Source: Vanguard
Abuja — Not satisfied that women have not been adequately represented in both elective and appointive positions in Nigeria, Leader of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, is mobilising women across the country to strategise on how to assert themselves more on the political terrain.
Source:This Day Live
In a bid to support women entrepreneurs to run thriving businesses, Diamond Bank, a player in the retail banking space, has provided ICT training for women functioning within the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector.
Source: 24 TANZANIA
THE growing number of cervical cancer cases has prompted the government to introduce the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine as a future preventive measure for the killer disease.
Source: Daily Trust
The Association of Professional Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has requested the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to create employment for female engineers as well as involve them in project executions.
Source: Sudan Tribune
Torit — The minister of social development in South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria state, Paska Hifita, has called on women across the region's eight counties to engage in peace building efforts as a way of unifying the nation.
Source: The New Times
Last month in Davos, at a World Economic Forum (WEF) special event on Millennium Development Goals, President Kagame said: "Investing in girls' empowerment calls for increased investment in the good health of the girl child as we do for the boys, so that they all grow into balanced human beings with equal opportunities to realise their life aspirations."
Source: The Inquirer
A group of women under the umbrella "Women Against Female Genital Mutilation" (WAFGM) in the country has disclosed that it is getting ready to petition the 53rd National Legislature to enact a law against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Source: Sudan Tribune
Khartoum — Changing attitudes in Sudan surrounding female genital mutilation (FGM) is helping to reduce the prevalence of the practice, UNICEF says.
Source: Daily Trust
Female parliamentarians in the House of Representatives yesterday resolved to canvass for more elective offices for women politicians ahead of the 2015 elections.
Source:Angola Press
Speaking to Angop, the municipal director of Family and Women Promotion department, Paula Loureiro stated that besides entrepreneurship, actions to fight gender illiteracy are being developed.
Source: Daily News
The Tanzania Women Bank (TWB) has signed a contract with Kishen Enterprises Limited, in a deal that seeks to empower and create employment to the youth across the country.
Source: Premium Times
An Abuja-based NGO, Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria (SAP-CLN), in collaboration with Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) have elected to embark on a controversial campaign to rid Nigeria's capital city of prostitutes. But it seems the campaign is being waged on the wrong side of the law following allegations of abuses and highhandedness, which grossly violate the provisions of Nigeria's Constitution.
Source: The Herald
Women are failing to break into the lucrative mining sector, with figures showing that they constitute just 5 percent of small-scale miners in Zimbabwe.The chief executive officer of Gold Miners Association of Zimbabwe, Mr Irvin Chinyenze, noted with concern that women were not keen on mining because of the strenuous nature of the work.
Source: The Observer
Hajjat Halima Nasuuna is one of many women who make a living from cross-border trade. Often, she travels from one country to another in the region vending crafts such as baskets, mats, and belts.
Source: East Africa Business Week
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Tanzania has called on the government and communities to step up efforts to end Female Genital Mutilation that has cost more than 125 million girls and women in Africa and Middle East.
Source: ACNS
Scores of female church workers were massacred last month as they sought refuge at a church in the central South Sudanese town of Bor.
The women, several of whom were elderly, had fled rebel attacks to hide in the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church compound, when rebels descended on them, raping several of them before shooting them at close range.
Source: Malawi News Agency
Senior Chief Kapeni of Blantyre District has ordered all village headmen in his area not to entertain underage marriages in their areas as doing so could promote immoral behaviours among youths.
The Senior Chief sounded the warning on Friday in Lunzu, Blantyre during the formal handover ceremony of Aquaid Primary School to the Government.
Senior Kapeni admitted that there are cases of under-age marriages in his jurisdiction hence has ordered the village headmen to refer all those in underage marriages to school.
"I am impressed with how Aquaid Lifeline is carrying out its operations in my areas. The school which is private is offering free primary education to all children here.
"My appeal to all children is to utilise the opportunity that Aquaid organization has offered to them and avoid taking the opportunity for granted.
"To all village headmen who are here, make sure that there is no underage marriages in your communities," reiterated the senior chief.
Kapeni said it is possible for a woman to be educated noting that what is important to girls is to refrain from immoral behaviours.
Senior Chief Kapeni advised girls to be role models in their respective places and should grow with spiritual life.
"I don't want to see marriages of underage boys and girls in my area. Boys and girls aged 13 or 14 are not supposed to be in marriages," added Kapeni.
Kapeni said he is not the first person to bar underage marriages saying in some places they have already started doing so.
Source: Zambia Times
GENDER refers to culturally based expectations regarding the roles and behaviours of males and females.
The term distinguishes the socially constructed from the biologically determined aspects of being male and female.
Unlike sex roles that are biologically constructed, gender roles and behaviours are in most cases culturally prescribed.
Source: Heritage
A non- governmental organization, Women Against Female Genital Mutilation (WAFGEM), has embarked on a major campaign in the country aimed at sensitizing women on the harmful effect of female mutilation and the enforcement of laws to be enacted.
Source: Sunday Trust
The media plays a crucial role in the political or electoral process. It's the ears and eyes of the public and help mould perceptions.