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Kylie Knott

Gender inequality affects all societies, regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic background.
The best way to measure gender equality is to look at the representation of men and women in a range of roles – then the imbalance becomes clear.
Men dominate the political and corporate worlds, in industries from entertainment to technology. And while things are slowly changing, the imbalance has lead to a rise in female focused festivals.
Here are five for the diary:

Modern Women Festival
October 20 to 22
The lush surrounds of Ubud on the Indonesian island of Bali are the setting for the Modern Woman Festival (MWF), a three-day event to indulge the mind, body and spirit. To be held at New Earth Haven, workshops include talks on sexual health, women in science, dance, yoga, creativity and connection. “It’s open to women of all shapes, sizes, nationalities, ages, careers, beliefs, dietary, and lifestyle preferences. We bring together women from all stages of life in hopes of showing that unity and solidarity are more productive than competition and division.”
Visit here for more details

China Women’s Film Festival
October 18 to 27
Gender imbalance in the film and entertainment industry is well documented but many are oblivious to the bigger picture. Fewer women directors and writers leads to more stereotypical portrayals of female characters, moulding gender-biased representations and negatively affecting gender equality. Held in Beijing, the China Women’s Film Festival, now in its seventh year, shines a light on women’s rights. It aims to address themes relevant to the modern women, reversing traditional views of women as housewives, caretakers and lovers, instead revealing the issues that are important to women today, such as gender equality, social and economic advancement and violence against women. 


The programme is vast and varied, from Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, a feminist spaghetti western from Indonesia, to Bulbul Can Sing about a girl navigating love and loss while growing up in the Indian village of Assam.
Also featured is the 2019 Austrian drama, The Ground Beneath My Feet.
Visit here for more details

Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival
November 2 to 17
Female-focused music festivals have sprung up around the world, and Australia is no exception. Since 2012, the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival has provided a stage for women in jazz, hosting world-class local and international talent, including triple Grammy award-winning drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. This year’s line-up features artists from the US, Canada and Brazil.
Visit here for more details

Women of Wine Festival
March 11, 2020
The global wine industry is another male-dominated sector and the Women of Wine Festival aims to help level the playing field. Founded by Debra Meiburg, Master of Wine, the festival pairs global wines made by women with Hong Kong’s top businesswomen and inspirational female leaders. It also hosts wine masterclasses, tastings and networking sessions.
Visit here for more details

Women in Tech Festival
May 1 and 2, 2020
In no industry is the gender imbalance more obvious than in the tech sector. According to TheMuse.com, women hold just 11 per cent of executive positions in Silicon Valley, and own only 5 per cent of start-ups. It seems apt that Silicon Valley is the location for the annual Women in Tech Festival that celebrates women in science, technology, engineering and maths, business, and leadership as well as those who support the advancement of women and believe in the importance of diversity. The festival includes inspiring talks, start-up pitches, thought provoking discussions, educational workshops, and career mentorship sessions.
Visit here for more details


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China Liaoning warship’s sole female senior officer urges fellow women to prioritise professional skills

Women and gender

Five women-only festivals, from tech to wine, from film to jazz, it’s female focused fun

Modern Woman Festival in Bali.

The Ground Beneath My Feet, will be screened at the China Women’s Film Festival

Sydney Jazz festival

Modern Women's Festival will be held in Ubud in October

Debra Meiburg - master of wine

A woman demonstrates the Artemis smart mirror at the CareOS booth during CES Unveiled at CES International, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Las Vegas. The interactive mirror has video capture, virtual try-ons, facial and object recognition, and can give the user video instruction on specific makeup products, among other things. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Five festivals for women around the world. Terri Lyne Carrington will be playing at the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival in November.

What is gender equality? A basic human right explained, and where inequality is most strongly felt

World leaders at the G20 Osaka Summit in Osaka on June 28. Photo: AFP

Saudi women roll their suitcases at the departure hall of the Jeddah Airport on August 6, 2019. - Saudi Arabia's easing of travel restrictions on women was hailed in the kingdom last week as a historic leap for gender equality, but it also drew anger from hardliners backing contentious male "guardianship" rules. The Muslim kingdom announced it was effectively allowing women over the age of 21 to obtain passports and travel abroad without securing the permission of their "guardians" -- husband, father or other male relatives. (Photo by - / AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) sings the national anthem with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) and Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Yang (L) during the closing session of the National PeopleÕs Congress in BeijingÕs Great Hall of the People on March 15, 2019. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)

A picture shows the messages "#Me too" and #Balancetonporc ("expose your pig") on the hand of a protester during a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence called by the Effronte-e-s Collective, on the Place de la Republique square in Paris on October 29, 2017. - #MeToo hashtag, is the campaign encouraging women to denounce experiences of sexual abuse that has swept across social media in the wake of the wave of allegations targeting Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY / AFP)

Partners of G20 leaders pose for a photo during the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28. Photo: AFP

Resources for scrapped Hong Kong tourist events – such as Cyclothon and Wine & Dine Festival – could be redeployed to struggling travel sector, commerce chief Edward Yau says

Model Zoie Tung poses at an outdoor installation in Tung Chung. Hong Kong’s arrival numbers were down more than 50 per cent in the first week of October. Photo: Winson Wong

Tourists take pictures (of Chinese flags shown on an outdoor electronic board, on the rooftop of Harcourt House) at Victoria Harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui. 19AUG19 SCMP / Felix Wong

Lifestyle


These five female festivals aim to redress the gender imbalance that still exists in politics and business
Events include a film festival in China, a wine festival in Hong Kong, jazz in Australia, and tech in Silicon Valley



These five female festivals aim to redress the gender imbalance that still exists in politics and business. Events include a wine festival in Hong Kong, jazz in Australia, tech in Silicon Valley and wellness in Ubud.


Cinema

American cinema