Emily
MikeThe news from Sudan is always grim for women. The most egregious current situation is the “tight pants” trial of Lubna al-Hussein (see also) who faces 40 lashes for wearing clothes that the “morality police” deemed to be indecent (too-tight pants, too-shear blouse, but also wearing a head scarf). Protests are continuing and the trial is being postponed until September 7. There are also reports that Sudanese women are attempting to change the culture about female genital circumcision by having collaboration between henna artists and midwives arranging fake circumcisions.
Sudan's All-Female Mine Clearing Team (BBC)
And yet there is the interesting story from the BBC that an all-female team has been very successful in clearing minefields. (The BBC says that other all-female teams work in other countries, including Kosovo and Cambodia.) The team members interviewed for the story are proud of the work they do and see it as “show[ing] those people who think that women can’t do jobs like this that they are wrong.” One member said “Some say it is dangerous for a woman, but they are jealous because we are doing the same job as the men.” They say that they work better as an all-female team because they can support each other against critical comments that de-mining is work only for a man.
Filed under: International Tagged: | International, Lubna al-Hussein, Mine clearing, Stereotypes, Sudan
