Equality

Women and AIDS

Thu, 03/04/2010 - 22:21

HIV/AIDS is now the leading cause of death worldwide in women of reproductive age. UNAids has launched a five year plan to deal with the gender inequality and human rights violations behind this epidemic.

The plan by the joint United Nations Programme is called Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010-2014).

Of women, science and stilettos

Sun, 01/10/2010 - 17:54

Just before Christmas I received this leaflet in my pigeon hole at work, inviting me to apply for the Dutch "Veni, Vidi, Vici" science fellowship programme. I've posted an annotated, translated version here. With this targeted campaign, the Dutch research council NWO is trying to get more female applicants for the scheme. While applauding their commitment to attracting women into science careers, I can't help but wonder: what moron designed this damn thing? There are so many things wrong with this piece of cr paper, it's hard to know where to begin. But let's give it a shot.

Rock Stars of (White Male) Science

Sat, 06/27/2009 - 14:53

Seeing GQ's Rock Stars of Science campaign for the first time gave me the same sort of instinctive reaction that I got when I saw OK Magazine's Jade Goody Tribute Edition released before she'd actually, y'know, died; or when I boarded the train to Windsor & Eton a few nights ago to find that somebody had sprayed bright-pink vomit on the floor of the carriage. I felt disgust, repulsion and hatred, but I couldn't immediately figure out why it bothered me so much.