Vladimir Putin is still Russia's top dog...

If there is one man who is the embodiment of the old adage that one man’s meat is another man’s poison, it’s Vladimir Putin. The 59-year-old has recently stepped up to the Kremlin’s most powerful role for the third time. Yes, the 63.6% of the vote he gained in March was just under 10% down on his massive 71% majority in 2004, but there’s no doubting that Putin is still Russia’s top dog. For all the allegations of fraud in elections held during March and December, for all the protests that engulfed his election campaign, Putin’s nearest rival, Communist candidate Gennady Zyuganov only racked up 17% of the vote. Indeed, there are very few in Russia or outside it that would claim that Putin wasn’t the outright winner.

That’s not to say that the protests which swept through Russia’s cities are irrelevant. Far from it. These were the biggest demonstrations since the fall of the Soviet Union. People from all walks of life came together, chanting the same slogans (one of which was “Russia without Putin”) and wearing identical white ribbons as a symbol of peaceful dissent. The Russian government would be a fool not to heed thousands of bright, young, vocal and technologically savvy Russians out on the streets.

Ridicule won’t be good enough

Asked for his initial response to the protests back in December, Putin likened their white ribbons to condoms. In the long run however, he will need a more sophisticated strategy to deal with them. The question is, will he clamp down on civil liberties further, or will Russian society get a dose of much needed liberalisation?

The good news for Putin is that he still basks in a vast amount of fervent support. It was no surprise that his rhetoric in the 2012 election campaign reverted to what had propelled him from a virtual nobody into the hearts and minds of Russians back in 1999: patriotism. Back then, Mr Putin was virtually unknown, even within Russia. But with the efficiency he is now known for, he won over the populace with a single, crude sentence. When four apartment blocks were destroyed by Chechnyan terrorist bombs, Mr Putin managed to express all the pent up anger that engulfed Russia: “We will wipe out the terrorists out wherever we find them. If we find them sitting on the toilet, then that’s where we will do it.”

Putin the heartthrob

His popularity skyrocketed. He gained respect among men, and women went crazy for him – stories of women swooning and admitting to erotic dreams about him abounded in magazines. Mr Putin quickly established himself as a no-nonsense leader whose acerbic man-of-the-people remarks and unconcealed nostalgia for the Soviet Union – he once called its collapse “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the 20th Century – reflected the mood among great swathes of the population. He even restored the much-loved Soviet anthem, albeit with new lyrics.

Many Russians wanted and still want their country to regain its superpower status. Moreover, passion for Putin is also often a factor of virulent hatred of Yeltsin. Where the West tends to see Boris Yeltsin as the man who overturned the Soviet Union, who forced in a new era of democracy and freedom, to many Russians he is the man who turned their lives upside down, plummeting them into destitution when the collapse of a state triggered turmoil and chaos.

Economic stability, then, is not to be sniffed at. And neither is the man that made it happen.

Order, stability and growth

Putin steadied the economy and came to represent order, striking a chord with those hit by the chaos of the ‘90s. He presided over steady economic growth, growing investor confidence and rising living standards, cementing his popularity among those who’d lost everything. He reined in the oligarchs, lowering taxes to a fixed rate of 13%, but making it clear that tax evasion would no longer be tolerated.

No doubt a good understanding of finance went a long way in shaping Mr Putin’s shrewd economic decisions. A working-class boy, Mr Putin managed to gain PhD in Economics from Leningrad University. He then joined the KGB where he would work for 15 years, eventually becoming the top man in 1998. He spent five years in East Germany, mostly recruiting KGB agents, and speaks fluent German. He married his wife, Liudmila, in 1983.They now have two daughters. The family is Russian Orthodox Christian.

Corruption and control

Yet for all his economic competence, he failed to diversify the economy away from oil and gas or to reduce Russia’s endemic corruption. He gradually eased liberals out of government, often replacing them with more hardline allies or neutrals seen as little more than yes-men.

Chechnya – an ongoing issue

Putin’s first two premierships were also consumed by military campaigns in Chechnya , which earned him recognition and praise at home. They came at a high price, however. Russia was subjected to a number of Chechnyan terror attacks. At Moscow’s Dubrovka Theatre 130 people died; then over 334 people were killed, including 186 children during the Beslan school crisis. Despite this, many Russians felt that Putin’s hard-line stance was healing the hurts and humiliations they suffered under Yeltsin.

Putin makes no bones about his policy in Chechnya – on the one hand air and artillery strikes caused huge “collateral damage” among Chechen civilians, on the other he attempted to rebuild areas of Chechnya that submit to Russian control. If this is a carrot and stick strategy, the West tends to see the stick. But rebuilding something you destroyed isn’t exactly a fair carrot.

Putin makes no bones about his policy in Chechnya; if this is a carrot and stick strategy, leaders in the West tend to see the stick.

The Beslan siege is seen by many to have ushered in increasingly authoritarian policies. Regional governors were now chosen by Moscow instead of being elected, Putin’s Party United Russia became increasingly dominant, the FSB became ever more powerful, and several high profile journalists including Anna Politkovskaya, were murdered. Despite “consistently high public approval rating” (outside OSCE observers noted), Putin’s rule was deemed to discourage democratic debate and “genuine pluralism”.

A strong man for a strong Russia

Putin is the man who stands up for Russia, and he’s not afraid to show it, be it in political showdowns or in his own macho, don’t-mess-with-me image. His black belt in judo is legendary, he has piloted a fighter jet, hunted whales, and rides horses.

For many, the turbulent history of this nascent country means that Putin is a natural choice. As such, while it’s tempting to think, from our Western parapets, that the reason for Putin’s enduring popularity lies in his manipulation of his message and image thanks to almost ubiquitous state control of the media, it’s also not accurate.

Engagement may become a necessity

That’s not to say that the tight media control in Russia isn’t worrying. It’s another symptom of a ruling tactic which has traditionally preferred to nip true debate and democracy in the bud rather than engaging. But with internet penetration growing and almost no firewall in Russia at present, engagement may well become less of a choice and more of a necessity.

There have been some promising signs. Mr Putin has recognised that as well as the protesters on the streets, his hegemony is also being challenged by a growing number of organised political movements.

New political parties

At the beginning of April, Russia’s upper house approved a bill to make registering a political party easier. Critics say this is a scheme to appease protesters and blunt opposition, and that the Kremlin hopes a proliferation of small parties and will ensure no serious challenge emerges. But if it’s not a straightforward step in the right direction, at least it’s not a step backwards.

The biggest problem with Putin’s determinedly populist stance is that it flies in the face of assurances made by Russian diplomats that, once head of state, Putin will be open to dialogue with foreign powers. Putin’s choices over his attitude to the West and to the rest of the world will be a defining element of his presidency.

A fair weather friend

Through Putin’s first two terms as president, his foreign policy became increasingly assertive and critical. Military spending shot up. On the one hand, Putin improved relations with the US by phoning President Bush to offer his personal condolences following 9/11, but at home his speeches suggested an aversion of US dominance on the world stage. He remains comfortably conscious of Europe’s ongoing dependence on Russian gas, building up good relations with many European leaders.

And yet, Mr Putin’s Kremlin was accused of abusing its huge energy clout, punishing fellow ex-Soviet states like Ukraine by cutting off gas supplies and hiking prices when they leant towards the West. Putin’s is something of a fair weather friend to the rest of the world. A great ally so long as your goals match up. He’s happy to cosy up, as long as he gets his way.

What now?

It did seem that, as the reality that control is simply easier sunk in, Putin lost or abandoned the drive for change that marked his early successes in power. But while he might have lost the desire for progress, Russians, increasingly, haven’t. Protests have died down for the time being. But the realisation that actually coming together in such numbers in a country known for its tough stance against protesters is even possible won’t fade any time soon.

Maybe the protests will prove to be a kind of political kick up the bum that will spur Putin on to the right kind of reform. Maybe Putin will continue to free up the political landscape as the bill on political parties has done already. Maybe we’ll see a reinvigorated Russia, led by a refreshed Putin. It’s a big maybe.

Maybe the people's protests will prove to be a kind of political kick up the bum that will spur Putin on to the right kind of reform....

Margaret Thatcher: feminist politician?

I like to believe there was once a time when politics actually meant something. During this time – most likely before television and Facebook and the vox pop –political life was about inspiring people to strive for a better way of living through a dignified, respectful approach to public policy and legislative change. Back then (whenever this was), politicians were relatable and reliable and lead by example; a politics more concerned with what was right that what was popular.

Nowadays, politics has become an exercise in public relations – all image and no substance. This is never more noticeable than during times of crisis and thanks to the global recession we have seen the worst possible type of politics played out for us every day – like a bad soap opera you just can’t seem to turn off. The squabbling, the mudslinging, the name calling, the tantrums, the baby kissing, the corruption – it’s all very entertaining but as a result leaves us utterly without respect for the people in charge.

Of course there have been a few rare exceptions; perhaps the most notable in my mind was a mid-to-late 20^th century politics of deregulation, privatisation and staunch practicality known as ‘Thatcherism’. Largely accepted as a success, Thatcherism was able to reinvigorate the British economy of the late 1970s, avoiding what could have been the complete financial collapse of the British economic system. Due to its philosophy of financial austerity, short-term sacrifice for long-term gain and individual responsibility it wasn’t always a popular political platform, and as a result nor was its namesake. Yet popularity was never a priority for Margaret Thatcher; she was motivated by an unwavering and uncompromising conviction that the same principles she used at home keeping the domestic budget afloat would be as successful applied to the national economy, and she was right.

At times deeply vilified for refusing to yield to demands she ease her strict policy measures, there is little question she helped steer Britain away from an economics of dependency to one of practical self-reliance. She lived this philosophy in and out of Downing Street, applying the same austere practicality to her own finances as she did to Britain’s – quite the opposite of the economics of state-supported indulgence and corruption that so derailed Greece.

“My policies are based not on some economics theory, but on things I and millions like me were brought up with: an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay; live within your means; put by a nest egg for a rainy day; pay your bills on time; support the police.”

Perhaps the most unsung of feminists, Thatcher’s belief in financial independence as the key to true freedom inspired many women. My favourite quote of hers comes from an interview with Time magazine in 1979, “There can be no liberty unless there is economic liberty.” I believe this can be applied as much to women’s emancipation as it was to Britain’s economic independence.

Maybe it is that her practicality that appeals to me, as a self-confessed realist. Certainly I have surprised myself with how much I have related to her right wing politics. Of course, Thatcher abhorred extremism and her policies were less to do with far right Conservative moralising about the personal choices of others and more to do with encouraging individuals to reclaim control.

Likewise, Thatcher’s strength and at times severity ran contrary to the weak-willed flighty female stereotype and lead to her soubriquet, the Iron Lady. As Thatcher once said when addressing a women’s trade union in 1965, “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

In the end, people just want to be inspired, and unfortunately I see little that is inspirational in politics today. If they truly want to lead, give us something to follow.

Footage from Margaret Thatcher’s last speech to the Commons in 1990

Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson

You can see the original version of this feature on Women’s Views On News.

Last December, Irish women were left with a bittersweet taste in their mouths after the release of a bill designed to get more women involved in politics. The historic Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 designates mandatory targets for all political parties, stipulating that they run 30% women and 30% men in subsequent general elections or lose half their funding.

However, while redressing a long-standing imbalance, the bill comes only days after a slash and burn austerity budget which has targeted women, lone parents and women’s organisations. Indeed the National Women’s Council of Ireland, the watchdog for women’s rights in Ireland, has seen its budget cut by a savage 35%.

Despite the international attention and acclaim given to Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese (two of our former Heads of State), Irish women have been woefully under-represented at almost every level of politics. Only 91 women have ever been elected to the Dáil [lower house of the Irish parliament]. Of the 4,744 Dáil seats filled since 1918 only 260 have been filled by women (5.48%). The Dáil today is no different. It is an almost entirely male dominion: 85% of the members are men.

There are three main reasons why we need more women involved in politics. This injustice is the first – half of the population have been marginalised from political decision-making. The second is that women bring different experiences, skills and perspectives to politics. A more diverse set of experiences will create a different kind of Oireachtas – a parliament of all talents. Finally, a critical mass of women in politics can change the political agenda and, ultimately, change the kind of decisions being made. The recent budget is a further illustration of how excluded women are from the decision-making structures of Irish society.

In Norway this was called a “politics of care”. Women politicians ensured that the state absorbed its responsibility for balancing the role of women as mothers/carers and as full economic participants. The state provided better care facilities for children, it extended flexible working arrangements in both the private and public sector and, most radically, it provided arrangements for shared maternity and paternity leave after a child is born.

In Rwanda – top of the global league table for representation of women (at 53%) – politics has moved on from the 1994 genocide, where rape was used as a weapon of war. Today gender based violence is at the top of the political agenda. In these states – and in 17 of the top 20 countries for representation of women – some form of gender quota has been applied. This is because they work. Opponents of targets are long on criticism but question them and they are short on alternatives. Gender targets are a proven method of transforming politics.

A 2009 report by an Oireachtas (parliament) sub-committee on women’s participation in politics identified five barriers for women’s entry into politics (first identified in the 1970s in Trinity College, Dublin, but they apply internationally):

● Care – There is a noticeable dearth of young mothers in politics. There are some exceptions but most women at this age step away from politics to care for children. The lack of maternity leave for politicians doesn’t help the situation. Later, many older women often provide care for elderly relatives. As women do most of the caring in Irish society this limits their potential to get politically involved.

● Cash – Women earn on average 30% less than men and so have less money to spend fighting election campaigns and less wealthy networks of potential supporters to tap into.

● Culture – Irish adversarial politics, modelled on the Westminster style of our old colonial masters, is unappealing to women (and many men). The childish behaviour of many public representatives who prefer to heckle instead of holding meaningful debates on policy or process is deeply off-putting. Late night sittings of the Dáil and the necessity to combine national work with a clientelist local culture means that politics is, as one prominent woman politician put it, a “family-hostile” environment.

● Selection conferences – Political parties are the gatekeepers of the Irish political system. Selection by a political party in Ireland’s multi-seat constituency PR/STV [proportional representation/single transferable vote] electoral system is not a guarantee of election – unlike the UK system where “safe seats” exist. Nonetheless selection by a political party is of vital importance and selection processes – especially in more conservative rural Ireland – are often controlled by a coterie of men unwilling to allow women access to the political system.

● Confidence – Despite leading the way through every level of the education system, managing careers, children and organising the home, too many women still lack the confidence to enter politics, preferring to be asked than to actively seek out positions.

Each of these “5 Cs” applies in different ways to different women: a combination of hard (political reform) and soft (training and support programmes) are important for resolving them. Targets for the selection of women by political parties will help to eliminate some of these barriers and start to fix Ireland’s broken democracy.

Only 91 women have ever been elected to the Dáil. Of the 4,744 Dáil seats filled since 1918 only 260 have been filled by women...

Women’s Views On News is the women’s daily online news and current affairs service, operating on a ‘not for profit’ basis. The site provides up to date news on all the major national and international stories of the day, in much the same way as any newspaper or online news service, but the stories featured are always about women.

Are we living too fast these days?

2011 has seen us tackle subjects as diverse as corruption and quarter-life crises head on; offering advice and opinions along the way; we hope that we’ve made you think a little more carefully – and take a closer look at society, and yourselves, of course! Here’s our edit of the Social Butterfly must-reads of the year.

Live Fast, Die Young?

With over-eating and excessive consumption of alcohol, we’re told that our generation is storing up countless health problems for the future – what’s the reality, asks Katie Shellard.

Alpha Females: Europe’s Power Players

Ilaria Parogni takes a look at ten European female political leaders; Women are still underrepresented and discriminated. But it is good to know that somewhere they made it to the top…

How To Be… In A Relationship

Plum Woodard shares thoughts, tips and advice on keys to the mechanics of a happy, healthy relationship.

Press, Power and Profit

As media ownership concentrates further and journalists begin to break the law in search of a scoop, how much power is too much – and what effect is it having on the Fourth Estate? Sarah Gorman considers the situation today.

RIP Masculinity?

Negotiating masculine identity has never been harder. An onslaught of new roles has led men to think about themselves on different terms, writes Charlotte Briere-Edney.

Something Rotten in the State? Corruption in European Politics

People around the world believe they are living in more corrupt societies than three years ago, a poll by Transparency International suggests. So how corrupt really are European governments? Jade Wimbledon investigates…

The Quarter-Life Crisis

Colliding with a global economic recessions and the pressures of work, relationships and money; today’s twenty-somethings are frustrated, dissatisfied and finding life a struggle… Olivia Parker considers the quarter-life crisis.

How to… Advise

Serving up advice is one of those precarious things that can either be dished out idly with disproportionate consequences, or carefully considered over and above the call of duty only to be ignored…. Plum Woodard advises on… when to advise!

Hard Maths: Downturn, Development and Women

Is seeing women as a crucial part in solving the world’s worst poverty and health traps a net positive or negative? Sandra Smiley takes a closer look at aid, women and the financial downturn.

Life: Edited

Thanks to social networks, it has never been easier to see ‘real life’ as a constantly edited process. What impact does our ability to edit life have on our actually living it, wonders Rebecca Winson.

A New Era of Journalism?

The Wikileaks cable release shook the world media scene but will it have a lasting impact? Lauren Novak looks at life after Wikileaks…

The Outcasts of Europe

Persecuted, shunned, and evicted: can there be any future hope for gypsies, Europe’s pariahs, asks Olivia Parker.

Fashion's first lady: Samantha Cameron

Married to the Government: Political Wives

Smart, highly-educated and with successful careers of their own; Charlotte Briere-Edney considers today’s first ladies.

Dissecting Cognitive Behaviour

Each year, one in four people experience mental health problems; CBT is an opportunity to explore how you view yourself and how you feel the world views you. Plum Woodard takes a good, hard look at Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Reporting Discrimination: The Female Foreign Correspondent

They’ve been in the news rather than making it of late; should female foreign correspondents should take a step back and just let the men do the job, asks Ilaria Parogni.

Faith in Europe: Religion and Politics in Perspective

Ilaria Parogni  looks at the struggle to find a balance between secularism and religious identity in Europe and the relationship between religion and politics.

How To… Be Confident

Katie Shellard considers how, with some simple techniques, practice and commitment, you can turn down the volume on self-doubt and crank up the confidence.

Beyond the Erasmus Exchange

There is growing concern that too many European students aren’t straying far enough from home; is education in Europe too inward-looking? What about university beyond the continent? Lauren Novak tackles the crisis besetting the Erasmus Exchange today…

All About Anger

Where we’re rarely criticised for experiencing feelings of love or feel shame for being happy, why then are we told to ‘cool down’ or ‘get a grip’ when seized by our anger? Plum Woodard sums up the pros and cons of a controversial emotion.

Faith in Europe: Constitution and Controversies

Ilaria Parogni casts a critical eye over the questions and controversies governing religion and politics across the continent today.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Islam, Sharia Law and Contradictions

A fierce critic of Islam, a feminist activist and the resident scholar for a right wing think tank; how does Ayaan Hirsi Ali reconcile these apparently contradictory stances? Emine Dilek interviews the inspirational lady herself.

Girls and Gangs

Youth violence in the UK is a serious problem – and even more so due to the current economic downturn. Harri Sutherland-Kay takes a look at what’s being done to tackle the gendered impact of gangs.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali talking about her book Nomad and issues in Islam today

The predominately male coalition cabinet

‘Calm down, dear! Calm down!’ were the words uttered by David Cameron towards Labour MP Angela Eagle earlier this year during Prime Minister’s questions. A shocked Labour front bench were quick to ask for an apology and objections ensued over Cameron’s alleged ‘sexist’ attitude. Following on from this pompous outburst it comes with little surprise that female voters are quickly marching away from Cameron’s sniggering backbenchers and his predominately male cabinet. Can women expect their interests to be taken into consideration with only five women in the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition cabinet?

And of course women, who comprise 65% of public sector workers, are bound to question why planned cuts will affect them more than men in their workplaces. The House of Commons Library research highlighted just how disproportionate the cuts are, as figures showed George Osborne’s two-year 1% cap on public sector pay rises will affect 4.6 million women compared to 2.6 million men. Along with changes to the Sure Start maternity grants, the health in pregnancy grant and a freeze on child benefits, I’m surprised that the Conservative Party still feels that there is hope in winning back female voters.

Naturally every woman is different, and not all women will be affected by changes to benefits concerning children and families. Unfortunately these are not the only cutbacks that have been announced. Concerns have been raised in relation to cuts made to policing, street lighting and women’s support services. It was on International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, that the End Violence Against Women Coalition called on the government to step up its action against women at home and abroad. In a letter written to The Guardian newspaper, together with the Fawcett Society and other women’s groups, the EVAW Coalition warned the government that legal aid cuts will risk women’s safety.

Fortunately Cameron has recognised that he needs our votes and has been advised to hire a female special advisor. She will apparently look at government policies through a ‘woman’s eyes’ and I suppose state the obvious to Cameron; that women are NOT stupid and they HAVE noticed his budget cuts. Putting aside the fact that this latest venture is basically another gimmick thrown at women to keep them happy, I have to ask, what exactly is this woman supposed to achieve?

Within different demographics are also different women with different lives and different opinions; how can one woman represent every single one of Cameron’s potential female voters? It’s a patronising offer to women who comprise almost 50% of the workforce and yet are targeted differently to their male counterparts. Why is it assumed that all women have the same needs any more than all men? Are women’s interests really that different to men’s? Surely health, pensions and jobs are issues everyone cares about.

The government has always targeted women differently during election time with their baby hugging and mum-friendly antics. This makes even less sense now when the number of single women is increasing; not all women are concerned with childcare and maternity grants. And policies and legislation relating to families are surely of interest to men with children too. It seems that now we are being treated to what is essentially another addition to Cameron’s circle of ‘Tory Totty’. One can only imagine what he would do if he thought that he didn’t need our votes.

David Cameron telling MP Angela Eagle to ‘calm down, dear’

Riots and violence on London's streets

You can see the original version of this feature on Women’s Views On News.

In November, UK Home Secretary Theresa May announced a new strategy on tackling gang and youth violence. The report, which May states is the first truly cross-governmental approach to tackling gang and youth related violence, was written as part of the government’s response to the UK riots in August.

The recommendations, which run up until April 2014, include establishing an Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team, distributing £10 million worth of funds to areas severely affected by gang and serious youth violence, plans for effective data sharing, new offending behaviour programmes and making more advice available to parents.

But what does it say about gender? Very little is the answer. There are no more than a few paragraphs on the gendered impact of gangs. The report does state that: “In focusing on the male perceptions and male victims of gang violence it can be easy to lose sight of the role that young women and girls may have in gang related activity… [This] shows the often hidden impact of serious youth violence on them.”

Carlene Firmin was a lead researcher of a report on the impact of serious youth and gang violence on women and girls by Race on the Agenda (Rota) published in 2010. Firmin wrote an article for The Guardian soon after May’s report was released, saying: “With girls seen as a prop rather than as integral to the causes and consequences of youth violence, some professionals and decision makers have focused activity on males who are perceived as ‘central’ to all solutions…But following […] Theresa May’s strategy […] it is evident that the tide could be changing.”

I have to admit that despite the accumulation of good and important work on girls’ involvement in gangs, I was sceptical when I read May’s report. This is partly down to the lack of space given to gender, which is very typical of the vast majority of government proposals. But it is mainly because I am unable to see how these proposals will be implemented effectively in a time of financial crisis when budgets will be dramatically reduced for the foreseeable future.

Lee Sprake, a youth worker based in Portsmouth, told me that cuts in youth services since the 1980s, police targeting of young people for anti-social behaviour and the criminalisation of youth (of which the London riots – the harbinger of the report – are an excellent example), the rise in youth unemployment, low rates of pay and the growth of insecure part time work have all led to an increase of anger in young people, especially in a time of mass inequality and gross commodification.

Catch 22, a charity that works with young people in 150 towns and cities across the UK, has been involved in various projects about gangs and serious youth violence. It is also involved in promoting campaigns throughout Europe on the importance of healthy relationships between young people; the aim is to reduce girls’ involvement in gangs.

In a series of recommendations put together in 2009, Catch 22 made the case for gender-specific programmes that would enable services to adapt in order to meet the needs of young women. Part of this should be an emphasis on building relationships rather than establishing rules. It highlighted the importance of taking family and peer groups into account when looking at young women’s offending behaviour, as well as the benefits of approaches that maximise young people’s self-esteem and sense of worth.

Rosie Chadwick, director of public affairs, policy and innovation at Catch 22, feels that these are incredibly important to consider. The combination of factors that surround girls in gangs is hugely complex, often including destructive interpersonal relationships in which violence is normalised, poverty and a lack of interest in school. There is still a lot more work that needs to be done on methods of intervention and pathways out of violence and, as Catch 22′s work states, it is critical that these methods respond to the young women’s personal experiences.

Chadwick notes that while there have been pockets of work done on girls’ involvement in gangs and serious youth violence, May’s proposals have finally brought the subject into the spotlight. And although there is still a lot more to be done, she says, May’s document is “a small but important step in the right direction.”

As much as May’s report does take some of Rota’s work into account and has, hopefully, begun the move towards gender-specific services for young people in gangs, I remain very critical. This stems from my own sense of terror at a great many of the policies of the coalition government, the increasing criminalisation of young people and the horrific treatment of young people on political demonstrations and during the riots.

Footage from during the London riots

This doesn’t even touch on my concerns about the move to “payment by results” services by the Ministry of Justice, which is reducing the funding and therefore the capacity for women’s organisations that, through their knowledge and expertise, are in a position to develop specialist services for young women. May’s report, though recommending that specialist services need to be put in place “for girls and young women suffering gang-related sexual exploitation and abuse”, still doesn’t address the intricacies of working with young people in gangs, with gender being more of an added consideration than anything else.

Despite the lack of mainstream media coverage, the involvement of girls and young women in gangs and serious youth violence seems to be a hot topic at the moment. The Greater London Authority has just commissioned an in-depth research project, which is being undertaken by the research arm of the Women’s Resource Centre. Before the Rota study there had been almost no gender and class analysis within reports on gang and serious youth violence. This new project will use this analysis and build on Rota’s work to develop a strategic framework to enable a more coordinated and consistent response to girls involved in gangs.

The only way we’re going to develop effective strategies of working with young women involved in serious youth violence is through research and funding projects that are able to holistically address their needs. With the current economic priorities being to cut back on the public sector, the voluntary sector and on education, with their criminal justice priorities, especially after the August riots, being to lock people up, I’m not particularly optimistic. There is a lot more to be done, but I do hope that this new interest in the topic and investment in research means that the tide really could be turning on how we work with young people and gang violence.

Women’s Views On News is the women’s daily online news and current affairs service, operating on a ‘not for profit’ basis. The site provides up to date news on all the major national and international stories of the day, in much the same way as any newspaper or online news service, but the stories featured are always about women.

Trying times for Berlusconi this week...

Not been paying attention to the news this week? We’ve helpfully rounded up the need-to-know events making the headlines in Europe of late…

The party is over

Europe didn’t have much time to rejoice about the approval of a rescue package for the Eurozone last week, before it had to start worrying all over again. On October 31, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced a referendum on the rescue package, and expressed doubts on Greece’s presence in the Eurozone. The decision was not welcomed by the other European leaders, who had also previously agreed a 50% debt write-off for the country. The decision had a damaging effect on US and European markets, and Papandreou was left with waning support in the Greek parliament. Facing internal and external pressure, Papandreou resolved to call off the referendum on November 3. Consequently a vote of no confidence was announced on November 4, while declarations were made by other European leaders, gathered at the G20 summit in Cannes, that Greece might have to leave the Eurozone.

Berlusconi remix: Sunset Boulevard?

Rumours that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi might step down have become increasingly persistent in the past few days. The week started with the revelation that Berlusconi had been mentioned in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons 2011 Report for his (allegedly sexual) relationship with belly dancer Karima El Mahroug when she was only 17. With his popularity ratings hitting a new record low and opposition leaders announcing that they will challenge him in parliament next week, it seems that the Berlusconi era might be approaching an end.

French satirical weekly’s offices burned down after satire on Islamism

French satirical weekly Charlie Hébdo’s offices were the object of a petrol bomb attack which resulted in the building burning down. The attack followed the publication of an issue portraying the Prophet Mohammed on the front cover and other Islam-themed satirical content.

High court dismisses Assange’s appeal against extradition to Sweden

Julian Assange is fighting a legal battle against extradition to Sweden to face rape and sexual molestation allegations. The founder of WikiLeaks is being accused by two women he met on a visit to Stockholm in August 2010, and has been living at Ellingham Hall in Norfolk, UK, since his arrest in December 2010. On November 2 the president of the Queen’s Bench Division, Sir John Thomas, sitting with Mr Justice Ouseley, rejected his appeal.

Michael D. Higgins becomes Irish president

The Irish Labour party’s Michael D. Higgins was announced as the ninth president of the republic after winning the presidential elections, which took place at the end of last week. He managed to gain 56.8% of the vote, in what has been hailed as “the most fractious campaign in Irish history,” with seven candidates competing for the position.

Russian arms dealer found guilty in the US

Arms dealer Viktor Bout was found guilty by a U.S. court of attempting to sell weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Colombia’s leftist rebel group. The decision was not supported by the Russian government, which accused the United States of breaking international standards during Bout’s arrest and interrogation. Bout was convicted of conspiracy to kill US citizens and officials, deliver anti-aircraft missiles and provide aid to a terrorist organisation.

Right-winger Plevneliev is Bulgaria’s new president

Rosen Plevneliev, a former entrepreneur from the ruling party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, was elected as Bulgaria’s new president on October 31. Plevneliev won 55.3% of the vote, with his socialist challenger Ivailo Kalfin gaining at 47.4% and declaring defeat even before the announcement of the official results. Plevneliev replaces Georgi Parvanov, a former leader of the Socialist party.

King Carl XVI Gustaf’s liaisons dangereuses

Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf is being involved in police investigations after a journalist was mailed a data stick containing material from a documentary on the allegations according to which the king attended sex parties hosted by Serbian gangster Mille Markovic 40 years ago. The claims were first made last year, when an unofficial biography of the King by Swedish journalist Thomas Sjöberg was published. The King has never fully denied the allegations.

Julian Assange’s statement after his court battle

Commonwealth Head, Queen Elizabeth

Not been paying attention to the news this week? We’ve helpfully rounded up the need-to-know events making the headlines in Europe of late…

Lithuania to face legal action in the European court of human rights over secret CIA prisons

The CIA established these secret prisons as a part of its worldwide “extraordinary rendition” programme. The Lithuanian government has already acknowledged that the CIA built two prisons with the help of their own security service, the SSD. According to the prosecutors, Lithuania was in breach of the European convention on human rights. In particular it is accused of allowing the CIA to fly Abu Zubaydah, a militant, to the country and detain him in one of the prisons.

Regal equality in the UK

The leaders of the 16 Commonwealth countries headed by Queen Elizabeth II unanimously approved a change to the succession laws that will enable sons and daughters of any future UK monarch to have equal right to the throne. The decision was taken during a summit in Perth, Australia.

Ireland’s brand new president

Ireland is expected to announce its new president over the weekend. The elections were held on Thursday 27, whilst the counting started the morning after. The “most divisive presidential elections in Irish history” saw seven candidates competing for the position. Labour’s Michael D. Higgins is rumoured to be leading in the polls. The other candidates are: Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness as well as independents Sean Gallagher, Dana Rosemary Scallon, Mary Davis and David Norris.

Georgia drops opposition to Russia’s WTO bid

Russia might be a step closer to joining the World Trade Organisation after his main opposer, Georgia, agreed to a compromise brokered by Switzerland. According to it, Georgia will receive a guarantee that trade at the borders of breakaway republics South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which Russia recognises as independent, will be internationally monitored. Russia must now respond to the proposal.

Turkey devastated by earthquake

Turkey was hit by a terrible calamity on Sunday 23 at 13:41 (10:41 GMT), when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck south-eastern Turkey. Most of the victims were located in the city of Ercis. An aftershock with a magnitude of 5.4 was then registered on Tuesday 25 in the province of Van. According to the Turkish authorities, 570 people died and more than 2,500 were injured. As of October 28, 187 people had been rescued.

MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli dies during Malaysian Grand Prix

24-year-old Italian rider Marco Simoncelli lost control of his bike during the Grand Prix of Sepang on Sunday 23, losing his helmet as he was hit by two other bikers. Simoncelli had been hailed by many as one of the most promising racers to appear on the scene in the past few years.

European leaders reach an agreement over Eurozone crisis – for now

The 27 European leaders met for an emergency summit in Brussels on Wednesday 26, and “agreed a comprehensive set of measures to address the current tensions in financial markets and restore confidence”. According to the deal private banks holding Greek debt will accept a write-off of 50% of their returns, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), also known as the bailout fund, is to be boosted, and European banks will be required to raise 106bn euros in new capital by June 2012. Meanwhile the eurozone leaders continued in their attempt to persuade China to invest in a scheme to help rescue EU countries facing debt crises. Amidst all the tension, however, someone found a reason to smile early in the week, when German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Nicolas Sarkozy shared a smirk, having been asked whether they were confident in Berlusconi’s management of the Italian crisis.

The non-verbal communication says it all…

ETA announces its definitive cessation

Not been paying attention to the news this week? We’ve helpfully rounded up the need-to-know events making the headlines in Europe of late…

Basque group ETA ends its armed campaign

Armed separatist group ETA announced on Thursday 20 a ‘definitive cessation’ to its armed campaign, after more than forty years of violence. Signs that this might happen had already been given during the past week, when former UN secretary Kofi Annan flew into the Basque region, in northern Spain, for the international forum on ETA. The group was already observing a ‘permanent’ ceasefire, which started in September 2010.

Italy’s disappointments

Italians were left with more than a bitter aftertaste this week. On Friday 14 the increasingly unpopular government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi managed to survive a vote of confidence. A vote of no confidence could have possibly led to Berlusconi’s resignation and anticipated elections. Then, a group of ‘urban guerrillas’ hijacked a peaceful anti-capitalist demonstration inspired by the global Occupy movement, causing damage in the capital and taking the discontent of the population out of the spotlight. Finally, Berlusconi was cleared in a tax fraud and embezzlement case involving his media empire Mediaset. His son Pier Silvio Berlusconi and the chairman of Mediaset Fedele Confalonieri were, however, indicted.

Sorrows and joys of Sarkozy

The French president Nicolas Sarkozy was left worrying after Francois Hollande was elected the French Socialist Party’s next presidential candidate to run in 2012. An opinion poll carried out by CSA revealed that Hollande currently has the favour of the majority of the French population. Sarkozy, however, had also a reason to rejoice when his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gave birth to his daughter Giulia on Wednesday 19.

L’Oreal heiress loses control of her fortune

L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, 88 and France’s wealthiest woman, was declared unfit to manage her fortune on her own. Bettencourt was found suffering from ‘mixed dementia’ and ‘moderately severe’ Alzheimer’s disease. She has now been put under the guardianship of her daughter and grandsons. The decision concludes a lengthy legal battle between Bettencourt and her daughter, Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers, which began two years ago.

Updates on the Euro-crisis

Greece passed new austerity measures on Thursday 20, anticipated by a two days of violent protests across the country. Meanwhile, Germany and France appear to be at loggerheads over France’s proposal to turn the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), the current bailout fund, into a bank which could obtain funding directly from the European Central Bank. It was decided that, as it appears unlikely that any agreement will be reached on the issue by Sunday 23, when a European council summit is scheduled, a new summit will take place next Wednesday.

Occupy London forces St. Paul’s Cathedral to shut

The Occupy London Stock Exchange movement has been camping outside the Cathedral since Saturday. The the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles announced the decision to close the church to the public for safety reasons after a service on Friday afternoon.

DSK ‘guilty’ of sex assault – but cannot be tried

Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was found guilty of sexual assault on French writer Tristane Banon by French prosecutors, but will not be tried. The three year statute of limitations on misdemeanours protects DSK from being tried for the offence, which happened in 2003.

Don’t Panic‘s “Fox News UK at the Occupy LSX”

Gender policies impact on asylum seekers

You can see the original version of this interview on Women’s Views On News.

Picture the scenario; after being persecuted and violated simply because you are a woman from a minority group, after having been failed and betrayed by the authorities in your home country, you make the heart-wrenching decision to leave behind all that is familiar and seek protection in a country where you feel you might be safe and where a women’s right to protection is more advanced.

You embark on a long and dangerous journey, having no option but to put your trust in smugglers and traffickers, risking further harm on the way. You hang on to the thought that you will be safe when you arrive but can’t help thinking of everything you have left behind.

On arrival, you are interviewed in a stark and intimidating holding centre, you undergo medical examinations, but no one really explains what is going on or what will happen next. Although you have a grasp of the local language, no one asks if you need any help to understand the complex information you are given about asylum procedures. You don’t feel comfortable or safe and your children are anxious and unsettled whilst you give painful and personal details about your experience to a male immigration officer. You’re not used to having conversations with men without a family member being present and you are too ashamed to tell him the full story.

As a result, and after many difficult months of waiting, not knowing what the future will hold, your asylum claim is refused. You are cast adrift in an unfamiliar country, vulnerable and alone with your children, terrified at the thought of returning home.

Shamefully, this is the experience of thousands of women who seek asylum in member states of the European Union (EU) each year. During 2010, over 257,000 asylum applications were made across the EU, around 35 per cent of which were made by women or girls. Yet despite the obvious need for high-quality harmonisation between member states on questions of asylum, national policies remain a patchwork of dramatically varying standards and approaches which all too often lack gender expertise and sensitivity.

Gender equality is one of the common values which the EU proclaims in its treaties, yet there remains a lack of recognition that women may be persecuted for reasons different to men and specific to their gender. These include female genital mutilation, forced abortion or rape in situations of conflict or war, and therefore may need different forms of protection and services upon arrival in Europe.

The EU is pushing to mainstream gender awareness in European asylum legislation, not least through the Qualifications and Procedures Directives which set out the basic standards of protection and procedure for granting asylum to non-EU nationals. As recently as 2010, member states recognised the need for a ‘gender sensitive’ asylum system. The European Commission adopted a similar position in 2008, citing the need to incorporate gender ‘considerations’ in the development of the Common European Asylum System. Yet despite these statements, female asylum seekers continue to experience wildly differing standards of protection and reception in member states.

For example, within the EU, only Sweden and the UK have adopted their own gender guidelines which cover the issues that should be taken into account when assessing asylum claims, including gender-related persecution and the absence of state protection. Belgium has also appointed a Co-ordinator for Gender Issues. However, asylum seekers in other member states are simply left to rely on whatever makeshift measures may have been put in place.

There are a few glimmers of hope for the future such as the recent opening of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). Its role is to support member states in their efforts to implement a more harmonised asylum policy by improving access to accurate country-of-origin information, training and sharing examples of good practice. As a result, it could support the implementation of asylum procedures that are gender sensitive to ensure women benefit from a non-discriminatory and supportive process as well as consistent, high-quality decision making.

Gender protection: part of EU policy?

Amnesty International and the European Women’s Lobby are now working to have this built in to the development of the EASO. It is equally important that we see a similar approach relating to gender identity and sexual orientation. The revision of the Qualifications Directive offers a further opportunity to raise the standards of protection offered to women seeking asylum in the EU. The revised text, which is due to be voted on by the European Parliament later in October, obliges member states to take gender related aspects, including gender identity and sexual orientation into account when assessing asylum applications. The text also specifies that female genital mutilation, forced sterilisation and forced abortion should be given due consideration.

This is an historic recognition of some of the different types of persecution likely to be faced by women and as such represents a real step forward to mainstreaming gender sensitivity in the EU’s asylum policy, building on the existing work of UNHCR. Ensuring that female asylum seekers fleeing from gender-related persecution are protected is not just a role for European institutions – all member state governments and asylum authorities must commit to the proper implementation of EU legislation and to develop good practice and gender sensitive systems.

It is disappointing to say the least that the British Government has decided not to opt in to the new version of the Qualifications Directive. The revision of the Procedures Directive is still under negotiation and could offer further improvements, set down in law. It would be wrong to deny that some progress has been made towards the recognition of gender in asylum policies and legislation. Yet the challenge now lies in these commitments being implemented through the adoption of concrete and strong measures which incorporate an understanding of the unique experience of women.

To fail is to deny women their fundamental human rights; the very reason they seek international protection in the first place.

Women’s Views On News is the women’s daily online news and current affairs service, operating on a ‘not for profit’ basis. The site provides up to date news on all the major national and international stories of the day, in much the same way as any newspaper or online news service, but the stories featured are always about women.