BNP adds to exam misery

How is it possible that the BNP have won seats in the cradle of democracy?

Not only do I have to sit two more exams this week but I have to look at the horrible, smug face of Nick Griffin peering out of various television screens. The idiots who pelted eggs at him during a press conference outside of Westminster have only added fuel to his fire. Don't they realise that there's no such thing as bad publicity?

This is an indicator that those who are passionate about a politics of justice and equality need to stand up and act NOW more than ever. So many people are disillusioned at this juncture by expenses, lack of leadership etc. But that doesn't mean we should hide in the shroud of apathy, it means we should act and take responsibility for the changes we want to effect.

I just thought I'd leave you with this article about women and 'having it all'. Things drastically need to change and having balanced leadership in politics would be a good start.

Too many expenses... not enough women

Well, I'm currently revising for exams... two weeks from now and I'll never have to sit another exam in my life!!!

In the meantime I'm very much looking forward to meeting with the Downing Street Project and the WOLF network who are trying to get more women into the UK Parliament and look at more effective ways of doing politics. This is the perfect moment for organisations such as these to take the initiative given the current expenses crisis in Westminster. I'm so bored of reading about it every day. We know there's a problem, so can we please move on and work out how to solve it?

It also makes me angry that the crisis has overshadowed the hard work of Joanna Lumley to get justice for the Gurkhas. She showed the politicians how to really get things done, it was a real demonstration of what celebrities can do with their fame and fortune. Instead it was hidden on page 10 of the Telegraph behind more photos of MPs who have abused their power and privilege.

The media attention given to expenses has also served to taint the MPs who don't sponge off the taxpayer. I have been interning for Emily Thornberry who uses a substantial amount of her salary to finance her constituency office where staff work tirelessly to resolve the problems of her constituents. I was pleased this article from the Guardian got the truth out there.

Hey ho, back to revision.

Political Participation of Women in Jordan: Optimism dashed

After meeting with three NGOs on Thursday I was feeling pretty positive about the political opportunities for women in Jordan. There are a lot of problems that prevent them from becoming politically engaged: the tribal system, a very conservative culture, an electoral system that discriminates against them and a lack of confidence amongst women themselves in their ability to take on positions of responsibility.

However, there is also a quota of six seats reserved for women in the Parliament, which is very impressive for the Middle East region and some fantastic NGOs working very hard to support the women who do want to run in elections. Although there are lot of challenges, I came away on Thursday feeling that change is possible.

Yesterday I took a day off from research and went the Petra. The hotel organised a driver and from him I got a real insight into the mind of a Jordanian man. He thought that women's education was a bad thing and that the introduction of mobile phones was dangerous because it meant women could talk to each other and share ideas. He also did not have a problem with polygamy (as long as you did not exceed four wives) because it is sanctioned by "the Muslim religion". "The man is always on top, he always has the last word." The rest of what he had to say ranged from sexist to the down right bizarre.

The point I want to make is that the interpretations of Islam vary widely and some women view it as potentially incredibly empowering. If change is to happen in Jordan, it will occur within an Islamic framework, but when some men use religion at every turn to justify the unfair treatment of women, it feels like an uphill battle.

Amman taxis

Someone asked me today what I was doing in Jordan. I explained, I'm doing a Masters thesis and I'm really interested in women's political participation. I wanted to write about the UK (I'm British so that's the context I know the most about) but my degree is in Development so I needed to focus on a developing country. I work for a couple of Middle East charities and my boss suggested Jordan as it's very safe, many people speak English and most people are helpful. As I was explaining her eyes got wider and I realised I sounded a little crazy, but here I am nonetheless, in Amman, harrassing NGOs and research centres for interviews and advice.

I arrived at the airport on Sunday night feeling a little bewildered and overwhelmed. After buying a SIM card I went outside to look for a taxi. Someone thrust a piece of paper into my hands, someone else took my suitcase and before I knew it I was in the back of a cab. I remembered how in my guide book it had said "make sure taxis are metered" but when I asked the driver he said the price was 22JD, "look at the piece of paper". Oh well, rule number one out the window. I anxiously clutched the panic alarm my Mum had given me before I left as we drove, in the pitch dark, around the winding streets of Amman. After asking a few people for directions we arrived, to my great relief, at the Shepherd Hotel safe and sound.

So far most taxi drivers have been very helpful, despite my lack of Arabic and complete disorientation. However, it was an exchange with one today that I felt must be shared. I've traveled all over the world and generally attract attention in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America because I have blonde hair... but I've never recieved a proposal like this!

The taxi driver collected me from my coffee shop and jokingly said "next time I come for coffee with you". "Sure", I laughed and gave directions to the NGO I was meeting. I complemented his English and he explained he had studied opthalmic and pshychiatric nursing in London. He said he liked London, as well as Israel and Turkey because they were much freer. "Great" I thought, I'm going to hear about the political constraints of Islamic states. I could not have been more wrong. "You see," he said "there I can suck my girlfriend's tongue and she can suck my tongue. In Israel it is very free, there are beaches where we can go nude. "Do you want me to be your boyfriend for the rest of your trip?" I politely declined and showed him the wedding ring I'd worn for just this kind of occasion. "Oh," he said, "maybe you can give my number to your friends instead."

I knew where we were going so I wasn't scared and in fact wanted to laugh at the situation, given that he had to be about 65. I declined his second offer and thankfully we shortly reached my destination. Oh, the things one experiences in the name of research!