Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Political Empowerment Of Women And The Mediating Role Of Political Awareness:The Case Of Oman, Victoria Dauletova, Houchang Hassan, Yari Zainab Hussain

Journal of International Women's Studies

Despite commitments by the Arabian Gulf countries to promote gender equality and policies of nondiscrimination against women, the underrepresentation of women in the political sphere remains unchanged. Using the case of the Sultanate of Oman, this paper endeavors to analyze the reasons behind the persistent political disempowerment of women in the Middle East and North African region through the lens of public opinion. The findings are based on 288 surveys conducted with two groups of participants – a group of undergraduate and postgraduate students majoring in political science, and a group of Omani citizens with no political education. These findings …

Florence Nightingale, The Colossus: Was She A Feminist?, Susan Hogan

Journal of International Women's Studies

Nightingale displayed a particular brand of feminism that reflected the circumstances of her era. The question of women’s involvement in healthcare is addressed through an analysis of Nightingale’s most famous work, Notes on Nursing. What it is, and what it is not (1859/60). Then other key works are scrutinised with reference to ideas about female involvement in healthcare and how she addresses the position of women in general terms. Nightingale’s works, Notes on Hospitals (1859); Suggestions for Thought to the Searchers after Truth among the Artisans of England (1860); Introductory Notes on Lying-In Institutions (1871) are focussed upon illustrating her …

Is Women’S Beauty Used As A Means To Achieve Certain Ends?:Pakistani Women’S Perceptions Of Body Objectification, Subaita Zubair

Journal of International Women's Studies

This qualitative ethnographic paper analyzes women’s perceptions of whether their beauty is utilized to achieve certain ends in Pakistani society. It highlights the objectification of the female body particularly in the field of academia and various job sectors. Female participants were both students and professionals. The age range of study participants included late adolescents (aged 18-24) and early adults (24-34) from the area of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. In-depth, semi-structured interviews (17 interviewees) and focus group discussions (8 respondents, age 20-24) were used, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Results showed that women whose bodies reflect the commodified and sexualized …

Combating The Misrepresentation Of Women In Quran Translations: Translational Interventions, Alalddin Al-Tarawneh

Journal of International Women's Studies

The discourse concerning Islam, and in particular the translation of the Quran, has had a profound impact on Western views of Muslim women. Most Quran translations are stained with mistranslations, resulting from translators adopting the literal approach for religious reasons that we will explore. This has an impact on many aspects of meaning, but especially the representation of women. It should be noted that this article is not influenced by the views of feminist groups who focus on seeking new interpretations of the Quran. Instead, it pinpoints the genuine interpretation lost in translation. This article endeavors to identify the translational …

Acceptable Minimum Threshold Of Universal Access To Social Services For Women In Nigeria: A Review Of Selected Issues In The National Gender Policy, Oko Chima Enworo, Vivian Chizoma Njemanze

Journal of International Women's Studies

Efforts at guaranteeing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria reached its crescendo with the approval of the National Gender Policy (NGP) in 2006 by the Federal Executive Council, which came into effect in 2007. Objective 5 target (a) of the policy seeks to provide equal opportunities for women [and men] to enjoy and attain an acceptable minimum threshold of universal access to potable water and sanitation, electricity, transportation, and general security of life and property by the year 2015. At present, very few reviews have been done on that policy target. As a result, this paper adopts a literature …

Health Issues Of Mothers In Assam:An Analytical Assessment Of National Family Health Surveys, Abdur Rashid Ahmed

Journal of International Women's Studies

Maternal mortality is one of the most serious public health concerns around the globe especially in developing countries like India. WHO estimated that almost 40% of pregnant women and 42% of children less than 5 years of age are anaemic globally and one-third of all women of reproductive age is also anaemic, and around half of maternal deaths in the world occur due only to anaemia. But the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in India has marginally declined as reported by the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Using secondary data provided by NFHS, the study reveals that the …

Mobilizing Masculinity: Conscription, Gender, And Community Wellbeing In Lithuania, Frances Harrison

Journal of International Women's Studies

In the wake of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, the conscription law in Lithuania has been reinstated for men, and partnerships with Western security structures reinforced. While young men are otherwise mobilizing to navigate socioeconomic uncertainty to improve their livelihoods under depressed conditions, the revitalization of mandatory military service increasingly polices individual experiences of wellbeing in gendered and nationalistic ways. Drawing from feminist analyses of securitization and from theories of gender performativity, this article examines how the Lithuanian State, together with the Lithuanian Armed Forces (LAF), mobilize masculinity and the construction of militarized identities in order to shape public support …

The Mundane Female Space: Re-Evaluating The Dynamics Of Women In The Transnational Kitchen, Kashyapi Ghosh, V. Vamshi Krishna Reddy

Journal of International Women's Studies

The kitchen space has often been read as the ultimate arena for women’s manifold repression, discomfiture, and gendered labour. This article aims to evaluate the nature of the kitchen space through the analysis of movies, which give a significant amount of visibility to the kitchen space. The arguments investigated in this article are laid out in two ways: one, to re-assess the stereotypical notions about the mundane space as prevalent in the literature, and two, to problematise the space and understand it from multiple perspectives and dimensions. We consider these two arguments while conducting a textual analysis and thematic network …

Women’S Sexual Health Rights In Egypt, Mira Ayman

Journal of International Women's Studies

The Egyptian youth makes up 60% of the Egyptian population. Accessing proper reproductive health information still continues to be one of the main issues that the youth in Egypt faces, especially the unmarried fragment. This situation is largely due to religious conservatism. Because this issue remains a taboo, information on STI’s, FGM, contraception, sexual consent and other sexual health-related issues remain very limited. Private hospitals and clinics in Egypt do not offer youth-friendly services and only focuses on activities that would generate income (antenatal care and delivery). The lack of knowledge leads curious young adults to refer to online sources …

The Women Organizations And Activism In Combating Domestic Violence In The North Caucasus, Saida Sirazhudinova

Journal of International Women's Studies

There are a wide range of forms of domestic violence in the North Caucasus. Recent years have shown the scale of its spread and the complexity of the fight against domestic violence in the region. The spread of domestic violence in the region is facilitated by the residents themselves, traditional institutions, and religious structures that increase their influence. In addition, the authorities are not interested in solving the problems of domestic violence, and they hinder the work of human rights organizations and activists in every possible way. This article describes the features of the fight against domestic violence in the …

Feminist Knowledge, Self-Empowerment And Sisterhood, And Safe Space: How The “Perempuan Berkisah” Community Group Empowers Indonesian Women In The Pandemic Era, Rouli Esther Pasaribu

Journal of International Women's Studies

This research aims to understand how the Perempuan Berkisah community group empowers women during the pandemic in Indonesia and how to critically interpret the phenomenon of women’s empowerment. The research employed a content analysis method investigating Perempuan Berkisah’s Instagram account and interviewing and distributing a questionnaire to the community’s founder, committees, and general members. This study analyzed the kinds of empowerment narratives offered, identified the dynamic narratives on the Instagram account since its first establishment in 2019, and critically read the results of Instagram feed content analysis and interviews about women’s empowerment. This research revealed three elements to build a …

Survival Strategies Of Hiv-Positive Transgender Women During The Covid-19 Lockdown In A South African Rural Community, Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi

Journal of International Women's Studies

South Africa, as a country where there is a gross gap between the rich and poor, has seen the worsening of inequality during the Covid-19 lockdown. The lockdown impacted different groups in various ways including transgender women living with HIV. This interpretative phenomenological analysis study presents the experiences and survival strategies of HIV positive transgender women during the Covid-19 lockdown in a South African rural community. Data were collected through in-depth individual telephone interviews from ten transgender women selected through the snowballing technique. Data were analysed guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework. The findings revealed that transgender women living with …

Lesbian Single Parents: Reviewing Philippine Covid-19 Policies, Hazel T. Biana, Rosallia Domingo

Journal of International Women's Studies

The novel coronavirus pandemic magnifies existing inequalities experienced by single lesbian parents in the Philippines. While single parents already face huge challenges with having to combine work and care for children, dealing with inadequate income and social security, lack of childcare facilities, and debt, the unrecognized subgroup of lesbian single parents also have to deal with the detriments of a heterosexist and homophobic society. Reflecting on the countries’ existing Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE)-related single parent policies and possible inclusive strategies that may address such vulnerabilities, an analysis is done on the concerns faced by Filipino lesbian …

The Efficacy Of Turkish Metropolitan Municipalities On Combatting Violence Against Women Within The International And National Legal Framework, Ayşe Güneş, Feriştah Yılmaz

Journal of International Women's Studies

Gender equality policies make women’s subordination visible in both private and public spaces in local governments. Local governments have important roles and policies, such as gender awareness-raising public meetings, promoting women’s participation in the labour force, and advocating for women’s empowerment. These seek to build gender-inclusive and democratic urban centres and municipalities. Failure to achieve these objectives lead to deepened inequalities between women and men during times of crisis. The effects of measures taken to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, including stay-at-home orders, lockdowns, temporary school closures, along with increasing unemployment rates, have made women's private space open to male violence. …

Covid-19 And Domestic Violence In Pakistan: An Analysis Of The Media Perspective, Rabia Ali, Asma Khalid

Journal of International Women's Studies

There has been an alarming increase in domestic violence (DV) cases in different parts of the world amidst COVID-19 related lockdowns in 2020-2021. This paper aims to understand the prevalence of DV in Pakistan through the analysis of online media sources published during the lockdown period. The objectives of this research include the questions (1) how was the issue of DV presented in the Pakistani media during the lockdown period? and (2) what messages were conveyed by the media discourses? A summative qualitative content analysis was used as a method for data collection and analysis. Three national newspapers were selected …

Case Study: Effects Of The Covid-19 Lockdown Restrictions On Eight Mongolian Single Mothers, Khongorzul Amarsanaa, József Rácz, Mónika Kovács

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article discusses a comparative case study of eight single mothers’ lockdown experiences during COVID-19 in Mongolia. The case study investigated single mothers’ experiences and the psychological impact of the lockdown. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight single mothers, four of whom were survivors of intimate partner violence. All interviews were carried out online. Thematic analysis identified patterns and themes regarding lockdown experiences. The four months (from late January to early May 2020) of lockdown had both positive and negative psychological consequences for these single mothers. For both survivor and non-survivor single mothers, uncertainty was the primary psychological state reported, …

Diminishing Inequalities? A Study On Reconstituted Gender Relations In Bangladeshi Households During The Covid-19 Crisis, Soma Dey, Sanzida Akhter, Tasnim Nowshin Fariha

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article explores the gendered impact of the COVID-19 crisis in Bangladesh by analysing everyday practices within the household. Conceptually, we have followed R.W. Connell’s model of the structures of gender and Naila Kabeer’s perspective on women’s power to examine how a normative gender order involving heterosexual marital partners tends to be sustained during ‘normal’ times but can often be destabilised in the context of an unprecedented crisis. Based on an analysis of data collected through an online survey and in-depth interviews, our findings show that the COVID-19 crisis has generated an opportunity for challenging gender inequalities by diminishing the …

Virus, Violence And (In)Visible Women: #Lockdownmeinlockup And Embodied Resistance During Covid-19, Ishani Mukherjee

Journal of International Women's Studies

Drawing on the #LockDownMeinLockUp visual campaign against domestic violence, this paper conceptually leverages embodied resistance, performed connectivity, and (in)visibility politics to explore how gender, body, power, affect, celebrity, performance, and injustice are framed by digital media in the context of an unprecedented global health crisis. The forms, forces, and incidences of domestic violence (DV) are rooted in local power relations and unique cultural practices and so should their interventions and representations be. Since the March 2020 lockdown, the pandemic worsened the conditions of DV victims in India. Many women were forced to cohabit with abusive partners and families. Data on …

Diffusion Of #Niunamenos In Latin America: Social Protests Amid A Pandemic, Adriana Piatti-Crocker

Journal of International Women's Studies

Using archival documentation, digital platforms, and reports, this paper explores the diffusion of #NiUnaMenos [“Not One (woman) Less”] in Latin America, a social movement conceived first in Argentina to protest misogynist violence. To explain diffusion, this paper will explore the role of social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, in helping spread messages, strategies, and the goals of the movement with unprecedented speed (Tarrow 2005, Hanson and Piatti-Crocker 2020). Five years after the first protest, the COVID-19 pandemic had two contrasting effects on the #NiUnaMenos movement. On the one hand, when the virus began spreading around the world, it …

Introduction To Journal Of International Women’S Studies Special Issue Covid-19: The Impact On Women And Girls Around The World, Fikresus Fikrejesus Amahazion

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Do Russian Women Have The Right To Self-Defense Against Domestic Violence?, Davtyan Mari Davitovna

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article concerns the analysis of court practices for criminal cases relating to female victims of domestic violence who have been charged with murder or intentional infliction of grievous bodily injuries of their partners. The author directly connects the observance of women's rights in domestic violence self-defense cases with the problem of the lack of legal mechanisms of protection against violence in Russia. Russia remains the last country in the Council of Europe which has yet to create legal mechanisms to protect women against domestic violence. The lack of a law against domestic violence, a mechanism for protection orders, standards …

The Influence Of Gender Stereotypes On The Growth Of Gender Inequality And Domestic Violence In Russia In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Pisklakova-Parker Marina, Efanova Olga

Journal of International Women's Studies

The present article is concerned with the influence of gender stereotypes on gender inequality and violence against women in modern Russia as well as the response of government institutions and civil society organisations to domestic violence incidents under lockdown. Conclusions on the role of stereotypes in the growth of inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic are based on findings of the research carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) and the Institute of Socio-Economic Studies of Population of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed profound vulnerabilities …

On The Squares And In The Comments Sections: The Feminist Movement In Russia Between Contentious And Discursive Politics, Vanya Mark Solovey

Journal of International Women's Studies

Academics have overlooked feminist movements in Russia, allowing struggling women’s rights organizations to overshadow the many achievements of Russian feminists. Scholarship has reported on struggling women’s rights organizations, citing Pussy Riot, the Russian feminist protest punk rock group, as an exceptional case and concluding that the overall situation with feminism in Russia is desperate. Even though recent publications acknowledge some feminist mobilizations, they are still judged insufficient. Why is contemporary Russian feminism continuously “not enough” for outside observers? And is it “enough” for its members?

In this paper, I argue that one of the major reasons why feminists outside Russia, …

Women’S Responses To The Conservative Turn In Russia And Russian Social Policy, Ann-Mari Sätre

Journal of International Women's Studies

Russia has experienced a conservative turn in gender policy since the early 2000s, especially since 2012. There have been conservative trends in legislation and policies along with a deterioration of women’s rights in Russia. The conservative trend is also reflected more specifically in developments in social policy. The aim of this article is to highlight how women have experienced and responded to these policy changes. Both resistance and acceptance have been noted: during my field work I have observed four kinds of responses. The article further discusses how the conservative trend might contribute to a social marginalization of women.

The …

Introduction To The Special Issue: The Status Of Women In Russian Society: Kennan Institute Live Virtual Conference, 21-23 July 2020, Olimpiada Usanova

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Short Story: “Villain’S Suicide”, M. M. Vinodini, Translated By Afsar Mohammed

Journal of International Women's Studies

As B.R. Ambedkar stated in Annihilation of Caste, day laborers only suffer grueling labor on subsistence wages owing to their terror of punishment given to those who question it. This story reminds readers that so-called ritual impurity or untouchability has never stopped non-privileged caste people from being violated through touch and sexual abuse. The agitation over the 2012 Delhi gang rape and the more recent revelations of #MeToo occur amidst a long history of low-income Dalit women and girls routinely facing rape and other forms of repeated sexual assault from powerful landowners whose word can stop or start their wages. …

Short Story: “Block”, M. M. Vinodini, Translated By K. Purushotham, Edited By Bonnie Zare

Journal of International Women's Studies

Despite India’s Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act of 2013 (and with a 2020 Amendment awaiting approval), it is likely that at least one million people work as manual removers of human waste, helping the 60% or more of Indians who do not have access to flush toilets. The story “Block” puts us inside a manual scavenger’s mind as we accompany Jilakaramma on her rounds in Andhra Pradesh. M. M. Vinodini writes about this labor with true empathy. Entering the daily life of someone who carries out this very stigmatized job creates new understanding of the …

Sexual Violence Against Dalit Women: An Analytical Study Of Intersectionality Of Gender, Caste, And Class In India, Ajay Kumar

Journal of International Women's Studies

Dalits belong to the lowest caste in India; they are excluded from the four-fold Varna system of Hinduism, treated as fifth Varna “panchama”, and characterized as “untouchables”, and, consequently, they have historically and culturally suffered caste-based social exclusion from their civil and political rights. There are more than 200 million Dalits in India, and Dalit women constitute half of this population, which is about 16.3% of the total female population of India, and of this population, about three-fourths of women live in rural areas2. Dalit women’s problems are not only related to gender and economic deprivation but also discrimination related …

Dalit-Futurist Feminism: New Alliances Through Dalit Feminism And Indian Science Fiction, Priteegandha Naik

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article analyses the novel Generation 14 by Priya Sarukkai Chabria from a convergent perspective of Dalit Studies (which encapsulates Dalit literature and Dalit feminism) and science fiction. I suggest that Indian science fiction that discusses caste with reference to the emerging technoscientific culture can be termed Dalit-futurism. I define this concept by drawing on the tradition of Dalit literature and science fiction and suggest that the Dalit-futurist texts seek to mutate caste to foreground its arbitrary structure. This paper uses the vocabulary of science-fiction criticism to analyze the mutation of caste in the fictional world and draws parallels with …

Dalit Women In History: Struggles, Voices, And Counterpublics, Tarushikha Sarvesh, Rama Shanker Singh, Tehzeeb Alam

Journal of International Women's Studies

History is a projection of realities from the historian's lens and parameters. The popularity and acceptance of historical accounts depend much on hegemonic structures and knowledge. The Dalit community was marginalized within the Indian economic, social, and political historiography. Gradually, with the rise of Dalit consciousness, men—the better-positioned gender of the community—tried to express their vulnerabilities from a masculinist perspective. The literature written also projected women only as extensions of male protagonists. Though the traumas Dalit women have faced due to intersectional realities are separate from that of men, they could not find a place in early literature as complete …