afghan women have achieved improvements in their health, education, and economic and political participation, escalating violence has eroded those gains in many provinces. Women exercising leadership abilities or pursuing opportunities provided by Western donors have been accused of being anti-Islamic and subjected to threats, attack, and assassination. Because of the symbolic and cultural value of women in Islamic society, differing views on women’s roles have been a battleground over which competing visions for Afghan society and claims to power have been fought. Women — so often objectified in times of war — have been at the frontlines of the Afghan conflict." Full report

The program aired on MPR News Presents.

 

Advancing Equality for Minnesota’s Immigrant and Refugee Women: Integrating Gender Equity in Programming and Organizational Practices

 

This March 9, 2012 workshop for Minnesota nonprofit leadership and staff in recognition of International Women's Day featured opening speaker State Senator Patricia Torres Ray, the first Latina elected to the Minnesota Senate.

The objectives included (1) Sharing tools designed by Refugee and Immigrant Women for Change:  “Toolkit for integration of Gender Equity into an organization’s programming and organizational practices”; (2) Engaging the nonprofit sector, especially organizations working with women in substantive actions, to build gender equity in their organization and in their programs; (3) Identifying local organizations that have a record of good practices and are committed to build gender equity in their organization and through their programming; and (4) Exchanging best practices for addressing gender equity.

The Center partnered with Refugee and Immigrant Women for Changea coalition of seven agencies whose goal is to work across cultures to shift attitudes and behaviors about gender equity in refugee and immigrant communities.

Rashmi Singh on "The National Mission for the Empowerment of Women."

 

On November 1, 2011, Rashmi Singh presented on "The National Mission for the Empowerment of Women." Rashmi Singh was one of Delhi’s first administrative officers selected to study in Minnesota through the Government of India’s Ministry of Personnel and Training.   She was back in Minnesota to receive the University of Minnesota’s prestigious International Leadership Award for her work in the poorest neighborhoods of New Delhi.  Her latest effort, the National Mission for the Empowerment of Women, builds on the game changing initiative she founded, Mission Convergence, to substantially e-engineered the delivery of human services in New Delhi. Presentation co-sponsored by The Center on Women and Public Policy and the Freeman Center for International Economic Policy. Other resources here: Singh_Nov3_2011

Click on image to play video of talk

 

Informing and Improving Judicial Selection Processes

 

On October 13, 2011, the Infinity Project (a coalition of judges, lawyers, advocates and legal scholars working to improve gender diversity within the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals region coordinated by the Center on Women and Public Policy) hosted a panel discussion with best-selling author and CNN court commentator Jeffrey Toobin.   Toobin was joined by Robert Raben, a consultant to diverse federal court nominees, and two federal judges, the Honorable Celeste Bremer (a magistrate judge sitting in the Iowa federal court) and the Honorable Audrey Fleissig (a federal judge sitting on the United States District Court Eastern District of Missouri).  All shared their experiences with the judicial appointment process. 

The powerful Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals sits just below the United States Supreme Court and hears appeals from federal courts in Minnesota and six other states.  Only one woman has ever been appointed to the Eighth Circuit bench.  While President Obama has been nominating more women and minorities than any previous president, these nominees have been confirmed at a slower rate than during previous administrations.  And according to Infinity Project Executive Director Debra Fitzpatrick, “appointment of significant numbers of women could easily decline under another administration.  The process remains a black box, varying from senator to senator, and jurisdiction to jurisdiction, which can discourage under-represented candidates who are unfamiliar with how to navigate challenging political processes.”

The issue and event were the subject of a Star Tribune Editorial Too Few Women Judges

 

Half the Sky

 

In March 2010, the Center on Women and Public Policy co-sponsored a book discussion and panel to explore the role of women and girls in international development. Listen:

Half the Sky discussion (Audio File)

Panelists included: Professor Micheal Barnett (formerly of the Humphrey School), Cheryl Thomas (Director Women's program, Advocates for Human Rights); Barbara Frey (Director, University of Minnesota Human Rights Center); Joan Dejaeghere (Professor, University of Minnesota, Department of Education and Human Development) and Arvonne Fraser.