Margaret Thatcher. Women in Politics. Edward Heath. Sir Bernard Weatherill.

(CNN) -- When it came to promoting other women in politics, Margaret Thatcher was a disappointment. In fact, her main legacy for women was that she was a woman holding the position of prime minister for 11½ years.

My son was 5 years old when Thatcher first won election as prime minister, the first woman to do so. By the time she left office, he was a young man of 17. He didn't remember a country with a male prime minister.

Lesley Abdela

As a feminist and women's rights campaigner who opposed many of Thatcher's policies, I am still trying to work out how I feel about her. As prime minister, Thatcher did almost nothing to promote women's rights actively, but at the same time, an entire generation grew up assuming it was normal to have a woman as prime minister. For my full article  go to :

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/10/opinion/abdela-thatcher-women/index.html

International Women's Day - a record year for Women MPs according to the IPU - Quotas and PR electoral systems.

Lesley’s International Women’s Day Letter. 

There have been oodles of depressing news this past year for women so let me give you a few reasons to celebrate.

Good news! 2012 was  a year of higher than usual level of progress on women’s election to parliaments. I have been tracking and promoting women’s progress in parliaments globally for over 30 years because I am convinced this is the key to democratic transformation and to every aspect of progress for women’s rights and equality,  including addressing violence against women.  Progress never feels fast enough, but it is moving in the right direction.

According to a new Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) report, in   2012 the global average of women in parliaments rose to 20.3 per cent, up from 19.5 per cent in 2011. This is nearly double the usual annual rate of increase. 33 lower houses of parliaments and 17 upper houses reached the 30% threshold necessary for women parliamentarians to have an impact on decision-making. This is more than triple the number 10 years ago.

Countries  with the highest electoral gains for women MPs in 2012 elections? 

The three countries with the highest gains of women MPs in 2012 were:  Senegal (42.7% women MPs), Timor Leste (38.5%) Algeria  (31.6 %).  All three countries used legislated quotas for the first time.

Africa

The high percentage of women elected in Senegal, brought Africa’s regional average for women MPs up to 20.4 per cent. Sub-Saharan Africa now has four parliaments in the top ten world rankings of women in parliament. Senegal’s 2012 elections were the first to be held since the adoption of a gender parity law in 2010. It requires that all candidate lists for legislative, regional, municipal and rural elections comprise equal numbers of men and women candidates, with men’s and women’s names alternated. Non- compliance with the gender parity requirement disqualified parties from the electoral process. In addition to enforcing the law, the government and women’s organizations conducted a large-scale public awareness campaign and training sessions for women candidates.

In Sierra Leone, voters showed they were more progressive than the political parties.  According to the Media the 15 successful women scored the highest percentage of votes in the elections, beating all their male counterparts and illustrating that political parties may not be as supportive of women candidates as the electorate. The 10 parties had all agreed to seek more women candidates as part of a drive to increase the proportion of women lawmakers from less than 20 per cent in the outgoing parliament to at least 30 per cent, but the parties chose only 38 women out of their 586 candidates.

Arab countries

Algeria is the first and only Arab country to have more than 30% women in a region which  has so far failed to deliver on the promise of democratic change for women in the Arab Spring countries of Egypt and Libya and which continues to have the lowest regional average –13.2 per cent.  

Asia 

In Asia  too there were notable successes in women’s parliamentary representation. . Timor Leste (up 10.8 percentage points) and an increase of 9.6 percentage points in Mongolia.
Asia is the slow and steady tortoise in the race, but at least the figures are moving in the right direction. The regional average increased by 3 percentage points from 15.2 percent in 2002 to 17.9 percent in 2012.

Europe

Women made a few advances in Europe in 2012.  Due to quota legislation  the percentage of women in the Serbian parliament increased from 22% to 32.2% and in France from 19% to 27%.  European countries have made improvements over the past 10 years. The region now has an average of
23.2 per cent women MPs, up from 17.4 per cent in 2002.
The Americas
The Americas, have the highest regional average in the world. (24.1%,).  In 2012 a record number of women were elected in Mexico, El Salvador Jamaica and the United States of America (USA. ).  In Mexico the percentage of women elected leapt from 26% to 37%. The USA, where women now account for 18 per cent in the House of Representatives and 20 per cent in the Senate, saw an unprecedented number of women candidates. Nevertheless, the USA jumped only one place in world rankings from 78th to 77th in 2012.

Lessons identified? Quotas combined with a PR Electoral system,

IPU Secretary General Anders B. Johnsson says,

“Although quotas remain contentious in some parts of the world, they remain key to progress on a fundamental component of democracy - gender parity in political representation. There can be no claim to democracy without delivering on this.”

9 out of the top 10 countries with the highest increase in the number of women MPs in their lower house of parliament used quotas and had a proportional representation (PR)  electoral system.

7 out of the 9 lower houses of parliament with a decrease in women MPs did not use quotas.     Where no quotas were used, women took just 12 per cent of seats, well below the global average.

22 of the 48 countries holding elections last year used quotas. Where quotas had been legislated, women took 24%  of parliamentary seats; with voluntary quotas,  women they took 22% of seats.

Quotas need to be accompanied by sanctions for non-compliance and women candidates should be placed in winnable positions on party lists. Political commitment to including women’s parliamentary participation is also a must.

PR Electoral system

It is easier to use a quota system with a PR voting system than with a first past the post system. In addition PR delivered a much higher percentage of women MPs (25%) in 2012 than first-past-the-post (14%) or a mixture of the two systems (17.5%).

Statistics Source http://www.ipu.org/PDF/publications/WIP2012E.pdf

Gay marriage. Heterosexual marriage in church is modern innovation

Re- the debate on Gay marriage. Heterosexual marriage in church is a comparatively modern innovation. According to a historian friend of mine marriage was mainly a business arrangement for dynastic and property reasons. People in medieval Britain didn't get married in Church: only the rich with property involved the church and a religious ceremony, but even then they had the ceremony  outside the actual church (a priest would marry them at the church door). Just thought you'd like to know!

UK takes action to prevent the use of rape and other forms of sexual violence as a weapon of war. First target countries: Syria, Mali, South Sudan, Eastern DRC and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

 I have waited over 25 years to hear a Foreign Secretary  declare prevention of violence against women in conflict is his top priority. UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague speaking at a Foreign Office reception this week to welcome those of us appointed to the Prevention of Sexual violence against women in conflict experts team said:

 “We have set ourselves a very practical goal in the United Kingdom: we want to use our diplomatic influence and resources to increase the number of perpetrators of sexual violence who are brought to justice, and to build up the legal and practical capability of other countries to tackle these crimes themselves. We have set ourselves a very practical goal in the United Kingdom: we want to use our diplomatic influence and resources to increase the number of perpetrators of sexual violence who are brought to justice, and to build up the legal and practical capability of other countries to tackle these crimes themselves. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is leading this new campaign, and we now have the first dedicated team of diplomats working full time here in the FCO on preventing sexual violence in conflict. 

At the heart of our campaign is the new UK Team of Experts which we can deploy to conflict-affected countries, gathered here in the Foreign Office tonight for the very first time.”

 Prevention of Sexual Violence Initiative Team

The picture shows Foreign Secretary William Hague with members of the team of 73 experts made up of police officers, lawyers, psychologists, doctors, forensic experts, gender-based violence experts and experts in the care and protection of survivors and witnesses. (30 Jan 2013) Members of the team can be asked to go to conflict-affected countries to assist with investigations and prosecutions; to help with the care of victims and witnesses; and train local authorities. Each deployment will either support a UN mission; assist an NGO working on the ground; or be deployed at the request of the national authorities of that country. The experts will help local courts and prosecutors to address the backlog of war crimes cases and protect survivors and witnesses.

The Foreign Secretary said:

“The sad truth today is that the perpetrators of these appalling, life-shattering crimes still tend to go unpunished. Many hundreds of thousands of survivors live with the stigma, shame and burden, in many countries around the world. And their ranks are being added to all the time, including in Syria, where the number of refugees who have reported being raped is truly shocking.

This is a moral issue, because the individuals concerned have a right to justice and support, and because we must shift the stigma from the survivors of rape to the perpetrators. But it is also central to foreign policy, because sexual violence perpetuates division and conflict, undermining international peace and security.

We are determined to help shatter the culture of impunity for wartime rape, and to rally the world to do more to help survivors. We must overturn the age-old assumptions that rape is somehow an inevitable by-product of conflict; and confront its use in the same way that we have confronted slavery and are urgently seeking an International Arms Trade Treaty.

Syria, South Sudan, DRC, Bosnia-Herzegovina

We have already deployed part of the Team to Syria’s borders, to train local health professionals in how to respond to reports of sexual violence. We will expand this work this year, deploying a team again, in larger numbers, to help Syrian refugees and those working with them.

We will also deploy the Team of Experts to at least four other countries this year:

To Libya, to support survivors of sexual violence committed during the revolution; to South Sudan, to work with the UN and Government to strengthen local justice; to Eastern DRC to help doctors and lawyers investigate the cases of the hundreds of women and girls who are raped there each month; and to Bosnia-Herzegovina where thousands of women are still waiting for justice 20 years since the war. There, our experts will help local courts and prosecutors to address the backlog of war crimes cases and protect survivors and witnesses.

Responding to sexual violence needs to be built into every aspect of conflict prevention and peace-building work overseas, from development to peace-keeping.

Mali

So I can also announce today that we have offered members of the UK Team of Experts to the EU military training mission to Mali, to provide human rights training to the Malian armed forces on preventing and responding to sexual violence. This will be designed to enable them to better protect civilians and to act responsibly, particularly towards women.

G8

But we want the international community as a whole to do much more. So we aim to use the UK’s G8 Presidency this year to secure a clear statement of intent from some of the world’s most powerful nations to make real, tangible progress on this issue.

When I host the G8 Foreign Ministers in April here in London I will be asking for practical contributions of resources and capabilities, and support for a new International Protocol on the investigation and documentation of sexual violence in conflict. This is my personal priority during the G8.”[1]

Next speech I want to hear?  Commitment to ensuring at least 40% participation of women on all peace talks and post conflict transitional governments!

Full speech at : https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/preventing-sexual-violence-initiative-uk-team-of-experts

---

[1] The G8, or "Group of Eight," consists of eight large world economic powers: Canada
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
Russia
United Kingdom
United States The 39th G8 summit will be held in the  UK on 17th and 18th June 2013.

Syria action briefing humanitarian crisis- what women say

I just received this Syria  briefing from Sanam Anderlini on the immediate humanitarian crisis. 

The information and recommendations were compiled by ICAN and were derived from 

consultations with Syrian civil society activists inside the country and in neighbouring countries. 

What the Women Say
Voices from Ground: Syria’s Humanitarian Crisis An Action Brief: Winter 2013
In recent months ICAN’s staff have held regular in-person and online consultations with Syrian civil society activists based inside the country or those who have recently left. They are providing relief and development support to refugees and IDPs. They speak of the humanitarian threats, security, political, economic and psycho-social challenges that people are facing and the emergence of a nascent but committed civil society. The international community must recognize their resilience, and aspirations for the future, and support their efforts to withstand the impact of war. Their work is a testament to the dignity and humanity of Syrians and provides a glimpse of a peaceful pluralistic Syria for which they are striving. This brief summarizes key priorities and recommendations on immediate humanitarian issues that must be addressed by the international community.

1.International aid is not getting through, Syrians have self-organized to provide relief, they need support:
Many Syrians are involved in organizing relief assistance inside and outside the country. They are working independently, with limited access to international funds, yet with access and human capacity to provide assistance (health, shelter, food, education etc) in creative and collaborative ways. They repeatedly state that international aid is not getting through. In some cases corrupt networks are diverting it. In other instances – particularly inside the country – there is insufficient allocation to key areas notably Aleppo and Homs. They mention that ‘overheads’ are taken such that far less aid reaches the most needy. Supporting Syrian NGOs directly has multiple benefits. They have the ability to make effective use of smaller grants (up to $100,000). With help they can reinforce their management and institutional capacities to ensure longer-term sustainability. They can develop additional skills and the sectoral expertise needed for the transition and recovery period. Syrian NGOs supported by the international community could be one means of countering the influence of extremists in the country.

2.The situation in Aleppo is dire and getting worse, but local NGOs can make a difference: Aleppo is facing a dire situation, made worse by the attacks on the university campus where many IDPs had sought shelter and refuge. Essential services are lacking and assistance is not getting through. There is fear of spikes in disease due to a sanitation crisis, death, illness and child mortality. Local health professionals have established a hospital to provide healthcare and are planning to establish basic ’health points’ to provide care. They are in desperate need of funds, medical supplies, medicines, vaccines and
insecticide to stop the mass outbreak of Leishmaniasis.1

3.Most refugees are not in the camps, and they are in legal and economic limbo: Across Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, only an estimated 20-30% of Syrian refugees are actually in the camps. The majority has sought temporary housing outside the camps, many in the border towns. In part this is due to the poor living conditions within the camps and the lack of safety.

1 Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection transmitted by the bite of an infected female sand fly whose hosts are animals, such as dogs or rodents, or human beings. It is spreading in Aleppo due to sand flies breeding in uncollected trash. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/as- fighting-rages-in-aleppo-syrians-face-hunger-disease-and-little-hope-of-aid/2012/12/25/86ab74f0-4d37-11e2-835b-02f92c0daa43_story_1.html

√ Legal Issues: Refugees outside the camps are in a state of legal limbo. They can neither return home nor register for refugee status and benefits. Those in Turkey often stay on a 3-month visitor visa, which forbids them from working or attending school. Since they are viewed as guests of the Turkish government they cannot register with UNHCR to repatriate to third countries. Their uncertain residency status generates much fear and insecurity.

√ Human trafficking including sexual exploitation: According to various reports, human trafficking is on the rise, especially for those who want to go to European countries. Entire families have been imprisoned for illegal entry into third countries. Reports indicate that young women and girls being bought by Saudis and others from the Arab Gulf states. Merchants are scouting camps in search of younger virgin girls aged between 14-15. Some women and girls are given promises of marriage and sent to other countries once they lose their virginity. Some are sent back to Turkey but they are ashamed to return to their families so they fall into prostitution. Child marriages are also becoming more prevalent (reports from camps in Jordan and Turkey) among poorer families. For girls’ families these marriages (often informal and unregistered) is justified as giving protection to their daughters (from sexual harassment in camps) but it is also a means of bringing money in and getting rid of an extra mouth to feed.
√ Economic: Syrians are unable to get work permits in Turkey or Jordan. Yet they are desperate to earn incomes and support their families. Joblessness among men is a key source of frustration, emasculation and leading to gender based violence. Those who find employment are vulnerable to exploitation (low pay etc) by their employers and have no legal recourse as they fear deportation if they report incidences to the police. Women heads of households face serious problems providing for their families.
√ Education: Most Syrian refugees have no access to education. Many children and university aged youth have lost up to 2 years of their education. Even when they register and pay for a class (rare as often they lack the appropriate identification papers) they receive no certificate upon completion. Language differences are also a challenge, especially in Turkey. To alleviate the situation, Syrians have tried to set up schools with support from western (Canada) and Gulf States. At least one religious school was set up. In Antab Syrians worked with the mayor to set up a school for 4 grades offering Turkish language.
4. Camp conditions vary between the countries but they are dire, especially in the IDP camps: There is a pervasive lack of basic necessities including food, blankets, adequate shelter and services such as basic health care, education and psycho-social support (Zaatari camp in Jordan is notable).
√ Physical Safety:
o Fear of sexual harassment and violence: In Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon refugees speak of the fear
of sexual harassment and violence in the camps. Anecdotally, the incidences involve the security and civilian camp personnel. The cramped living conditions are also giving rise to sexual abuse. In Jordan where Syrian refugees are more conservative and impoverished, there are anecdotal reports of early marriages of young girls to local Jordanians (to ‘protect’ them from sexual harassment).
o Pressures on men, burdens on women: For many of the men dependency on handouts is intolerable, so they refuse to seek help or collect the supplies. Women have to get the supplies. But for more conservative families, the public exposure of women is a challenge too. This is causing trauma and domestic violence. For widows it is particularly difficult and anecdotally some are opting to marry as the 2nd wife to get male protection. But this is creating new societal problems. Some women household heads and widows may go for days without food, because they do not feel comfortable and don’t have the skills to negotiate assistance.

DC Office: 1776 Massachusetts Ave NW, c/o Suite 100, Washington DC 20036 www.icanpeacework.org
New York Office: c/o of WEDO, 355 Lexington Avenue; 3rd fl, New York, NY 10017 www.gnwp.org

2

o Political Fear: because there is a mix of people at camps, including members of the government security forces, political activists and those seeking asylum feel unsafe as they fear political infiltration and threats in the camps.
o Fear of local police and authorities (risk of harassment and deportation): Because of their precarious residency status fear of deportation and lack of police support, Syrians who are victims of crime or exploitation in host countries (Turkey, Jordan, Iraq etc), rarely report it to the authorities. In addition in Turkey since registration with the authorities limits their freedom of movement, many avoid doing so. But this also makes them more vulnerable.

• √  Health: There is a profound lack of basic health care and other services. In one camp in Jordan, water pollution was so high (the color was red) that the refugees feared for their children’s wellbeing. Syrians in Turkey lack health insurance so in cases of serious illness (e.g. cancer) they either go untreated as they cannot afford treatment, or are forced to return back to Syria.
  
  
• √  Restrictions on movement – impact on women and men. In camps there are restrictions on the movement of people. To leave the camps, Syrians need a guarantor who is a national of the host country. This creates a new form of exploitation as locals can extort money from the desperate Syrian refugees. Given traditional practices it is typically the men who are able to leave the camps. Women face even greater limitations on movement.
  
  5. IDP Camps (on the borders): The situation in the IDP camps is dire. Often run by the Free Syrian Army, they are at times subject to bombings and attacks. Atma Camp inside Syria – the last stop before Turkey –is a case in point. Overcrowding is a critical issue with some 17,000 refugees sharing just 1300 tents. There are virtually no toilet facilities (one bathroom for the women), so people have to use the fields. The tents are cold, small and there is a lack of basic necessities including food and blankets. There is no paving and the mud becomes unmanageable with rain and snow. There are no health services or school. Children have died because of the cold and accidental fires.
  
  Recommendations:
  

1. End the legal limbo for Syrians: Change laws to allow for residency, work permit and access to health and educational services in host countries. Allow Syrians outside the camps to register for refugee status with UNHCR, access benefits and seek assistance for 3rd country settlement.
   
2. Support media and community based programs to raise awareness about human trafficking & reducing the stigma of sexual violence: Through radio programs and outreach via Syrian NGOs and others to refugee populations (in/out of camps), raise awareness about the signs and risks of human trafficking (illegal immigrants, sex trafficking etc). Tackle the stigma of sexual violence to shift the shame away from victims, and provide them (and their families) with care and counseling.
   
3. Fund & support activists and human rights defenders: These activists are critical to the struggle and to Syria’s future but are facing immense financial, legal and other challenges. In some instances they have been denied Syrian passports so they cannot travel. Set up special funds and mechanisms offering financial support, visas for medical treatment, respites and education to support human rights and civil society activists who face persecution or chronic illness. Germany for example has provided 5-year special visas to activists from other countries. The resources could be channeled through existing international NGOs supporting human rights defenders and civil/political activists.
   
4. Work through Syrian civil society to ensure that IDP and refugee camp residents are involved in service provision and have access to the assistance. Set up male/female committees in camps to
   

.
3. Monitor distribution of aid. Diversify implementing partners so that Syrian NGOs have direct access to international aid. Reach out through Syrian NGOs to determine humanitarian needs of communities inside the country. Syrian NGOs are cost effective, active and quick to respond. Funds could be passed through international NGOs working with Syrian partners or made directly available to Syrian NGOs.

5. Host and neighboring countries should ease the way for Syrian NGOs to register and establish themselves in order to receive funds and support from the international community. This will also provide greater accountability and transparency. Currently many Syrian NGOs (especially those active inside the country) are in a state of limbo and uncertainty. They cannot register, and thus cannot open organizational bank accounts. Yet there is immense need for their services.
   
   
6. Identify and work with Syrian civil society and professionals (lawyers, doctors, engineers, social workers, teachers etc) to provide the necessary care and assistance: Syrians do not want to become dependent on aid. They want help to help themselves. To sustain their resilience and social capital, the international community must identify Syrians to provide the basic services. Where organizations already exist (e.g. Aleppo, Homs, among refugee communities), they should channel resources to them.
   
   
7. Allow Syrians to enter neighboring countries: The international community must support regional states in allowing Syrians fleeing the war to gain refuge outside their countries. The borders should not be closed. They should be opened and service provision increased.
   
   
8. Improve camp infrastructure (in host countries and in Syria) and get refugees to do the work: Pave the areas around and inside the camps, replace tents with premade (prefab) rooms, build toilets, set up basic health and social service facilities.
   
   
9. Support economic empowerment and employment generation projects for women and men including youth. Training (basic and more complex skills) for women (especially widows and female heads of household) who don’t have education is needed urgently. Male employment (building, infrastructural work) is also critical, to enable them to provide for their families, maintain dignity and reduce gender-based violence. Working in partnership with Syrian civil society and NGOs to implement these programs is key to building the capacity of local civil society and to ensuring the success of such programs. Some NGOs are providing this, but there is a need to upscale and diversify.
   

10. Set up medical centers to address war injuries including sexual violence in border areas: Kilis has seen an influx of injured Syrians, with no medical care. The Antab city hospital is already full, because the injured are being brought into the camps and the cities around. Medical services inside the camp and near borders are essential to treat the injured and those who get sick. Resources should be channeled to Syrian CSOs providing medical care inside the country.

11. Set up schools with Syrian NGOs and hire Syrian teachers: Draw on Syrian teachers, to provide education in these new schools and to teach in camps. Work with local Syrian NGOs in Syria or in border countries to set up schools and kindergartens at low cost ($30-$50,000). These should be schools that are registered and provide certifications for completion.

12. Scale up, support and set up psychosocial support centers working with NGOs: A number of small NGOs are providing psychosocial support to refugees and IDPs. They need resources to scale up their efforts. They also want to build their own capacities to tackle trauma (war-related, sexual trauma, children’s issues etc). Schools can serve as centers to provide these services. Increase opportunities for children to play and recover from trauma (build on existing programs).

Further information contact: Sanam Anderlini

www.icanpeacework.org
DC Office: 1776 Massachusetts Ave NW, c/o Suite 100, Washington DC 20036 www.icanpeacework.org
New York Office: c/o of WEDO, 355 Lexington Avenue; 3rd fl, New York, NY 10017 www.gnwp.org 

Horse-meat in burgers? What about cattle rights?

Why all the fuss about horse-meat in burgers? Why don't people have the same outrage about eating cows and bulls? Horses and cattle are equally beautiful creatures. Whether cattle or horses, they have just as much right not to be killed and pulverised and covered with ketchup.

Dateline Cairo 2013 - Layla's personal verbal snapshot - Politics, economy, security, women,Tahrir Square and political satire!

From time to time I  share on my blog  an e-mail with a boots on the ground snapshot of life in a hot-news country.  Here Libyan UK based lawyer Layla El Wafi gives her personal impressions of  life in  Cairo - politics, people, the economy, women, political satire, security and (of course!) Tahrir Square…
Layla just returned to UK from a 10 day visit to Egypt for a family wedding. She divided her time between downtown Cairo (Zamalek and  a suburb of Cairo (Helwan).

 ‘London is cold, wet and grey so I'm grateful for my recent
ten day visit to Cairo where there was no shortage of sun -  nor
complaints about the new government/Muslim Brotherhood for that
matter! I was touched by a range of conversations, sights and sounds
and felt compelled to share especially as many of you welcomed my
email last month sharing my experience visiting Tripoli, Libya.

It had been exactly one year since my last visit to Cairo and I
noticed that traffic, street sanitation, inflation and security were
still apparent issues and on people's list of concerns.  I heard mixed
views from business and legal contacts - some indicating foreign
investments and transactions were picking up and others concerned
about the lack of liquidity, drop in tourism (a major economic driver)
and retreat of Western companies/banks being replaced by
investors/banks from the Gulf and notably Qatar.

The Constitutional Referendum
I was there when the constitutional referendum result was announced
('yes' for those who missed it) and although everyone I asked and
unofficially surveyed (except one) voted 'NO' there was a majority
'Yes' vote reported (see photo encouraging 'yes' vote to promote
stability). Although people I asked (taxi driver, Christian hair
dresser, older relatives, younger cousins, religious, secular) said
they were not surprised and anticipated a 'Yes' result because this is
what 'they' (i.e. Muslim Brotherhood government) wanted. Although some
spoke of voting irregularities (i.e. people's names being listed as
already having voted when they in fact had not) a reliable lawyer
contact said he observed no irregularities at his polling station in
Cairo and although the result from that district was a 'no' there were
no attempts to alter the outcome.

The Economy
An Egyptian business man I spoke to on the plane said he had visited Cairo 6 times in 2012 and wasconcerned with the economic impact of the lack of political certainty. And even a less than ideal constitution was needed to get Egypt back
on track and improve the standard of living.  He and another person
commented that there was a lot of mis-information and scaremongering
directed towards the Muslim Brotherhood and stigmatizing of their
supporters by those with various interests and 'agendas' who do not
wish to see the MB succeed.
But I was struck with how many people complained about the MB and Salafists and expressed a concern about mixing religion and politics, lack of balance of power (i.e. weakjudiciary) and what they felt was President Morsi's lack of experienceand leadership and undue influence by religious figures in the MB movement.

Nevertheless people are going about daily life - off to work,
attending university, pursuing own business initiatives and shopping!

Women
A few female relatives commented about the pressures to wear the hijab
or head scarf and feeling uncomfortable if they did not.   I am not
overly concerned about this because  Egyptian women are many things
but no push-overs! I saw many mixed groups of youth socializing in
public spaces and people just getting on with life on public transport
and driving cars.  Incidentally I didn't experience any harassment by
men (i.e. the cat calls and comments Egyptian men are infamous for)  -
which made for a more pleasant experience walking along the streets
and riding the Metro. Graffiti near Tahrir with caption
'its not just all for men'  caught my attention.

Tahrir Square
I managed to pass by Tahrir Square a couple of times - not to make any
particular statement but simply to use the local Metro stop or visit a
government office (yes the famous Mogamaa). The area surrounding is
barricaded and many riot police stand by in readiness (see photo).
Although the square itself is fairly quiet as most protesters seem to
have gone away during this time (no doubt to come back soon as the 2
year anniversary approaches). I did snap a photo of a sign that said
"down with the rule of the Guide' - a spiritual advisor in the MB
movement.

Political Satire
One of my favorite memories was sitting with my relatives (young and
old, religious and non conservative) late Friday night watching
political commentators offer critical analysis of public affairs and
especially popular political satire show hosted by Bassem Yousef. I
grew up in the USA watching shows like Saturday Night Live, David
Letterman, Leno and more recently Daily Show with John Stewart which
even through the difficult years of Bush Junior offered comedic relief
from political propaganda and nonsense. I took this freedom of
expression and type of entertainment for granted. But it struck me how
this is a completely new experience for Egyptians who up until two
years ago had to rubber stamp and approve Mubarak and his regime -
although there were some outlets - it was not as open, free and as
critical (or funny!) as it is now. And for those of you who know
Egyptians you know they have 'light blood' as the Arabic saying goes
and an awesome sense of humor!

Security situation
 My least favorite experience was witnessing a late night fight on the
streets of Helwan between two gangs of young men who were violently
hitting each other.  As we watched from the balcony 5 flights up we
could not make out who/what or why. It didn't last long but no police
came to break up or investigate. I recalled the comment that my worn
down policeman cousin said to me: there are just not enough
police/security to go around and they are - in any event - personas
non grata.

The future?
As Egypt approaches the two year mark since the revolution it is
apparent that there is so much more work and change ahead. But I was
struck with the resolve and honesty of those I spoke to to not give up
or put up. As the popular expression goes 'the revolution
continues'....

In 2012 I visited Tunisia, Egypt,Libya, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.
Although brief and limited visits,  in
each place I was struck by the visible and audible signs of change and
challenge....  new media, civil society (especially youth and women
activism) and a resolve to demand more - better - change - progress -
democracy! While  I also saw and heard about matters which saddened,
scared and discouraged me, and I know that there are many challenges
lie ahead in 2013 (and beyond) I was  touched by people's resolve and
confidence that the best is yet to come and sacrifices to date will
not be in vain. Many people are mindful and concerned about neighbors
in countries like as Syria, Yemen, Palestine and Jordan. And countries
like Qatar are powering ahead investing heavily in people and
infrastructure preparing for the World Cup and other milestones to
achieve their 2020 vision.

Layla is organizing a free event on 1 February  in London
about the situation in Egypt .
http://thecitycircle.com/future-events/update-from-tahrir-square

New quota in Parliament for Saudi Arabian Women

Lesley Abdela

A step forward for womankind? The new 20% quota for women in Saudi Arabia's parliament - the Shura Council, and the immediate appointment of 30 women to the 150-member advisory body makes Saudi Arabia fourth highest women's parliamentary representation in the Arab region.
Until the announcement last September by King Abdullah to give women the right to vote, stand for election in municipal elections and be appointed to the Shura Council, Saudi Arabia remained the only country in the world where women remained excluded from the political process.

Women in Parliaments: World Classification

www.ipu.orwww.ipu.orgg

A good read- 'Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Bulgarian Codex'

A good read. I just reviewed: 'Sherlock Holmes and The Case of The Bulgarian Codex' by Tim Symonds via @amazonuk amazon.co.uk/review/R3A20G9…
— Lesley Abdela (@LesleyAbdela) January 1, 2013

Letter from : Libya, Afghanistan and Israel. Laurie Wiseburg

I first met Human Rights lawyer Laurie Wiseburg when I was  Senior Gender Advisor to the UN Agencies in Nepal (2007/2008).  Laurie's end-of-year letter for 2012 gives a behind the curtain glimpse of the frustrations and highs of life in the UN Missions in Libya and Afghanistan and an on the ground witness view of the 8 day war in Israel.

Laurie spent three months (June, July, August) based in Tripoli as Senior Child Protection Advisor to the UN Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) seconded through UNICEF. Since October she has been in Afghanistan assisting the Ministry or Refugees and Repatriation coordinate the drafting of an IDP policy.

Letter from Laurie :

Libya

‘Although there were serious protection concerns in Libya – from persons (sometimes children) in arbitrary detention held by various brigades without reference to legal procedures or principles; to migrants (sometimes including unaccompanied minors) arrested and detained for illegal entry into the country, again also often by brigades; to casualties, including children, as a result of inter-tribal fighting – issues such as the forced recruitment of children by either regular government forces or militias, or child abduction, or targeting of schools or hospitals – weren’t really part of the scene while I was there.

Palm City

My accommodation was in Palm City, along with most other UN personnel – a gated luxurious community where we had very comfortable apartments, access to a health club with swimming pool and sauna, and outdoor pool where you could buy a pizza every during Ramadan, a grocery store, and a very expensive restaurant. Palm City was called “The Golden Cage” because getting out depended on getting UN transport, which was not always easy, and there were not so many places you could go in Tripoli. To the Old City and its “souk” or market, though it is not much when compared to the “souks” in Tunisia, Iran, Jordan or Jerusalem. A few restaurants and coffee shops. An art gallery. A museum. The big attractions – the old Roman cities of Subrata (45 minutes to the West) and Leptus Magnum (an hour and 45 minutes to the east) required two armoured vehicles, which the mission was reluctant to provide. I eventually got to Subrata in a taxi (a security “no no”) as I was damned if I made it all the way to Tripoli just to sit in the Golden Cage. And then I used what little influence I had with the very accommodating Chief of Staff to arrange a visit to Leptus Magnum. I also got to visit Misrata (which sustained very serious damage during the war), Benghazi (also in the east), and Kufra (1,000 k south of Benghazi – I went twice, once by air and once by road) where there was open conflict between the black Tabu and the Arab Zwei tribes – in all cases to look into the situation of IDPs or detained illegal migrants, or the consequences of the local conflicts – always with a child protection lens.

Kufra

The road mission to Kufra was perhaps the most interesting although there was little to see in the 12 hour drive across the desert, except for the pipeline – that brings water from Nubian Sandstone fresh water acquifer in the south to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sirte on the northern coast – the world’s largest irrigation project (2,820 km of pipes and aqueducts).  But no caravans of camels and no Bedouin communities. Very little to photograph. When we got to Kufra, the situation was tense as the tribes were fighting again.

Ours was an inter-agency mission – UNSMIL, UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO and WFP – and we all did not calculate the risk factor in the same way. When our attempt to enter the Tabu area failed, some of our colleagues pressed to return so we ended up driving back after only one day, without accomplishing what I hoped to do. I did get to visit migrant detainees being held in detention center in the Zwei section of town, but when rockets started firing over the prison, we had to cut that visit short as well. So, 1,000 km back…and the next day we found our flight back to Tripoli cancelled because of an airline strike. We then wasted a whole day hanging around the airport in the hope of going back with another airline which we were eventually able to do. But I had to buy a new ticket, and that led me into an entirely new area of UNICEF bureaucracy. I have still not been paid for those internal flights, despite perhaps 30 emails and half a dozen people weighing in with various arguments and procedures. UNICEF’s red tape is without doubt the reddest and the longest of any I have encountered in the UN system.  I was asked to extend my time in Libya beyond the three months but declined to do so. The was in Libya largely because the SR of the SG on Children associated with armed conflict thought that UNSMIL needed a child protection specialist to monitor that situation. The truth of the matter was that there wasn’t that much to monitor. And sitting beside the swimming pool is OK for a few days, but I couldn’t justify doing that for longer. And, in any event, my replacement had arrived. 

So, I left Libya. And this time I knew where I was heading after a brief stop in Montreal. My next assignment would be Goma – where I was to go to supervise a profiling of the IDPs in the eastern provinces of the DRC. That was the plan. I was quite excited by it.  I just needed to get a visa. And then a phone call came. Would I consider changing course. They needed someone with a good knowledge of IDPs to go to Afghanistan and help the Ministry or Refugees and Repatriation coordinate the drafting of an IDP policy.  I needed to be convinced – that the government was really on board, that I would not be sitting in an office in Kabul and writing the policy myself, that I would be able to get out and talk to IDPs…. Well, my arm was twisted…. And just imagine. I could have been in Goma when the M23 rebels took over the city last month.

Kabul

So I have been in Kabul since 1 October. It is now winter here, though we have only had one light snow in the city. The “buharis” – the kerosene stoves that heat the homes here – have been on for about a month. It is back to communal living with 5 or 6 of us sharing a house – which has good and bad sides to the equation.  One of my housemates is a superb Malaysian cook, so I have added a few new recipes to my cookbook and put on a few more pounds.  Travel is much stricter than it was when I was here in 2008. We only use armored vehicles and now there are very few places (Jalalabad is one) outside of Kabul that we can go by road , but as that requires two armored car and two police escort vehicles, it is expensive. So, on my first and so far only trip out of Kabul to date – which was to Jalalabad – I flew.  I hope to get out to the provinces after the New Year, but much of my first two and a half months here has, in fact, been sitting at a desk and writing; with a government whose commitment is dubious and where even buy in from the international community is more lip service than real.  And then there is Chicken Street – where I have bought two more carpets which I do not need and more jewelry which I definitely do not need. But what else do you do on a Saturday afternoon?

Israel

I did have one R&R trip. I went to Israel and arrived just in time for the start of their 8 day war. From one war zone to another. Though I must say that I had a great time despite the air raid sirens in Tel Aviv. First time I experienced that, I was walking with a cousin on the beach towards Jaffa and we took shelter in the bathroom of the Manta Ray restaurant.  Eeerie. So too is the experience of seeing the war through the eyes of Israelis. I must say that the cousins I stayed with are extremely progressive, for a two state solution, for negotiations and talks with Hamas, against the hawkish and uncompromising position of this Israeli government, very affected by the deaths in Gaza, yet seeing no alternative but to retaliate when rockets are fired into Israel targeted indiscriminately at civilians.  The war aside (if you can put something like this aside), It was nice getting to know this part of my family, including their young daughters in their early 20s and their friends. I also got to travel around.  I went to the Galilee and the Golan Heights, to Nazareth, Rosh Pinna and Hula Nature Reserve, to Kibbutz Dagania (one of the first to be established in Israel), to Haifa, and to Jerusalem.  And I thoroughly enjoyed wandering in Tel Aviv and Jaffa – to

So, let me wish all of you – my dear family and friends around the globe – a really special holiday season.  It is wonderful to see another year in, because it is always filled with hope for better and more beautiful times, for more justice, for more peace, for less poverty, for less fear. And, if we can see look at things through the eyes of the young, through the wonder and awe with which they greet things new and magical, the world is truly a remarkable place, with new beauty unfolding continually.  I will see some of you in the coming weeks, maybe others in the coming months. But even if we don’t meet often, I value your friendship above all other things.  Write me your news when you have the time.

Laurie’