Alice Award for Hillary

This article was forwarded to me by Nate Levin.

From Democratic Examiner:

I was able to attend an awards ceremony at one of DC's historic landmarks, the Sewall-Belmont House, home of Alice Paul, who formed the National Women's party during the fight for women's suffrage. Each year, they pay tribute to a distinguished woman who has made an outstanding contribution in breaking barriers and setting new precedents for women. This year's prestigious Alice Award was presented to Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton for putting "eighteen million cracks" in the glass ceiling, and for her work in preserving our nation's historic treasures (one of which is the Sewall-Belmont House!).

Rwanda: Women Promoting Peace & Security

From allAfrica:

Though Rwandan women have excelled on the political spectrum, their presence must also be felt in peace and security initiatives, Gender and Family promotion minister, Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamaria said on Friday.

She was commenting on the United Nations resolution 1325 that calls for a greater role of women in peace and security initiatives. Rwanda hopes to validate this resolution and launch a plan of action aimed at implementing it.

"Women in Rwanda have excelled in political and decision making positions in this country and there in no doubt on that, but when it comes to participation in promotion of security, the numbers become too small," said Mujawamariya.

"We need to see more Rwandan women taking part in peace keeping in the Sudan and other places where we are helping to bring back peace."

Nigeria: Empowering Women

From allAfrica:

The wife of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hajiya Zainab Adamu Aliero has advocated for the empowerment of women because of the crucial role they play in family settings.

Mrs. Aliero stated this on Monday at Kuje Area Council, in continuation of her visit to the six area councils of the FCT in order to flag off the skills acquisition training programme for the less privileged.

She said the training programme will provide a platform to help address the thorny issue of poverty, especially at the grass root level, adding that it will also help the rural dwellers develop skills that will help them become self employed.

SA: Minister Needs Permission For TV Appearance

From the Mail Online:

Saudi Arabia may have nominated its first ever woman cabinet minister - but she cannot appear on television without permission, it has been revealed.

Noura al-Faiz's appointment in February as deputy minister for women's education was hailed as a huge step for the integration of women in conservative Saudi Arabia, where a puritanical form of Islam bans women from driving, voting and mixing with unrelated men.

'I don't take my veil off and I will not appear on television unless it is allowed for us to do so,' Faiz told the daily Shamss, which published a picture of the deputy minister wearing a headscarf with her face showing.

Wajeha al-Huwaider, an outspoken advocate of women's rights in the country, welcomed her appointment.

She added that it was unclear if al-Faiz will have any real power, or if she will follow the path of other Saudi women who had been appointed to lower councils but were never heard from.

Denver: Female Politicians Seek Support

From the Denver Journal:

The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, based in Denver, said Monday it is seeking sponsors for its upcoming annual conference in Chicago.

NOBEL/Women's 24th annual legislative conference will be June 18-21 at the Sofitel Water Tower in Chicago’s Gold Coast area.

More than 250 black women serving as state representatives, senators, judges, commissioners, councilwomen, presidents and executives of organizations and corporations nationwide are expected to attend.

Former ambassador and U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun will address the conference June 19. Workshops will deal with such subjects as finance and economics, education, law and justice, health, technology, governing, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Gloria Travis Tanner is national executive director of the nonpartisan group.

For information on sponsorships and conference questions, call 303-355-7288 or visit www.nobelwomen.org.

Helen Zille - Politics in SA

From the Denver Post:

Helen Zille has a sharp tongue and a short fuse, and she doesn't dodge a fight. In apartheid times she enraged South Africa's white rulers, and lately she has ruffled South Africa's black political establishment.

Having won plaudits as mayor of Cape Town, she is now leader of the main opposition and her province's premier—a striking example of democracy at work in a country that is ruled by blacks but leaves room for white politicians like Zille.

That's a tall order, given that her Democratic Alliance is still perceived as mainly white and most black South Africans are loyal to the ANC which liberated them from oppression. Zille says that 15 years after apartheid formally ended, race no longer should dominate politics.

Cambridge University Library: Online

From the Telegraph:

A treasure-trove of books that are more than 500 years old are to be catalogued online by the University of Cambridge.

The selection includes a 1455 copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed in Europe using movable metal type, and the first printed edition of Homer's works, from 1488.

Currently only a small selection of the university's 4,650-strong body of pre-1501 works are included in its Online Catalogue.

Witch Flask

From the Mail Online:

The 9-inch tall stoneware bottle was hailed today as the most important discovery of its kind - the only one ever found complete and unopened.

It contained not just sharp objects designed to inflict pain on the witch, but human hair and urine, some fingernail clippings, and, curiously, some belly-button fluff.

One of the bent iron nails appears to have been used to pierce a heart-shaped piece of leather. Then the entire mixture was sprinkled with that customary seasoning so beloved by opponents of evil - brimstone.

The bottle was placed in a 5ft pit and covered with earth in what was probably undeveloped land at the time.

Ghana: Promoting Women in Leadership

From Modern Ghana:

The media have been urged to give greater publicity and support to women in diverse leadership positions in the country, to help push the national development agenda forward.

The capabilities of women who form half of the population when made public would encourage more women to seek political and other key positions to enable them to also contribute their quota to national development.

Madam Anima Wilson, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, made these remarks during a two day media sensitisation workshop on: “Promoting Greater Visibility for Women in Leadership,” in Kumasi.

It was organised by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), which seeks to promote effective use of the media for the advancement of women, and was supported by Abantu for Development, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Women's Manifesto Coalition.

“The media wield influence in every society; the change can be realised when we partner and find innovative ways of promoting the cause of women in leadership”, she stressed.