China mulls bill to tackle workplace discrimination against women

Yahoo – AFP, December 25, 2021

Assembly-line workers at a factory in Fuyang in eastern China (AFP/STR)

Chinese lawmakers are discussing new rules to prevent workplace discrimination and sexual harassment against women amid a string of high-profile cases in recent months. 

A draft bill published Friday includes a ban on employers stating gender preferences on job ads and quizzing female applicants about their marital or pregnancy status –- a common practice that has been criticised for decades. 

Rapid economic growth in the past four decades coupled with the one-child rule has opened up more educational and employment opportunities for Chinese women. 

But women's participation in the workforce has dropped, due to gender-based filtering when hiring and as more women care for families amid a severe shortage of affordable childcare options. 

A report by Human Rights Watch in June found that one in five civil service job postings in 2019 specified a preference for male applicants. 

The report also says that it was a common practice for employers including schools to force female staff to sign contracts promising not to get pregnant for several years as a pre-condition for being hired. 

The proposed new rules come amid concerns that China's new three-child rule could make employers even more reluctant to hire women and as officials crack down on the local #MeToo movement after a string of cases that led to a public outcry over sexual assault in the workplace. 

Earlier this month, e-commerce giant Alibaba group fired a female staffer who had accused a manager of sexual assault. 

The proposed amendments will make enforcement easier by clearly defining what sexual harassment is, state-run Xinhua news agency said. 

According to a draft text published Friday, it prohibits "vulgar speech", "inappropriate physical behaviour" or "the display or dissemination of sexual images, information, text, audio or video". 

It also requires employers to set up mechanisms to prevent, investigate and respond to such complaints "without delay", but there were no details on any penalties for failing to do so. 

The amendments are open for public comment until January 22, 2022.

Related Article:

US, UN demand proof of missing Chinese tennis star's well-being

Gay Australian footballer 'scared' to play in Qatar

Yahoo – AFP, 8 November 2021 

Australian footballer Josh Cavallo has said he would be scared to play in
Qatar (AFP/Handout)

Australian footballer Josh Cavallo, who came out as gay last month, has revealed he would be scared to play at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar because of the country's criminalisation of homosexuality. 

The 21-year-old, who plays for Adelaide United in Australia's A-League, is the only known gay footballer playing in a top-flight men's league. 

His announcement last month won plaudits from around the world, including from legendary Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic and US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. 

But the midfielder -- who has played for Australia at the under-20 level but has yet to be called up for the senior side -- indicated he was not sure what he would do if he were selected to play at the 2022 World Cup. 

"I read something along the lines of that [they] give the death penalty for gay people in Qatar, so it's something I'm very scared [of] and wouldn't really want to go to Qatar for that," he told the Guardian's Today in Focus podcast. 

"And that saddens me. At the end of the day the World Cup is in Qatar and one of the greatest achievements as a professional footballer is to play for your country, and to know that this is in a country that doesn't support gay people and puts us at risk of our own life, that does scare me and makes me re-evaluate -- is my life more important than doing something really good in my career?" 

Since being selected as host in 2010, Qatar has faced searing criticism for its treatment of LGBT people, as well as its record on women's rights and labour issues. 

Last year a report from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) said sources indicated the death penalty could potentially be used as punishment for consensual homosexual sex in Qatar. 

The chief executive of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Nasser al-Khater, said in 2019 that "any fan, of any gender, (sexual) orientation, religion, race (should) rest assured that Qatar is one of the most safe countries in the world -- and they'll all be welcome here". 

However, he stressed that "public displays of affection are frowned upon, it's not part of our culture -- but that goes across the board to everybody". 

The last World Cup was held in Russia, where queer activism was severely restricted under a 2013 "gay propaganda" law forbidding the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relationships" to minors. 

Despite football's immense popularity worldwide only a few male footballers have ever come out as gay, mostly after retirement to avoid the prospect of taunts from the terraces. 

The first professional player to come out while still playing was Britain's Justin Fashanu in 1990, but he never found acceptance in the game and hanged himself in 1998.

Philippines' Nobel Prize winner Ressa says award for 'all journalists'

Yahoo – AFP, 9 October 2021 

Philippine journalist Maria Ressa (pictured after her arrest in 2019) says her
Nobel Peace Prize is for 'all journalists around the world' (AFP/TED ALJIBE)

Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa on Saturday said her Nobel Peace Prize was for "all journalists around the world", as she vowed to continue her battle for press freedom. 

"This is really for all journalists around the world," Ressa, a vocal critic of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, told AFP in an interview. 

"We do need help on so many fronts -- it is so much more difficult and dangerous to be a journalist today." 

Ressa, co-founder of news website Rappler, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their efforts to "safeguard freedom of expression". 

Philippine press groups and rights activists hailed Ressa's award as a "triumph" in a country ranked as one of the world's most dangerous for journalists. 

Since Duterte was swept to power in 2016, Ressa and Rappler have endured what media advocates say is a grinding series of criminal charges, investigations and online attacks. 

Duterte has called Rappler a "fake news outlet", and Ressa has been the target of abusive messages online. 

Ressa, 58, said she hoped the prize would provide a protective shield for her and other journalists in the Philippines against physical attacks and online threats. 

"This 'us against them' was never the creation of the journalists, it was the creation of the people in power who wanted to use a type of leadership that divides society," Ressa said, describing the award "like a shot of adrenalin". 

"I hope this allows journalists to do our jobs well without fear."

Malaysian mothers hail win for equality in citizenship case

 Yahoo – AFP, September 9, 2021

A group of Malaysian mothers won a landmark case overturning unequal
citizenship rules in the Southeast Asian country (AFP/Handout)

A group of Malaysian mothers won a landmark legal challenge Thursday, overturning what they described as discriminatory citizenship rules affecting women who gave birth overseas. 

The rules had meant a woman with a foreign spouse who had a child abroad was barred from automatically passing on her Malaysian nationality. 

Similar restrictions did not apply to men from the Southeast Asian country, who enjoy a straight path to citizenship for their offspring. 

Socially conservative Malaysia was among only a handful of countries worldwide with such rules, with campaigners long complaining they were discriminatory. 

But on Thursday, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled in favour of a challenge brought by six Malaysian mothers, who argued the regulations breached the constitution. 

"This judgement recognises Malaysian women's equality, and marks one step forward to a more egalitarian and just Malaysia," said Suri Kempe, president of NGO Family Frontiers, which helped bring the case to court. 

The judgement applies to all Malaysian mothers, not just the plaintiffs in the case, she said. 

The lawyer for the mothers, Gurdial Singh Nijar, hailed a "momentous decision", saying the rules had "disrupted family structures". 

There was no immediate reaction from the government, and it was not clear whether they would appeal the ruling. 

Campaigners said the law had sometimes left women trapped in abusive relationships. 

If they brought their children back to Malaysia, the youngsters faced obstacles in accessing public services like free education and healthcare. 

Women could apply for their overseas-born children to be granted citizenship but authorities rarely agreed. 

According to Family Frontiers, the home ministry received over 4,000 applications between 2013 and 2018, but only approved 142. 

The government had sought to get the mothers' challenge dismissed, insisting the rules were in line with the constitution. 

But campaigners said they breached constitutional guarantees to equality before the law, and the court allowed the case to proceed.

Myanmar shadow government wants ASEAN crisis talks invite

Yahoo – AFP, Sun, 18 April 2021 

The coup in Myanmar has sparked mass protests against the military junta

Myanmar's shadow government on Sunday urged Southeast Asian leaders to give it a seat at the table during crisis talks next week, and not to recognise the military regime that seized power in a February coup. 

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing is expected to join a special ASEAN summit on Myanmar on Saturday in Jakarta -- his first official overseas trip since the putsch that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. 

The army has moved to quell mass protests against its rule, killing at least 730 people according to a local monitoring group. 

Min Aung Hlaing's invitation to the meeting of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations has drawn scorn from activists who have urged foreign leaders not to formally recognise the junta. 

Moe Zaw Oo, deputy minister of foreign affairs for the parallel "national unity government" -- formed Friday by ousted lawmakers mostly from Suu Kyi's party, as well as ethnic-minority politicians -- said ASEAN had not reached out to them. 

"If ASEAN wants to help solve the Myanmar situation, they are not going to achieve anything without consulting and negotiating with the NUG, which is supported by the people and has full legitimacy," he told Voice of America's Burmese service. 

"It's important that this military council is not recognised. This needs to be handled carefully." 

Meanwhile, the junta continued targeting the media on Sunday, arresting Japanese freelance reporter Yuki Kitazumi. 

He was arrested at his home in Yangon on Sunday evening, his assistant said in a message. 

In February, he was beaten up and briefly detained during a crackdown on protesters but was later released. 

The number of reporters arrested so far has totalled more than 65 and at least 34 remain in custody, according to monitoring group Reporting ASEAN. 

Authorities announced Sunday night on state-run television 20 more celebrities and 20 more doctors would be added to their arrest warrant list of 420 prominent people. 

Earlier unrest continued across the country on Sunday, with protesters rallying in Mandalay, Meiktila, Magway and Myingyan, showing support for the national unity government. 

At Palaw in the country's south, demonstrators brandished banners that read: "Military dictators should not be allowed to rule. The dictatorship will be uprooted. Support the national unity government." 

Young demonstrators also staged motorbike rallies while carrying flags in Hpakant and Sagaing. 

The previous night, there were violent clashes in the central gem-producing city of Mogok when security forces cracked down on protesters. 

According to an AFP-verified video filmed by a resident, soldiers crouched on a street as their commanding officer shouted that he wanted "deaths". 

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) verified two deaths at Mogok. 

Much of Myanmar remains under a curfew imposed shortly after the coup, running from 8 pm to 4 am every night. 

Late Saturday, a young man was shot and killed in Kyaukme town in northern Shan state while riding his motorbike during the curfew. 

"He was shot by the authorities when he and other his friends drove motorbikes around 9 pm. He was shot in the head," a rescue worker told AFP, adding that his funeral would take place Sunday.