President Jakaya Kikwete has instructed Dar es Salaam regional authorities to build a modern hospital that would exclusively offer maternal and child health services.
Source: South African Government (Pretoria)
The Gauteng Department of Education has noted some incorrect media reports regarding the Colloquium on Teenage Pregnancy that took place on Tuesday. The researchers indicated that on average 45 000 girl learners fall pregnant a year. In Gauteng in 2008, we had 4874 pregnant girl learners compared with 4217 in 2011.
Religious and liberal nations agree, after two-week debate, on document urging end to violence against women and girls. A United Nations policy-making body has agreed upon a declaration urging an end to violence against women and girls despite concerns from conservative Muslim countries and the Vatican about references to women's sexual and reproductive rights.
Brigadier General B.F. Kusi, Deputy Commandant at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPC), says adoption of the United Nation Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 has been one of the greatest achievements for the promotion of women, peace and security agenda.
- As countries in the Middle East and North Africa adjust to profound political changes and economic difficulties, development experts on the region have increasingly turned their attention to the social and economic potential of incorporating more female workers into the labour market.
Source: The Guardian
It may not sound like much, but the attempted insertion of the word "recalls" in place of "reaffirms" about previous women's rights agreements by the Holy See in the first line of the proposed draft document set the tone for much of the negotiations at this year's UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
Source: Bloomberg
A new Facebook page has been created to expose sexual harassers in Egypt by calling on women to post photos of men caught in the act. Its the latest effort by campaigners to end gender-based violence and intimidation.
Source: Heritage
The Carter Center, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Rescue and Exchange Board (IREX) has concluded a three-conflict resolution training for several women leaders in Lofa County.
Source: East African Business Week
A total of 87 women entrepreneurs based in Temeke, one of the Dar es Salaam capital city's municipals have received interest-free loans worth Tsh5m ($3,084) through Vodacom Foundation's M-Pesa Women Empowerment Initiative (MWEI).
Source: VibeGhana
“Your wife has produced her own picture again” is the way family members in certain ethnic groups in the country break the news to husbands whose wives give birth to baby girls during their absence.
In the clan of this writer the birth of a son is greeted with happiness. Comments like: “A warrior has come”, “The family tree has sprouted” and “The village builder has come,” are often made by the clan head.
Source: The Guardian
Last week, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood issued a strongly-worded statement unabashedly rejecting the draft UN declaration calling for an end to all forms of violence against women. It claims that the declaration contravenes Egypt's "cultural specificity" and would lead to "the complete disintegration of society" if ratified. Needless to say, the statement has fuelled the anger of Egyptians, especially women.
Source: Huffington Post
With seven out of 10 women a target of sexual abuse, one would think it would be simple to adopt a program to combat violence. In the end a U.N. conference did that despite incendiary objections from the Muslim Brotherhood.
Source: The New Vision
The day of reckoning has come round yet again. On behalf of the world, the United Nations has set up a process for thinking about the next big thing to succeed the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) due to end two years.
Source: Center for Reproductive Rights
New York, Ny — On the last day of its 57th session last week, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and 131 countries agreed to adopt a plan to combat violence against women and girls, urging all countries "to strongly condemn all forms of violence against women and girls and to refrain from invoking any custom, tradition, and religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination."
Source: East African Business Week
The World Bank has released Ush8b ($3.2) to fund the gender innovation laboratory that is supposed to provide solutions for Africa's families especially the women.
Source: Daily Observer
The West African Agricultural Productive Programme (WAAPP) on Wednesday donated fertilizer and vegetable seeds to women of Abuko community, who are actively engaged in horticultural gardening.
Source: Guardian Global Development Network
Female university students are mobilising to change a culture where academic success is often dependent on sexual favours
During her first few days at the University of Liberia, a male student asked Famata Adrekis if she was taking the "Sex 101" class. "I said: 'What do you mean?' I was shocked," says the fourth-year sociology student.
Source: The Star
Public health officials in Taita Taveta have warned of a rise in HIV/Aids. The Taita National Aids Control Council coordinator, Dominick Kitandu, said people aged between 15 and 45 are the most affected.
Source: The Daily Observer (Banjul)
A total number of 267 women that make up the 11th batch of the President's infertility treatment programme were Friday discharged by the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, after a weeklong treatment in Kanilai. The discharge ceremony was held at State House in Banjul.
Source: UN News Centre
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said that Michelle Bachelet had informed him of her intention to step down as head of the United Nations entity mandated to promote gender equality.