Around the World in 5 is an ongoing series that highlights news related to women in five countries, updated every week. This week’s post covers September 18 to September 23.
Rwanda
Grace Nyinawumuntu, the head coach of Rwanda’s women’s football team was suspended today by the national federation for saying Ghanaian rivals were “like men”.
Rwanda’s football federation (Ferwafa) sent a statement to AFP confirming the coach had been “suspended until further notice, due to (the) inappropriate choice of diction she used after the game between Rwanda and Ghana”.
Ferwafa said, “The remarks made by the coach of the national women about the players of the Ghana national women’s team are in violation of the rules and values of football in Rwanda.”
Iran
Iran’s parliament, on Wednesday, approved a new law that imposes severe penalties on women violating hijab rules.
This legislation, known as the “hijab bill,” will be implemented as a trial for three years and includes strict clothing regulations, with violations potentially resulting in up to a decade of imprisonment.
According to the Iranian penal code, a fourth-degree offense results in a prison term ranging from five to ten years and a fine between 180 million rials ($4,260) and 360 million rials ($8,520).
“Any person who appears naked or semi-naked in public, in public places or on roads, or appears in a way that is traditionally considered naked will be immediately arrested,” reads article 50 of the new law.
This contentious law has faced criticism from numerous human rights advocates, with UN experts expressing concerns about its potential to lead to “gender apartheid.”
United States of America
Recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shown that commonly used chemicals increase the likelihood of hormonally driven cancers in women.
These “forever” substances, known as per-and-poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are present in a wide array of household and industrial items, including products designed to resist water, stains, and grease. Additionally, phenols, which are present in food packaging, dyes, and personal care items, have been conclusively linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer and other diagnoses.
Alarmingly, the CDC reports that PFAS is detected in the bloodstream of 97 per cent of Americans and is found in 45 per cent of U.S. drinking water sources.
Peru
Peruvian authorities uncovered an underground operation involving the sale of newborn infants on September 4 in the Andean city.
The discovery came to light when a woman named Fanny Hurtado brought her purported two-week-old baby to Manco Capac Health Center for vaccinations and routine care. Suspicion arose when Hurtado refused postpartum treatment, prompting her to be reported to the police.
During questioning, Hurtado claimed that she had received the baby from Doris Rosa Huaihua in exchange for 3,000 soles ($811 USD). Subsequently, Hurtado and her partner, Rubén Mora, were detained on human trafficking charges.
However, they were released two days later as authorities continued their search for additional evidence.
Global
An assessment by UN Women and various UN agencies has revealed that none of the fourteen gender equality indicators have been achieved thus far. Only two are close to being fulfilled, while the remaining twelve are categorized as ranging from “moderately” to “significantly distant” from the 2030 target.
These indicators include laws to protect against discrimination and defend legal rights, the incidence of intimate-partner violence, child marriage and female genital mutilation, unpaid care and domestic work, political representation, managerial jobs, health-care and reproductive rights, education, land rights, phone ownership, and government funding and data collection on gender equality.
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