Women’s New Year Round up
The start of the Chinese New Year is a good time to reflect on some of the big news stories of the previous year, to consider what kind of a year it was for women and what to expect in 2015.
Unfortunately, one of the most recent stories in the news was also one of the most distressing. No-one could fail to be horrified by the Taliban attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, in which 132 school children and nine teachers were gunned down by Taliban militants. According to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the attack was retaliation for a government offensive in the north: “This is a reaction to the killing of our children and dumping of bodies of our mujahideen,” a spokesman said. However, Taliban attacks on schools in Pakistan are nothing new as they are seen as an easy target and symbolic of Western influence. According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, 838 schools were attacked between 2009 and 2012 and hundreds destroyed.
Malala Yousafzai (Credit: AP/ Rui Vieira)