Union Revitalisation and Women Workers at the Intersection of Gender and Class

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This post is by Hannah Loosley completed the MA in the Social Anthropology of the Global Economy at the University of Sussex in 2017.

Women working in care, catering, cleaning, cashier and clerical jobs (the 5 Cs) have long been neglected in trade unions and politics. Their jobs are seen as ‘extras’ – helping other people be fed and cared for, so they can do their ‘proper’ work.

Traditionally, trade unions have been white, male, blue-collar worker-dominated spaces, but things are changing. More and more unions are setting up networks for women and other underrepresented identities, such as LGBTQ and BME people. But though these groups exist, do their members have a voice at the table? Do they have the power to change the agenda? And do they deal with intersections effectively?

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Posted in Anthropology, Economy, Gender

“Stop Abortion” in Poland: Is the Polish Legislation to Become Even More Restrictive?

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This post is by Katarzyna Wazynska-Finck is a PhD candidate in the Law Department, European University Institute.

The legal regulation of access to termination of pregnancy currently in force in Poland is one of the most repressive in Europe. Abortion care is legal only in three cases: when there is a threat to life or health of the pregnant woman, when the pregnancy results from criminal offence, and in case of serious and irreversible foetal abnormality or incurable illness (the last case is often referred to in Poland as ‘eugenic’ abortion). This legislation dates back to 1993 and is often referred to as ‘the Compromise’: a middle ground between a total ban (called for by some Catholic groups) and the availability on demand (which was the state of law under the communist regime).

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Posted in Global Health, Reproduction, Rights

Sussex Academics Discuss Human Rights, Identity and the Role of the State in Religious Belief and National Security

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On 13 December the University of Sussex hosted a consultation on the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and Security guidance paper, a document drafted by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The OSCE comprises 57 member states from Europe, Asia and North America, providing a platform for open dialogue and joint action on security issues. The OSCE addresses a wide range of concerns- including arms control, national minorities, democratization and, in this case, freedom of religious belief.

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Posted in Policy, Rights

16 Days of Activism: Bringing gender-based violence in education into focus

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The 25th of November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Historically the date marks the day on which the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo ordered three political activists – the Mirabal sisters – to be assassinated for openly fighting his regime. Since 1999 the United Nations has on this day especially drawn attention to the violence women and girls experience all over the world. This year’s theme of the UN-led campaign is “Together We Can End Gender-Based Violence in Education!”, and since the 10th of December is the International Human Rights Day, the 16 days in between are devoted to actions calling for elimination of all forms of gender-based violence (GBV).

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Posted in Global Health, Rights

The Brighton Global Health and Development Community: A Case of Timing

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The breadth of Global Health in its most conceptual sense, is a spectrum that encompasses every facet of human existence. Amidst the capricious complexities that come with a twenty-first century globalised world, it is our state of health and wellbeing that provides us with a powerful sense of connection and common humanity. To achieve Global Health’s ever-growing ambitions, no one or group can be excluded, however, as the discipline continues to evolve, some of its key proponents remain rooted in the conventional praxis of healthcare and development, often to the detriment of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.

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Posted in Global Health, Health