Source: Premium Times
By Ibrahim Mohammed
Women have turned out in large numbers to vote in the presidential and National Assembly elections in Kaduna State.
Source: Thomas Reuters Foundation
Arminda Sa was working 15-hour days for half the pay she had been promised when her boss’ brother tried to rape her.
Source: Daily News
ANNASTANZIA Bhoke (Not her real name) escaped from her home in Tarime District, Mara Region to Dar es Salaam in November last. She was running away from the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practices she was about to undergo.
Source: The Gaurdian
The Labour Force Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics in December 2018 was trailed by mixed reactions, sparking heated debates on social media with many dismissing the reports as ‘fictitious’, ‘buffed up’ and ‘tainted’. The Labour Statistics Report, which reveals Nigeria’s unemployment and underemployment figures between 2017 (Q4) and 2018 (Q 1 – 3) increased by showed that the rate of unemployment grew from 18.8% to 23.1%.
Source: Daily Monitor
Kampala — Human and women rights activists have appealed to Members of Parliament not to criminalise prostitution as they debate and pass the pending Sexual Offences Bill of 2015 into law.
Source: The Namibian
The government, through the ministry of gender equality, has decriminalised baby dumping to allow mothers to leave their unwanted newborn babies at safe places without the risk of prosecution.
Source: This Is Africa
By Sada Malumfashi
Is the tide turning in Northern Nigeria for men who have grown accustomed to abusing women with impunity? asks Sada Malumfashi.
Source: UN News
Despite the signing of a peace deal between belligerents last September, UN investigators found that at least 175 women and girls have been raped or suffered other sexual and physical violence between September and December 2018.
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
Experts predict the number of women who win seats in Nigeria’s Saturday elections is likely to fall below the existing 6 percent - already one of the lowest rates in the world.
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation News
LONDON, Feb 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - "Sexist" data is making it harder to improve women and girls' lives, the world's leading philanthropic couple Bill and Melinda Gates said on Tuesday in an open letter.
Source: The Southern Times
Windhoek - During the 32nd Ordinary Session of the African Union General Assembly, held February 10-11, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Namibia was recognised for outstanding efforts in promoting women’s rights and gender equality as well as fighting against corruption at the national level.
Source: Radio Dabanga
Kutum — Four women were seriously injured during a rape attempt by militiamen in North Darfur on Friday. The Darfur Bar Association has launched an investigation into the rape of five displaced women and girls near El Fasher, capital of North Darfur.
Source: Dalsan Radio
Puntland named the lowest number of female cabinet ministers compared to other regional states.
Out of the full cabinet, only two are female out of the 48. The full list has 18 ministers, 21 Assistant Ministers and 9 state Ministers.
Source: VOA News
NAIROBI, KENYA — Kenyan health officials say unsafe abortions are common in the east African nation with nearly half a million in one recent year. Abortion is prohibited unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger. Advocates for less restrictive policies argue that unsafe abortions contribute to a high level of maternal deaths.
Source: DW.com
Angola has done away with criminalizing homosexuality, removing a notorious "vices against nature" provision in its penal code. Other African nations still punish people for same-sex relationships.
Source: Al Jazeera
Female Ugandan activists have slammed a government campaign to use "curvy women" as a tourism "product", which has sparked a furore in the east African nation.
Source: allAfrica
President Julius Bio has upped the maximum punishment for rape of a minor and called on the country to address its rape "scourge." The move follows an outcry over the rape of a 5-year-old girl by her male relative.
Source: allAfrica
So far 23 member states adopted National Action Plan on WPS and Africa stands the leading continent.
Source: Daily Nation
A court ruling asserting that married women qualify to inherit properties of their fathers and should not be excluded during distribution has stirred debate between defenders of women’s and men’s rights.
Source: News Ghana
Civil Society Organisations in Good Governance promotion in Africa have urged leaders across the continent to prioritise efforts, which would increase the participation of women in governance, saying they would provide the difference critical for Africa’s transformation.