Press freedom, 2015

Source: Freedom House 2015

In Europe: shame on Italy, Greece, Hungary, the Balkan states (with the exception of Slovenia), Bulgaria and Romenia. Danger in Turkey.


In Africa: well done, Ghana!

In northern Africa: Improvement in Tunisia. Danger in Algeria, Libya and Egypt.

In Sub-Saharan Africa:
-In the 'not free states', improvement in the CAR, Somalia, Togo and Zimbabwe, and danger in South Sudan.
-In the 'partly free states', improvement in Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, and danger in South Africa.


In the Middle East: Israel is 'free'. Lebanon and Kuwait are the only states to be 'partly free'. Danger in Iraq.


In South America: terrible  Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Danger in Peru.


In Asia: Danger for Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Hong Kong.


In Eurasia: Critical in Azerbaidjan. Improvement in Ukraine.

News highlights, end May 2015

UN, Human Rights and TTIP:

http://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/may/04/ttip-united-nations-human-right-secret-courts-multinationals?CMP=share_btn_tw

Women, private and public decision-making:

http://www.odi.org/publications/9514-womens-voice-leadership-assessment-review-evidence

Violence in Burundi:

https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/05/05/dispatches-how-far-will-burundi-s-president-go-crush-opposition

Exploitation of gold in the Ivory Coast and conflict:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/07/us-ivorycoast-gold-army-specialreport-idUSKBN0NS0V620150507?utm_source=twitter

EU leaders and Palestine:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/13/israel-occupation-european-leaders-binyamin-netanyahu

Female genital mutilation in the world, 2015

Source: Irin, 05/02/15.

News highlights, early May 2015

Burundi and fear of elections:

http://www.irinnews.org/report/101361/thousands-of-burundians-flee-as-election-tensions-rise

Migration in, and out of Africa:

http://www.irinnews.org/report/101383/the-med-one-final-danger-in-a-migrant-s-odyssey

The importance of unions to fight inequality:

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2015/03/jaumotte.htm

Encouraging migrants to stay in African states:

https://euobserver.com/justice/128299

Migration maps:

http://www.slate.fr/story/100551/immigration-mediterranee-cartes-tableaux

Gambia and Eritrea:

http://uk.businessinsider.com/why-the-mediterranean-migrant-crisis-wont-end-any-time-soon-2015-4?r=US

Unemployment in Europe in 2014

Regions with lowest and highest unemployment rates

Unemployment of young people

Long-term unemployment in Europe

See: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/6797549/1-22042015-AP-EN.pdf/5da0f7cc-de7e-456b-b752-54b4c2d412e9

News highlights, late April 2015

EU and extraterritoriality for asylum claims:

http://migrationpolicy.org/news/potential-and-pitfalls-extraterritorial-processing-asylum-claims

Asylum deaths on EU borders:

http://www.irinnews.org/report/101304/un-calls-for-probe-of-asylum-deaths-on-eu-border

Sweden, Saudi Arabia and the hypocrisy of Europe:

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9481542/swedens-feminist-foreign-minister-has-dared-to-tell-the-truth-about-saudi-arabia-what-happens-now-concerns-us-all/

Illicit flows explained:

http://www.euractiv.com/video/illicit-financial-flows-and-development-aid-313496

Lessons from Glasgow:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/06/glasgow-murder-rate-knife-gang-crime-police

Maghreb, Gender, Violence and Law

Source: Mural que hace alusión a la violencia machista. Wikicommons.

In the Maghreb, only two states criminalise violence against women: Tunisia and Algeria.

On 5 March 2015, a new law was passed in Algeria which makes violence against women (including within families) a crime.

Sentence:

Lifetime for death.

Between one and 20 years in prison for moral and physical injuries.

Between six months and two years for trying to stop financial flows to spouse.

However, if the injured woman ‘forgives’ her attacker, the legal action is stopped.

News highlights, early April 2015

EU aid and Western Sahara:

http://eubulletin.com/4018-exclusive-olaf-report-reveals-diversions-of-eu-aids-to-western-sahara.html

A feminist or ethical foreign policy:

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2015/03/19/Sweden-s-feminist-foreign-policy-sparks-off-quarrels-.html

Industry dominates TTIP negotiations:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/business/trade-advisory-committees/

Palestine after the Israeli elections:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/16/palestinians-care-israeli-election-legal-challenges?CMP=share_btn_fb

Aid policy and children:

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/feb/21/uk-approach-children-war-zones-conflict-lamentable-report