Miren Gutiérrez

Miren Gutierrez interviews SAADIA ZAHIDI, co-author of Global Gender Gap report
ROME, Dec 3 (IPS) – “It is clear that there are huge discrepancies within Sub-Saharan Africa, but overall the region is doing extremely well in terms of political empowerment,” says Saadia Zahidi, head of the Women Leaders and Gender Parity Programme at the World Economic [...]

By Miren Gutierrez* and Oriana Boselli
ROME, Nov 26 (IPS) – “You don’t need to go far, it is all around us,” said Robert Dijksterhuis, head of the gender division in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to a room mostly full of women. “Up to one in three women around the world has been abused [...]

There Is A Sense Of Vindication – Gender-South Africa
Miren Gutierrez* interviews THENJIWE MTINTSO, Ambassador of South Africa to Italy
ROME, Nov 26 (IPS) – Born in a squatter camp in Orlando East and raised by a single mother; working in a factory while completing secondary school by correspondence; arrested and banned by the apartheid government: South [...]

Miren Gutierrez* interviews LOUISE DOUGHTY, novelist and critic

Louise Doughty signing her book at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2008.

Credit:Tim Duncan

ROME, Nov 25 (IPS) – The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded 102 times to 106 Nobel laureates between 1901 and 2009. Only 10 of those winners were women. Meanwhile, the Man Booker Prize has [...]

Miren Gutierrez* interviews INES ALBERDI, executive director of UNIFEM

Security Council debates protection of civilians – and women – in armed conflict.

Credit:U.N.

ROME, Nov 15 (IPS) – CEDAW or the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1979.On its 30th anniversary, just seven [...]

Miren Gutierrez* interviews INES ALBERDI, executive director of UNIFEM

Ines Alberdi: “CEDAW is the means by which governments (can) advance gender equality”

Credit:U.N.

ROME, Nov 15 (IPS) – The fight for women’s rights came about hand in hand with the struggle for democracy, civil rights and national liberation in different countries and periods, says Ines Alberdi, executive director [...]

Miren Gutierrez* and Oriana Boselli interview IVANKA CORTI, former president of the CEDAW Committee

ROME, Oct 21 (IPS) – On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Italy is far from attaining gender equality.
“I think that something is changing…however, the Convention is still [...]

By Miren Gutierrez* and Oriana Boselli

A farmer harvests sorghum seeds in Sudan. The price of the seeds has doubled over the last two years.

Credit:U.N.

ROME, Oct 3 (IPS) – It was once true that all roads led to this ancient capital. Today it is the furrows of maize, wheat and rice fields that take you to [...]

By Miren Gutierrez* and Oriana Boselli

The prevailing machismo in politics discourages women’s involvement

Credit:Italian government

ROME, Sep 22 (IPS) – Angelica Mucchi-Faina, psychology professor at the Perugia University, thinks that “in Italy you cannot even talk about equal opportunities for women in politics.”
However, Italy signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women [...]

By Miren Gutierrez* and Oriana Boselli

Luisa Capelli: Italian feminism “has been marginalised”

Credit:Oriana Boselli/IPS

ROME, Sep 22 (IPS) – Four ministers out of 21; 193 parliamentarians out of 952 (upper and lower houses); no party leaders. Why are there so few women in Italian politics?“The feminist movement in Italy has been strong… But in order for women [...]