Source: PLOS Blogs
PLOS NTDs editor-in-chief Peter Hotez highlights the subject of Female Genital Schistosomiasis in Africa that continues to affect women there heavily, yet receives disproportionally little attention.

Source: UN News Centre
There are encouraging signs that the new push for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) can succeed, Mary Robinson said today in her first briefing to the Security Council since taking her post as United Nations Envoy for Africa's Great Lakes Region.

"I believe we do meet at a moment of renewed opportunity," Mrs. Robinson told a closed door session in New York of the 15-nation Council via video teleconference.

Source: Daily Trust
The place of women in a nation's economy is very important because it enhances their participation in development which is essential not only in achieving social justice but also in reducing poverty.

Source: Human Rights Watch
International donors meeting in London to discuss the new Somali government's reform agenda should make accountability and women's rights a priority, Human Rights Watch said in a briefing paper sent to conference participants. On May 7, 2013, over 50 countries will convene to discuss the government's strategic plans for justice, police, and army reform, prevention of sexual violence, and financial management.

Source: Premium Times
About 24 days from now, thousands of medical practitioners, policy makers, development workers and advocates for improved health care delivery for women will converge on Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. Their mission will be the third edition of the Women Deliver Conference, a global conference put together by Women Deliver, an advocacy group comprising a coalition of organisations working towards generating "political commitment and resource investments to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health."

Source: Vanguard
Abiola Akiyode — Abiola Akiyode is an activist of note within and outside Nigeria. The Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre- WARDC, in this interview, among other issues, she suggests the need for a gender struggle that is less elitist and which would easily accommodate the rural women who largely constitute the female population in Nigeria.

Source: Tanzania Daily News
AFRICAN women who undergo female genital mutilation are in essence victims of their traditions and customs. Generally, most countries practise this culture to protect their customs.

Source: New Times
There are fewer women occupying leadership positions in Rwanda's higher learning institutions, despite efforts to promote education for women and to place them in decision making positions.

Source: The Standard
The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has said the distribution of female condoms rose sharply following the launch of a home meeting concept. A recent survey by ZNFPC revealed that the supply of female condoms from the national distribution centre in the first quarter of 2013 was 1 047 832 pieces compared to 847 008 pieces the same period last year.

Source: The Guardian
SOCIO-POLITICAL and economic advancement of women could mostly be achieved in the shortest- possible time if the global community shows appreciation of the capacity of women. That, experts say, would widen the network of women and build their capacity to do great things.

This is part of the revelation at this year's Women Advancement Forum (WAF), which took place last week at Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Source: Times of Zambia
THE United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) has welcomed progress that Zambia and other countries have made in addressing violence against women and girls. The international body is happy that countries have made progress through various national laws and policies.

Source: SW Radio Africa
Zimbabwe's first black female newspaper editor and daily news columnist, Edna Machirori, has been awarded this year's International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that has been hailed by female journalists who work under the tough male dominated environment in Zimbabwe.

Source: Daily News
A TOTAL of 25,000 Tanzania Women Bank (TWB) customers have benefited from loans worth Tshs 33 billion since it started. Among those benefited, 82 per cent are women while 18 per cent are men.

Source: Daily Trust
The wife of the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs. Hauwa Philip Aduda, on Wednesday kick-started a special empowerment programme for rural women in the six area councils of the territory with startup capital given to women in some Abaji communities.

At the flag-off ceremony in Alu-Mamagi village in Abaji Area Council, the senator's wife also gave the local women 700 big size coolers, 150 industrial cooking pots, 4,000 wrappers and cash donations.

Source: The Star
On Tuesday evening while giving my daughter a bath, I had the TV on so I could listen to President Kenyatta's Cabinet nominees announcement. I didn't expect him to name four (for chrissake man) but I really didn't expect him to name a woman as amazing as Ambassador Amina Mohammed. In that moment I forgave him everything. The long wait, the four names (four? Nkt) everything.

Source: New Vision
Lately student leadership in the country at universities is taking on a new trend, where female students are being elected to the guild top leadership. Joyce Nyakato explores the reasons behind this changing trend. Iin April last year, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), for the first time, had a guild female president. Twenty-one-year-old Sheila Nduhukire polled 885 votes, beating five men. Henry Rugobe her next competitor had 802 votes.

Source: New Times
There were 522 unwanted pregnancies among girls between 10-18 years registered last year in several schools countrywide, a Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Schools report, released yesterday, indicates. The report, released by the Gender Monitoring Office indicates that most of the cases were in Karongi (58), Kayonza (53), Gatsibo (52) and Gasabo (50).

Source: New Republic
The launch of Liberia's 2013 anti-rape campaign went ahead Wednesday in grand style but without the expression of disagreements on how to proceed with dealing with the problem and its cause. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Associate Justice Jamesetta Wolokollie, Chief Zanzan Karwah of the National Traditional Council of Liberia had divergent views on the cause of rape and how it can be coped with.

Source: Liberia Government
Ahead of the launch of the "Stop Fistula" campaign and inauguration of a new Fistula Unit at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, in Congo Town, the President and Founder of the Women for Africa Foundation (Mujeres por Africa), Senora Maria Teresa Fernández de la Vega, paid a courtesy call on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Wednesday, May 1, to discuss the Foundation's activities in Liberia and today's launch.

Source: Daily News
MANY women in Tarime District, Mara Region still deliver at home in the villages helped by traditional midwives because of poverty. According to Ms Maria Pius (73), many women having no money to go to the hospital, have been flocking into her home to give birth for free. Mrs Pius is a prominent traditional birth attendant in Nyamwaga village in the district.

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