'women' - tagged features

Since 1908, International Women’s Day on March 8th has been a day to recognize the achievements of women around the world -- regardless of nationality, ethnic background, culture, economic status or political beliefs. The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century. Rapid industrialization and economic expansion had led to protests over working conditions. 100 years ago, on March 8th 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay and voting rights. A century on, women around the world are still fighting for more rights. In Stockholm, Iranian, Iraqi, Swedish and other women - as well as supportive men - have now gathered to put forward their demands. Radio Sweden's Bill Schiller reports on a special appeal to mark the 100th anniversary of Women's Day. 

Spain’s abortion law is coming under close scrutiny where the government says it is prepared to consider changing the legislation if it can achieve a wide political and social consensus. The announcement follows women from a feminist collective reporting themselves to police for illegal abortions, in order to draw attention to the what they see as the failings of the law. Private abortion clinics have also been on a week long strike to protest against a law they say doesn’t protect medical practitioners or the woman who have abortions. The strike was a response to a recent series of police raids on abortion clinics accused of carrying out illegal terminations. From Madrid, Deutsche Welle’s Danny Wood reports… 

Sweden’s the poster boy of social progress. It enjoys one the world’s most advanced welfare systems, Swedes live longer than almost anyone else and Swedish prison-cells are nicer than the average European budget hotel room. But has progress gone too far when it comes to the emancipation of women? A new book suggests Swedish women are conducting their campaign for equal opportunities at the expense of men. And the book even claims that Swedish men are the victims of outright discrimination. 

Religious leaders talking tough on abortion and threatening to use their political clout? It doesn't sound like liberal Sweden. But eyebrows are raised in Stockholm as abortion is suddenly back on the political agenda. A plan to allow foreign women to come to Sweden for abortions has infuriated some church leaders. Religious leaders talking politics in Sweden is highly unusual in a country that's usually considered to be at the vanguard of liberal reform. But as Radio Sweden’s Azariah Kiros found out, the Catholic Church and the evangelical Pentecostal Movement in Sweden are advising Swedes not to support one of the coalition partners in the government, the Christian Democrats, in the next election if the Party supports the proposal. 

Thursday's International women's day. Now there seem to be more commemorative days than there are days of the year. Some, like World No Tobacco Day, are self-explanatory. Others, such as International day of the potato, seem less obvious. But why do women need a day? Men don't get a day and do you hear us complaining? No. We rise above it. They're hardly a minority so is there a good reason to focus on 50% of the population? 

Scandinavia is known for the high number of women in politics. A full 47.3 percent of the country's parliamentary politicians are female. Nine of the current ministers in the centre-right cabinet are women - including the deputy Prime Minister. 

Glitz and glamour haven't followed Germany's first woman Chancellor Angela Merkel Many worried at the outset that Ms Merkel didn't have enough charisma for the job. Some wondered whether this unassuming former physicist could hold her own with the heavyweights on the world stage. But, it turns out she's put most of those fears to rest. 

Perhaps International women's day would be better appreciated by the female MEP's and bureaucrats trying to make a name for themselves in Brussels. But how seriously are women taken in the EU capital? We put it to RN's Brussels correspondant Vanessa Mock that it was surely still a man's world. 

On the 1st of March, it is customary for women in Romania to receive “Martisor”, a sort of talisman, which can be a jewel, or just a nickel, glass or plastic figurine tied to a red and white string. Men give offer this little present to women in token of love, appreciation, or just trying to be complaisant with female colleagues at work. This year however, there is a woman in Romania which enjoys the sincere appreciation of a large part of the Romanian people. She is Romania's Minister of Justice and she's received one of the most beautiful Martisor a person can get. Iulian Muresan, from Radio Romania International witnessed the gesture... 

Abortion is taboo for many people all over the world. But what if you have a prenatal test, and find out your unborn child has a serious birth defect? The decision to end a pregnancy can be fraught with feelings of guilt, doubt and failure. A major study recently released in Holland examined those feelings. Radio Netherlands' Barry Thorne investigates the trauma of the medical abortion of a much-wanted child. 

Dogma  - a school of film making in Denmark, had worldwide success, with filmmakers such as Lars von Trier, and Thomas Vinterberg reaping international fame. Now a group of filmakers scriptwriters and producers in Gothenburg is trying to duplicate that success by creating Sweden's first cinema manifesto. They call themselves Doris Film - and their goal is to increase the amount of films directed by women in Sweden.  Radio Sweden's Moira Sullivan caught up with Annika Hellström and Anna Ericsson at a special Women in Film and Television event at the Swedish Film Institute. And asked them how it all started.