Posts Tagged ‘OHCHR’

Corrective rape: Shocking realities of homophobia

Wednesday, 29 June 2011 11:12 Written by Greg 0 Comments

On May 4, a 13 year-old girl was raped in Atteridgeville, near Pretoria. During the assault, her attacker reportedly boasted that he would ‘cure’ her of lesbianism. In late April, the disfigured body of lesbian activist Noxolo Nogwaza was found in an alley in KwaThema, near Johannesburg. She had been raped and killed, apparently after an argument with men who had tried to proposition her girlfriend. These examples of ‘corrective’ or ‘punitive’ rape are presented by Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in an op-ed recently published in South African daily The Star.

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“Son preference” perpetuates discrimination and violations of women’s rights

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 10:10 Written by Greg 0 Comments

A statement issued today by OHCHR, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women and the WHO reviews the evidence behind the causes, consequences and lessons learned regarding “son preference” or sex selection favouring boys in many parts of South, East and Central Asia, where ratios as high as 130 boys for every 100 girls have been observed.

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Discrimination enforced by law: women’s struggle around the world

Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:57 Written by UNRIC 0 Comments

“Various forms of discrimination against women not only exist in all societies, but are even codified by the very governments which should be fighting that injustice.” (Sarah Jones in Women Can’t Wait)

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Jailed for being abused

Tuesday, 29 March 2011 10:04 Written by UNRIC 0 Comments

Sima is 15, but looks even younger. I met her in Kabul, in the female juveniles section of the Badam Bagh prison, earlier this month. She talks very little, but her eyes are full of grief. A defence lawyer told me it is likely she had been raped.

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