Nobel Women's Initiative

An unprecedented number of women ran in the latest elections in Guatemala, which wrapped up on Sunday. The list of nine candidates for president included Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Mayan activist Rigoberta Menchú Tum.

"We are the voice of the thousands of silenced people, who have no room (in the system) and who only take orders," said Menchú Tum. She emphasized the fact that she is a woman, specifically an indigenous candidate, in a country that is “‘machista,’ racist and excludes people."

Over fifty organizations, legal academics and professionals – as part of the August 12 Campaign – have sent letters to President Obama asking that he lift the abortion restrictions on humanitarian aid for girls and women raped and impregnated in armed conflict from accessing abortion information or services.

Binalakshmi Nepram, the Founder of Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and Secretary General of Control Arms Foundation of India has won the CNN-Indian Broadcasting Network's Real Heroes Award for her work advancing women's welfare.  She will be recognized at a ceremony in Mumbai on August 17th.

Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Nobel Peace Laureate and Laura Reyes are two indigenous women running for office in the upcoming Guatemalan presidential election.   Systemic violence and abuse of women prevails in the country, and the political involvement of these indigenous women is a call for gender inclusion, and recognition of indigenous rights.

Yesterday Saudi News reported that a Saudi woman is to be tried for driving in what she says was a medical emergency. Police arrested the unnamed 35 year old woman in the city of Jeddah. She was later released with the help of her father who acted as her male guarantor. 

Iranian Intelligence Officials continue to hold women’s rights defender Maryam Bahrman in prison under interrogation – despite an order for her release from other government officials. Bahrman was arrested on 11 May 2011 for charges relating to her women’s rights activities – including her membership in the “One Million Signatures Campaign” calling for legal equality in Iran.

UPDATE: UN declares drought in Somalia as full fledged famine.

Women in the horn of Africa are facing disastrous circumstances in an environmental turned humanitarian crises.  East Africa is facing its worst drought in 60 years, affecting over 10 million people.   

Mothers and their children have been arriving in the thousands to full refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya.  The refugee camp, Dabaab, in Kenya is operating at over four times its capacity and receiving 1300 more people daily, according to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).

South Sudan declares its independence tomorrow amid rising tensions and violence on the North- South border. Observers have voiced concerns over the media crackdown and increase in violence against women.

The division of the North and South will critically affect women – leaving vulnerable women of the North isolated from political representation and women’s activities in the South.