Specialised sexual offences courts could make a dent in South Africa’s staggeringly high rape rate by speeding up the turnover of rape cases and thereby convicting more rapists and encouraging more survivors to report the crime. However, unless the South African government puts its money where its mouth is, the so-called “rape courts” will amount to nothing more than a “nice idea”.
Uganda may have the third-highest fertility rate in the world but where there is life, death is inevitable. And it is a certainty that Regina Mukiibi Mugongo made the most of when she became this East African nation’s first ever funeral director almost two decades ago.
FIRST Lady Christine Kaseba has called for integration of sexual reproductive health issues and cancer into the fight against HIV and AIDS if the fight is to achieve the desired results.
Source: Trust
New laws designed to increase the number of elected women in Kenyan politics had no effect on the 2013 elections because those concerned failed to implement them, the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) said.
Women's rights activists in Morocco have criticised the Islamist-led government for excluding them from drafting a proposed legislation to combat violence against women and for seeking to dilute the bill through changes.
Source:The Observer (Kampala)
The minister of state for Primary Healthcare, Sarah Opendi, has called for increased emphasis on family planning to prevent the consequences of unwanted pregnancies.
Source: The Star
Police in Bomet are holding two women over female genital mutilation on four girls. The two women aged 60 and 56 were arrested yesterday by police after a tip off by residents. They allegedly carried out the rite at Kapsimotwo village in Bomet Central.
Source: Gender Links
Cyber violence is on the increase, yet remains inadequately addressed in most countries. While young people are at a greater risk, both women and girls are especially vulnerable to violence perpetrated via the internet and new media platforms. Preventing technology-related gender based violence (GBV) is an important component in ending violence against women and children.
Source: IPS
For more than 20 years, Anastasia Ngwakun from Bamunkumbit village in central Cameroon has been farming rice the hard way - using only hand tools. But Ngwakun knows that if she were a man, she would have access to the technology that would not require her to work so hard.
Source: Trust
Patrolling the wards of the hospital she founded in the breakaway enclave of Somaliland, Edna Adan Ismail held the hand of a teenage girl about to have a fistula repair operation, urging her to be brave.
Source: East African Business Week
Uganda last week launched a major national drive to end maternal and child deaths across the country.As part of the global 'Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed' movement, the Vice President Edward Ssekandi, unveiled a sharpened plan that aims to prevent an additional 40 per cent of Under 5 deaths and 26 per cent of maternal deaths by 2017.
Source: Tanzania Daily News
THE Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and the Police Force yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as part of its commemoration of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Source: The Star
This is the second article in our series to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, a partnership between the Star and COVAW.
Source: AFP via Al Arabiya News
A UN General Assembly committee has agreed a landmark first resolution on women's rights defenders such as Malala Yousafzai, despite a hard fought campaign by an alliance including the Vatican to weaken the measure.
Source: GenderLinks
Climate change is happening fast. Africa is already feeling the negative effects, yet this continent is the least responsible for it.
Source: SciDev.net
The editor of a recent UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report has concluded that smallholder farmers must be involved in biotechnology and innovation research to reduce poverty.
Source: The Star
Beatrice Khalayi Shibunga is a community health worker and family planning champion, working in the slums of Korogocho in Nairobi. She goes door-to-door to offer women in her community family planning information. In her work experience, she has met women who use contraceptives but without the knowledge or consent of their husbands.
Source: The Star
MOMBASA Deputy Governor Hazel Katana has said they will come up with strategies to ensure women and youth get equal opportunities at the county level. She said the county will initiate projects tailored for women and youth, through the Youth, Gender and Sports docket.
Source: Sabahi
The Tanzanian police force has launched a three-year action plan to fight gender-based violence and child abuse in the country, Tanzania's Daily News reported Wednesday (November 27th).