Menopause Film for People with Disabilities, DRC Women’s Rights, Dominica Ends Ban on Same-Sex Marriage, Women’s 50km Charity Marathon, Chardigarh’s Panjab University Menstrual Leave
Curated by FG Contributor Inaara Merani
Mandy said women should not feel alone. (BBC)
A film has been made by and for women with learning disabilities or autism to explain that perimenopause and menopause symptoms are not “embarrassing or scary”.
Ace Anglia, based in Stowmarket, has worked with Suffolk Libraries to share what happens before and after periods stop. The film features women supported by the organisation. Nicole Smith from the ‘Menopause and Me Project’ said that the film was produced to reflect different experiences and to show others that they were not alone.
In the video, different women explain how moods are always changing, it becomes difficult to remember certain things, and that symptoms always differ for every person. Additionally, the film spoke about some positive actions that can be taken in one’s journey through perimenopause or menopause, including talking to support workers, family, and friends, or changing one’s diet to fit their specific needs.
We want to reflect different experiences of the menopause and perimenopause in the resources we produce – whether that is from a sexual orientation, cultural or, in this case, learning disability and autism perspective. We want people to be able to not only identify with what they hear or read but also feel supported and, most importantly, not alone. – Nicole Smith
Ace Anglia and Suffolk Libraries hope that this film will positively impact individuals experiencing perimenopause and menopause, especially individuals living with intellectual disabilities or autism. Currently, teams are working to develop additional resources in more accessible and easy-to-read formats.
Gracias Kibandja is the coordinator for Women in Action for Human Dignity (Photo by Prisca Materanya / LCI). (La Croix International)
Gracias Kibandja is a women’s rights activist and coordinator of a social action group for women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who has fought tirelessly for women’s rights despite hardships, threat, and abuse. She is confident that justice will prevail for women in the DRC and beyond.
Kibandja began her activism in 2004, when she was in her teens, and joined a children’s rights group in Goma. Now, a decade later, she has become the coordinator for the Girls’ Club, as well as the gender officer at the North Kivu Provincial Youth Council. In these roles, she has been able to advocate for the promotion and protection of young people’s rights in the DRC, especially women’s rights.
In particular, Kibandja started girls’ clubs in some universities and 12 pilot secondary schools, as well as for out-of-school girls, with the purpose being to provide young girls a space for dialogue, as well as access to training on their rights, and leadership, and entrepreneurship. She also instituted a foundation which promotes women’s entrepreneurship and ensures healthcare through the establishing of a market and health centre.
Despite constant and ongoing threats, Kibandja has prevailed in her work and has helped numerous women and young people in her path. In 2016, for example, she gained the trust of her community and partners through her close connections to victims of war, but also garnered attention from the perpetrators and politicians who were exploiting war situations. However, she remained steadfast in her work and continued her human rights activism.
Human rights activists are constantly exposed to abuse, death threats, and even assassinations…But I persevere because it’s for a good cause and justice always prevails in the end. – Gracias Kibandja
(The Pink News via ECADE Twitter).
Dominica has become the latest Caribbean country to strike down colonial-era laws that criminalize gay sex, joining Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda. This ruling comes almost five years after a man came forward alleging that the Dominican government was violating his constitutional rights.
Although the laws were created during the British colonial period, they were strengthened in 1998, increasing the possible sentencing to up to 10 to 12 years in prison if found guilty. Yesterday, on April 23, Dominica’s High Court ruled that parts of the law which criminalized same-sex activity between adults were unconstitutional.
Prior to this ruling, any same-sex activity, irregardless of the individual’s sex, and anal penetration between heterosexual couples was illegal. In addition to prison time of up to 12 years, individuals were also mandated to undergo compulsory psychiatric treatment.
The man who brought the case forward claimed that the legislation forced him to live in constant fear of being criminalized and punished for engaging in consensual sexual activity, also noting that the laws had provoked hateful and violent conduct towards him and other LGBTQ+ people in Dominica.
This ruling sets [the country] on a promising path toward restoring people’s dignity, and safeguarding LGBTQ people’s rights to privacy, health and freedom from torture and ill-treatment, aligning with international human-rights obligations. – Daryl Phillip, founder of charity Minority Rights Dominica
This ruling has been welcomed by a number of LGBTQ+ activists and organizations around the world, including Stonewall, which claimed this as a “critical moment for LGBTQ+ rights in the Caribbean.” As Dominica joins a group of other nations that have decriminalized same-sex relations in an effort to support LGBTQ+ populations, countries such as Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have recently ruled to keep homosexuality illegal.
Friends Amelia Shaw (right) and Jennie Roberts will be taking part in the She Ultra marathon in the Lyngdoh Peninsula. Amelia Shaw. (MSN)
Over the weekend, more than 500 women from around the world participated in a women-only 50 kilometer marathon on the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales. The first of its kind, the She-Ultra marathon was organized specifically for women, in order to raise money for various women’s cancer charities. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/only-women-allowed-as-she-ultra-marathon-heads-to-north-wales/ar-BB1lKLta?ocid=weather-verthp-feeds
The marathon was organized by Huw Williams, who has Stage 4 inoperable Neuroendocrine Cancer. The goal of the race was to bring awareness to the many cancers which affect countless women’s lives around the world, as well as to raise 1 million pounds over a five-year period.
Every competitor received a race tracker to ensure their team, family, and friends would be aware of their whereabouts. Participants could also choose to go incognito so their names would not appear on the starting list or results. Participants also had access to a number of services and professionals, such as first aid, women marshals, and a specific women’s aid team, and there were even hot showers and toilets at the start and finish line, as well as celebratory Prosecco at the finish line.
As there is no time limit on the race, competitors can take as little or as much time as they need to finish, whether it takes 8 or 12 hours. According to Williams, the whole purpose of the She-Ultra marathon is to encourage women at all fitness levels to participate in this event for a good cause and to challenge themselves to achieve an incredible accomplishment.
We want to encourage, support and break down any pre-conceived barriers stopping women from showing what they are truly capable of. She Ultra believes in supporting one another and that is why this is a fundraiser for women with cancer, women who have a loved one with cancer, and those who have lost someone to it. – Huw Williams, Race Director
For most of the women participating, they reported feeling motivated to participate in this race because of its goal to champion women’s rights and support women’s healthcare. Without a time limit, competitors did not feel restricted or confined and felt that they were able to enjoy the race and the day with family and friends.
Featured Image Source: Times Now. (Feminism in India)
Panjab University, located in Chandigarh, India, will become the first institution in northern India to offer menstrual leaves for women students. The new order was implemented on April 10, after month-long discussions with stakeholders and university authorities, and is set to come into effect during the next academic session for the 2024 to 2025 school year.
Until this point, only a few universities in northeastern India offer menstrual leaves on their campuses, including Kerala’s Cochin University of Science and Technology, Assam’s Gauhati University and Tezpur University, and Hyderabad’s NALSAR University of Law. The proposal was brought forward by Jatinder Singh Virk, president of the Panjab University student council. Based on the proposal, a committee was formed by the University’s Vice Chancellor under the chairmanship of the Dean of University Instruction.
With its implementation expected this fall, there are several terms and conditions attached to the menstrual leave policy. A woman can only be granted one leave per calendar month of teaching, as long as at least 15 days of teaching has occurred during that month. Menstrual leaves during examinations are not permitted. In order to have their leave approved, women must fill out a form at the university’s departmental office, within five working days of the absence, and have it approved with the head of the department.
It’s a good decision by the university authorities. We are thankful that they recognised the significance of women’s health and decided to offer menstrual leaves. – Kanika, student from the Philosophy Department
Although most of the university’s students agree with the decision to offer women menstrual leave, the student council Vice President and General Secretary have openly opposed the move, stating that students already have the ability to miss classes in the case of medical conditions. The Panjab Feminist Union of Students (PFUS) welcomed the move by the university, but also shared their concerns about the lack of inclusion for the LGBTQ community at the institution. Harpunneet Kaur, the President of PFUS, believes that there is a need for accessibility of menstrual products at the university, as well as regular awareness on the menstrual, reproductive, and sexual health of students.
Inaara Merani (she/her) recently completed her Masters degree at the University of Western Ontario, studying Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies with a specialization in Transitional Justice. In the upcoming years, she hopes to attend law school, focusing her career in human rights law.
Inaara is deeply passionate about dismantling patriarchal institutions to ensure women and other marginalized populations have safe and equal access to their rights. She believes in the power of knowledge and learning from others, and hopes to continue to learn from others throughout her career.
Crédito: Link de origem
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