Today UN Women joins women and men, boys and girls around the world in a call to action for zero tolerance for female genital mutilation (FGM). The adoption of the landmark resolution banning female genital mutilation by the UN General Assembly this past December is a step in the right direction. We applaud the progress being made by communities, by individuals to abandon this harmful practice and protect the rights and dignity of girls and women.
The Tepeth are mountain people of northeastern Uganda. They reside in conical huts made of sticks, thatch and mud in the semi-arid savannahs and scrubby forests of Moroto district. For generations they have subsisted by herding animals and growing crops. If the harvest is good and food is plentiful, village elders will grant permission for a 'cutting' ceremony, in which girls 11 to 14 years of age undergo a rite of passage to womanhood by having all or a portion
Source: The Independent
A young woman who accused Somalia’s security forces of rape has been given a one-year jail sentence for making a false accusation and insulting the government. A freelance journalist who interviewed the alleged victim has also been sentenced to a year in prison, despite never publishing his report.
Source: New Era
According to the SADC Gender Protocol 2012 Barometer women feature strongest in the arts, humanities and health sciences, where nursing is incorporated, while they are less often present within the disciplines of science or law, the world over.
Source: The New Times
The head teacher of Groupe Scolaire (GS) Nsinda in Rwamagana district has been suspended following reports that 26 of his students were found to be pregnant.
The teens were either found to be pregnant or recently gave birth while at school.
Source: The Star
Poor Antenatal care and parasites have been linked to high prevalence of Epilepsy in Kenya and sub Saharan Africa. A study conducted in the country and its neighbouring states of Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa revealed that epilepsy significantly more prevalent in poorer countries and rural areas.
Source: The Namibian
THE number of children under the age of five who died of hunger has dropped significantly in the Hardap Region.
The Mariental State Hospital's chief medical officer, Dr Jean-Paul Tshitende, says the number of children who have died of malnutrition in the region dropped from 14 in 2011 to five in 2012.
Source: The Observer (Kampala)
At her small house in Kyengera, Sarah Nagujja, a mother of five, has been limited to doing one job - monitoring her pale five-month-old son, Charles Kaddu. Occasionally, she looks on helplessly as the little tot struggles for his breath, then he sweats and later part of his body either freezes or turns purple. And this happens on a daily basis.
Cameroon has become the 36th African Union (AU) Member State to ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa following its deposit of its ratification instrument on 28 December 2012. The Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition congratulates Cameroon on taking this important step, which demonstrates its commitment to
Woman who said she was raped by government forces, and a journalist who interviewed her, to appear in Mogadishu courtA Somali woman who said she was raped by government forces, and a journalist who interviewed her are due in court in Mogadishu on Tuesday, accused of insulting state institutions in a case that has raised concerns about women's rights and press freedom in the fragile state.
Source: Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa)
Addis Abeba is to host the International Conference on Family Planning which will be held for four days starting on November 12, 2013, and organised by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health.
Source: Leadership
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Muhammad Pate, has enjoined expectant mothers go to hospitals or medical centres to deliver their babies to avail themselves of the usage of health facilities.
Source: The Daily Observer
The West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP-Gambia) and Pro-Hope International in collaboration with FAWEGAM recently conducted a three-day capacity building training for 30 women from the West Coast Region, North Bank Region, Lower River Region, Central River and Upper River Regions respectively in Jarra Soma, LRR.
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, on Sunday in Abuja commended the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), for promoting education in the society.
About 4,000 Ghanaian pregnant girls and women risk death this year, whilst over 100,000 others are likely to develop short and long term disabilities from pregnancy related complications, recent studies have indicated.
"Tarehe Sita" celebrations which are held in remembrance of the first armed attack launched by the National Resistance Army guerrillas on February 6, 1981 usually involve various activities.
UN chief challenges African leaders to combat sexual violence - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has appealed to African male leaders to join his campaign to end violence against women, specifically rape and sexual violence in conflict.
To increase the pool of experts that can be rapidly deployed to participate in investigations into gender-based crimes during conflict, UN Women, Justice Rapid Response (JRR) and the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI), have jointly developed a specialized training course for judges and other experts.
The top United Nations police official today called on Member States to send more qualified female officers to serve in the world body’s operations, as she highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and professionalism of the force.
A video obtained by Think Africa Press shows the work of a Kenyan NGO in educating local women leaders about the dangers of female genital cutting.