Abdur Rahman Khan, the "Iron Amir," ruled Afghanistan from 1880 to 1901. He was known for forcing an adulterer to eat his mistress, and massacring thousands in the battlefield. Today, his great grandson speaks about women's rights. (Photo courtesy of independent.co.uk)On the first day of Women's History Month, here's a quick round-up of news and analysis on women and the changing global economy:
- Afghan's Prince Abdul Ali Seraj on the state of women in Afghanistan: "Today, all women, regardless of age or ethnicity, know the service that was rendered to their cause by my uncle. They also know that he sacrificed the throne of Afghanistan for their rights." (Via Alternet)
- Last week, the U.S. Congress was briefed on the dire state of TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), a cash assistance welfare program that primarily affects women and children, said to be more important than health care reform for many struggling families. Organized by LIFETIME: Low Income Families Empowerment Through Education, the town hall meeting gave women the chance to voice concerns to Congress about the program, set to expire at the end of this year. (Via RaceWire)
- A column in New Orleans Magazine claims that fewer women are running for public office in the state of Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina, and suggests that both men and women look to the state's first chief justice, Catherine "Kitty" Kimball, as a role model for their daughters and granddaughters. (New Orleans Magazine)
- In South Korea, a surge in women working for public office has made it possible for lawmakers to reverse a 1996 quota to fill positions in public office: instead of mandating that 30 percent of new hires in all government departments be women, the measure is being used for men instead.
