The leader of one of South Korea's largest animal rights groups has been accused of secretly exterminating hundreds of rescued dogs - despite a declared no-kill policy - to ensure a continued stream of donations. South Korean attitudes on eating dogs are divided. While some consider them a delicacy, young Koreans typically reject the practice AFP/JIM WATSON South Korean attitudes on canines are divided - about one million dogs are eaten every year in the country, often as a summertime delicacy. But the tradition is declining as the nation increasingly embraces the idea of dogs as pets, with eating them now something of a taboo among young South Koreans. For years, Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) has spearheaded campaigns to rescue canines from dogmeat farms across the country, accumulating some 23,000 members and around two billion won (US$1.8 million) in annual donations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in - who is a known animal lover with several dogs - … [Read more...] about Top South Korean animal rights group slammed for destroying dogs
Human rights campaign fund
Far right Le Pen launches European elections campaign
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday (Jan 13) launched her party's campaign for the European Parliament elections, pledging to beat President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party in the vote. President of the French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party Marine Le Pen gestures to the crowd on Jan 13, 2019, in Paris, during a meeting to launch the RN's campaign for the European elections of May 2019. (Photo: AFP/Jacques Demarthon) Le Pen, leader of the National Rally (RN), formerly the National Front, presented the first 12 candidates on her list before a crowd of some 2,000 supporters in Paris. "If Emmanuel Macron does not have the wisdom to change policies, if he does not have the wisdom to return to the people" by dissolving parliament for fresh elections, voters will express their discontent at the European elections, Le Pen said. The European Parliament elections will be held May 23 to 26. At the campaign launch, Le Pen slammed Macron over the "yellow vests" … [Read more...] about Far right Le Pen launches European elections campaign
Top S. Korean animal rights group slammed for destroying dogs
South Korean attitudes on canines are divided -- about one million dogs are eaten every year in the country, often as a summertime delicacy. But the tradition is declining as the nation increasingly embraces the idea of dogs as pets, with eating them now something of a taboo among young South Koreans. For years, Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) has spearheaded campaigns to rescue canines from dogmeat farms across the country, accumulating some 23,000 members and around two billion won ($1.8 million) in annual donations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in -- who is a known animal lover with several dogs -- adopted a small black and white mongrel from CARE when he came to office in 2017. Staff members at CARE told the Hankyoreh newspaper that the organization's head, Park So-yeon, had more than 230 rescued dogs destroyed because of a shortage of space at the shelter. The number was equivalent to around a quarter of the animals the group rescued in the period, according to the … [Read more...] about Top S. Korean animal rights group slammed for destroying dogs
UNFPA VN ends partnership with singer Phạm Anh Khoa
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — In the wake of allegations of sexual harassment against the popular singer Phạm Anh Khoa, initially disseminated via social media, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Việt Nam is dissolving its partnership with singer Khoa, who had served as an activist on the prevention of violence against women and girls in the country. The artist was invited to partner with UNFPA Việt Nam on national campaigns to address gender-based violence in 2013-2014, and on the 40th Anniversary of Cooperation between UNFPA and the Vietnamese Government in July 2017. Violence against women and girls is a global scourge. It is one of the gravest violations of human rights, and a formidable obstacle in ending gender inequality. Globally, on average, one in every three women experiences some form of violence in her lifetime, be it physical, sexual or emotional, often at the hands of a spouse or intimate partner or a person in her … [Read more...] about UNFPA VN ends partnership with singer Phạm Anh Khoa
Rainbow flag movements make inroads in Vietnamese
The rainbow colours, a widely-recognized symbol of LGBT people, have become popular among Vietnamese and it is not uncommon to see rainbow flags pinned to shirts and on car bumpers in the country. Rainbow colours have been popular among Vietnamese. (Photo: iSEE) It showed a tolerant attitude towards the once extremely sensitive issue in Vietnam -- sexual orientation as years ago, LGBT people wishing to come out always faced prejudice and discrimination from the public and even from their families. Rainbow, not only in sky Civil organizations have played a diverse role in the LGBT movement in Vietnam, helping it achieve remarkable advances in social acceptance. The Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE) is among the pioneers. “Toi dong y” (I agree) campaign was the first large-scale event mobilising rights for LGBT people in Vietnam,” Director of the Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE) Luong Minh Ngoc told … [Read more...] about Rainbow flag movements make inroads in Vietnamese
Maternal mortality rate falls in Việt Nam: report
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Maternal mortality rate in the country fell from 233 per 100,000 live births in the 1990s to 58.3 per 100,000 live births in 2016. Contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR), on the other hand, increased from 37 per cent in 1988 to 67 per cent in 2016. These figures have been revealed in a study on the quality of family planning services in Việt Nam, which was launched in Hà Nội on Tuesday. The ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Health, with technical and financial support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Việt Nam. The study is conducted by the Việt Nam Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD) in coordination with the Bangladesh Human Development Research Centre in 2015-2016 in 20 districts across the country. The study researchers interviewed nearly 6,000 women aged between 15 and 49 to implement the study. The study aims at supplying updated and reliable … [Read more...] about Maternal mortality rate falls in Việt Nam: report
Campaigners concerned as India delays tough new anti-trafficking law
As a sex trafficking survivor, Lilufa Bibi was hoping that India would enact a new legislation aimed at helping thousands trapped in modern slavery. But lawmakers failed to table the bill in the last session of parliament, which ended this month. Bibi and other campaigners say they feel betrayed by the delay in passing the tough anti-trafficking law, which promises speedy justice and rehabilitation to survivors. "The delay only means that there are traffickers out on bail who continue to threaten victims, many of whom are still waiting for proper rehabilitation," said Bibi, 24, who escaped a brothel seven years ago. Her concerns are echoed by campaigners who point to government data that shows reports of human trafficking increasing by almost 20 percent in 2016 against the previous year, to 8,132 cases. Survivors and activists are demanding that the bill is passed by parliament soon, amid fears it may fall off the radar with political attention expected to turn to general elections set … [Read more...] about Campaigners concerned as India delays tough new anti-trafficking law
Government News 30/3 (Hourly Updated)
Parliamentary groups asked to foster Vietnam-Romania ties Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu receives Chairman of the Romania-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group Simion Lucian-Eduard in Hanoi on March 29. Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu has said that friendship parliamentary groups of Vietnam and Romania should maintain meetings and increase the exchange of information and experiences, thus fostering economic, trade and investment ties between the two nations. Luu made the statement while receiving a delegation of the Romania-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group led by its Chairman Simion Lucian-Eduard in Hanoi on March 29. Luu reiterated that Vietnam always wants to consolidate and develop the friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Romania. Vietnam appreciated Romania’s support for Vietnam’s past struggle for national independence and reunification as well as the current process of national construction and … [Read more...] about Government News 30/3 (Hourly Updated)
Indian workers clash with fashion bosses as union activity rises
Selvi Murugesan spent 13 years making buttonholes for shirts and stitching on buttons for one of India's biggest clothing manufacturers "without raising her voice" but says she now risks losing her job for speaking out. For three months she has been "waging a war" against her employer for suspending her amid a broader push across India for the fashion industry to improve workers' conditions as trade unions start to play a more high-profile role. Murugesan, 35, said she protested because she did not receive her full annual bonus and her employer started deducting costs for her bus to and from work from her salary. "I didn't create any trouble in the factory in all these years," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a series of conversations over the phone and in person. "When I asked for my bonus and joined a few workers in a protest outside the factory sometime in October, the managers said I was out of line and suspended me." Murugesan's employer, Chennai-based garment … [Read more...] about Indian workers clash with fashion bosses as union activity rises
Trump pushes hardline immigration policies even as he urges unity
U.S. President Donald Trump urged lawmakers on Tuesday to work toward bipartisan compromises, but pushed a hard line on immigration, insisting on a border wall and other concessions from Democrats as part of any deal to protect the children of illegal immigrants. Trump, in his first State of the Union speech, gave no ground on the contentious issue of whether to shield young immigrants known as "Dreamers" from deportation. Aiming to keep conservative supporters happy as he looks to November congressional elections, Trump stood by a set of principles opposed by Democrats, including the border wall with Mexico and new restrictions on how many family members that legal immigrants can bring into the United States. "Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve," Trump said in his address. Trump used the hour-and-20-minute speech, given annually by presidents to … [Read more...] about Trump pushes hardline immigration policies even as he urges unity