I’ve been too busy to blog recently so this is all I
could manage this week but weekly posts will be back soon!
1 of 219
Chibok Girls Rescued from Sambisa Forest
Yesterday it was reported that the Civilian Joint
Task Force (JTF) in Nigeria recognised and rescued one of the 219 missing
‘Chibok girls’ from the outskirts of the Sambisa forest. Amina Ali Nkeki was 17
when the Boko Haram insurgents abducted her from her school in Chibok, she is
now 19 and has a two year old child. Her father passed away while she was away
from her family. She reports that most of the other girls are still alive and
being held within the Sambisa. Unfortunately, we already knew that from Christina
Lamb’s expose of the silence around the girls. This rescue is a drop in the
ocean of work that needs to be done for women and girls affected by the Boko
Haram insurgency and Amina herself. The stigma surrounding her experience,
particularly given that she has a child, fathered by (unfortunately likely by
rape) a Boko Haram militant, means it will be difficult to reintegrate her into
her family and community. This is a challenge faced by many women and girls
returning to their homes after such traumatic experiences. A proper holistic
aftercare programme needs to be put in place by the government alongside
advocacy to reduce the stigma attached to survivors of sexual violence. We
cannot see 1 of 219 as a success and we cannot underestimate the silences that
remain from governments the world over about not just the Chibok girls, but
also the thousands of women and girls affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
Robin
Wright’s Equal Pay Victory
Robin Wright who plays the honourable Clare Underwood
in the American political drama ‘House of Cards’ has hit the headlines this
morning for her equal pay victory. The actress who features in all 52 episodes
of the drama, arguably as the main character is series 3 and 4, has fought to
be paid the same as her co-star, Kevin Spacey. Those who have read this blog
before will know that I have an undying
admiration for Clare Underwood and House of Card’s feminist undertones so
it is amazing that these politics are being carried off set by Wright herself. It
also, once again, sheds the spotlight on the television and film industry’s pay
gap problem. The fact that producers even tried to pay Wright less than Spacey
staggers me given she is equally as prominent as him throughout.
EU
Referendum Politics
Is anyone sick of the EU referendum yet? I am. I also
completely agree with MP Steve Baker’s claim today that the debate has
transcended into petty smears and playground politics. As I have written
before it makes absolute feminist sense to remain in the European Union but
I also want to see women’s voices heard. I am sick of opening the papers to see
yet another ‘male, pale and stale’ member of society voicing their opinion on
the referendum! Women have opinions too and there are many high profile women
such as Karen Brady who are very involved in both the in and out campaigns.
High heels
at work
As a closure can we just all agree that forcing women
to wear high heels at work is absurd and belongs in the 15th
century? How anyone could think that wasn’t sexist is just beyond me. I guess
that’s what happens when you live in a cushy feminist bubble.
Over and
out.
