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openDemocracy.net is committed to promoting human rights and democracy through dialogue and debate. But a global debate without the female half of humanity is neither global nor democratic. With this in mind, we are running 50.50: a series of editorial projects designed to make openDemocracy a current affairs forum which is written, read and used equally by women and men. 50.50 is commissioning and producing a range of articles, blogs and podcasts to explore issues of gender equality and empowerment at the global level. Editorial ProjectsPlease click on the name of the project to read more...
16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence 2008Voices against Violence: we are launching a new series of podcasts with women’s organisations and activists working in collaboration with Karama to end violence against women across the Arab region. We would like to thank our funders HIVOS for making this editorial project possible
The Wrong Turn: an open letter to my sisters
Women Targeted by Armed ConflictThe Wilton Park conference in May 2008 on "Women Targeted by Armed Conflict: What Role for Military Peacekeepers?" was organised in cooperation with UNIFEM and UNDPKO, on behalf of UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict. The hall and flanking sitting rooms were crammed with high-level military commanders, tacticians and academics with experience of peacekeeping operations; policy-makers from major troop contributing countries (TCCs) and those affected by armed conflict; police commanders, representatives from regional security organisations, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and other high level UN representation. They were all there to address the uncomfortable fact that today, as Patrick Commaert, a Major General recently retired from the Netherlands Armed Forces, put it: "It has probably become more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier in armed conflicts." Rosemary Bechler reports from the conference ![]() MigrantVoice on refugeIn a special feature to mark Refugee Week 2008, openDemocracy ran a short project to bring unheard voices, new ideas and testimony of the lived experiences of refugees in Britain into the public debate. MigrantVoice incorporated a multiauthored blog, podcasts, and a substantial article debate including contributions from Saskia Sassen and Philippe Legrain, and edited by Rosemary Bechler. Partnerships with Sheffield's City of Sanctuary and the Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum (MRCF) based in west London added valuable new topics and voices to the discussion. You can access the blog, read the article series, and listen to the podcast for World Refugee Day here. ![]() Pathways of Women's EmpowermentPathways is an on going partnership with the Institute of Development Studies, which is running a research and communications programme linking academics, activists and practitioners to find out ‘what works' to empower women. Over the coming year, openDemocracy will bring you the voices and views of women working in Ghana, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Palestine, Sudan and Nigeria. Articles for the initiative include contributions by Srilatha Batliwala, Andrea Cornwall, Mulki Al-Sharmani, Cecilia Sardenberg, Takyiwaa Manuh (you can also listen to Takyiwaa's interview here), Firdous Azim, Naila Kabeer, Emily Esplen, Ana Alice Alcântara and Rosalind Eyben. You can find a full list of all the articles and podcasts in the project here, and read the project blog here. We would like to thank The Barrow Cadbury Trust and The Instititute of Development Studies, Sussex University, for supporting this project. Our Marie Stopes Global Safe Abortion conference blog can be found here, as well as our Global Safe Abortion podcast which can be listened to here. ![]() Women UNlimited: Commission on the Status of WomenThe United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and the advancement of women. openDemocracy was at its fifty-second session from 25 February - 7 March 2008, where Jane Gabriel and Zohra Moosa blogged behind the scenes on everything from the keynote speakers to the taste of the coffee In March 2007 openDemocracy hosted a blog and podcast of the conference. Pinar Ilkkaracan, Solana Larsen and Patricia Daniel critically explored the issues raised. 16 days of Activism Against Gender ViolenceOver 16 days, between 25th November and 10th December, openDemocracy is running an editorial project in support of the annual activism against gender violence campaign. We are publishing articles and podcasts and running a dedicated blog on our front page. Guest blogger Zohra Moosa of the Fawcett Society is leading the dialogue. Themes we are addressing include: security masculinities and the state, rape and impunity, healthy bodies, coercion and control, and women as trade. You can find a full list of our articles and podcasts here. ![]() The Nobel Women's InitiativeThe first international conference of the Nobel Women's Initiative took place in Ireland in June 2007. Six female Nobel Peace Laureates gathered eighty women activists and policy makers from thirty countries to discuss ways to "Redefine Peace in the Middle East and Beyond". openDemocracy was there to record events, rapporteurs blogged the discussions and we podcast the meeting daily. Shirin Ebadi, Isabel Hilton, Ann Carr and Nadwa Sarandah explored the major themes in an article series. ![]() openSummit: Women talk to the G8In 2007, openDemocracy covered the G8 process from a women's perspective. Women from around the world debated key issues of aid, globalisation, climate change and health in a month-long openSummit blog. Patricia Daniel, Tina Wallace, Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie, Christopher Albin-Lackey and Ben Rawlence provided commentary and Solana Larsen podcast the global meeting. ![]() World Social Forum: is another world possible without women's perspectives?The 7th World Social Forum brought the world to Africa as activists, social movements, networks, coalitions and other progressive forces converged in Kenya. Patricia Daniel blogged live from Nairobi, and reflected on the event from a women’s perspective. Additional reporting from Anthony Barnett. ![]() Resolution 1325: Women Making a DifferenceCan women make a difference in resolving conflict and building peace? UN Resolution 1325 says ‘yes’, but what has it achieved? openDemocracy has covered the issues in 2005 and 2006 through 15 articles, and openDemocracy's Rosemary Bechler co-produced our 1325 multi-authored, global blog. ![]() Renga: how she got to the topopenDemocracy invited readers and authors to participate in a collaborative storytelling experiment exploring issues of gender and power, and inspired by a traditional Japanese poetic form. The resulting stories are here and here, plus Sarah Lindon reports on an innovative experiment. Our Renga project was made possible by the generosity of Carl Djerassi.
For more information about 50.50 please contact Program Director Jane Gabriel (jane.gabriel at opendemocracy dot net).
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