UNESCO Courier articles from June 2000

UNESCO Courier archives from June 2000

MARGARITA SALAS: KNOWLEDGE TO DISPEL FEAR.(human genome project)(Interview)
June 1, 2000... Margarita Salas, a Spanish pioneer in molecular biology, dismisses alarmist reactions to recent scientific advances and stays thoroughly optimistic on all fronts Do you think research to decode the human genome should be placed in the...

A LIFE FOR SCIENCE.(molecular biologist Margarita Salas)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Since 1901, when the Swedish Academy set up Nobel prizes for achievements in various scientific disciplines, only 11 women, compared with 435 men, have received one of the awards. But with the help of programmes to support women's involvement...

THE MAGIC OF THE MIRROR.(Indian uprising in Chiapas, Mexico)
June 1, 2000... The uprising in Chiapas has forced Mexican society to look at the Indians straight on, perhaps for the first time, and to start weaving with them a truly common future I seemed to notice a movement from beneath her shawl, a kind of sudden...

THE "MIRACLE" OF THE RHINE.(environmental recovery of European river)
June 1, 2000... Fish are once again swimming in the Rhine River but it took an ecological catastrophe for the countries it flows through to clean up their act I For decades, the Rhine was one of Europe's most repelling waste dumps. Today, concerted...

DOING IT THEIR OWN WAY.(home schooling)
June 1, 2000... Whether for religious reasons or out of a strong desire to do things differently, a growing number of parents in the United States are choosing to educate their children at home I Twenty years ago, Christopher and Eileen Herman would have...

EUROPEAN DISUNITY.(home schooling in Europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Parents throughout Europe are becoming bolder about educating their children at home, even if it means defending their rights in court * The continent that has adopted a single currency is a long way from unity on home education. Although...

No progress without a secular society.(in many countries, dominated by religion, women are considered lesser human beings)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Every day, women continue to be victims of rape, trafficking, acid-throwing, dowry deaths and other kinds of torture. At the opening of this new century, women are still not considered as equal human beings in many parts of the world. Religion...

One battle after another.(ongoing battle for women's rights begins with education)
June 1, 2000... Women fought for their rights throughout the twentieth century. In the past several decades, their struggle has truly become global, but all is far from won We often hear that this will be the century of women, in light of the tremendous...

South Africa: a strategic ascent.(women's rights)
June 1, 2000... Since the advent of their country's first democratic government, women have imposed far-reaching pieces of legislation. Making them effective remains an uphill battle Right after South Africa's second democratic elections in June 1999, the...

Emancipation under the veils.(women's rights makes headway in Iran, but much remains to be accomplished)
June 1, 2000... Despite the islamic revolution, women have never stopped standing up for their rights. In head-scarves or chadors, they are at the heart of the struggle to modernize society I'11 go to parliament dressed as I was during my campaign, in an...

Sweden: court battles for equal pay.(women's earnings in Sweden remain lower than men's)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Even in the country with the world's highest number of female cabinet ministers, the gender gap is not closed in the workplace Despite an Equal Opportunities Act passed in 1979, Swedish women earn 15 to 20 per cent less than men. Five years...

Peru: skewed planning.
June 1, 2000... Two Peruvian organizations working on behalf of women's rights have waged a successful Campaign to reverse coercive family planning policies The first rays of morning sun appear through the window. The water boils, the dry clothes must be...

For a fair sharing of time.(Brazil households)
June 1, 2000... Women may have entered public life on a massive scale, but they are still on their own when it comes to running the household. A new balance must be struck if there is to be genuine democracy At the dawn of the 21st century, states and the...

Unfinished democracy.(women have not reached parity with men in government service)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Nearly everywhere, with the notable exception of countries like Kuwait, laws entitle women to vote and be elected. But in reality, the proportion of women in legislative bodies falls far short of representing their percentage in the general...

Women in politics: still "the second sex".(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Regardless of their political affiliation, in all countries women must overcome a host of stumbling blocks that limit their political careers. "Most obstacles to progress consist... of deficiencies of various kinds," the IPU says, including...

Strategies of change.(feminists in politics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... How can women--a "minority" that makes up 52 per cent of the world's population--take their rightful place in the management of the world's affairs? The controversy surrounding various measures intended to encourage them will continue for a...

A woman in the lion's den.(Badia Skalli fights for women's rights in Morocco)
June 1, 2000... For years, Moroccan member of parliament Badia Skalli has put her long-standing loyalty to the Socialist Party before her feminist beliefs. Now she is at the centre of a tough battle Badia Skalli had the good fortune to be born at a time...

India's nurseries of politics.(political rise of women in India)
June 1, 2000... Over a million women hold the reins of power at the village level but a law to boost their presence in parliament has been deadlocked for several years Nothing short of a small revolution occurred during President Bill Clinton's visit to...

South Korea's campaign school.(program helps women become political candidates)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Prejudice and cronyism traditionally bar Korean women from politics but a non-profit training centre offers keys to success -- from fashion tips to campaign strategies In the industrial city of Ulsan, Lim Myung-sook represents a rare coup...

Betty Friedan: debunking the mystique of politics.(Brief Article)(Interview)
June 1, 2000... Women account for just 13 per cent of the U.S. Congress and 10 per cent of the Senate. But a pioneer of the contemporary feminist movement keeps the faith Betty Friedan burst onto the American scene in 1963 with The Feminine Mystique, a...

Networking on the Web.(Web sites for women interested in politics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... A number of organizations in the U.S. are gearing up for the 2000 election. Many have experience in supporting women candidates and training campaign staff, others are focusing on informing women and encouraging them to vote. Here are some of...

Closing ranks.(women in politics in France)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Every victory feminists win is a fragile one, says former cabinet minister Yvette Roudy. To defend their rights, women have to be at the helm of a strong social movement The long march of women towards an equal share of political, social...

GYPSIES: TRAPPED ON THE FRINGES OF EUROPE.
June 1, 2000... Across Europe, Gypsies live in dire poverty and are frequently the target of violence and racism. But some governments are finally taking notice of the continent's largest minority The figures are shocking. Between 60 and 80 per cent of...

A ROMA GHETTO IN FLORENCE.(Italy)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Florence, a cosmopolitan city where the world's greatest art and architecture attest to a blending of cultures, has for ten years been debating the fate of same 200 Roma families-approximately 1,000 people-living within its boundaries. Like...

DIVING FOR DOLLARS.(underwater archaeological exploration laws)
June 1, 2000... New technology means shipwrecks swallowed up by the deepest waters can now be reached. But who owns the precious finds? Some countries allow a free-for-all plundering The world's biggest museum lies under the sea. Over the centuries...

INTERNET TO THE RESCUE OF DEMOCRACY?
June 1, 2000... Advocates of e-democracy profess that the Internet is the only way to bridge the gap between disaffected citizens and politicians. "Nonsense" say others A "dumb rage of impotence" is how Richard Askwith, a senior editorial writer for the...

AFRICA: CELL PHONES FOR CITIZENSHIP.(Brief Article)(Interview)
June 1, 2000... Ibrahima N'Diaye, the mayor of Mali's capital Bamako, is banking on the Internet to boost democracy in Africa via specially-outfitted cell phones I DO democracy and the Internet go together in Africa? They don't, because the Internet...